JSON Avatar Metadata Format for Cross-Format 3D Interoperability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 3D content formats lack standardized metadata for avatars, leading to difficulties in encoding, decoding, and interoperability across different devices and platforms, especially in the context of extended reality applications.

Innovation Solution

A dedicated avatar metadata format (.avm) is introduced to provide high-level metadata for avatars, enabling efficient encoding and decoding by referencing multiple representations across different formats, and facilitating seamless data exchange and rendering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple 3D content formats are used to represent avatars, then format versatility is improved, but interoperability and standardized metadata exchange deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformat versatilityVSAvoidinteroperability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary metadata format (JSON-based avatar metadata) that serves as a standardized bridge between different 3D content formats. This intermediary layer enables consistent metadata exchange and interoperability across diverse avatar formats without requiring direct compatibility between each format pair.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal metadata structure that can describe avatars across multiple different 3D content formats. This universal approach allows a single metadata standard to serve multiple purposes and work with various formats (FBX, OBJ, GLTF, etc.), improving interoperability while maintaining format versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If comprehensive metadata is added to avatar representations, then interoperability and data exchange are improved, but data structure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveinteroperabilityVSAvoiddata structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the avatar data into distinct components: geometric data (3D model) and metadata (JSON-based descriptive information). This segmentation allows the metadata to be separately managed, standardized, and exchanged without complicating the core geometric data structure, thereby improving interoperability while controlling overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent standardizes metadata parameters using a consistent JSON schema that defines specific fields and data types. By changing the parameter representation to a standardized format, the patent simplifies data exchange and reduces complexity despite adding comprehensive metadata capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If avatar data is stored in multiple formats for different applications, then adaptability is improved, but encoding and decoding efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication adaptabilityVSAvoidencoding and decoding efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-encoding avatar data in multiple formats and pre-generating corresponding metadata. This allows clients to directly access pre-prepared data without performing complex encoding/decoding operations, thereby maintaining application adaptability while improving processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by creating metadata representations that reference or point to the actual avatar data in different formats. Instead of converting between formats, the system copies the metadata description and uses it to efficiently access the appropriate underlying data, improving both adaptability and decoding efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4633174A1Avatar metadata format
Publication Date: 2025.10.15 INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS SAS
  • EP4633174A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4633174A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4633174A1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

Some embodiments of a method may include: requesting, from a server, a list of avatar formats available corresponding to an avatar; receiving, from the server, at least one avatar metadata file corresponding to the avatar; selecting a first format of the avatar; requesting, from the server, avatar representation data corresponding to the first format of the avatar; receiving, from the server, the avatar representation data corresponding to the first format of the avatar; and rendering, in a virtual environment, the avatar representation data corresponding to the first format of the avatar.