Messaging Avatars That Adapt Expression to Sender and Receiver State

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing messaging systems lack the ability to convey rich expressive context responsive to the status of both the message sender and recipient, limiting the participants' ability to effectively convey expressive intent in a timely and effective manner.

Innovation Solution

Generate and present avatars within messaging applications that convey contextual intent based on sensor data, manual inputs, and historical user data, adjusting the avatar's presentation to reflect the expressive intent of the message sender and considering the physical status of the message receiver.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If emoji and text-based expressions are used for emotional communication, then communication convenience is improved, but expressiveness and emotional depth are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication convenienceVSAvoidemotional expressiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates photorealistic avatar copies of users that can express emotions through facial expressions and body language, copying human emotional communication patterns while maintaining ease of digital communication

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from 2D emoji/text-based communication to 3D photorealistic avatar representations, adding spatial and visual dimensions to emotional expression while maintaining digital communication convenience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Loss of information

If video calls are used to improve emotional expression, then expressiveness is improved, but data transmission volume and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemotional expressivenessVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the avatar into modular components (head, body, limbs) that can be independently controlled and rendered, allowing selective activation of expressive elements rather than full video transmission

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of emotional expression from continuous video streams to discrete avatar animation parameters, reducing data transmission while maintaining expressive capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If photorealistic avatars with facial muscles and skin pores are created, then emotional expressiveness is improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemotional expressivenessVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by focusing photorealistic rendering on key expressive areas (face, eyes, mouth) while using simplified representations for less critical body parts, optimizing processing efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic facial muscle simulation that adapts rendering complexity based on emotional expression requirements, reducing processing load during neutral states and enhancing detail during expressive moments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4264911B1Live avatar in expressive messaging
Publication Date: 2026.04.29 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP4264911B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4264911B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1D
  • EP4264911B1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for facilitating the presentation of expressive intent and other status information with messaging and other communication applications. The expressive intent is based on expressive effect data associated with the message recipients and/or message senders. The expressive intent can be conveyed through avatars and modified message content. The avatars convey gestures, emotions and other status information and the presentation of the avatars can be reactive to detected state information of the message recipient(s), message sender(s) and/or corresponding messaging device(s).