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[FYI] Noch'n Softwarepatent



http://patent.womplex.ibm.com/details?pn=US06069622__

US6069622: Method and system for generating
           comic panels 


Inventor(s):
             Kurlander; David J. , Bellevue, WA 

Applicant(s):
             Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA 

Issued/Filed
        Dates:
             May 30, 2000 / March 8, 1996 

Abstract:
A comic generation system controls the generation
 of comic panels. A comic panel is a graphical 
representation of an instance in time of a sequential 
course of events. Each graphical representation 
typically includes a graphical representation of 
at least one character. The character has gestures 
that reflect a body pose and expressions that reflect a
facial pose. Moreover, the character may have text 
associated with it (i.e., the character "speaks"), 
which is displayed in the comic panel within a bounded 
area called a "balloon." The comic generation system 
receives an interaction event and generates a comic 
panel. Examples of interaction events include text 
input by a user and selection of gestures and
expressions by a user. When the interaction event 
provides text, the comic generation system automatically 
searches the text to identify any words or phrases 
that give rise to gestures and expressions for the 
character representing the user who provided the 
interaction event. Moreover, the comic generation 
system searches the text for trigger words that indicate
alterations to the comic panel. The comic generation 
system generates the comic panel based on the results of its
searches. The comic generation system also determines 
which characters to place in a comic panel, the positions 
of the characters, and the orientations of the 
characters. The comic generation system additionally 
determines the placement of balloons containing text. 
Also, the comic generation system determines when to 
generate a new comic panel and when to modify a comic 
panel that has already been generated. Furthermore, 
the comic generation system maintains a graphical
history of the comic panels. 

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