NCsoft has been granted a patent for an apparatus and method for leveling a person image. The technology involves manipulating latent vectors in a latent space to increase identity similarity between original and virtual person images, resulting in a levelled person image with specific characteristics. GlobalData’s report on NCsoft gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.

According to GlobalData’s company profile on NCsoft, Location-based parallel gaming was a key innovation area identified from patents. NCsoft's grant share as of April 2024 was 47%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.

Image leveling method for generating neutral emotion person image

Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Credit: NCsoft Corp

A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11915513B2) discloses a method for performing leveling of a person image. The method involves receiving an original person image, selecting a latent vector in a latent space, generating a virtual person image based on the latent vector, activating specific regions in both the original and virtual person images, optimizing the latent vector to increase identity similarity between the images, manipulating the optimized vector, and generating a levelled person image where the person stares forward with a neutral expression and is illuminated from the front. The process includes steps such as calculating loss between images, generating binary masks, and manipulating subspaces corresponding to semantic attributes like pose, expression, and illumination.

Furthermore, the patent also covers the implementation of the method through a computer-readable recording medium containing the program for execution, as well as an apparatus equipped with a processor and memory to perform the leveling operation. Additionally, a method for generating a character face image from an original person image is detailed, including steps for determining the levelled state of the image and excluding images with certain characteristics. The patent also extends to a game server capable of receiving original person images, generating character face images through the described method, and communicating with user terminals for this purpose. Overall, the patent outlines a comprehensive approach to enhancing and standardizing person images for various applications, including gaming and character creation.

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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.