Patent ID: 7198490
Filing Date: 2007-04-03
Classification: G09B,Y10S

Abstract:
1. An interactive apparatus, comprising: a plurality of video vignettes simulating a person; a plurality of statements to be selected by a user of said apparatus; a plurality of audio responses for articulation by said simulated person; and a logic means for interrelating each of said statements to be selected by the user, said audio responses and said video vignettes, such that each of said statements can have a plurality of different audio responses and video vignettes associated therewith, said logic means comprising: an emotional component comprising an emotional model of said simulated person, said emotional model determining the direction and magnitude of change between a plurality of emotional states of said simulated person in response to said statements selected by the user thereby affecting the selection from a list of available audio responses and video vignettes of one of said plurality of audio responses and one of said plurality of video vignettes in response to user selected ones of said plurality of statements; and a logical component for tracking said audio responses and said video vignettes and determining said list of available audio responses and video vignettes that is consistent in light of previously selected ones of said plurality of audio responses and ones of said plurality of video vignettes, said logical component further assigning a probability to each available response on said list based on said simulated person's emotional state and, using said probabilities and a pseudo-random number generator, selecting one of said plurality of audio responses and one of said plurality of video vignettes from said list.