Patent Document ID: 9207755
Application ID: 13720501
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. An apparatus for visually depicting an emotional state, the apparatus comprising: a computing system including a processor coupled to a display screen and one or more user input devices with the processor configured to: display a first facial expression image on the display screen, with the first facial expression image in the form of a background shape having graphic indicia of facial features displayed within the background shape, where facial features indicated by the graphic indicia include at least a mouth, a pair of eyes and a pair of eyebrows, with the first facial expression image expressing an emotional state characterized by interaction of a polarity state, an activity state and a receptivity state, and with the first facial expression image stored in a first graphics file in a file system including a plurality of graphics files, and with each graphics file in the plurality indexed by a coordinate index value triplet having coordinate index values representing coordinate values of a multi-dimensional space, and where a polarity coordinate index value defines a polarity axis of a continuum of polarity states and indicates a discrete polarity state on the polarity axis, an activity coordinate index value defines an activity axis of a continuum of activity states and indicates a discrete activity state on the activity axis, and a receptivity coordinate index value defines a receptivity axis of a continuum of receptivity states and indicates a discrete receptivity state on the receptivity axis, where a different facial expression image is stored in each graphics file indexed by a coordinate index value triplet, where at least one of location and shape of at least one of the mouth, pair of eyes, and pair of eyebrows are different for facial expression images stored in graphics files indexed by different coordinate index value triplets, and where a facial expression image stored in a graphics file expresses an emotion corresponding to interaction of the polarity, activity and receptivity states indexed by the coordinate index value triplet; accept input signals from one of the user input devices indicating selected polarity, activity and receptivity coordinate index values; display a second facial expression image, stored in a second graphics file in the plurality, the second graphics file indexed by the selected coordinate index values, that expresses a particular emotional state, with the selected polarity coordinate index value navigating between graphics files storing facial expression images expressing emotional states that tend towards a smile at one end of the continuum of polarity states or toward a frown at the other end of the continuum of polarity states, with the selected activity coordinate index value navigating between graphics files storing facial expression images expressing emotional states that tend towards being either active or extroverted at one end of the continuum of activity states or toward being passive or introverted at the other end of the continuum of activity states, and with the selected receptivity coordinate index value navigating between graphics files storing facial expression images expressing emotional states that tend towards being harder or more pinched at one end of the continuum of receptivity states or toward being softer or more open at the other end of the continuum of receptivity states; wherein facial expression images stored in graphics files indexed by non-negative polarity, activity and receptivity coordinate index values express emotional states characterized as AMUSED, ENTERTAINED, ELATED, UPBEAT, ASTONISHED, CURIOUS, IMPRESSED, ADMIRATION, EAGER, HAPPY, AMAZED, OVERJOYED and HILARIOUS LAUGHTER; wherein facial expression images stored in graphics files indexed by negative polarity coordinate index values, non-negative activity coordinate index values and non-negative receptivity coordinate index values express emotional states characterized as WORRIED, APPREHENSIVE, NERVOUS, PANICKED, DISTRESSED, ALARMED, SHOCKED, SCARED and TERRIFIED; wherein facial expression images stored in graphics files indexed by non-negative polarity coordinate index values, negative activity coordinate index values and non-negative receptivity coordinate index values express emotional states characterized as DEMURE, AMOROUS, FACIAL SHRUG, HOPEFUL, DAYDREAMY, SWOONING, RAPTUROUS, CONTENTED, PEACEFUL, PASSIONATE, WARM, INNOCENT, REFRESHED, RELAXED, COMPASSIONATE, GRATEFUL, AFFECTIONATE, MISTY and TEARS OF JOY; wherein facial expression images stored in graphics files indexed by negative polarity coordinate index values, negative activity coordinate index values and non-negative receptivity coordinate index values express emotional states characterized as DISAPPOINTED, FUDDLED, MEH, MELODRAMATIC, LONELY, GLUM, REJECTED, SYMPATHETIC, BEREFT, EMBARRASSED, ANGUISHED, REMORSEFUL, AGONIZED, DESPAIRING and GRIEF; wherein facial expression images stored in graphics files indexed by non-negative polarity coordinate index values, non-negative activity coordinate index values and negative receptivity coordinate index values express emotional states characterized as BRAVADO, QUERYING, PUCKISH, CONFIDENT, CONCEITED, BOLD, BRASH, TRIUMPHANT, STIFLED LAUGH, DETERMINED, DEFIANT and AGGRESSIVE; wherein facial expression images stored in graphics files indexed by non-negative polarity coordinate index values, negative activity coordinate index values and negative receptivity coordinate index values express emotional states characterized as CHEESY, SIMPERING, DEBAUCHED, SEDUCTIVE, ALOOF, ARCH, CONDESCENDING, FALSE SMILE, FALSE LAUGH, PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE, SMUG, SUPERIOR, HAUGHTY, SNIDE, SLY, SNEAKY, LEERY, DEVILISH, MOCKING, JEERING and MALEVOLENT LAUGH; wherein facial expression images stored in graphics files indexed by negative polarity coordinate index values, non-negative activity coordinate index values and negative receptivity coordinate index values express emotional states characterized as COLD, OUTRAGED, GRUMPY, TAKEN ABACK, DISGRUNTLED, OFFENDED, INDIGNANT, SNEERING, IMPATIENT, FUMING, AGGRAVATED, STRESSED, RILED, GLARING, FRUSTRATED, EXASPERATED and ENRAGED; and wherein facial expression images stored in graphics files indexed by negative polarity coordinate index values, negative activity coordinate index values and negative receptivity coordinate index values express emotional states characterized as SICKENED, SULLEN, POUTING, SULKY, BORED, PARANOID, BITTER, ENVIOUS, WINCING, DISDAINFUL, REPELLED, GROSSED OUT, PAINED, JEALOUS, DISGUSTED and HATEFUL.