WO 2016/026402 A2 25 February 2016 (25.02.2016) P O P C T
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(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date WO 2016/026402 A2 25 February 2016 (25.02.2016) P O P C T (51) International Patent Classification: Not classified MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, (21) International Application Number: SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, PCT/CN20 15/086646 TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (22) International Filing Date: (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every 11 August 2015 ( 11.08.2015) kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, (25) Filing Language: English GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, (26) Publication Language: English TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, (30) Priority Data: DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, 14/465,603 2 1 August 2014 (21.08.2014) US LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, (71) Applicant: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD. GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). [CN/CN]; Huawei Administration Building, Bantian, Longgang District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518129 (CN). Declarations under Rule 4.17 : — as to applicant's entitlement to applyfor and be granted a (72) Inventor: GARCIA, Jose; 5040 Harmony Lane, La Mesa, patent (Rule 4.1 7(H)) CA 91941 (US). — as to the applicant's entitlement to claim the priority of the (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every earlier application (Rule 4.1 7(in)) kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, Published: BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, — without international search report and to be republished DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, upon receipt of that report (Rule 48.2(g)) HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JP, KE, KG, KN, KP, KR, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, (54) Title: SYSTEM AND METHODS OF GENERATING USER FACIAL EXPRESSION LIBRARY FOR MESSAGING AND SOCIAL NETWORKING APPLICATIONS Happy < o Figure 1 © (57) Abstract: Embodiments are provided that utilize images of users to represent true or personalized emotions for the users in v messaging or social networking applications. A library of user facial expression images is generated for this purpose, and made ac - o cessible to messaging or social networking applications, such as on a smartphone or other user devices. The images of facial expres - sions include face photographs of the user that convey emotions or expressions of the user, such as a happy face or a sad face. An embodiment method includes detecting an image accessible by an electronic device, determining whether the image shows a face of the user and whether the image shows a facial expression expressed by the face of the user, adding the image to a library of facial ex pressions of the user in accordance with the determining step, and sending a message including the image as an emoticon. System and Methods of Generating User Facial Expression Library for Messaging and Social Networking Applications CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. non-provisional patent application Serial No. 14/465,603, filed on August 1, 2014 and entitled "System and Methods of Generating User Facial Expression Library for Messaging and Social Networking Applications," which is incorporated herein by reference as if reproduced in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates to messaging and social networking, and, in particular embodiments, to system and methods of generating a user facial expression library for messaging and social networking applications. BACKGROUND [0003] Messaging and social networking has become widely popular to communicate text and media (e.g., sound, music, video) between users or subscribers. Messaging and social networking applications and services offered by online and/or wireless service providers provide users with various communication features, such as instant chat, instant messages, Short Message Service (SMS) messages, and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages. The users can use such features to express what's on their mind and current emotions. One way to express users' emotions is by sending, via SMS or instant messages for example, icons or graphics that are expressive of sentiments, emotions, or mind states in general. However, the icons and graphics are typically predefined and preset, e.g., according to the messaging application or service in use, and therefore lack individuality and can become mundane with time. There is a need for improved means to communicate emotions and mind states of users via messaging and social networking applications and services to offer a more personalized and better user experience. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] In accordance with an embodiment, a method performed by an electronic device associated with a user includes detecting an image accessible by the electronic device, determining whether the image shows a face of the user and whether the image shows a facial expression expressed by the face of the user, and adding the image to a library of facial expressions of the user in accordance with the determining step. The method further includes sending a message including, as an emoticon, the image from the library. [0005] In accordance with another embodiment, a method performed by a network server includes detecting a face of a user in a digital image and a facial expression expressed by the face of the user in the digital image, adding the digital image to a library of digital images portraying facial expressions of the user, and providing an application operated on an electronic device of the user access to the library. The application includes an option to send, from the electronic device, the digital image as an emoticon. [0006] In accordance with yet another embodiment, an electronic device associated with a user comprises at least one processor, a display providing the user interface, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the at least one processor. The programming includes instructions to detect an image accessible by the electronic device, determine whether the image shows a face of a user and whether the image shows a facial expression expressed by the face of the user, and add the image to a library of facial expressions of the user in accordance with the determining step. The programming includes further instructions to send a message including, as an emoticon, the image from the library. [0007] In accordance with another embodiment a network server comprises at least one processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the at least one processor. The programming includes instructions to detect a face of a user in a digital image and a facial expression expressed by the face of the user in the digital image, add the digital image to a library of digital images portraying facial expressions of the user, and provide an application operated on an electronic device of the user access to the library. The application includes an option to send, from the electronic device, the digital image as an emoticon. [0008] In accordance with yet another embodiment, a system comprises an electronic device associated with a user and one or more network servers. The electronic device and the one or more network servers are individually or collectively configured to detect an image accessible by the electronic device, determine whether the image shows a face of the user and whether the image shows a facial expression expressed by the face of the user, and add the image to a library of facial expressions of the user in accordance with the determining step. The library is accessible by an application operated on the electronic device associated with the user. The application includes an option to send, from the electronic device, the digital image as an emoticon. [0009] In accordance with yet another embodiment, an electronic device associated with a user comprising at least one processor, a display providing the user interface and a detector to detect an image accessible by the electronic device; a determination element to determine whether the image shows a face of a user and whether the image shows a facial expression expressed by the face of the user; an image processing element to add the image to a library of facial expressions of the user in accordance with the determining step; and a transmitter to send a message including, as an emoticon, the image from the library. [0010] In accordance with another embodiment a network server comprises at least one processor. The network server also comprises a detector to detect a face of a user in a digital image and a facial expression expressed by the face of the user in the digital image, an image processing element to add the digital image to a library of digital images portraying facial expressions of the user, and a transmitter to provide an application operated on an electronic device of the user access to the library. The application includes an option to send, from the electronic device, the digital image as an emoticon. [0011] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features of an embodiment of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood.