Nvidia patents method to stabilize 3D character animations using attention masks
Nvidia describes a technique for creating smooth 3D character animations by using neural networks to process facial data and speech. The system applies an 'attention mask' to zero out movement in areas like the eyes or cheeks, ensuring that only the mouth moves when the character speaks.
In the filing’s own words
In various examples, techniques for neural rendering of characters using attention masks are described herein. Systems and methods described herein may use various techniques with regard to neural rendering (and/or any other rendering techniques) to render smooth, stable, and/or quality interactive characters. For instance, in some examples, an attention mask may be used to stabilize the motion outside of a specific region of a character-such as a mouth region of the character-that may be caused by audio inputs processed using one or more neural networks. Additionally, in some examples, an attention mask may be used to stabilize motion outside of other specific regions of the character-such as eye regions of the character-that may be caused by eye movement inputs processed using the neural network(s). As such, the masks may be used to control the motion that is caused by the different inputs.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method comprising: determining, based at least on one or more neural networks processing first data representing three-dimensional (3D) points corresponding to a face of a character and second data associated with speech for the character, first values associated with the 3D points; determining, based at least on applying an attention mask to the first values, zero values associated with a first portion of the 3D points that are located outside of a mouth region corresponding to the face of the character; determining, using the one or more neural networks and based at least on the first values associated with a second portion of the 3D points that are located within the mouth region and the zero values associated with the first portion of the 3D points, color values associated with the 3D points; and causing, based at least on the color values associated with the 3D points, a rendering of an animation of at least the face of the character.
Facts
- Company
- Nvidia (NVIDIA Corporation)
- Official title
- CHARACTER ANIMATION USING NEURAL RENDERING WITH ATTENTION MASKS
- Publication number
- US20260301288A1
- Application number
- 19174649
- Filed
- Apr 9, 2025
- Published
- Oct 1, 2026
- Inventors
- 10
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06T 13/40 Physics & computingG06F 3/013 Physics & computingG06T 7/90 Physics & computingG06T 17/00 Physics & computingMore from Nvidia in AI & software
- Nvidia patents AI coach that analyzes your gameplay to suggest strategies Oct 13, 2026
- Nvidia patents AI system that writes and voices character conversations Sep 10, 2026
- Nvidia patents system that uses AI to find bugs in game videos Sep 17, 2026
- Nvidia patents AI method to make digital characters move realistically Sep 8, 2026
- Nvidia patents AI system that builds image generators from text prompts Sep 15, 2026
Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.