Force frames in animation

• US 20040036711A1
• Filed: 08/23/2002
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Novint Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novint Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, Thomas G.
• Application Number:
  US10/226,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20040036711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/701
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2213/04 Animation description language

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of allowing a user to efficiently direct the generation of frames in a computer animation. An object within a frame has an initial representation, e.g., position, orientation, scale, intensity, etc. A vector response characteristic can be associated with the object, where the vector response characteristic specifies how the representation of the object changes in response to applied vectors. For example, a ball might accelerate proportional to the directed magnitude of an applied vector, while a light source might change in intensity and color according to the direction and magnitude of an applied vector. Each object can have its own vector response characteristic, multiple vector response characteristics (e.g., applicable if different parts of the animation), and constraints on its vector response characteristics (e.g., must stay connected to another object). Objects can also generate their own vectors to apply to other objects (e.g., a wall can generate a vector to discourage objects from penetrating the wall).

Claims

1. A method of changing the computer representation of an object through time, responsive to a vector applied to the object, comprising:

a) Assigning a vector response characteristic to the object;

b) Determining the current computer representation of the object;

c) Determining the direction and magnitude of the vector; and

d) Changing the computer representation of the object according to the vector response characteristic, the current computer representation, and the direction and magnitude of the vector.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the direction and magnitude of the vector comprises determining the direction and magnitude of a force applied by a user to a force sensitive input device.

3. In a computer animation system comprising an initial graphical representation of an object, a method of generating a sequence of graphical representations of the object comprising:

a) Assigning a vector response characteristic to the object;

b) Determining a vector to be applied to the object;

c) Determining graphical representations within the sequence from the vector, the vector response characteristic, the location of the representation within the sequence, and another graphical representation within the sequence.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining a vector comprises determining the direction and magnitude of a force applied by a user to a force sensitive input device.

5. A method of using a computer to generate from an initial image a generated image comprising graphical representations of one or more objects, comprising:

a) Assigning a vector response characteristic to an animatable object in the initial image;

b) Determining a vector to be applied to the animatable object;

c) Determining a change in the graphical representation of the animatable object according to the applied vector and the vector response characteristic; and

d) Determining the generated image from the initial image and the change in the graphical representation of the animatable object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of determining a vector comprises determining the direction and magnitude of a force applied by a user to a force sensitive input device.

7. A method of using a computer to generate a sequence of images, comprising:

a) Providing for user definition of an initial image, where the initial image comprises a representation of at least one animatable object;

b) Providing for user specification of vector response characteristics for the animatable objects in the initial image;

c) Accepting from the user specification of vectors to be applied to animatable objects in the initial image;

d) Determining the representations of the animatable objects in subsequent images in the sequence from their representations in the initial image, their vector response characteristics, and any vectors specified to be applied thereto;

e) Determining subsequent images in the sequence from the representations of the animatable objects and the initial image.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising accepting from the user specification of vectors to be applied to animatable objects beginning at images in the sequence other than the initial image.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

f) displaying the sequence of frames to a user;

g) accepting from the user specification of vectors to be applied to animatable objects at images in the sequence other than the initial image;

h) combining the effects of all the vectors to be applied to each animatable object;

i) repeating steps d) and e) responsive to additional vectors input by the user.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein step c), accepting from the user specification of vectors, comprises determining the magnitude and direction of force applied by the user to a force-sensitive input device, and determining the vector according to the magnitude and direction of the force.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein step g), accepting from the user specification of vectors, comprises determining the magnitude and direction of force applied by the user to a force-sensitive input device, and determining the vector according to the magnitude and direction of the force.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein a vector response characteristic comprises a relationship between the position within an image of an object'"'"'s representation and a vector applied to the object.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein a vector response characteristic comprises a relationship between the change in position within an image of an object'"'"'s representation and a vector applied to the object.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein a vector response characteristic comprises a constraint on change in the associated object'"'"'s representation.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein a vector response characteristic comprises a relationship of a vector applied to the object to a vector generated by the object.

16. The method of claim 7 further comprising accepting from the user specification of vectors corresponding to a region within an image to be applied to objects that enter the region.