Method and system for on-screen animation of digital objects or characters
First Claim
1. A method for on-screen animation of digital entities comprising:
- providing a digital world including image object elements;
providing at least one autonomous image entity (AIE);
each said AIE being associated with at least one AIE animation clip, and being characterized by a) attributes defining said at least one AIE relatively to said image objects elements, and b) at least one behaviour for modifying at least one of said attributes;
said at least one AIE including at least one virtual sensor for gathering data information about at least one of said image object elements or other one of said at least one AIE;
initializing said attributes and selecting one of said behaviours for each of said at least one AIE;
for each said at least one AIE;
using said at least one sensor to gather data information about at least one of said image object elements or other one of said at least one AIE; and
using a decision tree for processing said data information resulting in at least one of i) triggering one of said at least one AIE animation clip according to said attributes and selected one of said at least one behaviour, and ii) selecting one of said at least one behaviour.
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Abstract
The method for on-screen animation includes providing a digital world including image object elements and defining autonomous image entities (AIE). Each AIE may represent a character or an object that is characterized by i) attributes defining the AIE relatively to the image objects elements of the digital world, and ii) behaviours for modifying some of the attributes. Each AIE is associated to animation clips allowing representing the AIE in movement in the digital world. Virtual sensors allow the AIE to gather data information about image object elements or other AIE within the digital world. Decision trees are used for processing the data information resulting in selecting and triggering one of the animation cycle or selecting a new behaviour. A system embodying the above method is also provided. The method and system for on-screen animation of digital entities according to the present invention can be used for creating animation for movies, for video games, and for simulation.
135 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method for on-screen animation of digital entities comprising:
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providing a digital world including image object elements;
providing at least one autonomous image entity (AIE);
each said AIE being associated with at least one AIE animation clip, and being characterized by a) attributes defining said at least one AIE relatively to said image objects elements, and b) at least one behaviour for modifying at least one of said attributes;
said at least one AIE including at least one virtual sensor for gathering data information about at least one of said image object elements or other one of said at least one AIE;
initializing said attributes and selecting one of said behaviours for each of said at least one AIE;
for each said at least one AIE;
using said at least one sensor to gather data information about at least one of said image object elements or other one of said at least one AIE; and
using a decision tree for processing said data information resulting in at least one of i) triggering one of said at least one AIE animation clip according to said attributes and selected one of said at least one behaviour, and ii) selecting one of said at least one behaviour. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A system for on-screen animation of digital entities comprising:
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an art package to create a digital world including image object elements and at least one autonomous image entity (AIE) and to create AIE animation clips;
an artificial intelligence agent to associate to an AIE a) attributes defining said AIE relatively to said image objects elements, b) a behaviour for modifying at least one of said attributes, c) at least one virtual sensor for gathering data information about at least one of said image object elements or other AIEs, and d) an AIE animation clips;
said artificial intelligence agent including an autonomous image entity engine (AIEE) for updating each AIE'"'"'s attributes and for triggering for each AIE at least one of a current behaviour and one of said at least one animation clip based on said current behaviour and said data information gathered by said at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. An artificial intelligence agent for on-screen animation of digital entities comprising:
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means to associate to an AIE a) attributes defining said AIE relatively to said image objects elements, b) a behaviour for modifying at least one of said attributes, c) at least one virtual sensor for gathering data information about at least one of said image object elements or other AIEs, and d) an AIE animation clips; and
an autonomous image entity engine (AIEE) for updating each AIE'"'"'s attributes and for triggering for each AIE at least one of a current behaviour and one of said at least one animation clip based on said current behaviour and said data information gathered by said at least one sensor.
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49. A system for on-screen animation of digital entities comprising:
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means for providing a digital world including image object elements;
means for providing at least one autonomous image entity (AIE);
each said AIE being associated with at least one AIE animation clip, and being characterized by a) attributes defining said at least one AIE relatively to said image objects elements, and b) at least one behaviour for modifying at least one of said attributes;
said at least one AIE including at least one virtual sensor for gathering data information about at least one of said image object elements or other one of said at least one AIE;
means for initializing said attributes and selecting one of said behaviours for each of said at least one AIE;
means for using said at least one sensor to gather data information about at least one of the image object elements or other one of said each said at least one AIE;
means for using a decision tree for processing said data information;
means for triggering one of said at least one AIE animation clip according to said attributes and selected one of said at least one behaviour; and
means for selecting one of said at least one behaviour.
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Specification