PRECOMPUTING DATA FOR AN INTERACTIVE SYSTEM HAVING DISCRETE CONTROL INPUTS

• US 20170076488A1
• Filed: 03/13/2015
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Stanton, Matthew, O'Brien, James, Humberston, Ben, Kase, Brandon, Treuille, Adrien, Fatahalian, Kayvon
• Granted Patent: US 10,147,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/60 of natural phenomena, e.g. rain, snow, water or plants
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/503 Blending, e.g. for anti-aliasing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20092 Interactive image processing based on input by user

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes accessing a plurality of sets of outputs for an interactive animation, with each set of outputs being associated with a different sequence of a plurality of sequences of discrete control inputs, and with each set of outputs comprising an output that provides a stored portion of the animation; and transmitting, to a client device, information indicative of at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation and the output that provides the stored portion of the animation, which when rendered by the client device causes the animation to be presented to a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing a plurality of sets of outputs for an interactive animation, with each set of outputs being associated with a different sequence of a plurality of sequences of discrete control inputs, and with each set of outputs comprising an output that provides a stored portion of the animation; and

transmitting, to a client device, information indicative of at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation and the output that provides the stored portion of the animation, which when rendered by the client device causes the animation to be presented to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation prior to transmitting the information to the client device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating a directed graph comprising a plurality of vertices and a plurality of edges, with each of the plurality of vertices representing a state of the animation that is responsive to a discrete control input, with each of the plurality of vertices connected to a number of outgoing edges where the number is equivalent to a number of possible discrete control inputs, and with each edge connecting two of the plurality of vertices and representing an output of the plurality of sets of outputs.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation based on a heuristic user model.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation based on receiving, from a plurality of client devices, sequences of discrete control inputs that are associated with sets of outputs of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation using a kernel density estimator combined with a Markov prior.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

identifying an undesirable output of the plurality of sets of outputs that provides an undesirable blend of stored portions of the animation; and

modifying the undesirable output so that the undesirable output provides a stored portion of the animation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a stored portion of the animation comprises at least one of a static image, a sequence of static images, one or more signed distance functions, or a sequence of polygon meshes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the output that provides the stored portion of the animation is a first output that provides a first stored portion of the animation, and the method further comprises:

receiving a sequence of discrete control inputs for the at least one of the plurality of sets transmitted;

generating, by one or more processing devices, a second output for the at least one of the sets of outputs in accordance with the received sequence of discrete control inputs so that the second output provides a second stored portion of the animation, the second output to be provided after the first output of the set of outputs during presentation of the animation; and

updating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation with the second output for the set of outputs associated with the received sequence of discrete control inputs.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each set of outputs of the accessed plurality of sets of outputs comprises a third output that provides a blend of stored portions of the animation, the third output to be provided after the first output of the set of outputs during presentation of the animation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein updating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation with the second output comprises:

replacing the third output of the set of outputs associated with the received sequence of discrete control inputs with the second output.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a fourth output that provides a blend of stored portions of the animation, the fourth output to be provided after the second output during presentation of the animation.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

while the animation is being presented to the user, generating data in real-time for presentation to the user along with the animation.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting, to the client device, the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating a renderable representation of the animation provided by the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs; and

transmitting the renderable representation of the animation for rendering by the client device in real-time.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting, to the client device, the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

transmitting visualization data for the animation, which when processed by the client device causes the client device to generate a renderable representation of the animation and to render the renderable representation for presentation of the animation to the user.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

transmitting information for an online game that comprises the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

transmitting the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation based on a prediction of a sequence of discrete control inputs to be received during presentation of the animation to a user.

18. A system comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising;

accessing a plurality of sets of outputs for an interactive animation, with each set of outputs being associated with a different sequence of a plurality of sequences of discrete control inputs, and with each set of outputs comprising an output that provides a stored portion of the animation; and

transmitting, to a client device, information indicative of at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation and the output that provides the stored portion of the animation, which when rendered by the client device causes the animation to be presented to a user.

19. The system of claim 18, the operations further comprising generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation prior to transmitting the information to the client device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating a directed graph comprising a plurality of vertices and a plurality of edges, with each of the plurality of vertices representing a state of the animation that is responsive to a discrete control input, with each of the plurality of vertices connected to a number of outgoing edges where the number is equivalent to a number of possible discrete control inputs, and with each edge connecting two of the plurality of vertices and representing an output of the plurality of sets of outputs.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation based on a heuristic user model.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation based on receiving, from a plurality of client devices, sequences of discrete control inputs that are associated with sets of outputs of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation using a kernel density estimator combined with a Markov prior.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

identifying an undesirable output of the plurality of sets of outputs that provides an undesirable blend of stored portions of the animation; and

modifying the undesirable output so that the undesirable output provides a stored portion of the animation.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein a stored portion of the animation comprises at least one of a static image, a sequence of static images, one or more signed distance functions, or a sequence of polygon meshes.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the output that provides the stored portion of the animation is a first output that provides a first stored portion of the animation, and the operations further comprise:

receiving a sequence of discrete control inputs for the at least one of the plurality of sets transmitted;

generating, by one or more processing devices, a second output for the at least one of the sets of outputs in accordance with the received sequence of discrete control inputs so that the second output provides a second stored portion of the animation, the second output to be provided after the first output of the set of outputs during presentation of the animation; and

updating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation with the second output for the set of outputs associated with the received sequence of discrete control inputs.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein each set of outputs of the accessed plurality of sets of outputs comprises a third output that provides a blend of stored portions of the animation, the third output to be provided after the first output of the set of outputs during presentation of the animation.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein updating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation with the second output comprises:

replacing the third output of the set of outputs associated with the received sequence of discrete control inputs with the second output.

29. The system of claim 28, the operations further comprising:

generating a fourth output that provides a blend of stored portions of the animation, the fourth output to be provided after the second output during presentation of the animation.

30. The system of claim 18, the operations further comprising:

while the animation is being presented to the user, generating data in real-time for presentation to the user along with the animation.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein transmitting, to the client device, the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating a renderable representation of the animation provided by the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs; and

transmitting the renderable representation of the animation for rendering by the client device in real-time.

32. The system of claim 18, wherein transmitting, to the client device, the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

transmitting visualization data for the animation, which when processed by the client device causes the client device to generate a renderable representation of the animation and to render the renderable representation for presentation of the animation to the user.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein transmitting the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

transmitting information for an online game that comprises the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation.

34. The system of claim 18, wherein transmitting the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

transmitting the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation based on a prediction of a sequence of discrete control inputs to be received during presentation of the animation to a user.

35. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that are executable by one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:

accessing a plurality of sets of outputs for an interactive animation, with each set of outputs being associated with a different sequence of a plurality of sequences of discrete control inputs, and with each set of outputs comprising an output that provides a stored portion of the animation; and

transmitting, to a client device, information indicative of at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation and the output that provides the stored portion of the animation, which when rendered by the client device causes the animation to be presented to a user.

36. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 35, the operations further comprising generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation prior to transmitting the information to the client device.

37. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 36, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating a directed graph comprising a plurality of vertices and a plurality of edges, with each of the plurality of vertices representing a state of the animation that is responsive to a discrete control input, with each of the plurality of vertices connected to a number of outgoing edges where the number is equivalent to a number of possible discrete control inputs, and with each edge connecting two of the plurality of vertices and representing an output of the plurality of sets of outputs.

38. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 36, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation based on a heuristic user model.

39. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 36, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation based on receiving, from a plurality of client devices, sequences of discrete control inputs that are associated with sets of outputs of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation.

40. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 36, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation using a kernel density estimator combined with a Markov prior.

41. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 36, wherein generating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

identifying an undesirable output of the plurality of sets of outputs that provides an undesirable blend of stored portions of the animation; and

modifying the undesirable output so that the undesirable output provides a stored portion of the animation.

42. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein a stored portion of the animation comprises at least one of a static image, a sequence of static images, one or more signed distance functions, or a sequence of polygon meshes.

43. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein the output that provides the stored portion of the animation is a first output that provides a first stored portion of the animation, and the operations further comprise:

receiving a sequence of discrete control inputs for the at least one of the plurality of sets transmitted;

generating, by one or more processing devices, a second output for the at least one of the sets of outputs in accordance with the received sequence of discrete control inputs so that the second output provides a second stored portion of the animation, the second output to be provided after the first output of the set of outputs during presentation of the animation; and

updating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation with the second output for the set of outputs associated with the received sequence of discrete control inputs.

44. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein each set of outputs of the accessed plurality of sets of outputs comprises a third output that provides a blend of stored portions of the animation, the third output to be provided after the first output of the set of outputs during presentation of the animation.

45. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 44, wherein updating the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation with the second output comprises:

replacing the third output of the set of outputs associated with the received sequence of discrete control inputs with the second output.

46. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 45, the operations further comprising:

generating a fourth output that provides a blend of stored portions of the animation, the fourth output to be provided after the second output during presentation of the animation.

47. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 35, the operations further comprising:

while the animation is being presented to the user, generating data in real-time for presentation to the user along with the animation.

48. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein transmitting, to the client device, the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

generating a renderable representation of the animation provided by the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs; and

transmitting the renderable representation of the animation for rendering by the client device in real-time.

49. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein transmitting, to the client device, the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

transmitting visualization data for the animation, which when processed by the client device causes the client device to generate a renderable representation of the animation and to render the renderable representation for presentation of the animation to the user.

50. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein transmitting the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

transmitting information for an online game that comprises the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation.

51. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein transmitting the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation comprises:

transmitting the information indicative of the at least one of the plurality of sets of outputs for the animation based on a prediction of a sequence of discrete control inputs to be received during presentation of the animation to a user.