Method for smoothly maintaining a vertical orientation during computer animation

• US 5,559,941 A
• Filed: 10/26/1994
• Issued: 09/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Brechner, Eric L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HONG, STEPHEN S
• Application Number:
  US08/329,350
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 395/152, 395/119, 395/120, 395/137, 395/133, 382/289, 382/295, 382/296, 382/300
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects

Abstract

A method is described which smoothly maintains a vertical orientation of a user during a computer animation while avoiding both vertical and disorientation effects. The method includes the steps of:

a) setting initial look, L, up, U, and vertical, V, directions for an initial computer generated scene;

b) determining the current look, L, direction based on user input;

c) determining the weighted average of the up and vertical directions in accordance with:

αV+(1-α) V,

where α is a predetermined value between zero and one;

d) setting a new horizontal H'"'"' direction in accordance with:

H'"'"'=L'"'"' [αV+(1-α) V];

e) setting a new vertical V'"'"' direction in accordance with:

V'"'"'=H'"'"' L'"'"';

and

f) redrawing the computer generated scene in accordance with the new horizontal and vertical directions H'"'"', V'"'"', respectively.

Claims

1. A method for smoothly maintaining a vertical orientation during a computer animation comprising the steps of:

a) setting initial look, L, up, U, and vertical, V, directions for an initial computer generated scene;

b) determining the current look, L'"'"', direction based on user input;

c) determining the weighted average of the up and vertical directions in accordance with;

α

U+(1-α

) V, where α

is a predetermined value between zero and one, but not zero and not one;

d) setting a new horizontal H'"'"' direction in accordance with;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">H'"'"'=L'"'"' [α

U+(1-α

) V];

e) setting a new vertical V'"'"' direction in accordance with;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">V'"'"'=H'"'"' L'"'"';

and

f) redrawing the computer generated scene in accordance with the new horizontal and vertical directions H'"'"', V'"'"', respectively.

2. The method of claim 1 including the further step of:

g) repeating steps b) through f) for each change in look direction.

3. The method claim 1 wherein

4. The method of claim 2 wherein