Method and apparatus for generating object motion path, method of setting object display attribute, and computer graphics system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for generating a motion image of an object, comprising:
- a motion path generator designating start point information representing a motion start point of a moving object and end point information representing a motion end point of the moving object, and generating information representing a motion path from the motion start point to the motion end point of the object by referring to the designated start point information and the designated end point information;
a memory storing, as said start point information for said motion start point and as said end point information for said motion end point, time information indicating a passing time of the moving object, position information indicating a passing position, velocity vector information indicating a passing velocity and a direction of the moving object, position designation information indicating whether a value of the position information has been explicitly designated, and velocity vector designation information indicating whether a value of the velocity vector information has been explicitly designated; and
means for identifying whether the position information at the motion start point and the position information at the motion end point have been explicitly designated, and whether the velocity vector information at the motion start point and the velocity vector information at the motion end point have been explicitly designated;
wherein said path generator generates said motion path information in response to information stored in said memory, said motion path information corresponding to whether the position information has been explicitly designated and whether the velocity vector information has been explicitly designated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There are provided apparatuses for generating the motion path of an object. One apparatus includes an input unit for inputting information representative of the position of a start point of the motion of an object, at least one of the magnitude and direction of a velocity at the start point, an end point of the motion of the object, and at least one of the magnitude and direction of a velocity at the end point, and a calculation unit for calculating a motion path from the start point to the end point, in accordance with the information inputted to the input unit. As an alternative of the position and velocity of an object, the rotary angle and angular velocity of an object may be used to represent the facing direction of the object. Another apparatus includes a display device for displaying information of the position of an object and an icon representative of the time corresponding to the position of the object, and a calculator for calculating information representative of the motion path, in accordance with the information entered by the icon and information representative of at least one of the magnitude and direction of a velocity at the position of the object. The motion path is then displayed on the screen. The motion of an object can be easily defined and smoothly coupled to a succeeding or preceding motion on each key frame. The path and/or surface reflection attribute of an object can be defined with a small number of procedures.
171 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating a motion image of an object, comprising:
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a motion path generator designating start point information representing a motion start point of a moving object and end point information representing a motion end point of the moving object, and generating information representing a motion path from the motion start point to the motion end point of the object by referring to the designated start point information and the designated end point information; a memory storing, as said start point information for said motion start point and as said end point information for said motion end point, time information indicating a passing time of the moving object, position information indicating a passing position, velocity vector information indicating a passing velocity and a direction of the moving object, position designation information indicating whether a value of the position information has been explicitly designated, and velocity vector designation information indicating whether a value of the velocity vector information has been explicitly designated; and means for identifying whether the position information at the motion start point and the position information at the motion end point have been explicitly designated, and whether the velocity vector information at the motion start point and the velocity vector information at the motion end point have been explicitly designated; wherein said path generator generates said motion path information in response to information stored in said memory, said motion path information corresponding to whether the position information has been explicitly designated and whether the velocity vector information has been explicitly designated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer implemented method for generating a motion image of an object, comprising steps of:
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designating information representing a time and at least one of a position and velocity vector of the object at the motion start point and at the motion end point storing designation information indicating which of the position and/or velocity vector of the object have been explicitly designated for the motion start point and for the motion end point; identifying whether the position information at the motion start point and the position information at the motion end point have been explicitly designated, and whether the velocity vector information at the motion start point and the velocity vector information at the motion end point have been explicitly designated; and selecting an interpolation formula for the motion path having a nominal number of an order higher than one, the number of the order being selected such that the number of the order corresponds to the identified information and provides a velocity function which is continuous with time between said motion start point and said motion end point, to thereby determine the interpolation formula; and generating a motion path between said motion start point and said motion end point of said object using said identified information and said interpolation formula. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer implemented method for generating a motion image of an object, comprising steps of:
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designating start point information representing a motion start point of a moving object and end point information representing a motion end point of the moving object; generating information representing a motion path from the motion start point to the motion end point of the object by referring to the designated start point information and the designated end point information; storing in a memory, as said start point information for said motion start point and as said end point information for said motion end point, time information indicating a passing time of the moving object, position information indicating a passing position, velocity vector information indicating a passing velocity and a direction of the moving object, position designation information indicating whether a value of the position information has been explicitly designated, and velocity vector designation information indicating whether a value of the velocity vector information has been explicitly designated; identifying whether the position information at the motion start point and the position information at the motion end point have been explicitly designated, and whether the velocity vector information at the motion start point and the velocity vector information at the motion end point have been explicitly designated; and generating said motion path information in response to information stored in said memory, said motion path information corresponding to whether the position information has been explicitly designated and whether the velocity vector information has been explicitly designated. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification