Method and apparatus for producing complex animation from simpler animated sequences
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for producing animation of a graphical figure on a display device comprising:
- selecting a first and a second distinct animated sequences from a library of animated sequences, each of the selected animated sequences being a sequence of positions of the graphical figure, which, when displayed, produces animation of the graphical figure;
selecting a termination point from any one of the positions in the first animated sequence and a starting point from any one of the positions in the second animated sequence so that a value of a state parameter of the graphical figure at the termination point is approximately equal to a value of a corresponding state parameter of the graphical figure at the starting point;
displaying the first animated sequence on the display device;
terminating the displaying of the first animated sequence at the termination point; and
displaying the second animated sequence on the display device starting from the starting point, the displaying of the second animated sequence immediately succeeding the displaying of the first animated sequence to produce uninterrupted animation of the graphical figure.
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Abstract
A graphical figure is defined. A library of simple tasks is created using trial stimulus/response combinations. A hill climbing algorithm is employed to find a stimulus/response combination that accomplishes an optimum result for each task. An animation editor facilitates the creation of composite animated sequences by causing the retrieving and displaying of a first simple task, controlling the length of time the first simple task is displayed and by causing the retrieving and displaying of additional simple tasks and controlling the length of time the additional simple tasks are displayed.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for producing animation of a graphical figure on a display device comprising:
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selecting a first and a second distinct animated sequences from a library of animated sequences, each of the selected animated sequences being a sequence of positions of the graphical figure, which, when displayed, produces animation of the graphical figure; selecting a termination point from any one of the positions in the first animated sequence and a starting point from any one of the positions in the second animated sequence so that a value of a state parameter of the graphical figure at the termination point is approximately equal to a value of a corresponding state parameter of the graphical figure at the starting point; displaying the first animated sequence on the display device; terminating the displaying of the first animated sequence at the termination point; and displaying the second animated sequence on the display device starting from the starting point, the displaying of the second animated sequence immediately succeeding the displaying of the first animated sequence to produce uninterrupted animation of the graphical figure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for producing animation of a graphical figure on a display device comprising:
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means for selecting a first and a second distinct animated sequences from a library of animated sequences, each of the selected animated sequences being a sequence of positions of the graphical figure, which, when displayed, produces animation of the graphical figure; means for selecting a termination point from any one of the positions in the first animated sequence and a starting point from any one of the positions in the second animated sequence so that a value of a state parameter of the graphical figure at the termination point is approximately equal to a value of a corresponding state parameter of the graphical figure at the starting point; means for displaying the first animated sequence on the display device; means for terminating the displaying of the first animated sequence at the termination point; and means for displaying the second animated sequence on the display device starting from the starting point, the displaying of the second animated sequence immediately succeeding the displaying of the first animated sequence to produce uninterrupted animation of the graphical figure. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer system for creating animated sequences, comprising:
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a storage device, for storing a plurality of sets of computer instructions; a display device; a CPU coupling the display device and the storage device for retrieving a first set of computer instructions from the storage device and executing the first set of computer instructions to cause a first animated sequence of positions of a graphical figure to appear on the display device and for retrieving a second set of computer instructions from the storage device and executing the second set of computer instructions to cause a second animated sequence of positions of the graphical figure to appear on the display device; an input device for selecting a termination point from any one of the positions of the first animated sequence and a starting point from any one of the positions of the second animated sequence so that a value of a state parameter of the graphical figure at the termination point is approximately equal to a value of a corresponding state parameter of the graphical figure at the starting point, said CPU terminating said execution of said first set of computer instructions at the termination point and beginning said execution of said second set of computer instructions at the starting point to produce uninterrupted animation of the graphical figure; and memory means storing an animation editor program containing computer instructions for execution by the CPU to retrieve and execute the first and second set of computer instructions. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification