System and method for managing visual structure, timing, and animation in a graphics processing system

• US 7,088,374 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ungureanu, Oreste Dorin, Calkins, Matthew W., Michail, Ashraf, Arsov, Andrey E., Blanco, Leonardo E., David, Paul C., Schneider, Gerhard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kimbinh T.
• Application Number:
  US10/402,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20040189669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 345/440, 345/619, 345/473, 345/474, 345/520, 345/503, 345/419, 700/245, 709/203, 709/246, 715/513, 719/310
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering

Abstract

A visual tree structure as specified by a program is constructed and maintained by a visual system'"'"'s user interface thread. As needed, the tree structure is traversed on the UI thread, with changes compiled into change queues. A secondary rendering thread that handles animation and graphical composition takes the content from the change queues, to construct and maintain a condensed visual tree. Static visual subtrees are collapsed, leaving a condensed tree with only animated attributes such as transforms as parent nodes, such that animation data is managed on the secondary thread, with references into the visual tree. When run, the rendering thread processes the change queues, applies changes to the condensed trees, and updates the structure of the animation list as necessary by resampling animated values at their new times. Content in the condensed visual tree is then rendered and composed. Animation and a composition communication protocol are also provided.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a system comprising,

a visual system, the visual system receiving calls from a program and constructing a hierarchical scene graph data structure;

a change queue for handling change commands corresponding to changes to be made in the scene graph data structure, the change queue including commands provided from the visual system based on calls from the program; and

a compositor, the compositor constructing a compositor data structure based on the commands in the change queue and traversing the data structure to provide graphics output.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the compositor comprises a first composition service decoupled from a second composition service, the first composition service incorporated into the visual system, and configured to provide data to the second composition service.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the visual system includes a user interface thread that runs to construct the hierarchical scene graph data structure, and further includes a rendering and animation thread that runs to provide composition services, the user interface thread providing data to the rendering and animation thread via the change queue.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the rendering and animation thread constructs a condensed tree based on the information in the change queue.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the condensed tree includes at least one flattened subtree corresponding to static data.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the condensed tree includes a node representing an animate transform.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the rendering and animation thread updates data below the node representing the animate transform based on animation parameter values.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein the condensed tree includes at least one compositable object.

9. In a computing environment, a method comprising,

receiving calls from a program and constructing a hierarchical scene graph data structure;

communicating information that represents changes to be made to the scene graph data structure;

constructing a condensed tree based on the communicated information;

updating information in the condensed tree based on animation parameter values; and

processing the condensed tree to output graphics information.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising, determining that a subtree in the condensed tree represents static data, and flattening the subtree.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein communicating information that represents changes to the scene graph data structure comprises adding information to a change queue.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein constructing a condensed tree comprises extracting data from the change queue, and constructing the condensed tree based on the data.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform steps, comprising:

receiving calls from a program and constructing a hierarchical scene graph data structure;

communicating information that represents changes to be made to the scene graph data structure;

constructing a condensed tree based on the communicated information;

updating information in the condensed tree based on animation parameter values; and

processing the condensed tree to output graphics information.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein communicating information further comprises utilizing a first composition service decoupled from a second composition service, the first composition service incorporated into a visual system, and configured to provide data to the second composition service.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising determining that a subtree in the condensed tree represents static data, and flattening the subtree.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein constructing a condensed tree comprises extracting data from the change queue, and constructing the condensed tree based on the data.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising running a user interface to construct a hierarchical scene graph data structure that includes a rendering and animation thread for providing composition services, the user interface thread providing data to the rendering and animation thread via the change queue.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising removing information from the change queue after a change has been processed.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising maintaining a second condensed tree that does not intersect with the first constructed condensed tree.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, using the maintained information in the second condensed tree in conjunction with the first condensed tree when processing graphics information.