Control of animation timeline

• US 7,561,159 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magnifi Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magnifi Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Abel, Glenn, Wolpe, Andrew J., Cook, Ricardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Xiao M
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROOME, SAID A
• Application Number:
  US11/316,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20070139418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 3D [Three Dimensional] animation

Abstract

A method for controlling an animation timeline comprising the steps of determining the three-dimensional assets of the data in the animation timeline and, if required, converting the data dimensionally, cleaning up the data in the animation timeline, building a mesh for the data in the animation timeline, setting up a scene for the data in the animation timeline, animating the scene for the data for creating animated data, publishing the three-dimensional content of the scenes for the data in the animation timeline, creating an appropriate interface for the data in the animation timeline, synchronizing a soundtrack to the animated data, incorporating additional features to the animated data, and combining the animated data such that the data is mixed, HTML prepared and Java script adapted whereby the method provides a self-contained object.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an animation timeline for reducing the operating load on a computer comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring models of the objects to be used in an animation for creating model data comprising at least one of the steps of;

(1) modeling physical objects to create model data and

(2) working from existing digital files to create model data, the model data for providing static/non-animated objects in operative association with the computer,

(b) animating the models by convening the model data of the models into a 3-D format for creating movement data for defining the movement of the models by creating a layout for each object in the animation for viewing the 3-D format on the computer comprising at least one of the steps of;

(1) implementing movement of the object and

(2) implementing morphing of the object,

(c) converting and exporting the animated models defined by the movement data to a format that can be accessed and viewed for creating animated model data viewable on the computer, the animated model data defines the positions and the movement of each object within an object animation sequence for the particular object as viewed on the computer, the object animation sequence for each particular object describes the movement of that object such that the object animation sequence can be readily segmented into different steps by manipulating the object animation sequence on the computer, as it is, instead of creating more animation sequences for each step,

(d) integrating the animated model data with a graphical user interface (GUI) on the computer using a library such that only one object animation sequence is required for each object in the object animation sequence and the one object animation sequence contains all the information for the entire animation associated with each object, the library acts as a medium for establishing communication between the graphical user interface (GUI), the computer and the animated model data for defining the animation timeline for manipulation and viewing on the computer.

(e) implementing the control of the animation timeline by an end user on the computer such that the animation comprises at least one step, and each step comprises at least one portion of the object animation sequence associated specifically with the object defined in the object animation sequence whereby the animation comprises at least one step and the step comprises at least one portion of the object animation sequence associated with each object displayed in the animation on the computer,

(f) engaging the graphical user interface (GUI) on the computer to trigger an animation comprising one or more objects for observing the animated object and, alternately, triggering a first animation, before the end of the first animation, triggering a second animation which interrupts the first triggered animation, such that the second animation is immediately engaged and displayed on the compute,

such that controlling the animation timeline uses the single object animation sequence associated with each object, for all objects, used in the animation, and the object animation sequence contains the positions and the movement of each object used in the animation whereby each animation comprises at least one step, and each step comprises at least one object animation sequence, and each object animation sequence defines the positions and the movement of each object in the animation as viewed on the computer thereby enhancing the interactivity with the animation on the computer.

2. The method for controlling an animation timeline for reducing the operating load on a computer as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of integrating the animated model data with a graphical user interface (GUI) on the computer using a library further comprises the steps of:

(a) implementing a timeline,

(b) engaging a target,

(c) changing a property of the target, and

(d) implementing a set of values.

3. The method for controlling an animation timeline for reducing the operating load on a computer as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of implementing a timeline comprises the step of implementing a set of time frames where a value is changed on the specified property.

4. The method for controlling an animation timeline for reducing the operating load on a computer as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of engaging a target comprises the step of engaging the object which is going to be affected.

5. The method for controlling an animation timeline for reducing the operating load on a computer as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of implementing a set of values comprises the step of implementing each value corresponding to one time frame in the timeline the composition of frames for viewing on the computer.

6. The method for controlling an animation timeline for reducing the operating load on a computer as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of converting and exporting the animated models defined by the movement data to a format that can be accessed and viewed on the computer for creating animated model data comprises the step of convening and exporting the animated models to a Viewpoint Media Player format for viewing on the computer.

7. A method for controlling an animation timeline mag01 comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring models of the objects to be used in an animation for creating model data comprising at least one of the steps of;

(1) modeling physical objects to create model data and

(2) working from existing digital files to create model data, the model data for providing static/non-animated objects for viewing on the computer,

(b) animating the models by converting the model data of the models into a 3-D format for creating movement data for defining the movement of the models by creating a layout for each object in the animation for viewing the 3-D format on the computer comprising at least one of the steps of;

(1) implementing movement of the object and

(2) implementing morphing of the object,

(c) convening and exporting the animated models defined by the movement data to a format that can be accessed and viewed for creating animated model data using Viewpoint Media Player in association with the computer, the animated model data defines the positions and the movement of each object within an object animation sequence for the particular object as viewed on the computer, the object animation sequence for each particular object describes the movement of that object as viewed on the computer such that the object animation sequence can be readily segmented into different steps by manipulating the object animation sequence, as it is, instead of creating more animation sequences for each step,

(d) integrating the animated model data with a graphical user interface (GUI) on the computer using a library such that only one object animation sequence is required for each object in the object animation sequence and the one object animation sequence contains all the information for the entire animation associated with each object the library acts as a medium for establishing communication between the graphical user interface (GUI) and the animated model data for defining the animation timeline for manipulation and viewing on the computer, wherein using the library comprises the steps of;

(1) implementing the timeline comprises the step of implementing a set of time frames where a value is changed on the specified property,

(2) engaging a target comprises the step of engaging the object which is going to be affected,

(3) changing a property of the target, and

(4) implementing a set of values comprises the step of implementing each value corresponding to one time frame in the timeline,

(e) implementing the control of the animation timeline by an end user on the computer such that the animation comprises at least one step, and each step comprises at least one portion of the object animation sequence associated specifically with the object defined in the object animation sequence whereby the animation comprises at least one step and the step comprises at least one portion of the object animation sequence associated with each object displayed in the animation on the computer,

(f) engaging the graphical user interface (GUI) on the computer to trigger an animation comprising one or more objects for observing the animated object and, alternately, triggering a first animation, before the end of the first animation, triggering a second animation which interrupts the first triggered animation, such that the second animation is immediately engaged and displayed on the computer,

such that controlling the animation timeline uses the single object animation sequence associated with each object, for all objects, used in the animation, and the object animation sequence contains the positions and the movement of each object used in the animation whereby each animation comprises at least one step, and each step comprises at least one object animation sequence, and each object animation sequence defines the positions and the movement of each object in the animation as viewed on the computer thereby enhancing the interactivity with an animation on the computer.

8. A method for controlling an animation timeline on a computer comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring models of the objects to be used in an animation for creating model data, the model data for providing static/non animated objects,

(b) animating the models by converting the model data of the models into a 3-D format for creating movement data for defining the movement of the models by creating a layout for each object in the animation compatible with the computer,

(c) converting and exporting the animated models defined by the movement data to a format that can be accessed and viewed for creating animated model data using Viewpoint Media Player in association with the computer, the animated model data defines the positions and the movement of each object within an object animation sequence for the particular object, the object animation sequence for each particular object describes the movement of that object in association with the computer such that the object animation sequence can be readily segmented into different steps by manipulating the object animation sequence for viewing on the computer, as it is, instead of creating more animation sequences for each step,

(d) integrating the animated model data with a graphical user interface (GUI) of the computer using a library such that only one object animation sequence is required for each object in the object animation sequence and the one object animation sequence contains all the information for the entire animation associated with each object, the library acts as a medium for establishing communication between the graphical user interface (GUI), the computer and the animated model data for defining the animation timeline,

(e) implementing the control of the animation timeline by an end user such that the animation comprises at least one step, and each step comprises at least one portion of the object animation sequence associated specifically with the object defined in the object animation sequence whereby the animation comprises at least one step and the step comprises at least one portion of the object animation sequence associated with each object displayed in the animation on the computer, and

(f) engaging the graphical user interface (GUI) on the computer to trigger an animation comprising one or more objects for observing the animated object on the computer and, alternately, triggering a first animation, before the end of the first animation, triggering a second animation which interrupts the first triggered animation, such that the second animation is immediately engaged and displayed on the computer, such that controlling the animation timeline uses the single object animation sequence associated with each object, for all objects, used in the animation, and the object animation sequence contains the positions and the movement of each object used in the animation whereby each animation comprises at least one step, and each step comprises at least one object animation sequence, and each object animation sequence defines the positions and the movement of each object in the animation on the computer thereby enhancing the interactivity with an animation.

9. The method for controlling an animation timeline on a computer as defined in claim 8 wherein the step of using the library comprises the steps of:

(a) implementing the timeline comprises the step of implementing a set of time frames where a value is changed on the specified property,

(b) engaging a target comprises the step of engaging the object which is going to be affected,

(c) changing a property of the target, and

(d) implementing a set of values comprises the step of implementing each value corresponding to one time frame in the timeline.

10. The method for controlling an animation timeline on a computer as defined in claim 8 wherein the step of acquiring models of the objects to be used in an animation for creating model data comprising at least one of the steps of:

(a) modeling physical objects to create model data, and

(b) working from existing digital flies to create model data, the model data for providing static/non-animated objects for viewing on the computer.

11. The method for controlling an animation timeline on a computer as defined in claim 8 wherein the step of animating the models by converting the model data of the models into a 3-D format for creating movement data for defining the movement of the models by creating a layout for each object in the animation comprising at least one of the steps of:

(a) implementing movement of the object and

(b) implementing morphing of the object.