Multi-level control language for computer animation
First Claim
1. A method for animating a display of a computer-modeled character, the method comprising:
- accepting one or more first signals from a content provider computer at a first location to allow a human user to specify an action for the computer-modeled character, wherein the action is specified by one or more commands in a control script, and wherein at least a portion of the commands are stored in a macro at the content provider computer, and further wherein the computer-modeled character is displayed at a second location remote from the first location;
storing the macro at the second location;
animating a display of the computer-modeled character according to one or more default character actions to achieve the command-specified action, wherein the default character actions are stored in a first rendering engine at the second location;
accepting one or more second signals from the content provider computer to modify one or more of the default character actions;
animating a display of the computer-modeled character at the second location according to the one or more modified default character actions;
transmitting the macro to a third location remote from the first location and the second location; and
animating a display of a second computer-modeled character according to one or more default character actions stored in a second rendering engine at the third location and based, at least in part, upon the macro.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for controlling a rendering engine by using specialized commands. The commands are used to generate a production, such as a television show, at an end-user'"'"'s computer that executes the rendering engine. In one embodiment, the commands are sent over a network, such as the Internet, to achieve broadcasts of video programs at very high compression and efficiency. Commands for setting and moving camera viewpoints, animating characters, and defining or controlling scenes and sounds are described. At a fine level of control math models and coordinate systems can be used make specifications. At a coarse level of control the command language approaches the text format traditionally used in television or movie scripts. Simple names for objects within a scene are used to identify items, directions and paths. Commands are further simplified by having the rendering engine use defaults when specifications are left out. For example, when a camera direction is not specified, the system assumes that the viewpoint is to be the current action area. The system provides a hierarchy of detail levels. Movement commands can be defaulted or specified. Synchronized speech can be specified as digital audio or as text which is used to synthesize the speech.
35 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for animating a display of a computer-modeled character, the method comprising:
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accepting one or more first signals from a content provider computer at a first location to allow a human user to specify an action for the computer-modeled character, wherein the action is specified by one or more commands in a control script, and wherein at least a portion of the commands are stored in a macro at the content provider computer, and further wherein the computer-modeled character is displayed at a second location remote from the first location; storing the macro at the second location; animating a display of the computer-modeled character according to one or more default character actions to achieve the command-specified action, wherein the default character actions are stored in a first rendering engine at the second location; accepting one or more second signals from the content provider computer to modify one or more of the default character actions; animating a display of the computer-modeled character at the second location according to the one or more modified default character actions; transmitting the macro to a third location remote from the first location and the second location; and animating a display of a second computer-modeled character according to one or more default character actions stored in a second rendering engine at the third location and based, at least in part, upon the macro. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
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accepting one or more first signals from a content provider computer at a first location to allow a human user to specify an action for a computer-modeled character, wherein the action is specified by one or more commands in a control script, and wherein at least a portion of the commands are stored in a macro at the content provider computer, and further wherein the computer-modeled character is displayed at a second location remote from the first location; storing the macro at the second location; animating a display of the computer-modeled character according to one or more, default character actions to achieve the command-specified action wherein the default character actions are stored in a first rendering engine at the second location; accepting one or more second signals from the content provider computer at the first location to modify one or more of the default character actions; animating a display of the computer-modeled character at the second location according to the one or more modified default character actions; transmitting the macro to a third location remote from the first location and the second location; and animating a display of a second computer-modeled character according to one or more default character actions stored in a second rendering engine at the third location and based. at least in part, upon the macro. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for remotely controlling a rendering engine to animate a display of a computer-modeled human character, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor; a memory; means for accepting one or more first signals from a content provider system at a first location to allow a human user to specify an action for the computer-modeled character, wherein the action is specified by one or more script commands, and wherein at least a portion of the script commands are stored in a macro at the content provider system, and further wherein the computer-modeled character is displayed at a second location remote from the first location; means for storing the macro at the second location; means for animating a display of the computer-modeled character according to one or more default character actions to achieve the command-specified action, wherein the default character actions are stored in a first rendering engine at the second location; means for accepting one or more second signals from the content provider system at the first location to modify one or more of the default character actions; and means for animating a display of the computer-modeled character at the second location according to the one or more modified default character actions; means for transmitting the macro to a third location remote from the first location and the second location; and means for animating a display of a second computer-modeled character according to one or more default character actions stored in a second rendering engine at the third location and based, at least in part, upon the macro.
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17. A method, comprising:
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receiving a first signal from a content provider computer at a first location to specify an action to animate a display of a first computer-modeled character at a second location remote from the first location, wherein the action is specified by one or more predefined control commands from an object control script compiled from a human-readable control script, and wherein at least a portion of the predefined control commands are stored in a macro at the content provider system; storing the macro at the second location; animating a display of the computer-modeled character according to one or more default character actions stored in a first rendering engine at the second location to achieve the command-specified action; receiving a second signal from the content provider computer at the first location to modify one or more of the default character actions; animating a display of the first computer-modeled character at the second location according to the one or more modified default character actions; transmitting the macro to a third location remote from the first location and the second location; and animating a display of a second computer-modeled character according to one or more default character actions stored in a second rendering engine at the third location and based, at least in part, upon the macro.
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Specification