Drawing figures in computer-based drawing applications

• US 8,427,483 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Ward, Jeffrey C., Milne, Roger B., Ballagh, Jonathan, Stecklein, Tyson
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Xiao M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joshua, Aimee
• Application Number:
  US12/871,759
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/12 Bounding box

Abstract

Techniques for associating a graphics object with one of a plurality of target regions of a graphical object template are disclosed. The graphics object is associated with one of the target regions based on the distance between the center of mass of the graphics object and the center of mass of the target region and the overlap amount of the graphics object with the target region. A pre-generated graphics object (stamp object) may also be automatically incorporated into one of the target regions based on the alignment of the minimum bounding box of the stamp object and the minimum bounding box of the target region.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for incorporating a graphics object within a target region of a graphical object template divided into one or more target regions, the method comprising:

determining a best fit bounding box from a plurality of bounding boxes for the graphics object, wherein the best fit bounding box has an area and an associated angle of rotation, wherein the area of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object is not greater than a respective area of the remaining plurality of bounding boxes for the graphics object;

determining a best fit bounding box from a plurality of bounding boxes for the target region, wherein the best fit bounding box has an area and an associated angle of rotation, wherein the area of the best fit bounding box of the target region is not greater than a respective area of the remaining plurality of bounding boxes for the target region, wherein the plurality of bounding boxes for the graphics object and the target region have a range of angles traversing at least 90 degrees; and

adjusting the size of the graphics object based on the area of the best fit bounding box for the target region and the orientation of the graphics object based on the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the target region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphics object is different than the target region, wherein the best fit bounding box for the graphics object corresponds to a minimum bounding box for the graphics object, and wherein the best fit bounding box for the target region corresponds to a minimum bounding box for the target region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the best fit bounding box for the graphics object comprises:

for each angle of a plurality of angles traversing at least 90 degrees, calculating an area of a bounding box generated around the graphics object;

identifying the bounding box having the smallest area as the best fit bounding box for the graphics object; and

defining the angle in the plurality of angles associated with the best fit bounding box as the associated angle of rotation,

and, wherein determining the best fit bounding box for the target region comprises;

for each angle of a plurality of angles traversing at least 90 degrees, calculating an area of a bounding box generated around the target region;

identifying the bounding box having the smallest area as the best fit bounding box for the target region; and

defining the angle in the plurality of angles associated with the best fit bounding box as the associated angle of rotation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the orientation of the graphics object comprises aligning a principal axis of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object with a principal axis of the best fit bounding box for the target region.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting the orientation of the graphics object further comprises:

rotating the graphics object by an angle of rotation equal to the difference between the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object and the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the target region; and

moving the graphics object until a principal axis of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object is collinear with a principal axis of the best fit bounding box for the target region.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the size of the graphics object comprises scaling the graphics object until the dimensions of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object are substantially equal to the dimensions of the best fit bounding box for the target region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein for each target regions in the one or more target regions, the area of the best fit bounding box for the target region and the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the target region are pre-calculated and stored in memory along with the graphical object template.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, for at least one other target region in the plurality of target regions, the steps of determining a best fit bounding box for the target region and adjusting the size and orientation of the graphics object are performed, wherein a different instance of the graphics object is incorporated within each target region in the one or more target regions.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to incorporate a graphics object within a target region of a graphical object template divided into one or more target regions, by performing the steps of:

determining a best fit bounding box from a plurality of bounding boxes for the graphics object, wherein the best fit bounding box has an area and an associated angle of rotation, wherein the area of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object is not greater than a respective area of the remaining plurality of bounding boxes for the graphics object;

determining a best fit bounding box from a plurality of bounding boxes for the target region, wherein the best fit bounding box has an area and an associated angle of rotation, wherein the area of the best fit bounding box of the target region is not greater than a respective area of the remaining plurality of bounding boxes for the target region, wherein the plurality of bounding boxes for the graphics object and the target region have a range of angles traversing at least 90 degrees; and

adjusting the size of the graphics object based on the area of the best fit bounding box for the target region and the orientation of the graphics object based on the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the target region.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the graphics object is different than the target region, wherein the best fit bounding box for the graphics object corresponds to a minimum bounding box for the graphics object, and wherein the best fit bounding box for the target region corresponds to a minimum bounding box for the target region.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the best fit bounding box for the graphics object comprises:

for each angle of a plurality of angles traversing at least 90 degrees, calculating an area of a bounding box generated around the graphics object;

identifying the bounding box having the smallest area as the best fit bounding box for the graphics object; and

defining the angle in the plurality of angles associated with the best fit bounding box as the associated angle of rotation,

and, wherein determining the best fit bounding box for the target region comprises;

for each angle of a plurality of angles traversing at least 90 degrees, calculating an area of a bounding box generated around the target region;

identifying the bounding box having the smallest area as the best fit bounding box for the target region; and

defining the angle in the plurality of angles associated with the best fit bounding box as the associated angle of rotation.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein adjusting the orientation of the graphics object comprises aligning a principal axis of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object with a principal axis of the best fit bounding box for the target region.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein adjusting the orientation of the graphics object further comprises:

rotating the graphics object by an angle of rotation equal to the difference between the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object and the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the target region; and

moving the graphics object until a principal axis of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object is collinear with a principal axis of the best fit bounding box for the target region.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein adjusting the size of the graphics object comprises scaling the graphics object until the dimensions of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object are substantially equal to the dimensions of the best fit bounding box for the target region.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein for at least one target region in the one or more target regions, the area of the best fit bounding box for the target region and the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the target region are pre-calculated and stored in memory along with the graphical object template.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein, for at least one of the other target regions in the one or more target regions, the steps of determining a best fit bounding box for the target region and adjusting the size and orientation of the graphics object are performed.

17. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein a different instance of the graphics object is incorporated within each target region in the one or more target regions.

18. A system for incorporating a graphics object within a target region of a graphical object template divided into one or more target regions, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine a best fit bounding box from a plurality of bounding boxes for the graphics object, wherein the best fit bounding box has an area and an associated angle of rotation, wherein the area of the best fit bounding box for the graphics object is not greater than a respective area of the remaining plurality of bounding boxes for the graphics object,

determine a best fit bounding box from a plurality of bounding boxes for the target region, wherein the best fit bounding box has an area and an associated angle of rotation, wherein the area of the best fit bounding box of the target region is not greater than a respective area of the remaining plurality of bounding boxes for the target region, wherein the plurality of bounding boxes for the graphics object and the target region have a range of angles traversing at least 90 degrees, and

adjust the size of the graphics object based on the area of the best fit bounding box for the target region and the orientation of the graphics object based on the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the target region.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the graphics object is different than the target region, further comprising a memory that includes instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

determine the best fit bounding box for the target region, comprising;

for each angle of a plurality of angles traversing at least 90 degrees, calculating an area of a bounding box generated around the graphics object;

identifying the bounding box having the smallest area as the best fit bounding box for the graphics object; and

defining the angle in the plurality of angles associated with the best fit bounding box as the associated angle of rotation; and

determine the best fit bounding box for the target region, comprising;

for each angle of a plurality of angles traversing at least 90 degrees, calculating an area of a bounding box generated around the target region;

identifying the bounding box having the smallest area as the best fit bounding box for the target region; and

defining the angle in the plurality of angles associated with the best fit bounding box as the associated angle of rotation.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to incorporate a graphics object within a target region of a graphical object template divided into one or more target regions, by performing the steps of:

determining a best fit bounding box for the graphics object, wherein the best fit bounding box has an area and an associated angle of rotation;

determining a best fit bounding box for the target region, wherein the best fit bounding box has an area and an associated angle of rotation, wherein for at least one target region in the one or more target regions, the area of the best fit bounding box for the target region and the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the target region are pre-calculated; and

stored in memory along with the graphical object template; and

adjusting the size of the graphics object based on the area of the best fit bounding box for the target region and the orientation of the graphics object based on the angle of rotation of the best fit bounding box for the target region.