Method for providing an animation from a prerecorded series of still pictures

• US 8,896,608 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Movinpics AS
• Original Assignee: Movinpics AS
• Inventors: Meisingset, Arve
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, James A
• Application Number:
  US11/990,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20090141031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,032 Days
• Field of Search: 345/473
• US Class Current: 345/474
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing an animation from prerecorded still pictures where the relative positions of the pictures are known. The method is based on prerecorded still pictures and location data, associated with each still picture, that indicates the projection of the subsequent still picture into the current still picture. The method comprises the repeated steps of providing a current still picture, providing the location data associated with the still picture, generating an animation based on the current still picture and the location data, and presenting the animation on a display. The invention provides the experience of driving a virtual car through the photographed roads, either by an auto pilot or manually. The user may change speed, drive, pan, shift lane, turn in crossings or take u-turns anywhere. Also, the invention provides a means to experience real time, interactive video-like animation from widely separated still pictures, as an alternative to video-streaming over a communication line. This service is called Virtual Car Travels.

Claims

1. Method, by utilizing a client terminal and a server computer, for providing an animation from prerecorded still pictures provided by the server computer where the relative positions of the pictures are known, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) providing a current still picture;

(b) providing location data indicating the location of a projection of a subsequent still picture into the current still picture;

(c) generating an animation based on the current still picture and said location data, and

(d) presenting said animation on a display;

wherein the location data indicating the projection of a subsequent still picture into the current still picture is retrieved from a data storage which also contains data representing the series of still pictures, and

wherein said step (c) of generating an animation comprises picture processing steps that result in a virtually continuous stream of events as experienced by a user and

wherein said client terminal and said server computer being operatively interconnected by a communication network.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said location data is derived from curve radius data associated with the current still picture, camera angle and the distance between the current still picture and the subsequent still picture.

3. Method according to one of the claims 1-2, wherein said subsequent still picture is located within a sector of the current still picture.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein said step (c) of generating an animation comprises the steps of:

(c1) determining a segment of the current still picture corresponding to the projection of the subsequent still picture into the current still picture, and

(c2) generating a sequence of animated pictures derived from the current still picture by zooming, scrolling, and panning towards said segment.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein said steps (a)-(d) are recursively repeated.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein said step (d) of presenting the animation comprises setting the speed of the animation according to a user input.

7. Method according to claim 5, wherein said step (d) of presenting the animation comprises setting the panning of the animation according to a user input and camera angle.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein said used still pictures correspond to a sequence of prerecorded still pictures provided by the server computer, said current picture corresponding to a first picture in said sequence of prerecorded still pictures.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein said subsequent used still picture corresponds to the next picture in said sequence of prerecorded still pictures.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein said subsequent used still picture corresponds to the second next, third next or fourth next picture in said sequence of prerecorded still pictures.

11. Method according to claim 8, wherein said subsequent used picture corresponds to the next, second next, third next or fourth next picture in said sequence, selected in accordance with a drive parameter set by a user input.

12. Method according to claim 8, wherein said current used still picture is the last still picture in a unidirectional path terminating at a node in a network of unidirectional paths between nodes, and

wherein said subsequent used still picture corresponds to a still picture belonging to a path originating from said node.

13. Method according to claim 12, said path originating from said node being selected in accordance with a turn parameter set by a user input or by default.

14. Method according to claim 8, wherein said used still picture is an intermediate picture in a unidirectional path, and

wherein said subsequent used still picture corresponds to a still picture belonging to a parallel, identically directed path upon selection by a user input.

15. Method according to claim 8, wherein said used still picture is an intermediate picture in a unidirectional path, and

wherein said subsequent used still picture corresponds to a still picture belonging to a parallel, oppositely directed path upon selection by a user input.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable program for providing an animation from prerecorded still pictures provided by a server computer to a client terminal where the relative positions of the pictures are known, the computer program when executed causes a computer system of said client terminal to execute the steps of:

(a) providing a current still picture;

(b) providing location data indicating the location of a projection of a subsequent still picture into the current still picture;

(c) generating an animation based on the current still picture and said location data, and

(d) presenting said animation on a display;

wherein the location data indicating the projection of a subsequent still picture into the current still picture is retrieved from a data storage which also contains data representing the series of still pictures, and

wherein said step (c) of generating an animation comprises picture processing steps that result in a virtually continuous stream of events as experienced by a user and

wherein said client terminal and said server computer being operatively interconnected by a communication network.