System and methods for generation and control of story animation

• US 8,937,620 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2011
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Teller, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Zhengxi
• Application Number:
  US13/082,089
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2213/08 Animation software package
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A system and methods are disclosed which provide simple and rapid animated content creation with simple control of scene characteristics, scene-to-scene transitions, content elements, and certain element behaviors. Tools are disclosed for conveniently applying scene characteristic and transition labels to control the look and feel of a scene, such as camera attributes, lighting, and the like. A voice input tool enables quick creation of spoken language segments for animated characters. Tools are provided to enable multiple content creators to collaborate on content creation. A warehouse model is disclosed for animation content elements. The ability to create dynamic animated content, and the ability to increase the emotional and dramatic texture of that content, are provided through use of relatively simple and intuitive tools.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating animated video content within an animation system, comprising:

selecting, from a set of scenes stored in a computer-based scene memory, a first scene into which one or more characters, objects, or backgrounds are placed, said first scene comprising a plurality of scene attribute settings, wherein said plurality of scene attribute settings comprise audience attribute settings related to age of audiences;

providing a timeline on a computer interface of said animation system into which said first scene is inserted in a time-wise manner among other scenes;

selecting on said computer interface of said animation system a scene characteristic control label, from a set of scene characteristic control labels, in which said scene characteristic control label is scene mood;

assigning said scene characteristic control label to said timeline on said computer interface overlaying at least a portion of a length of said first scene;

said assignment of said scene characteristic control label to said timeline setting said scene attribute settings for said portion of the length of said selected first scene in accordance with a meaning associated with said characteristic control label;

selecting on said computer interface of said animation system an audience attribute for setting an age appearance of said one or more characters;

displaying said first scene having said scene attribute settings set in accordance with said characteristic control label and said audience attribute settings; and

displaying on a map interface given scene mood of a character or object in said animated video content as a function of time per scene of said animated video content, wherein said map interface maps to said timeline on said computer interface, and in which said mood of said character is compared to the mood of another character at various points in time.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said set of scene characteristic control labels describe a scene characteristic selected from the group consisting of:

scene mood, scene region, and scene animation style.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising setting an intensity control, to thereby set levels of said scene attribute settings for said selected first scene.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said scene attribute settings are selected from the group consisting of:

scene lighting, view or camera angle, focus, scene layout, audio volume, background audio, response characteristics of characters in the scene, and response characteristics of objects in the scene.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said scene attribute settings set by said scene characteristic control label are modifiable by a user as part of modifying operations associated with said scene characteristic control label.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said scene characteristic control label further modifies attributes for a member of a group placed into said first scene, the group consisting of:

characters, objects, and backgrounds.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein members of the group consisting of characters, objects, and backgrounds are provided with character, object, and background attribute controls, respectively, and further wherein said character, object, and background attribute controls include an option to preclude a scene characteristic control label from modifying attributes of said members of said group.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, in which the animation system includes an attribute copy interface and control, and further comprising selecting a source character, object, or background and a target source character, object, or background, and applying by selecting said attribute copy interface and control selected animation attributes of said selected character, object, or background to said selected target character, object, or background, respectively.

9. A computer-based system for creating animated video content, comprising:

a computer-based scene memory containing a plurality of scenes, from which a first scene is selected and into which one or more characters, objects, or backgrounds are placed, said first scene comprising a plurality of scene attribute settings, wherein said plurality of scene attribute settings comprise audience attribute settings related to age of audiences;

a computer-based scene characteristic control label user interface enabling a user to select a scene characteristic control label, from a set of scene characteristic control labels, and to select an audience attribute for setting an age appearance of said one or more characters, wherein said user interface includes a timeline into which scenes are organized in a time-wise manner, and wherein said user interface enables said scene characteristic control label to be provided onto said timeline overlaying at least a portion of a length of said first scene, in which said scene characteristic control label is scene mood; and

a processor which, in response to said selection of said scene characteristic control label onto the timeline, sets said scene attribute settings for said portion of the length of said selected scene in accordance with a meaning associated with said characteristic control label and said audience attributes, and displays on a map interface given scene mood of a character or object in said animated video content as a function of time per scene of said animated video content, wherein said map interface maps to said timeline on said computer interface, and in which said mood of said character is compared to the mood of another character at various points in time.

10. The computer-based system of claim 9, wherein said computer-based scene characteristic control label user interface enables selecting a label from the group consisting of:

scene mood, scene region, and scene animation style.

11. The computer-based system of claim 9, wherein said scene attribute settings are selected from the group consisting of:

scene lighting, view or camera angle, focus, scene layout, audio volume, background audio, response characteristics of characters in the scene, and response characteristics of objects in the scene.

12. A computer-implemented method for creating animated video content, comprising:

selecting a first scene, from a set of scenes stored in a computer-based memory, into which one or more characters, objects, or backgrounds are placed, said first selected scene comprising a first set of scene attribute settings, wherein said first selected scene comprises a character, object, or background disposed in a first position;

selecting a second scene, from the set of scenes stored in the computer-based memory, into which one or more characters, objects or backgrounds are placed, said second selected scene comprising a second set of scene attribute settings, wherein said second selected scene comprises said character, object, or background disposed in a second position different than said first position;

providing a timeline on a computer interface of an animation system into which said first scene and said second scene are inserted in a time-wise manner among other scenes;

assigning a first scene characteristic control label to said timeline on said computer interface overlaying at least a portion of a length of said first scene and a second scene characteristic control label to said timeline on said computer interface overlaying at least a portion of a length of said second scene, wherein said assignment of said first and second scene characteristic control labels to said timeline set scene attribute settings for said portion of the length of said first scene and said second scene in accordance with a meaning associated with said first and second scene characteristic control labels;

assigning to said timeline on said computer interface a scene transition label, from a set of scene transition labels, to overlap a portion of said first scene and said second scene on said timeline to thereby set said first set of scene attribute settings for one or more characters or objects in said first selected scene and said second set of scene attribute settings for one or more characters or objects in said second selected scene, such that a transition between said first selected scene and said selected second scene in said animated video content occurs in accordance with an emotional meaning associated with said scene transition label to control the transition between said character, object or background disposed in said first position and said character, object, or background disposed in said second position; and

inserting a plurality of animated transition frames between said first selected scene and said second selected scene during which said character, object or background transitions from said first position to said second position.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said first selected scene comprises a first view of a character, object or background and said second selected scene comprises a second view of said character, object or background different than said first view, and further wherein said selected scene transition label controls the transition between said first view of said character, object or background and said second view of said character, object or background.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein each of said first and second positions of said character, object or background are first and second locations of said character, object or background, respectively.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein specific first and second scene attributes set by said scene transition label are modifiable by a user as part of modifying operations associated with said scene transition label.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said scene transition label further modifies attributes for a member of a group placed into said first scene or said second scene, the group consisting of:

characters, objects, and backgrounds.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein members of the group consisting of characters, objects, and backgrounds are provided with character, object, and background attribute controls, respectively, and further wherein said character, object, and background attribute controls include an option to preclude a scene transition label from modifying attributes of said members of said group.

18. A computer-based system for creating animated video content, comprising:

a computer-based scene memory containing a plurality of scenes, from which a first scene is selected and into which one or more characters, objects, or backgrounds are placed, said first selected scene comprising a first set of scene attribute settings and comprising a character, object, or background disposed in a first position, and from which a second scene is selected and into which one or more characters, objects or backgrounds are placed, said second selected scene comprising a second set of scene attribute settings and comprising said character, object, or background disposed in a second position different than said first position;

a computer-based user interface including a timeline into which said first scene and said second scene are inserted in a time-wise manner among other scenes, and enabling a user to assign a first scene characteristic control label to said timeline on said computer interface overlaying at least a portion of a length of said first scene and a second scene characteristic control label to said timeline on said computer interface overlaying at least a portion of a length of said second scene, wherein said assignment of said first and second scene characteristic control labels to said timeline set scene attribute settings for said portion of the length of said first scene and said second scene in accordance with a meaning associated with said first and second scene characteristic control labels;

the computer-based user interface further enabling a user to select a scene transition label, from a set of scene transition labels, and assign to said timeline on said computer interface the selected scene transition label to overlap a portion of said first scene and said second scene on said timeline; and

a processor which, in response to said selection of said scene transition label, sets said first set of scene attribute settings for said first selected scene and said second set of scene attribute settings for said second selected scene, such that a transition between said first selected scene and said selected second scene in said animated video content occurs in accordance with an emotional meaning associated with said scene transition label, and further wherein said processor renders the transition between said character, object or background disposed in said first position and said character, object, or background disposed in said second position in response to said selected scene transition label and inserts a plurality of animated transition frames between said first selected scene and said second selected scene during which said character, object or background transitions from said first position to said second position.