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US 5,692,117 AGranted
Method and apparatus for producing animated drawings and in-between drawings
AssigneeCambridge Animation Systems Limited
InventorsAndrew Louis Charles Berend, Mark Jonathan Williams, Michael John Brocklehurst, Stuart Philip Hawkins, Gavin Timothy Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for generating an animated sequence of pictures consists of a store for storing data defining a plurality of pictures and data defining, for each, a temporal position in the sequence; and interpolator for reading stored data and generating therefrom data defining a plurality of intervening pictures occurring at time positions between those of said stored pictures, and providing a transition therebetween; and an editor for editing the data so as to amend the sequence.
Claims83
Apparatus for generating a sequence of pictures for animation, the apparatus comprising:
- a store for storing picture data defining first and second key pictures, each said key picture including an object represented by a plurality of lines, each said line being defined by a plurality of control points, wherein a first fine in the first key picture is comprised of a first number of control points and a second line in the second key picture corresponding to the first line is comprised of a second number of control points, the second number being greater than the first number,
- said picture data comprising fine data defining said plurality of lines,
- said line data comprising control point data defining said plurality of control points;
- said control point data further comprising data defining at least one attribute point, said attribute point having a position relative to said first line of said first key picture, but said attribute point not being one of the plurality of control points defining said first line;
- and
- an interpolator for reading the picture data of said first key picture and said second key picture, and for generating therefrom intervening picture data defining one or more intervening pictures for inclusion in said sequence between said first and second key pictures, said intervening picture data being generated in accordance with a topological correspondence which identifies, (a) for each control point of said first key picture, one corresponding control point of said second key picture, and (b) for each said attribute point, one of the plurality of control points in said second key picture.
3 more elements
A method for generating a sequence of pictures for animation, the method comprising:
- providing a first key picture and a second key picture, each said key picture including an object defined by a plurality of lines, each said line being defined by a plurality of control points, wherein a first line in the first key picture is comprised of a first number of control points and a second line in the second key picture corresponding to the first line is comprised of a second number of control points, the second number being greater than the first number,
- storing, in a store, picture data representing said first and second key pictures, said picture data comprising line data representing said plurality of lines, said line data comprising control point data defining said plurality of control points, said control point data further comprising data representing an attribute point, said attribute point having a position relative to said first line of said first key picture, but said attribute point not being one of the plurality of control points defining said first line,
- said picture data defining a topological correspondence to identify (a) a corresponding control point in said second key picture for each control point of said first key picture and (b) for each said attribute point, one of the plurality of control points of said second key picture;
- and
- interpolating an intervening picture for inclusion in said sequence between said first and second key pictures, said interpolating comprising generating intervening picture data representing said intervening picture by using said picture data of said first and second key picture in accordance with said topological correspondence.
2 more elements
A computer-useable medium having computer-readable instructions stored therein for causing a processor in a computer animation apparatus to generate a sequence of pictures for animation, the instructions comprising instructions for;
- causing the processor to provide a first key picture and a second key pictures, each said key picture including an object defined by a plurality of lines, each said line being defined by a plurality of control points, wherein a first line in the first key picture is comprised of a first number of control points and a second line in the second key picture corresponding to the first line is comprised of a second number of control points, the second number being greater than the first number,
- causing the processor to store, in a store, picture data representing said first and second key pictures, said picture data comprising line data representing said plurality of lines, said line data comprising control point data defining said plurality of control points, said control data further comprising data representing an attribute point, said attribute point having a position relative to said first line of said first key picture, but said attribute point not being one of the plurality of control points defining said first line,
- said picture data defining a topological correspondence to identify (a) a corresponding control point in said second key picture for each control point of said first key picture and (b) for each said attribute point one of the plurality of control points of said second key picture;
- and
- causing the processor to interpolate an intervening picture for inclusion in said sequence between said first and second key pictures, said interpolating comprising generating intervening picture data representing said intervening picture by using said picture data of said first and second key pictures in accordance with said topological correspondence.
2 more elements
Apparatus for generating a sequence of pictures for animation, the apparatus comprising:
- a store for storing picture data defining first and second key pictures, each said key picture including an object represented by a plurality of lines, each said line being defined by a plurality of control points, wherein a first line in the first key picture is comprised of a first number of control points and a second line in the second key picture corresponding to the first line is comprised of a second number of control points, the second number being greater than the first number;
- said picture data comprising line data defining said plurality of lines,
- said line data comprising control point data defining said plurality of control points;
- an interpolator for reading the picture data of said first key picture and said second key picture, end for generating therefrom intervening picture data defining one or more intervening pictures for inclusion in said sequence between said first and second key pictures, said intervening picture data being generated in accordance with a topological correspondence which identifies one corresponding control point of second key picture for each control point of said first key picture;
- and
- a sequence editor for selecting one of said key pictures as a selected key picture and selecting one of said control points of said selected key picture as a selected control point and modifying the picture data defining said selected key picture so as to modify said object as represented in said selected key picture.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.