Method and apparatus for producing animation data

An apparatus for producing animation data, comprising:

• means for establishing a plurality of key frames by disposing on each key frame component elements of an animation object on a selected time axis, each of said component elements defined by picture data comprising position, dimension and angle data relative to a three-dimensional coordinate system;
• means for obtaining a rotational matrix R corresponding to the motion of said component elements between two of said key frames using said angle data of said two key frames;
• means for calculating an orthogonal matrix T with respect to said rotational matrix R;
• means for calculating a rotation angle .theta. of said component elements rotated around a single axis with respect to said orthogonal matrix T;
• and
• means for forming an interpolation frame between said key frames under a condition that each of said component elements rotates around said single axis.

An apparatus for producing animation data, comprising:

• means for storing data of a plurality of key frames where component elements of an animation object are disposed on a selected time axis, each of said component elements defined by picture data comprising position, dimension and angle data relative to a three-dimensional coordinate system;
• means for obtaining a rotational matrix R corresponding to the motion of said component elements between two of said key frames using said angle data of said two key frames;
• means for calculating an orthogonal matrix T with respect to said rotational matrix R;
• means for calculating a rotation angle .theta. of said component elements rotated around a single axis with respect to said orthogonal matrix T;
• means for generating an interpolation frame between said two key frames by rotating each of said component elements around said single axis of rotation;
• and
• means for outputting the interpolation frame thus obtained.

In a production of an animation sequence having a plurality of spaced apart key frames established by disposing component elements of an animation object on a selected time axis, each of said component elements defined by picture data comprising position, dimension and angle data relative to a three-dimensional coordinate system, a method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a rotational matrix R corresponding to the motion of said component elements between two of said kev frames using said angle data of said two key frames;
• calculating an orthogonal matrix T with respect to said rotational matrix R;
• calculating a rotation angle .theta. of said component elements rotated around a single axis with respect to said orthogonal matrix T;
• and
• generating an interpolation frame between an adjacent pair of said key frames by rotating each of said component elements around said single axis of rotation.

A method of producing animation data for an animation sequence, comprising the steps of:

• creating and locating a plurality of key frames by disposing, on each key frame, component elements of an animation object on a selected time axis for said animation sequence, each of said component elements defined by picture data comprising position, dimension and angle data relative to a three-dimensional coordinate system;
• calculating a single axis around which said object follows a minimum rotation angle between two of said key frames;
• and
• generating an interpolation frame between said key frames under a condition that each of said component elements rotates around said single axis.

An apparatus for producing animation data, comprising:

• means for establishing a plurality of key frames by disposing, on each key frame, component elements of an animation object on a select time axis, each of said component elements defined by picture data comprising position, dimension and angle data relative to a three-dimensional coordinate system;
• means for calculating a single axis around which said object follows a minimum rotation angle between two of said key frames;
• and
• means for forming an interpolation frame between said key frames under a condition that each of said component elements rotates around said single axis.