Skeleton model shape transformation method, image synthesizing apparatus, and information storage medium

A method of transforming the shape of a skeleton model, comprising the steps of:

• expressing said skeleton model by basic variables that comprise coordinates of at least one node of said skeleton model;
• obtaining a solution for an equation including said basic variables by iterative calculations;
• and
• successively modifying said equation based on given information in synchronization with the start or end of an iterative loop.

A method of transforming the shape of a skeleton model, comprising the steps of:

• transforming the shape of said skeleton model under a restrictive condition such that, when said skeleton model or an object that moves together with said skeleton model has passed beyond a given boundary, said skeleton model or object is returned to said boundary;
• executing calculations in such a manner that, when one iterative loop of iterative calculations for obtaining the shape of said skeleton model is executed in a state in which said restrictive condition is disabled and said skeleton model or object does not pass beyond said boundary, said restrictive condition remains disabled in the next iterative loop;
• executing calculations in such a manner that, when said one iterative loop is executed in a state in which said restrictive condition is disabled and said skeleton model or object passes beyond said boundary, said restrictive condition is enabled in the next iterative loop;
• executing calculations in such a manner that, when said one iterative loop is executed in a state in which said restrictive condition is enabled and said skeleton model or object passes beyond said boundary, said restrictive condition remains enabled in the next iterative loop;
• and
• executing calculations in such a manner that, when said one iterative loop is executed in a state in which said restrictive condition is enabled and said skeleton model or object does not pass beyond said boundary, said restrictive condition is disabled in the next iterative loop.

A method of transforming the shape of a skeleton model, comprising the steps of:

• expressing said skeleton model by basic variables that comprise coordinates of at least one node of said skeleton model;
• determining whether or not a first set of simultaneous equations that takes a variation of said basic variables as an unknown is degenerate or in a state approximating thereto;
• and
• transforming the shape of said skeleton model by reducing the number of equations of said first set of simultaneous equations to reconfigure said first set of simultaneous equations as an independent second set of simultaneous equations, and obtaining a solution to the thus reconfigured second set of simultaneous equations, when it is determined that said first set of simultaneous equations is degenerate or in a state approximating thereto.

An information storage medium used for the transformation of the shape of a skeleton model, comprising:

• information for expressing said skeleton model by basic variables that comprise coordinates of at least one node of said skeleton model;
• information for causing a change in at least one of a set of basic equations and an evaluation expression based on given information, said set of basic equations taking said basic variables as unknowns and comprising an equation that defines the length of a plurality of arcs of said skeleton model as given values, and said evaluation expression uniquely determining a solution for said basic variables of said set of basic equations;
• information for obtaining said solution that substantially satisfies said set of basic equations and makes the value of said evaluation expression one of substantially a minimum, substantially a maximum, or substantially stationary;
• and
• information for transforming the shape of said skeleton model, based on the thus obtained solution.

An information storage medium used for the transformation of the shape of a skeleton model, comprising:

• information for expressing said skeleton model by basic variables that comprise coordinates of at least one node of said skeleton model;
• information for obtaining a solution for an equation including said basic variables by iterative calculations;
• and
• information for successively modifying said equation based on given information in synchronization with the start or end of an iterative loop.

An information storage medium used for the transformation of the shape of a skeleton model, comprising:

• information for transforming the shape of said skeleton model under a restrictive condition such that, when said skeleton model or an object that moves together with said skeleton model has passed beyond a given boundary, said skeleton model or object is returned to said boundary;
• information for executing calculations in such a manner that, when one iterative loop of iterative calculations for obtaining the shape of said skeleton model is executed in a state in which said restrictive condition is disabled and said skeleton model or object does not pass beyond said boundary, said restrictive condition remains disabled in the next iterative loop;
• information for executing calculations in such a manner that, when said one iterative loop is executed in a state in which said restrictive condition is disabled and said skeleton model or object passes beyond said boundary, said restrictive condition is enabled in the next iterative loop;
• information for executing calculations in such a manner that, when said one iterative loop is executed in a state in which said restrictive condition is enabled and said skeleton model or object passes beyond said boundary, said restrictive condition remains enabled in the next iterative loop;
• and
• information for executing calculations in such a manner that, when said one iterative loop is executed in a state in which said restrictive condition is enabled and said skeleton model or object does not pass beyond said boundary, said restrictive condition is disabled in the next iterative loop.

An information storage medium used for the transformation of the shape of a skeleton model, comprising:

• information for expressing said skeleton model by basic variables that comprise coordinates of at least one node of said skeleton model;
• information for determining whether or not a first set of simultaneous equations that takes a variation of said basic variables as an unknown is degenerate or in a state approximating thereto;
• and
• information for transforming the shape of said skeleton model by reducing the number of equations of said first set of simultaneous equations to reconfigure said first set of simultaneous equations as an independent second set of simultaneous equations, and obtaining a solution to the thus reconfigured second set of simultaneous equations, when it is determined that said first set of simultaneous equations is degenerate or in a state approximating thereto.