Animation of three-dimensional characters along a path for motion video sequences

A computer system for producing three-dimensional animation of an alphanumeric character string along a path, comprising:

• means for interactively receiving data indicating changes to the alphanumeric character string;
• means for receiving an input defining a position of the alphanumeric character string along the path as a function of time;
• means for receiving an input defining a three-dimensional model of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string;
• means for receiving an input defining properties defining three-dimensional attributes of each alphanumeric character according to a position of the alphanumeric character along the path;
• means for interactively rendering and displaying the alphanumeric character string in real time in three dimensions on a display as chances to the alphanumeric character string are received, according to the three-dimensional model of each alphanumeric character, the position along the path of the alphanumeric character string a at a specified point in time in the animation, and the properties defining three-dimensional attributes of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string according to the position of the alphanumeric character along the path;
• and
• means for rendering, and displaying in real time on a display the three-dimensional animation of the alphanumeric character string according to the position of the alphanumeric character string along the path as a function of time, the three-dimensional model of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string, and the properties defining three-dimensional attributes of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string according to the position of the alphanumeric character alone the path.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• computer program instructions stored on the computer readable medium that, when executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a method for producing three-dimensional animation of a alphanumeric character string along a path, comprising:
• interactively receiving data indicating changes to the alphanumeric character string;
• receiving an input defining a position of the alphanumeric character string along the path as a function of time;
• receiving an input defining a three-dimensional model of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string;
• receiving an input defining properties defining three-dimensional attributes of each alphanumeric character according to a position of the alphanumeric character along the path;
• interactively rendering and displaying the alphanumeric character string in real time in three dimensions on a display as changes to the alphanumeric character string are received, according to the three-dimensional model of each alphanumeric character, the position along the path of the alphanumeric character string at a specified point in time in the animation, and the properties defining three-dimensional attributes of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string according to the position of the alphanumeric character along the path;
• and
• rendering and displaying in real time on a display the three-dimensional animation of the alphanumeric character string according to the position of the alphanumeric character string along the path as a function of time, the three-dimensional model of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string, and the properties defining three-dimensional attributes of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string according to the position of the alphanumeric character along the path.

A computer system for facilitating creation of three-dimensional animation of an alphanumeric character string along a path, comprising:

• means for specifying a position along the path for the alphanumeric character string as a function of time;
• means for specifying at least one property for alphanumeric characters in the alphanumeric character string as a function of position of the alphanumeric character along the path;
• means for specifying a shape for each alphanumeric character;
• means for allowing a user to interactively edit the alphanumeric character string;
• means for specifying a point in time in the three-dimensional animation;
• means for rendering and displaying the alphanumeric character string in real time in three dimensions at the specified point in time in the animation, during the editing of the alphanumeric character stringy by the user, according to the specified position alone the path of the alphanumeric character string at the specified point in time in the animation and according to the specified property for each alphanumeric character at the position of the alphanumeric character along the path at the specified point in time in the animation and according to the shape specified for each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string;
• and
• means for rendering and displaying the three-dimensional animation of the alphanumeric character string according to the position specified for the alphanumeric character string at each point in time in the three-dimensional animation, according to the property specified for each alphanumeric character at each position of the alphanumeric character along the path in the three-dimensional animation and according to the shape specified for each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string.

A computer system for facilitating creation of a three-dimensional animated title for video, comprising:

• means for specifying a title having a point in time and duration associated with the video and an associated alphanumeric character string;
• means for specifying a position along a path for the alphanumeric character string as a function of time;
• means for specifying at least one property for alphanumeric characters as a function of position along the path;
• means for specifying a shape for each alphanumeric character;
• means for allowing a user to interactively edit an alphanumeric character string associated with the title;
• means for specifying a point in time in the duration of the title;
• means for rendering and displaying, on an associated image of the video, the alphanumeric character string in real time in three dimensions at the specified point in time in the duration of the title, during the editing of the alphanumeric character string by the user, according to the specified position along the path of the alphanumeric character string at the specified point in time in the duration of the title and according to the specified property for each alphanumeric character at the position of the alphanumeric character along the path at the specified point in time in the duration of the title and according to the shape specified for each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string;
• and
• means for rendering and displaying with the video, over the duration of the title, the three-dimensional animated title using the alphanumeric character string animated according to the position specified for the alphanumeric character string at each point in time in the three-dimensional animated title, according to the property specified for each alphanumeric character at each position of the alphanumeric character along the path in the three-dimensional animated title and according to the shape specified for each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string.

A computer-implemented method for use in producing three-dimensional video animation of alphanumeric characters, comprising the steps of:

• interactively receiving data indicating changes to an alphanumeric character string;
• receiving data defining a three-dimensional model of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string, a sequence of temporally related images, properties defining variation in position alone a path of the alphanumeric character string, and properties defining variation of three-dimensional attributes of the alphanumeric characters in the alphanumeric character string according to a position of the alphanumeric character along the path;
• receiving data indicative of a selection of a user defining an image of the sequence of temporally related images;
• interactively rendering and displaying, the alphanumeric character string in real time in three dimensions as changes to the alphanumeric character string are received on a display in the selected image of the sequence of temporally related images, according to the received data defining the three-dimensional model and the received properties for each alphanumeric character according to the position of the alphanumeric character on the path in the selected image of the sequence of temporally related images;
• and
• rendering and displaying in real time on a display, on each of the images in the sequence of temporally related images, the alphanumeric character string according to the received data defining the three-dimensional model, the properties defining variation in position and the properties defining a variation of three dimensional attributes.

A computer system for use in producing three-dimensional video animation of alphanumeric characters, comprising the steps of:

• means for interactively receiving data indicating changes to an alphanumeric character string;
• means for receiving data defining a three-dimensional model of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string, a sequence of temporally related images, properties defining variation in position along a path of the alphanumeric character string, and properties defining variation of three-dimensional attributes of the alphanumeric characters in the alphanumeric character string according to a position of the alphanumeric character along the path;
• means for receiving data indicative of a selection of a user defining an image of the sequence of temporally related images;
• means for interactively rendering and displaying the alphanumeric character string in real time in three dimensions as changes to the alphanumeric character string are received on a display in the selected image of the sequence of temporally related images, according to the received data defining the three-dimensional model and the received properties for each alphanumeric character according to the position of the alphanumeric character on the path in the the selected image of the sequence of temporally related images;
• and
• means for rendering and displaying in real time on a display, on each of the images in the sequence of temporally related images, the alphanumeric character string according to the received data defining the three-dimensional model, the properties defining variation in position and the properties defining variation of three dimensional attributes.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• computer program instructions stored on the computer readable medium that, when executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a method for computer-implemented method for use in producing three-dimensional video animation of alphanumeric characters, comprising the steps of:
• interactively receiving data indicating changes to an alphanumeric character string;
• receiving data defining a three-dimensional model of each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character string, a sequence of temporally related images, properties defining variation in position along a path of the alphanumeric character string, and properties defining variation of three-dimensional attributes of the alphanumeric characters in the alphanumeric character string according to a position of the alphanumeric character along the path;
• receiving, data indicative of a selection of a user defining an image of the sequence of temporally related images;
• interactively rendering and displaying the alphanumeric character string in real time in three dimensions as changes to the alphanumeric character string are received on a display in the selected image of the sequence of temporally related images, according to the received data defining the three-dimensional model and the received properties for each alphanumeric character according to the position of the alphanumeric character on the path in the selected image of the sequence of temporally related images;
• and
• rendering and displaying in real time on a display, on each of the images in the sequence of temporally related images, the alphanumeric character string according to the received data defining the three-dimensional model, the properties defining variation in position and the properties defining variation of three dimensional attributes.