Key reduction system and method with variable threshold

A computer system for creating animation data for a 3D object with a reduced number of source keyframes, the 3D object being composed of a hierarchy of nodes, each node being associated with animation data stored in a series of source keyframes, the system comprising:

• means for computing a threshold value for a particular type of animation, the computation of the threshold value differing based on whether the animation is rotation animation or position/scaling animation;
• means for selecting a first keyframe from the series of source keyframes;
• means for storing the first keyframe into a keyframe array;
• means for interpolating the stored keyframes in the keyframe array;
• means for obtaining a first interpolated value based on the interpolation of the stored keyframes in the keyframe array;
• means for obtaining a second interpolated value based on the interpolation of the source keyframes;
• means for computing a difference between the first interpolated value and the second interpolated value;
• means for selecting a second keyframe from the series of source keyframes if the computed difference is greater than the computed threshold value;
• and
• means for storing the second keyframe into the keyframe array.

A computer program product comprising:

• a program code for creating animation data for a 3D object with a reduced number of source keyframes, the 3D object being composed of a hierarchy of nodes, each node being associated with animation data stored in a series of source keyframes, the computer program comprising instructions for:
• computing a threshold value for a particular type of animation, the computation of the threshold value differing based on whether the animation is rotation animation or position/scaling animation;
• selecting a first keyframe from the series of source keyframes;
• storing the first keyframe into a keyframe array;
• interpolating the stored keyframes in the keyframe array;
• obtaining a first interpolated value based on the interpolation of the stored keyframes in the keyframe array;
• obtaining a second interpolated value based on the interpolation of the source keyframes;
• computing a difference between the first interpolated value and the second interpolated value;
• selecting a second keyframe from the series of source keyframes if the computed difference is greater than the computed threshold value;
• and
• storing the second keyframe into the keyframe array.

A computer system for creating animation data for a 3D object with a reduced number of source keyframes, the 3D object being composed of a hierarchy of nodes, each node being associated with animation data, the system comprising:

• an animation and modeling tool for creating a series of source keyframes storing the animation data;
• a keyframe array for storing the reduced number of source keyframes;
• an animation module in communication with the animation and modeling tool and the keyframe array, the animation module including logic for:
• computing a threshold value for a particular type of animation, the computation of the threshold value differing based on whether the animation is rotation animation or position/scaling animation;
• selecting a first keyframe from the series of source keyframes;
• storing the first keyframe into the keyframe array;
• interpolating the stored keyframes in the keyframe array;
• obtaining a first interpolated value based on the interpolation of the stored keyframes in the keyframe array;
• obtaining a second interpolated value based on the interpolation of the source keyframes;
• computing a difference between the first interpolated value and the second interpolated value;
• selecting a second keyframe from the series of source keyframes if the computed difference is greater than the computed threshold value;
• and
• storing the second keyframe into the keyframe array.