Smooth clipping of data streams

A system for controlling the movement of an actuator, the system comprising:

• a first processing module that (a) receives motion instructions that define a movement of the actuator from an initial state, through a first set of intermediary states, to a target state and (b) determines whether one or more states comprising the first set of intermediary states are outside a motion space associated with the actuator;
• and
• a second processing module that (a) determines a rejoinder acceleration that, when applied to a selected state in the first set of intermediary states, causes states subsequent to the selected state to remain within the motion space and (b) generates modified motion instructions that define a modified movement of the actuator from the initial state, through a second group of intermediary states, to the target state;
• wherein at least a portion the first set of intermediate states is projected to lie outside the motion space, wherein the modified instruction is produced by applying the rejoinder acceleration to at least one of the states comprising the first set of intermediary states, and wherein the second group of intermediary states are within the motion space.

An animated object having a moveable subcomponent, the animated object comprising:

• an actuator capable of moving the subcomponent from an initial state to a target state;
• and
• a motion control system that is configured to:
• receive instruction data that generates a defined movement of the subcomponent from the initial state, through a first set of intermediate states, to the target state,
• determine whether one or more states comprising the first set of intermediate states are outside a motion space associated with the subcomponent,
• determine a rejoinder acceleration that, when applied to a selected state in the first set of intermediate states, causes states subsequent to the selected state to remain within the motion space, and
• produce modified instruction data that generates a modified movement of the selected subcomponent from the initial state, through a second group of intermediary states, to the target state, wherein (a) at least a portion the first set of intermediate states is projected to lie outside the motion space, (b) the modified instruction is produced by applying the rejoinder acceleration to at least one of the states comprising the first set of intermediary states, and (c) the second group of intermediate states are within the motion space.