Efficient method of producing an animated sequence of images
AssigneeDanglesnort, LLC
InventorErik Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer-based method of generating an animated sequence of images eliminates inefficiencies associated with a lighting process. The method begins with the provision of a frame for the animation sequence. The frame includes at least one asset, which may be a character, background, or other object. The frame is rendered to thereby produce a set of images each based upon a different lighting condition. The frame is then composited during which a subset of the images are selected from the set and then adjusted. Settings such as intensity and color balance are adjusted for each of the subset of images.
Claims16
A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps for generating an animated sequence comprising:
- receiving a frame for the animation sequence, the frame including an asset;
- rendering the frame including rendering a set of images for the asset, each image of the set of images based upon one of a plurality of different illumination conditions whereby the rendered images for the asset differ from one another according to the different illumination conditions;
- generating at least one user interface upon a computer display;
- receiving a selection of a subset of the rendered images from the at least one user interface to at least partially specify a composite image for the asset;
- and
- compositing the frame using the selected subset of rendered images.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps for generating an animated sequence comprising:
- receiving a frame for the animated sequence, the frame including a plurality of assets;
- providing at least one user interface;
- receiving a selection of a set of illumination conditions for the frame from the at least one user interface;
- rendering the frame including rendering a separate image for each of the selected illumination conditions to provide a set of images each based upon one of the set of illumination conditions;
- compositing the frame wherein compositing the frame includes receiving a selection of:
- (1) a subset of the set of images to at least partially define a composite illumination of the frame, and (2) a color balance and intensity level for each of the subset of images, and storing data for each image of the subset of images wherein the data defines at least one asset being illuminated, a color balance for the image, and an intensity of the image.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps for generating an animated sequence comprising:
- receiving a pre-selected frame for the animated sequence, the frame including an asset;
- providing a set of illumination conditions for the frame, each illumination condition specifying the location of a light source relative to the asset;
- rendering a set of images of the frame, each image based on a different one of the light sources;
- receiving a selection of a subset of the images from a user interface that at least partially define a composite illumination level for the frame;
- receiving color and intensity settings from a user interface for each image of the subset of images;
- and
- storing data that specifies the subset of the images and the color and intensity settings for each of the subset of images.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.