Computer-assisted animation construction system and method and user interface

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 6577315
SERIAL NO

09193861

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ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)

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Abstract

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A system and method for intuitively generating computer-assisted animation utilizes a transformation space in which a computer input device such as a three-dimensional drawing wand is moved to generated constructed poses from a plurality of source poses. The transformation space may be in the form of a tetrahedron with each of the four vertices representative of a source pose. At any point within the three-dimensional volume of the tetrahedron, a constructed pose may be defined based on weighted averages of the four source poses. The animator may create a sequence of animation simply by moving the drawing wand within the tetrahedron. The rate of change of the transformations of the constructed poses is controlled by the rate of movement of the drawing wand but may be altered after the sequence of constructed poses is defined. An additional aspect of the invention relates to the modification of portions of drawings by drawing a 'warp' path in space to specify relative displacement from a reference point. The segment or segments affected, and the extent to which the points that comprise the segments are affected, is then specified. This technique may be adapted to create complex motions and wind, inertia, and wave effects in animated objects.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
IMAX CORPORATIONMISSISSAUGA ONTARIO L5K 1B1

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Kroitor, Roman B Arundel, CA 4 186

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