- Number
- 9892485
- Published
- 2018-02-13
- Filed
- 2009-04-07
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Kaytis; Clay; Park; John Edgar; Lee; Gene; Brochu; Philippe; Yosumi; Hidetaka
- CPC
- G06T3/40
- Verdict
- Low Notable software
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Mesh-distance geometry deformation.
Abstract
A method of manipulating at least a portion of a character model into a pose involving a library data having a plurality of deformations, where each deformation is associated with index values of one or more distance measurement nodes. One or more distance measurement nodes are defined for the portion of the character model, wherein each distance measurement node comprises a number of points on a surface defined by the geometry of the character model, wherein the points are separated by a distance value. A particular pose is selected for the character model portion to establish an initial model by selecting values for the pose controls. For the particular pose, a value of the distance measurement nodes is determined. At least one deformation is selected from the library data based in the value of the distance measurement nodes and applied to the initial model to generate a deformed model.
Background
BACKGROUND(1) Field of the Invention(2) The present application relates to computer graphics and, more particularly, systems, methods, software and devices providing geometry deformation of computer generated animated characters.(3) Description of the Related Technology(4) Computer graphic images are created by mathematically modeling the interaction of light with a three dimensional scene from a given viewpoint. This process, called rendering, generates a two-dimensional or three-dimensional stereo image of the scene from the given viewpoint, and is analogous to taking a photograph of a real-world scene. Animated sequences are created by rendering a sequence of images of a scene as the scene is gradually changed over time.(5) Computer-generated animation of characters is accomplished by manipulating a three-dimensional model of a character into a series of bodily positions, or poses, over a sequence of frames. A character model is often extremely complex, having millions of surface elements and hundreds or thousands of attributes. Due to the complexity involved with animating such complex models, animation tools often rely on armatures and animation variables to define character animation.(6) A character model is typically constructed from a skeletal representation that is associated with “geometry” that can be visualized as a wire frame mesh associated with the skeletal representation. The skeletal or “stick figure” representation comprises a number of segments or “bones” l
Claims
1. A method comprising: modeling a deformable object using an electronic device, the deformable object being configurable into one of a plurality of different surface configurations corresponding to different poses of the deformable object, and wherein a model comprises at least two of the plurality of different surface configurations, wherein each of the surface configurations in the model is associated with one of two or more first surface geometries in the model, wherein each of the surface configurations is identified by a set of distance measurements defined by two or more surface locations on each of the surface configurations; receiving a selection of a pose for the deformable object; determining, based on the selected pose, a second surface geometry for a surface configuration of the deformable object, wherein the second surface geometry is not in the model, and wherein the determining applies a shape interpolation to the two or more first surface geometries in the model, wherein the shape interpolation includes a weighted shape blend of the two or more first surface geometries chosen based on the distance measurements; and animating the deformable object to display the second surface geometry without displaying the two or more first surface geometries.
5. An electronic device comprising: a memory storing a model including at least two of a plurality of different surface configurations of a deformable object, the plurality of different surface configurations corresponding to different poses of the deformable object, wherein each of the plurality of different surface configurations in the model is associated with one of two or more first surface geometries in the model, wherein each of the plurality of different surface configurations is identified by a set of distance measurements defined by two or more surface locations on each of the plurality of different surface configurations; a processor configured to execute animation instructions by: receiving a selection of a pose for the deformable object; determining, based on the selected pose, a second surface geometry for a surface configuration of the deformable object, wherein the second surface geometry is not in the model, and wherein the determining applies a shape interpolation to the two or more first surface geometries in the model, wherein the shape interpolation includes a weighted shape blend of the two or more first surface geometries chosen based on the distance measurements; and animating the deformable object to display the second surface geometry without displaying the two or more first surface geometries.
9. A method for use by an electronic device having a processor and a memory storing a model including at least two of a plurality of different surface configurations of a deformable object, the plurality of different surface configurations corresponding to different poses of the deformable object, wherein each of the plurality of different surface configurations in the model is associated with one of two or more first surface geometries in the model, wherein each of the plurality of different surface configurations is identified by a set of distance measurements defined by two or more surface locations on each of the plurality of different surface configurations, the method comprising: receiving a selection of a pose for the deformable object; determining, based on the selected pose, a second surface geometry for a surface configuration of the deformable object, wherein the second surface geometry is not in the model, and wherein the determining applies a shape interpolation to the two or more first surface geometries in the model, wherein the shape interpolation includes a weighted shape blend of the two or more first surface geometries chosen based on the distance measurements; and animating the deformable object to display the second surface geometry without displaying the two or more first surface geometries.