Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Animation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-09
2001-03-27
Vo, Cliff N. (Department: 2772)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Animation
C345S473000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208360
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 9-55217 filed on Mar. 10, 1997 are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for performing control relating to processing and edition of CG animation.
Improvement in the performance of personal computers (PC) has enabled computer graphics (CG animation) to be handled on the personal computer in real time. It leads to a fact that computer graphic applications which can be manipulated on the personal computer have been increased. Moreover, a person has frequent opportunities to generate and appreciate computer graphic contents. Since the opportunities have been increased, a variety of applications for producing computer graphic animation on a personal computer have been researched and developed.
Computer graphic animation can be generated by a means based on a 3D coordinate data set (3D computer graphic animation) and that based on a bitmap data set (2D computer graphic animation).
The means for producing computer graphic animation on the basis of the bitmap data set uses a prepared bitmap data set corresponding to each scene in such a manner that computer graphic animation is displayed while bitmap data is switched. The foregoing method is very similar to a known animation of a character drawn on successive pages of a notebook which are riffled, the method being an institute method allowing a person to easily produce animation. A plurality of bitmap data called “sprites” are prepared which correspond to each object attempted to be displayed. The sprites are sometimes superimposed and displayed so that one scene is constituted. In the foregoing case, the position of the sprite is changed in each scene or a plurality of sprites corresponding to the scenes are switched. Thus, animation is produced.
Since the 2D computer graphic animation is constituted by bitmap data sets, each scene can be generated only by drawing pictures. Therefore, an ordinary person is able to produce animation in a certain period of time. Since only a bitmap image is required to be displayed, the quantity of data required to reproduce animation is constant regardless of the fineness and complication (the contents of the bitmap image) of the object which must be displayed in each scene.
However, generation of 2D computer graphic animation which moves complicatedly as required by a user must be performed in such a manner that each bitmap image is generated. Thus, a time-consuming manipulation must be performed. As a matter of course, time can be shortened if a simple 2D computer graphic animation is generated which is composed of a small number of generated bitmap images and they are simply moved as sprites or displayed while the bitmap images are switched. In the foregoing case, an unsatisfactorily simply animation is permitted to be displayed.
If a great bitmap image can be generated, a storage unit having a great capacity is required to store all of bitmap data. To efficiently compress data above, exclusive hardware having an encoding function, such as objective MPEG, is required.
On the other hand, a means called “warping” is known with which one bitmap serving as an original image is deformed to generate different scenes. As shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B
, warping is performed in such a manner that control points are disposed in a lattice configuration. Moreover, the control points are moved so as to deform a bitmap image in a region surrounded by the control points in accordance with change in the region surrounded by the control points so that a new scene is generated.
Since the warping means is a means for creating a new scene by deforming a mesh-shape rectangular region surrounded by the neighboring control points, scenes which can be generated are, however, limited considerably. Since the movable range permitted for the control points is limited to the region surrounded by the control points, movement of only an image region corresponding to the hand of a human being as shown in
FIG. 2
cannot easily be performed. In another case in which the portion including the moved hand overlaps the portion including the face, the original shape of the image region corresponding to the face cannot be maintained.
To prevent this, the original image must be divided into a plurality of parts consisting of the face portions and the like. To use one existing bitmap original image, the bitmap original image must be previously divided into a plurality of sprites. Therefore, a considerably complicated previous process must be performed.
If a warping process is forcibly performed to generate a scene which is not required, computer graphic animation such as an action of the joint requires a great number of control points must be moved one by one. Since each control point must be moved while conditions, such as keeping of the balance of the shape of the hand, which must be maintained are considered, the above-mentioned means is not a practical means.
A means called “morphing”, which is an application of the “warping” is arranged in such a manner that interpolated image between two bitmap images is generated to enable different images to be generated. As shown in
FIGS. 3A and 3B
, the morphing manipulation requires control points for indicating the corresponding positional relationship between two bitmap images to be instructed. In the case shown in
FIG. 3B
, control points a
1
and b
1
are instructed for the purpose of making the positions of the hand in scenes A and B to correspond to each other. Internal division point m
1
is determined on a straight line which connects control points a
1
and b
1
to each other. In the scene A. The control point is shifted from a
1
to m
1
. In the scene B, the control point is shifted from b
1
to m
1
. Then, the warping process is performed so that the position of the hand in the two scenes can be moved to substantially the same positions. The generated two warping scenes are blended at an appropriate ratio, an interpolated scene can automatically be generated.
When intermediate scenes are generated and continuously displayed while the interior division point m
1
is slightly moved on the straight line from a
1
to b
1
, computer graphic animation which changes from the scene A to the scene B is generated.
Since the morphing is the application of the warping means, a similar limit to that for the warping means is imposed. Since the movable range for the control point of the warping means is limited, morphing of a scene in which the arms are opened and a scene in which the arms are crossed each other cannot generate natural animation. Since the control points indicating the same position must be set to correspond to each other between the two images, a time-consuming manipulation is required to recognize the correspondence among a multiplicity of control points if a multiplicity of the control points are set.
To generate computer graphic animation, such as movement of the joint of the hand, two bitmap images different from each other in only the degree of warping of the hand must be prepared. Moreover, the positional relationship between the two bitmap images must be instructed as the control points. What is worse, a great number of control points must be instructed one by one to generate smooth animation. Therefore, the foregoing means is not a practical means.
To generate computer graphic animation by only an intuitive and simple manipulation, a means is required which is capable of producing animation capable of performing all movements from one bitmap image. As described above, the conventional computer graphic animation producing means structured on the basis of the bitmap data set cannot satisfy the above-mentioned requirement.
That is, the conventional computer graphic animation producing means structured on the basis of the bitmap data set cannot generate computer graphic animation capable of performing arbitrary movements by only an intuitive and simple manipulation of one bitmap image, which is an original image, or a bitmap image which is one sprite co
Doi Miwako
Morishita Akira
Numazaki Shunichi
Umeki Naoko
Yamauchi Yasunobu
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Vo Cliff N.
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