Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Animation
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-10
2004-12-07
Zimmerman, Mark (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Animation
C345S474000, C345S475000, C345S467000, C345S468000, C345S469000, C345S470000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06828971
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an animation data generation apparatus and an animation data generation method for generating animation data of 3D characters comprising 3D shapes, and an animated video generation apparatus and an animated video generation method for generating animated video of 3D characters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fundamental techniques of common animation technology in the 3D computer graphics (hereinafter abbreviated as 3DCG) are described, for example, in “Introduction to High Technology Series: 3DCG”, supervised by Masayuki Nakajima, edited by Institute of Image Information and Television Engineers, Ohm-sha, 1994. This reference explains the animation technology that has been used in the 3DCG world.
The most important point in the animation employing character strings having 3D shapes, which are used as titles in the 3DCG or the like, is that a period during which the character strings are readable, i.e., the character strings having 3D shapes are standing still (stationary) and the respective characters are positioned so as to be read by the readers, should exist during the animation. When the readers who read generated animated video cannot grasp the meaning of the character strings, such animated video has a fatal defect as 3D animation, especially in the case of titlers. If the character strings of the animated video cannot be read at all, the animated video of 3D characters makes no sense.
In the conventional 3DCG, a technique of generating animation by using a key frame has been employed. In this case, by using an image of the character strings in a readable state as the key frame, a state where the character strings are readable is provided to the readers also in the case of 3D character animation.
However, this technique of generating animation by using the key frames is not suitable for the generation of animation corresponding to motions like a ball bounding (bouncing) i.e., such animation in which a motion of an object that is moved by animation is complicated and the speed of the motion varies during the movement. If the motion of a bounding ball is represented by animation of the key frames, there is a risk that the motion may become jerky. In order to represent the motion of such animation smoothly by using the key frames, more key frames than usual should be employed, and thus, operations of animation creators become complicated and the workability is decreased.
To solve this problem, a technique of generating animation on the basis of a predetermined function, such as a physical function (i.e., a function that employs the fundamental rules of physics), has also been developed. In cases where animation is generated on the basis of this function, the key frames are not employed and, accordingly, the motion of the animation becomes smooth. For example, principles of 3DCG animation based on mathematical-physical models are described in “PHYSICALLY-BASED MODELING FOR COMPUTER GRAPHICS: A Structured Approach”, written by Ronen Barzel, ACADEMIC PRESS, INC.,
1992
. This reference includes a description of kinematic animation, while this is like a handbook for the physics of rigid body dynamics rather than the 3DCG animation technique. When animation having a motion like a bounding ball is to be generated, a function corresponding to the motion of the ball is set and the animation is generated on the basis of the function, whereby animation having a smooth motion can be generated.
However, when animation of 3D characters is generated by using this technique of generating animation on the basis of the functions, each of the characters freely moves according to the functions, and therefore, there may be a situation in which the reader cannot read the characters. As already mentioned, when the readers who read the generated animated video cannot grasp the meaning of the character strings, such animation of 3D-shaped character strings has a fatal defect.
Further, being able to control a position in which animated video of a title is spread with respect to the main video, i.e., video with which the title is to be composed, and a position in which the title is readable are important technical factors in 3D character animation. When the state where the title is readable appears in an important part of the main video (for example, a face part of a hero or a heroin), even if the title is readable, this is not a suitable method for composing the animated video of the title and the main video. Further, when the position in which the 3D characters are spread is decided manually, larger burdens are put upon the operators, whereby the workability is decreased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an animation data generation apparatus and method which can realize a readable state of 3D characters during a period corresponding to a part of an animation even when animation data of the 3D characters' is generated on the basis of functions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an animated video generation apparatus and method which supplies the readers a state where 3D characters are readable by the readers during a period corresponding to a part of an animation even when animated video of the 3D characters is generated on the basis of functions.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an animated video generation apparatus and method which can properly compose animated video of 3D characters with the main video.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. Specific embodiments which are described are provided only for illustration since various additions and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art from the detailed description.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an animation data generation apparatus comprising: an interface unit for setting a time allocation between 3D character animations in a moving state and in a standstill state, and a type of the animation in the moving state; a number-of-frame calculation unit for calculating the number of frames corresponding to the animation on the basis of the time allocation between animations which is set by the interface unit; and an animation data generation unit for generating data of the animation in the standstill state so that the 3D characters can be read, and for generating data of the 3D character animation in the moving state so as to link to the animation data in the standstill-state by using the number of frames calculated by the number-of-frame calculation unit and a function corresponding to the type of the animation in the moving state set by the interface unit. Therefore, even when 3D character animation data is generated on the basis of the function, states where the 3D characters are readable can be supplied during a period corresponding to a standstill state of the animation. Further, since the interface unit performs the time allocation to the standstill state, the state in which the 3D characters are readable can be set in a period that is designated by the users.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in accordance with the animation data generation apparatus of the first aspect, the interface unit also sets characters which are used in animation, and the animation data generation unit generates the animation data by using 3D character data corresponding to the set characters. Therefore, a 3D character animation of a desired character string can be generated.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the animation data generation apparatus of the second aspect further comprises a 3D character generation unit for generating 3D character data corresponding to the characters which are set by the interface unit. The animation data generation unit generates the animation data by using the 3D character data which is generated by the 3D character generation unit. Therefore, a 3D character animation can b
Asahara Shigeo
Hijiri Toshiki
Mochizuki Yoshiyuki
Uesaki Akira
Arnold Adam
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
Zimmerman Mark
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