Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Animation
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-29
2001-11-13
Powell, Mark R. (Department: 2122)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Animation
C345S474000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317130
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for generating dynamic picture images by effectuating polygon mapping using skeletons which are adaptable for use in advanced computer graphics architecture including but not limited to home-use television (TV) game machines. The invention also relates to storage or record media storing therein a software program for creation of such movable picture images for visual presentation on the screen of an associated display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Where an attempt is made to precisely represent movement or motions of a three-dimensional (3D) model structured from polygons, the resulting polygons increase in number causing workload of an associative central processing unit (CPU) to likewise increase when the CPU is designed to calculate endpoint coordinates on a mere step-by-step bases (vertex difference animation scheme), which in turn makes it difficult to move a model(s) on a real time basis. Especially, such prior known approach is not adaptable for use with TV games which are designed to allow more than one model to exhibit various kinds of motions or “actions” in rapid response to game player's operations of several types of key buttons of his or her game machine.
In recent years one scheme has been employed which utilizes multi-joint structures for enabling several kinds of actions to be by use of skeletons coupling between joint sections. This scheme using such multijoint structures will be briefly explained with reference to FIG.
26
. In
FIG. 26
, a graphics image object
90
represents an animation character corresponding to a model of a human body, which object has a multijoint bone structure with a number of joints
91
at certain locations identical to those of real human joints. Adjacent ones of the joints
91
are coupled together by a corresponding one of bones
92
referred to as the “skeletons” in the art of computer graphics. Of those skeletons
92
, one skeleton
92
a
coupled at one reference point A
0
indicative of a joint
91
corresponding to the waist of human body is treated as a “parent” skeleton which is vectorically defined with such reference point A
0
being as an origin. Further, its following skeletons
92
which are sequentially coupled from the parent skeleton
92
a,
head, both hands and both legs in this order are vectorically defined in a way such that one of them is defined by vector with an endpoint or tip of its upstream side one being as a reference. A surface of character
90
is three-dimensionally represented by a model which consists of a predefined number of polygons as defined in a way corresponding to respective skeletons
92
. Where movement or motion is given to the model, respective skeletons
92
are sequentially supplied with vector data (what is called the “joint angle” data) in accordance with such intended motion causing a polygon associated with each skeleton
92
to be displayed while changing its position and/or angle in response to sequential movement of skeleton
92
, which in turn leads to capability of visual presentation of the model's moving action. This scheme may be similarly applicable to cases of displaying animals as models in such a way that a modelled animal image is graphically defined for achievement of its motion as a multijoint structure having joints at locations corresponding to joints of a real animal.
The prior art multijoint structure based motion creation scheme with graphical joints being given to those joint locations of a real body offers capability of merely relatively simple actions of an animation character being displayed in operative corporation with angle data preset to skeletons, such as tilting and expansion/shrinking motions of its back, arms and legs—namely, partial bending and stretching actions—and also remains ineffective for providing more complicated actions to such character as presently displayed. Accordingly, applying to TV games such animation character with mere partial bending/stretching motion capabilities makes it impossible to accomplish a wide variety of character's complicated motions or actions as demanded by operators or “game players,” which might disadvantageously serve as a serious bar to creation of idea-rich and enjoyable TV game software.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved three-dimensional (3D) graphics image creation apparatus and method capable of avoiding the problems faced with the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide improved apparatus and method for generating skeleton-based 3D dynamic picture images of animation characters as modelled or deformed to represent natural creatures including human and animals, capable of permitting more natural and precise actions by supplying joints and skeletons to those constituent portions without inherent joints and bones thus enabling development of more interesting idea-rich TV games.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a recording medium having stored thereon a software program for creation of skeleton-based 3D movable graphics images of character objects representative of human bodies and animals, capable of permitting more natural and smooth actions thereof on a display screen.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, apparatus for generating a skeleton-based movable picture image includes a storage device for storing therein spatial coordinate data of skeletons as coupled together and a model associated with each skeleton, and a calculator unit for sequentially taking skeletons out of the storage and for calculating based on such data a display position of the model associated with each skeleton on a two-dimensional (2D) display screen, wherein the storage is specifically arranged to store an auxiliary skeleton which is not part of the model at a certain location corresponding to an immediately upper stream of the lowest stream of skeleton.
With such an arrangement, skeletons are set to respective models as made up of one or a predefined number of polygons. Each skeleton defines relative position attitude of its corresponding polygon of model; when such skeleton is specified, a display state of such polygon, i.e., model, on a 2D display screen is determined. Preset data items concerning coordinates and rotation amount as well as length for specifying skeletons are stored in advance or “prestored” and are read sequentially, when displaying of a character, with respect to a plurality of skeletons in a predetermined order of sequence permitting sequential data fetching or acquisition. And, providing the auxiliary skeleton on a halfway point may increase the degree of freedom for placing a lowest stream skeleton defining its corresponding model at a preferable position with respect to the shape of the character when setting of the relative position attitude of this model. Whereby, a setting of the relative position attitude of the lowest stream skeleton and its corresponding model may be made much easier while enabling the model to exhibit any precise and smooth motions or actions as desired by system designers. Further, since the auxiliary skeleton serves no part in model displaying, software design may be done only in view of positional relation with the lowest stream skeleton.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, apparatus for generating a skeleton-based movable picture image includes a storage device for storing therein skeletons as provided for defining the relative positional attitude of polygons acting as display elements of a character object and models each essentially consisting of a predefined number of polygons as associated with each skeleton, and an arithmetic processor responsive to rotation amount data supplied in response to an operation unit as one of elements for definition of the skeletons, for determining by calculation a display position of a model associated with each skeleton on a 2D display screen, wherein a constituent
Haruyama Kazunori
Ishikawa Hirotaka
Nakazawa Kazuhide
Konami Co. Ltd.
Powell Mark R.
Rossi Jeffrey Allen
LandOfFree
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