Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Animation
Reexamination Certificate
1997-04-24
2002-07-02
Zimmerman, Mark K. (Department: 2772)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Animation
C345S474000, C345S475000, C345S427000, C345S442000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06414684
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to computer graphics animation and, more particularly, to a technique of communicating, between computers, computer graphics animation data including a case where motion of an multi-joint object or an elastic object, such as a human being or an animal, is described as time series data, and generating a computer graphics animation image in a client computer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, multimedia communications via internet have been extensively carried on. In multimedia communications, World-Wide-Web (WWW) constitutes a main frame. This is described by Ryusuke Masuoka and Keisuke Kobabukuro in “World-Wide-Web”, Journal of Information Processing Society, pp.1155-1165, Vol.36, No.12, 1995.
According to this publication, main conceptions of WWW are URL (Uniform Resource Locator), HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), HTML (HyperText Markup Language), and CGI (Common Gateway Interface).
URL is a notation for uniformly describing various resources on the internet. HTTP is a protocol for performing communication between a WWW client and a WWW server. HTML is a descriptive language for describing a hypertext. CGI is an arrangement of a manner for exchanging a command between the WWW client and the WWW server.
A description is given of a construction according to these conceptions. The WWW client obtains information specified by URL from the WWW server through the internet, using HTTP, as an HTML document, and displays it on a screen using a display program called ‘browser’. When the user selects a link on the screen, a URL corresponding to the link is specified, and information specified in the URL is obtained from the linked WWW server through the internet, using HTTP, as an HTML document, and the HTML document is displayed on the screen. The above is the fundamental operation. Further, when “GET/cig-bin/command/pathHTTP/1.0” is requested to the WWW server, using HTTP, by CGI, “/path” is set in an environment variable “PATH_INFO” in the WWW server, and “command” is executed. It is possible to return a result output to the standard output after execution of “command”, as data, to the WWW client. WWW so constructed takes a leading role in multimedia communications.
However, since the above-mentioned HTML provides only a descriptive specification relating to a two-dimensional image, it cannot handle three-dimensional computer graphics. In the circumstances, as an extension of HTML, a specification of VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language), which is a descriptive language for describing three-dimensional computer graphics, was decided on May, 1995.
This is described in detail by Mark Peace in “VRML-Browsing and Building Cyberspace”, New Riders Publishing, 1995. The operation using VRML is fundamentally identical to the above-mentioned operation using HTML and, in place of the HTML document, data described by VRML is obtained as information specified by URL.
Further, a special program is needed to display data described by VRML. On a displayed three-dimensional computer graphics image, although a view point can be changed, since VRML descriptive specification (Version 1.0) does not have a specification for moving an object, the displayed object is absolutely static.
Under the circumstances mentioned above, methods for communicating and exchanging three-dimensional computer graphics animation data between computers and displaying the data at the client's end have been proposed. For example, Microsoft Corporation in U.S.A. proposed a method using Active VRML.
Active VRML is described in “Microsoft Corporation, ‘Active VRML Reference Manual’, Preliminary Version, 1995” and in “Microsoft Corporation, ‘A Brief Introduction to Active VRML’, 1995”.
However, in these methods, although it is possible to communicate and exchange data between computers and display the data as a three-dimensional computer graphics animation image at the client's end, it is very difficult to realize three-dimensional computer graphics animation capable of processing and realistically regenerating a complicated motion of an animal, such as a human being, an expression of a face, a motion of an object obtained as a result of a complicated physical calculation, and a complicated motion of a camera or a light source. It is very difficult to represent these motions realistically with a function system. Even if it is possible, a calculation taking considerable time is required.
Further, since, in Active VRML and VRML, only an ocellar image is supported, a binocular stereoscopic image cannot be generated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for communicating computer graphics animation data in a system comprising a server computer, a client computer, and a communication mediating means between the server computer and the client computer, and for generating, in the client computer, a computer graphics animation image of a complicated motion, for example, a complicated motion of an animal, such as a human being, an expression of a face, a motion of an object obtained as a result of a complicated physical calculation, or a complicated motion of a camera or a light source.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description that follows. The detailed description and specific embodiments described are provided only for illustration since various additions and modifications within the 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, a method for communicating and generating computer graphics animation data performs transmission and reception of computer graphics animation data in a system comprising a server computer, a client computer, and a communication mediating means between the server computer and the client computer and generation of a computer graphics animation image in the client computer, and the method comprises the following stages: first stage of performing, in the server computer, formation and edition of animation data comprising configuration data of an object, configuration data of an environment where the object exists, attribute data, light source data, camera parameters, shading method, environment setting, environment managing and controlling method, and time series motion data for generating a motion of the object corresponding to the behavior of the object in a time series, and storing the animation data in a storage unit; second stage of transmitting the animation data stored in the storage unit of the server computer, in response to a request for transmission from the client computer, from the server computer to the client computer; third stage of storing the transmitted animation data in a storage unit of the client computer; and fourth stage of performing, in the client computer, rendering on the basis of the animation data stored in the storage unit of the client computer, and displaying a computer graphics animation image on a display unit.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for communicating and generating computer graphics animation data performs transmission and reception of computer graphics animation data in a system comprising a server computer, plural client computers, and a communication mediating means between the server computer and the plural client computers and relating to generation of a computer graphics animation image in each client computer, and the method comprises the following stages: first stage of performing, in the server computer, formation and edition of animation data comprising configuration data of an object, configuration data of an environment where the object exists, attribute data, light source data, camera parameters, shading method, environment setting, environment managing and controlling method, and time series motion data for generating a motion of the object corresponding to the behavior of the object in a time series, and storing the animation data in a sto
Mochizuki Yoshiyuki
Naka Toshiya
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Nguyen Kimbinh T.
Parkhurst & Wendel L.L.P.
Zimmerman Mark K.
LandOfFree
Method for communicating and generating computer graphics... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for communicating and generating computer graphics..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for communicating and generating computer graphics... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2904474