Pixar

Pixar Animation Studios

David E Baraff

Christine Waggoner

Andrew Witkin

Michael Fong

Meng Yu

Michael Kass

An interactive multi-mesh modeling system allows users to employ a variety of modeling techniques to interactively create objects for a variety of different tasks or tools. Some of these different tasks or tools can have requirements for computer-generated representations of objects on which they operate. These requirements may differ from how some computer-generated representations were originally created (e.g., 3D solid objects output using solid modeling techniques vs. 2D flat 'panel constructed' objects required for some computer simulations). Thus, the interactive multi-mesh modeling system may further employ a variety of techniques for taking a source computer-generated representation of an object and providing the automatic creation, management, and maintenance of instances or versions of the source. The interactive multi-mesh modeling system may further employ a variety of techniques for the automatic management and transfer of information defined thereon or associated with these meshes.

Interactive multi-mesh modeling system

In various embodiments, an interactive multi-mesh garment modeling system may allow a user to employ solid modeling techniques to create one or more representations of garment objects whose motions are typically determined by computer simulations. Accordingly, in one aspect, the interactive multi-mesh garment modeling system may automatically generate one or more meshes that satisfy the requirements for computer simulations from a source mesh modeled by a user using solid modeling techniques. For each polygon associated with a UV mapping of one of these meshes, gradients of U and V for the polygon can be determined with respect to a 3D representation of an object that are substantially orthogonal and of uniform magnitude and that approximate the original gradients of U and V for the polygon. In another aspect, each polygon in a plurality of polygons of a 2D parameterization of an object can be reshaped based on individually corresponding polygons in a 3D representation of the object.

Fractured texture coordinates

An interactive multi-mesh modeling system may allow users to employ a variety of modeling techniques to interactively create one or more objects for a variety of different tasks or tools. The interactive multi-mesh modeling system may employ a variety of techniques for taking a source computer-generated representation of an object and providing the automatic creation, management, and maintenance of instances or versions of the source, and any information defined thereon or associated therewith, that are suitable for several different tasks. The interactive multi-mesh modeling system may further employ a variety of techniques for resolving ambiguities between various meshes based on establishing a correspondence between a first manifold and a second manifold based on a first metric of the first manifold, a second metric of the second manifold, and a third distinct metric of an embedding space.

Automatic spatial correspondence disambiguation

An interactive multi-mesh modeling system may allow users to employ a variety of modeling techniques to interactively create one or more objects for a variety of different tasks or tools. The interactive multi-mesh modeling system may employ a variety of techniques for taking a source computer-generated representation of an object and providing the automatic creation, management, and maintenance of instances or versions of the source, and any information defined thereon or associated therewith, that are suitable for several different tasks. The interactive multi-mesh modeling system may further employ a variety of techniques for retesselating meshes based on determining new vertices and edges immediately in response to traversing an input mesh space.

Structured polygonal mesh retesselation

An interactive multi-mesh modeling system may allow users to employ a variety of modeling techniques to interactively create one or more objects for a variety of different tasks or tools. The interactive multi-mesh modeling system may employ a variety of techniques for taking a source computer-generated representation of an object and providing the automatic creation, management, and maintenance of instances or versions of the source, and any information defined thereon or associated therewith, that are suitable for several different tasks. The interactive multi-mesh modeling system may further employ a variety of techniques for receiving edits to a first polygonal mesh that affect at least one of the one or more features designated in removal information and updating the removal information to preserve removal of the at least one of the one or more features designated in the removal information.

Annotation-based mesh modification

Methods and an apparatus allow animators to control the extent by which scripted character motions affect simulated objects' motions. The simulated objects are connected to the character or non-simulated object, such as clothing or hair, and the motion of the simulated objects is simulated based on the motion of the character or non-simulated object. Pose-based collision flypapering is employed to yield the proper behavior of simulated objects when those objects are pinched by surface regions of the character and/or other collision objects. In response to the pinching, a surface region is selected from the surface regions causing the pinching. Motion and position of the simulated object may be constrained to the selected surface region.

Pose-based collision fly-papering: a method of simulating objects in computer animation

This disclosure relates to computer-generated imagery (CGI) and computer-aided animation. More specifically, this disclosure relates to techniques for preserving the shape of simulated and dynamic objects for use in CGI and computer-aided animation.

Shape preservation of simulated objects in computer animation

Component connections are preserved during destructive component operations. Upon receiving a notification of the destruction of a direct component connection, a direct component connection is converted to an implied component connection. The implied component connection may be specified as additional component attributes of one or both components associated with the direct component connection or as data external to the component data structures. This allows preservation of the component connection despite destructive component operations. Upon the creation of a component, it is determined if the newly created component corresponds with a previously destroyed component that was associated with a direct connection. If the newly created component corresponds with this previously destroyed component, a direct component connection is created for the newly created component as specified by the implied component connection. Component connections can be recreated upon loading or instantiating components or upon accessing a component via a revision control system.

Dual-type component connections

A method for invising objects includes receiving information indicating an intersection between a first object and a second object. Visibility of the first object is modified based on the amount of interpenetration between the first object and the second object. A predetermined threshold may be received. The visibility of the first object may be reduced while the amount of the interpenetration fails to exceed the predetermined threshold. The first object may be made invisible when the predetermined threshold is exceeded.

Methods and apparatus for invising objects in computer animation

A method is described to let animators control the extent by which kinematically scripted character motions affect dynamically simulated objects' motions. The dynamic objects are connected to the kinematic character, such as clothing or hair, and the motion of the dynamic objects is simulated based on the motion of the kinematic character. Such control is important to produce reasonable behavior of dynamic objects in the presence of physically unrealistic kinematic character motion. An Inertial Field Generator (IFG) is employed to compensate for the unreasonable behavior of dynamic objects when the kinematic character undergoes unrealistic motion.

Inertial field generator: a method for controllably coupling kinematic character motions to dynamically simulated elements

In various embodiments, deformations caused by kinematic or reference objects to secondary objects such as hair or fur may be computed in parallel using a temporally coherent deformation technique. A single or uniform direction for a deformation may be determined from which the deformation of the secondary object will occur with respect to a reference object. The uniform direction for the deformation may be determined rather than allowing the direction of the deformation to vary along a dimension of the secondary object. The magnitude of the deformation may be determined to vary along the dimension of the secondary object in response to the penetration depth or the measure of how far inside the secondary object finds itself within the reference object.

Temporally coherent hair deformation

In various embodiments, the motion of simulated or secondary objects, such as the motion of cloth, of computer imagery and computer generated animations may be viewed as a time-varying signal. Accordingly, simulation results can be 'filtered' to repair, reduce, or eliminate 'damage' to the motion signal of regions of the simulated object where &#x201c;jumps,&#x201d; &#x201c;wigglies,&#x201d; &#x201c;sags,&#x201d; &#x201c;blemishes,&#x201d; or high frequency perturbations may occur during simulation. Simulation repair may be performed using a coordinate frame from one or more regions of the simulated object or of another reference object whose motion is not &#x201c;damaged&#x201d; like the motion of the regions to be repaired. The coordinate frame can be non-linear, temporally varying, or the like, and can provide a suitable reference to repair simulation results in an efficient and time-optimized manner with quality results.

Simulation repair

Pose-based collision fly-papering: a method for simulating objects in computer animation

Methods and apparatus are disclosure for maintaining realistic grooming of simulated objects. In a method for simulating objects, a reference shape associated with a simulated object is received. A predetermined orientation is also received. A force acting on the simulated object is then modified based on the predetermined orientation. The force acts on the simulated object to shape the simulated object according to the reference shape. The force may be 'strategically weakened' when the simulated object (or a portion thereof) is substantially aligned with the predetermined orientation. In a further method for simulating objects, a measured height associated with the simulated object is received. A 'lifting' force is generated to reduce a difference between the measured height and a predetermined height associated with the reference shape. The lifting force simulates structure and internal forces that provide volume and shaping to physical objects, such as hair.

Growing community of inventors

Emeryville, CA, United States of America

David E Baraff