Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Eric Minghai Gao

Michael Jay Gilmore

Alexandre Gueniot

Stephanie Horn

Onur Onder

Ramya Tridandapani

Tyler Robert Adams

Thomas Nhan

Jie Li

Matthew William Kernek

Constance Worsfold Gervais

Thomas R Mignone

Bharat Kumar Ahuja

Garrett William Brown

Heather Joanne Alekson

Adam Ross Le Doux

Chris Welman

Jordan Krissi

Michael Alexander Fuller

Aimee Leong

Stephanie L Horn

A three-dimensional model can be presented in a two-dimensional digital canvas on a computer display. User input directed at the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas can be received. The three-dimensional model can be manipulated in response to the user input. A two-dimensional view of the three-dimensional model can be displayed. Corresponding data structures for the model, the canvas, and the two-dimensional objects in the data structure can be maintained and updated. One or more additional techniques can also be utilized in a computer system, such as continuous user-controlled model rotation in a two-dimensional canvas; viewport autofit and non-autofit modes; rotating the model around a camera look-at point; ghosting outside the viewport; normalizing modeling units and values; preset buttons with on-button previews; user-defined view presets; and/or two-dimensional image substitution.

Three-dimensional digital models in two-dimensional digital canvases

Three-dimensional digital modeling with two-dimensional canvas

Three-dimensional model look-at-point rotation and viewport modes

An animation preset graphical user interface (GUI) enables users to select a 3D model of an object and to further select between multiple animation presets that each individually cause a 3D animation engine to apply combinations of animation features against the 3D model. An exemplary animation preset may cause the object to translate across a display area (e.g., move from left to right across screen) while simultaneously rotating against a rotational axis (e.g., spinning so that different surfaces of the object become more prominent). The animation preset GUI may enable the user to dynamically toggle through different intensity levels to cause a selected animation preset to be rendered in accordance with different acceleration parameters and/or magnitude parameters. The animation preset GUI may enable the user to dynamically toggle between predefined animation spaces for animating the object. Animation-parameters may be persisted to a file to enable future editing of the animations.

Animating three-dimensional models using preset combinations of animation features

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Eric Minghai Gao