New York Institute of Technology

Garland Stern

The disclosure is directed to an improved method and apparatus for generating a sequence of video frames representative of three-dimensional animation. A plurality of key frames are stored, each key frame including a common figure having one or more joints, and each joint having associated therewith a set of vectors defining a limb. Each joint is defined in each frame by operator-controllable parameters which determine the three-dimensional position, rotational orientation, and scale factors of a local coordinate system in which the limb vectors are placed. A plurality of in-between frames are generated, the in-between frames including the common figure having one or more joints and limbs corresponding to the joints and limbs of the common figure in the key frames. The parameters of the joints of the in-between frames are obtained by interpolating in three dimensions, the position, rotational orientation, and scale factors of the corresponding joints of the key frames. In the preferred embodiment, the joints of each figure are arranged in hierarchical order, and the positional coordinates and rotational orientations of the local coordinate system for a particular joint are determined with respect to the local coordinate system of the next higher joint in the hierarchy. Also, the operator can control the interpolation during display of the in-between frames, so as to change the motion of a figure limb.

Three dimensional animation

The disclosure is directed to an apparatus for generating video-representative signals which represent one or more operator-selected portions of an existing scene. In accordance with the invention, frame storage means are provided for storing an array of elemental pixel values representative of the video content of the individual elemental areas of the scene. As defined herein, video content is intended to include shading and/or coloration of monochrome or color images. Means are provided for interrogating the frame storage means and for tabulating the pixel values stored in the frame storage means. Operator controllable means are provided for selecting one or more of the pixel values of the tabulation. Means responsive to the selected values are provided for forming video-representative signals corresponding to those portions of the scene having the selected pixel values. In the preferred embodiment of the invention there are provided means for displaying the tabulation of the pixel values. In this embodiment, the means for forming video-representative signals comprises means for detecting the boundaries of those portions of the scene having the selected pixel values and for storing outline-representative transition points as a function of the detected boundaries. Accordingly, an operator can select desired portions of an existing scene and automatically obtain stored contour outlines of those portions.

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Brookville, NY, United States of America

Garland Stern