Avid Technology Limited

R&eacute;jean Gagn&eacute;

Claude Cajolet

Sylvain G Moreau

A non-linear editing (NLE) system for editing and/or modifying 3D animation information comprises elements represented by clip objects which can be positioned and/or manipulated relative to a time line. The elements can comprise conventional 1D (audio) or 2D (video) information or can comprise 3D animation information which can include animation objects and animation parameters associated with them, as well as 2D renderings of those objects. Positioning and/or manipulation of clip objects representing 3D animation elements can result in alteration of the 2D rendering and or re-rendering of the 3D information, as appropriate.

Method and system for editing or modifying 3D animations in a non-linear editing environment

An animation system and method for defining and using one or more groups of objects in an animation allows an animator to define at least one membership rule that determines membership of an object in a group. Parameters such as properties, operators, effects, constraints, expressions and the like can be defined for the groups and can be inherited by each member of the group. A membership rule is evaluated at defined intervals to determine which objects in a scene satisfy the rule. The objects that satisfy the rule are included in the group defined by the membership rule. At least one parameter, selected by the animator for application to the group, is then inherited by each member of the group.

Animation system and method for defining and using rule-based groups of objects

A system and method for managing the creation and production of computer generated works permits two or more users to create a work by a collaborative process. The work, or a component of a work, to be created and/or produced is organised into a project structure which includes a plurality of scene structures, each of which can include a plurality of element structures which are used to construct the scenes. A project manager device operates to manage the accessing and modification of elements structures and scenes in the project by the users and manages the relationships between elements structures. The project manager device performs read reference locking of element structures and scenes to ensure that users are always using an appropriate version of the elements and/or scenes and that updates to elements and scenes are correctly propagated to other elements and to users. The project manager device allows users to work in parallel, on different elements and scenes, without requiring other elements or scenes to have been completed and allows users the ability to interact with other elements or scenes, whether completed or not, while an element or scene of interest is worked on by the user. The system and method allow the decomposition of a work into elements which can be re-used and/or which can easily be altered and modified. The system and method is essentially non-intrusive to users and much of the management of the creation and production of the work is performed automatically by the system and method.

Growing community of inventors

Montreal, Canada

Réjean Gagné

Growing community of inventors

Montreal, Canada

R&eacute;jean Gagn&eacute;

Réjean Gagné