William F Sheffler

Title: The Innovative Contributions of William F. Sheffler

Introduction

William F. Sheffler is a prominent inventor based in Hercules, California, known for his significant contributions to the field of computer animation. With a total of six patents to his name, Sheffler has developed groundbreaking techniques that enhance the realism and efficiency of animated models.

Latest Patents

Among his latest patents, "Character articulation through profile curves" introduces techniques for computer animation that involve receiving a plurality of curvenet segments related to a computer animation model comprising a surface mesh. This innovation generates a cut-mesh that cuts the surface mesh using the curvenet segments. The techniques further include computing a deformation of the plurality of curvenet segments to the surface mesh using the cut-mesh, and displaying the computer animation model in a pose based on the deformation. Another notable patent, "Patch-based surface relaxation," presents surface relaxation techniques for smoothing the shapes of three-dimensional (3D) virtual geometry. In this embodiment, a surface relaxation application determines span-aware weights for each edge incident to a vertex based on the alignment of other edges with an orthonormal frame of the edge constructed using a decal map. This application computes weighted averages that provide surface relaxation offsets, ensuring that volume is preserved by computing relaxation offsets in the plane and lifting relaxed vertices back to 3D.

Career Highlights

William F. Sheffler has made a name for himself at Pixar, a leading company in the animation industry. His work has significantly influenced the development of advanced animation techniques, making him a valuable asset to the team.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, Sheffler has collaborated with notable colleagues, including Michael B. Comet and Steven Clay Hunter. These partnerships have fostered an environment of innovation and creativity, further enhancing the quality of work produced at Pixar.

Conclusion

William F. Sheffler's contributions to computer animation through his patents and work at Pixar exemplify the impact of innovative thinking in the field. His techniques continue to shape the future of animation, making it more dynamic and realistic.