Method and apparatus for generating object motion path, method of

Abstract

There are provided apparatuses for generating the motion path of an object. One apparatus includes an input unit for inputting information representative of the position of a start point of the motion of an object, at least one of the magnitude and direction of a velocity at the start point, an end point of the motion of the object, and at least one of the magnitude and direction of a velocity at the end point, and a calculation unit for calculating a motion path from the start point to the end point, in accordance with the information inputted to the input unit. As an alternative of the position and velocity of an object, the rotary angle and angular velocity of an object may be used to represent the facing direction of the object. Another apparatus includes a display device for displaying information of the position of an object and an icon representative of the time corresponding to the position of the object, and a calculator for calculating information representative of the motion path, in accordance with the information entered by the icon and information representative of at least one of the magnitude and direction of a velocity at the position of the object. The motion path is then displayed on the screen. The motion of an object can be easily defined and smoothly coupled to a succeeding or preceding motion on each key frame. The path and/or surface reflection attribute of an object can be defined with a small number of procedures.