Timing-based scheduling for computer-generated animation
Granted: November 20, 2018
Patent Number:
10134366
A method of scheduling and performing computations for generating an interactive computer-generated animation on behalf of a client device to achieve a desired quality of service includes generating a computational configuration of computations that, when performed, produce the computer-generated animation with the desired quality of service. The configuration includes an identification of a first computation that outputs first data, a first start time for the first computation, and a…
Using curves to emulate soft body deformation
Granted: November 20, 2018
Patent Number:
10134167
Using curves to emulate soft body deformation in a computer-generated character is disclosed. A method can include accessing a reference model mapped to one or more deformation curves for the character. The reference model can include a mesh of vertices representing a soft body layer of the character. The deformation curve can include multiple sample points selected for mapping. Each mesh vertex on the model can be mapped to each sample point on the curve to establish a relationship…
Traversal selection of components for a geometric model
Granted: October 30, 2018
Patent Number:
10115231
Systems and methods for traversal selection of components of a geometric model are disclosed. An embodiment includes displaying a plurality of components corresponding to a geometric model, selecting a first component, receiving a first input indicating a first direction for selecting a next component, wherein the next component is connected to the first component by an edge, identifying one or more candidate edges connected to the first component for selecting the next component,…
Generation of three-dimensional imagery from a two-dimensional image using a depth map
Granted: October 9, 2018
Patent Number:
10096157
A method for generating stereoscopic images includes obtaining image data comprising a plurality of sample points. A direction, a color value, and a depth value are associated with each sample point. The directions and depth values are relative to a common origin. A mesh is generated by displacing the sample points from the origin. The sample points are displaced in the associated directions by distances representative of the corresponding depth values. The image data is mapped to the…
Multiple visual representations of lighting effects in a computer animation scene
Granted: October 9, 2018
Patent Number:
10096146
Computer animation tools for viewing, in multiple contexts, the effect of changes to a computer animation are disclosed. An artist configures multiple visual displays in the user interface of a computer animation system. A visual display shows one or more frames of computer animation. An artist configures a visual display to reflect a specific context. For example, the artist may assign a particular virtual viewpoint of a scene to a particular visual display. Once visual displays are…
Interactive multi-rider virtual reality ride system
Granted: June 12, 2018
Patent Number:
9996975
A virtual reality ride system includes a platform having at least one seat, a first headset, a second headset, and one or more rendering processors. The first and second headsets each have a motion-sensing unit and a display unit configured to display animated video. The one or more processors are configured to render a first animated video of a virtual environment from a perspective based on the physical location and orientation of the first headset, and to render a second animated…
Fluid dynamics framework for animated special effects
Granted: May 29, 2018
Patent Number:
9984489
An animated special effect is modeled using a fluid dynamics framework system. The fluid dynamics framework for animated special effects system accepts volumetric data as input. Input volumetric data may represent the initial state of an animated special effect. Input volumetric data may also represent sources, sinks, external forces, and/or other influences on the animated special effect. In addition, the system accepts input parameters related to fluid dynamics modeling. The input…
Timeline tool for producing computer-generated animations
Granted: May 15, 2018
Patent Number:
9972115
A method of creating a computer-generated animation uses a graphical user interface including a two-dimensional array of cells. The array has a plurality of rows associated with visual characteristics of a computer-generated character and a plurality of columns associated with frames of the animation. The array includes a first cell associated with a first visual characteristic and a first frame. A first view of the array is displayed in which the first cell has a first width and…
Computer-based training using a graphical user interface
Granted: May 15, 2018
Patent Number:
9971489
A graphical user interface (GUI) for training includes, in some embodiments, a first group of icons arranged about a first axis, where the first group of icons corresponds to computer-generated animation concepts. The GUI also includes a second group of icons arranged about a second axis that intersects the first axis at a particular icon along the first axis. The second group of icons corresponds to videos that illustrate the computer-generated animation concept associated with the…
Generation of three-dimensional imagery to supplement existing content
Granted: February 20, 2018
Patent Number:
9897806
A computer-implemented process for generating stereoscopic images to supplement existing content includes obtaining first image data and obtaining second image data comprising a plurality of sample points. A direction, a color value, and a depth value are associated with each sample point. The direction and depth values are relative to a common origin. A mesh is generated such that the mesh is displaced from the origin in the directions associated with the sample points by distances…
Constraint evaluation in directed acyclic graphs
Granted: February 13, 2018
Patent Number:
9892529
Systems and processes are described below relating to evaluating a dependency graph to render three-dimensional (3D) graphics using constraints. Two virtual 3D objects are accessed in a virtual 3D space. A constraint relationship request is received, which identifies the first object as a parent and the second object as a child. The technique verifies whether the graphs of the objects are compatible for being constrained to one another. The first object is evaluated to determine its…
Temporal dependencies in dependency graphs
Granted: February 13, 2018
Patent Number:
9892528
Systems and processes are described below relating to evaluating a dependency graph having one or more temporally dependent variables. The temporally dependent variables may include variables that may be used to evaluate the dependency graph at a frame other than that at which the temporally dependent variable was evaluated. One example process may include tracking the temporal dirty state for each temporally dependent variable using a temporal dependency list. This list may be used to…
Level-based data sharing for digital content production
Granted: November 7, 2017
Patent Number:
9811936
Systems and methods for rendering three-dimensional images using a level graph are provided. The level graph is accessed, comprising a first node, a second node, and a target node. The second and target nodes are descendants of the first node. The first node comprises first scene description data, the second node comprises first variation data, and the target node comprises second variation data. The target node is selected for computation. Target node ancestors are determined. The first…
Method and system for directly manipulating the constrained model of a computer-generated character
Granted: October 10, 2017
Patent Number:
9786085
A rail manipulator indicates the possible range(s) of movement of a part of a computer-generated character in a computer animation system. The rail manipulator obtains a model of the computer-generated character. The model may be a skeleton structure of bones connected at joints. The interconnected bones may constrain the movements of one another. When an artist selects one of the bones for movement, the rail manipulator determines the range of movement of the selected bone. The…
Multipoint offset sampling deformation
Granted: October 10, 2017
Patent Number:
9786083
A skin deformation system for use in computer animation is disclosed. The skin deformation system accesses the skeleton structure of a computer generated character, and accesses a user's identification of features of the skeleton structure that may affect a skin deformation. The system also accesses the user's identification of a weighting strategy. Using the identified weighting strategy and identified features of the skeleton structure, the skin deformation system determines the degree…
Timing-based scheduling for computer-generated animation
Granted: August 15, 2017
Patent Number:
9734798
A method of scheduling and performing computations for generating an interactive computer-generated animation on behalf of a client device to achieve a desired quality of service includes generating a computational configuration of computations that, when performed, produce the computer-generated animation with the desired quality of service. The configuration includes an identification of a first computation that outputs first data, a first start time for the first computation, and a…
Generation of three-dimensional imagery from a two-dimensional image using a depth map
Granted: August 1, 2017
Patent Number:
9721385
A method for generating stereoscopic images includes obtaining image data comprising a plurality of sample points. A direction, a color value, and a depth value are associated with each sample point. The directions and depth values are relative to a common origin. A mesh is generated by displacing the sample points from the origin. The sample points are displaced in the associated directions by distances representative of the corresponding depth values. The image data is mapped to the…
Distinguishing between impulses and continuous drag operations on a touch-sensitive surface
Granted: July 11, 2017
Patent Number:
9703469
A touch-sensitive surface for a computer animator to create or modify a computer-generated image includes processes for differentiating between click and drag operations. The included processes also beneficially reduce input errors. When a touch object (e.g., finger or stylus) touches the drawing table, information regarding the duration of the touch and the movement of the touch are used to determine whether the touch input represents a (graphical user interface) click or a drag…
Visualization tool for parallel dependency graph evaluation
Granted: June 27, 2017
Patent Number:
9691171
Systems and processes providing a tool for visualizing parallel dependency graph evaluation in computer animation are provided. Runtime evaluation data of a parallel dependency graph may be collected, including the start time and stop time for each node in the graph. The visualization tool may process the data to generate performance visualizations as well as other analysis features. Performance visualizations may illustrate the level of concurrency over time during parallel dependency…
Multiple visual representations of lighting effects in a computer animation scene
Granted: May 23, 2017
Patent Number:
9659398
Computer animation tools for viewing, in multiple contexts, the effect of changes to a computer animation are disclosed. An artist configures multiple visual displays in the user interface of a computer animation system. A visual display shows one or more frames of computer animation. An artist configures a visual display to reflect a specific context. For example, the artist may assign a particular virtual viewpoint of a scene to a particular visual display. Once visual displays are…
