Reconstituting 3D scenes for retakes
Granted: August 28, 2012
Patent Number:
8253728
In general, one or more aspects of the subject matter described in this specification can include associating with each clip in a sequence of one or more clips a copy of a three dimensional (3D) scene that was used to create the clip, where the clip is a sequence of one or more images that depict the clip's respective 3D scene from the perspective of one or more virtual cameras. Input identifying a clip in the sequence is received. In response to the receiving, a copy of the identified…
Texturing a translucent surface
Granted: August 7, 2012
Patent Number:
8237729
A computer-implemented method for texturing a modeled surface includes receiving an albedo map corresponding to light scattering under uniform incident diffuse light. The method includes determining, using the albedo map, a local scattering parameter for a multipole bidirectional scattering surface reflectance distribution function (BSSRDF). The method includes texturing a modeled surface using the BSSRDF and the local scattering parameter.
Integrating a motion synthesis system into a video game system
Granted: July 24, 2012
Patent Number:
8228336
The present disclosure includes, among other things, systems, methods and program products for integrating a motion synthesis system into a video game system.
Controlling animated character expressions
Granted: June 26, 2012
Patent Number:
8207971
A system includes a computer system capable of representing one or more animated characters. The computer system includes a blendshape manager that combines multiple blendshapes to produce the animated character. The computer system also includes an expression manager to respectively adjust one or more control parameters associated with each of the plurality of blendshapes for adjusting an expression of the animated character. The computer system also includes a corrective element…
Polygon kernels for image processing
Granted: June 19, 2012
Patent Number:
8203570
A computer-implemented method includes selecting a polygon that includes a convex shape defined by vertices represented by integer coordinates. The method also includes determining a polygon transfer function from cones defined by some of the vertices. The polygon transfer function defines image processing operations independent of the scale of the polygon.
Combining multiple session content for animation libraries
Granted: June 12, 2012
Patent Number:
8199152
A computer-implemented method includes comparing content captured during one session and content captured during another session. A surface feature of an object represented in the content of one session corresponds to a surface feature of an object represented in the content of the other session. The method also includes substantially aligning the surface features of the sessions and combining the aligned content.
Generating a surface representation of an item
Granted: June 5, 2012
Patent Number:
8194080
Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method for generating a surface representation of an item includes identifying, for a point on an item in an animation process, at least first and second transformation points corresponding to respective first and second transformations of the point. Each of the first and second transformations represents an influence on a location of the point of respective first and second joints associated with the item. The method includes…
Translating Renderman shading language code
Granted: May 29, 2012
Patent Number:
8189004
The present disclosure includes, among other things, systems, methods and program products for translating RenderMan shading language code.
Retaining a surface detail
Granted: May 8, 2012
Patent Number:
8174528
Among other disclosure, a computer-implemented method for retaining a surface detail includes identifying a surface that is to be used for generating an image in a rendering process. The surface includes polygons to be changed from an initial size to a larger size as the surface is changed to a lower resolution as part of tessellating the surface. The surface includes at least one surface detail smaller than the larger polygon size. The method includes storing information corresponding…
Model production for animation libraries
Granted: March 27, 2012
Patent Number:
8144153
A computer-implemented method includes selecting a subset of images from a set of captured images. A surface feature of one object is represented in the content of each selected subset image. The method also includes decomposing the surface feature content of each selected image to produce a model of representations of the object.
Using animation libraries for object identification
Granted: March 6, 2012
Patent Number:
8130225
A computer-implemented method includes comparing one or more surface features to a motion model. The surface feature or surface features represent a portion of an object in an image. The method also includes identifying a representation of the object from the motion model, based upon the comparison.
Transferring surface attributes across geometric models
Granted: February 7, 2012
Patent Number:
8112254
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a system that includes a correspondence generator that determines a distance-based mapping between a set of points in a source object and a point in a target object and stores the distance-based mapping in a surface map. The system also includes an attribute transfer module that transfers surface attributes that determine an appearance or deformation of the set of points in the source object to the point in…
Inversion of post-skinning features
Granted: October 25, 2011
Patent Number:
8044962
A computer-implemented method includes identifying a representation of a feature of an animated character by inverting an skinned representation of the feature in one position. The inversion includes a non-linear inversion of the skinned representation of the feature. The method also includes skinning the identified feature representation to produce the animated character in another position.
Animation retargeting
Granted: October 11, 2011
Patent Number:
8035643
Systems and methods are described, which create a mapping from a space of a source object (e.g., source facial expressions) to a space of a target object (e.g., target facial expressions). In certain implementations, the mapping is learned based a training set composed of corresponding shapes (e.g. facial expressions) in each space. The user can create the training set by selecting expressions from, for example, captured source performance data, and by sculpting corresponding target…
Three-dimensional motion capture
Granted: September 13, 2011
Patent Number:
8019137
In one general aspect, a method is described. The method includes generating a positional relationship between one or more support structures having at least one motion capture mark and at least one virtual structure corresponding to geometry of an object to be tracked and positioning the support structures on the object to be tracked. The support structures has sufficient rigidity that, if there are multiple marks, the marks on each support structure maintain substantially fixed…
Texturing a translucent surface
Granted: May 31, 2011
Patent Number:
7952590
A computer-implemented method for texturing a modeled surface includes receiving an albedo map corresponding to light scattering under uniform incident diffuse light. The method includes determining, using the albedo map, a local scattering parameter for a multipole bidirectional scattering surface reflectance distribution function (BSSRDF). The method includes texturing a modeled surface using the BSSRDF and the local scattering parameter.
Method of utilizing product proxies with a dependency graph
Granted: May 17, 2011
Patent Number:
7945892
Changes to the outputs of a dependency graph, which has attribute nodes and operator nodes, are detected by forming product proxies for the outputs of dependency graph nodes. The product proxies can be formed by entering information about the dependency graph into a hashing algorithm. Before and after product proxies are then used to determine if the outputs have changed.
Three-dimensional motion capture
Granted: December 7, 2010
Patent Number:
7848564
In one general aspect, a method is described. The method includes generating a positional relationship between one or more support structures having at least one motion capture mark and at least one virtual structure corresponding to geometry of an object to be tracked and positioning the support structures on the object to be tracked. The support structures has sufficient rigidity that, if there are multiple marks, the marks on each support structure maintain substantially fixed…
Apparatus and method of simulating the movement of elements through a region of 3D space
Granted: June 29, 2010
Patent Number:
7747420
The movement of elements through a region of three dimensional (3D) space is simulated by utilizing a number of two dimensional (2D) grids to define the region of 3D space. Movement information is associated with each grid point of each 2D grid, and changed over a time period. For each element in 3D space, movement information is interpolated from the grid points of a pair of 2D grids that lie on opposite sides of the element. The interpolated movement information is used to advect the…
Apparatus and method of simulating the movement of elements through a region of 3D space
Granted: December 30, 2008
Patent Number:
7472046
The movement of elements through a region of three dimensional (3D) space is simulated by utilizing a number of two dimensional (2D) grids to define the region of 3D space. Movement information is associated with each grid point of each 2D grid, and changed over a time period. For each element in 3D space, movement information is interpolated from the grid points of a pair of 2D grids that lie on opposite sides of the element. The interpolated movement information is used to advect the…
