Animated Object Representation via Precalculated Sequences and Texture Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for representing animated objects are limited, as they can only be visualized within a drawing program and do not allow for interactive changes in viewing angle or texture during animation, nor can they simulate complex surface changes like melting or exploding, which restricts user interaction and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A method that generates a sequence of individual objects for each moment of the animation, using texture animations to depict surface changes, allowing interactive control of the viewing angle and combination of precalculated animation sequences, which reduces computational complexity and storage requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If comprehensive simulation calculations are performed in a drawing program to represent an animated object, then the representation accuracy and completeness are improved, but the computation time and computer resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the animation representation into two distinct parts: a precalculated animation sequence (containing object geometry, lighting, and basic animation) and interactive texture layers (containing dynamic surface changes). This segmentation allows the computationally intensive parts to be calculated once offline, while the interactive parts are handled efficiently during runtime, resolving the contradiction between representation accuracy and computation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary calculation of the animation sequence including object geometry, lighting conditions, and basic animation frames before runtime. This precalculation stores the foundational visual information in advance, so that during interactive playback, only texture modifications are needed, dramatically reducing real-time computational requirements while maintaining high representation accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the animation sequence is exported from the drawing program, then the representation can be used externally, but interactive changes in viewing angle and parameters are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic representation system where the precalculated animation sequence serves as a flexible base that can be adaptively modified during playback. Users can interactively change viewing angles, lighting conditions, and texture parameters in real-time without recalculation, because the system is designed to handle these changes as surface modifications rather than full scene recalculations. This resolves the contradiction by making the exported animation both externally usable and interactively controllable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables interactive control by allowing parameter changes (viewing angle, lighting, texture properties) to be applied as modifications to the precalculated animation sequence rather than requiring full recalculation. The system maintains the ability to adjust these parameters dynamically during playback, resolving the contradiction between external usability and interactive control.
3Productivity
If precalculated animation sequences are used to reduce computation time, then the representation speed is improved, but the ability to simulate complex surface changes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments surface changes into two categories: those incorporated into the precalculated animation sequence (basic object animation) and those handled by interactive texture layers (complex surface changes like melting, exploding, or material transformations). This segmentation allows the system to maintain high representation speed through precalculation while preserving the ability to simulate complex surface changes through real-time texture modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces texture animations as an intermediary layer between the precalculated animation sequence and the final visual output. This texture layer acts as a mediator that can be applied to the static precalculated frames to create the appearance of complex surface changes without requiring full recalculation of the animation sequence, thus maintaining both speed and versatility.
4Loss of information
If the animation sequence includes all detailed information, then the representation completeness is improved, but the data storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data structure into a precalculated animation sequence (containing object geometry, lighting, and basic animation frames) and separate texture animation layers (containing dynamic surface information). This segmentation allows the system to store detailed information efficiently by separating static precalculatable data from dynamic texture data, reducing overall storage requirements while maintaining representation completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses texture animations as a form of copied or projected information that can be applied to the precalculated animation sequence. Rather than storing multiple complete animation sequences for different surface conditions, the system stores a base sequence and applies texture copies or projections to represent different surface states, significantly reducing data storage requirements while maintaining information completeness.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for representing an animated object. In a three-dimensional drawing program used to generate and animate objects, the model behavior of objects is calculated. For this purpose, sequences of individual objects are output at defined times and subsequently the sequence of the individual objects is jointed into an animation sequence. Surface changes of the object are simulated by way of additional texture animation and output. The animation sequence and the texture animation are then joined in a vector-based page description language, such as the 3D PDF program, and played at the same time. Based on the available sequence of the individual objects, a user can interactively modify the object animated in this way while playing back the animation sequence and the texture animation and change the viewing angle for the animated object. The animation sequence or the texture animation can likewise be configured as an infinite loop and thereby give the human user a dynamic view of the animated object.