Animation Data Partitioning for Immersive Environments

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Solution Overview

Problem

The development of computer-generated environments for gaming and interactive content is limited by the processing capabilities of devices, which restricts the creation and use of detailed and immersive environments, as devices struggle to store and process large amounts of animation data effectively.

Innovation Solution

A data processing apparatus that stores and selects precomputed animation data for computer-generated environments, allowing devices to output portions of animation data based on requests, enabling the use of detailed environments on devices with limited capabilities by partitioning and compressing data, and varying animation quality based on viewer proximity and importance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If detailed and immersive computer-generated environments are created with large amounts of animation data, then the quality and immersion of the content is improved, but the processing capabilities and storage requirements of devices are exceeded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanimation qualityVSAvoiddata volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the large animation data into multiple levels of detail (LOD) versions, where each segment represents the same animated object at different quality levels. This allows the system to divide the comprehensive animation dataset into manageable pieces that can be selectively loaded based on device capabilities and viewing conditions, resolving the contradiction between providing high-quality animations and managing data volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by allowing different parts of the computer-generated environment to have different animation qualities simultaneously. Objects closer to the viewer or more important to the scene receive higher-quality animation data, while distant or less critical objects use lower-quality versions. This selective quality assignment maintains overall immersion while significantly reducing the total data volume that must be processed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If high-resolution animation data is stored and processed, then the detail and realism of the environment is improved, but the processing power and memory requirements of devices increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironment detailVSAvoidprocessing capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic quality adjustment where the animation data quality is not fixed but changes based on real-time conditions such as device processing capability, memory availability, network bandwidth, and viewer position. The system dynamically selects appropriate animation quality levels, allowing high-detail environments to be experienced on capable devices while automatically adapting to lower-quality representations on less powerful devices without requiring them to handle the full processing load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Duration of action of stationary object

If complete animation data for all objects is provided, then the immersion and continuity of the environment is improved, but the data transmission and loading time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanimation continuityVSAvoiddata loading time
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing multiple levels of animation data in advance, organizing them in a hierarchical structure. This preparation work is done beforehand so that when the application runs, the system can quickly select and load only the necessary quality level without performing complex computations in real-time, thus maintaining animation continuity while minimizing loading time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by loading only the subset of animation data that is currently needed based on the viewer's position, the importance of objects in the scene, and device capabilities. Rather than loading all animation data completely, the system loads partial sets at appropriate quality levels, and can progressively load additional data as needed, maintaining immersion while reducing initial loading time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4420752A1Apparatus, systems and methods for animation data
Publication Date: 2024.08.28 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP4420752A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4420752A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4420752A1 patent drawingFigure 4q~5

AI summary

A data processing apparatus comprises storage circuitry to store animation data for a computer generated environment, the animation data specifying animations of animated objects of the computer generated environment for a period of time, selection circuitry to receive an animation data request and to select a portion of the animation data in dependence on the animation data request, and output circuitry to output the portion of the animation data.