Animation Rig Cache Invalidation via Dependency Graphs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The introduction of scene constraints in animation rigs complicates the mapping of rig controls to rig control caches, making it difficult to determine which caches need to be reset and when, especially when constraints relate the state of one animation rig to another, leading to increased complexity and unclear control applications.
Innovation Solution
Generating an invalidation graph that maps an entire animation rig to one or more individual rig control caches affected by any one rig control value, ensuring that all relevant caches are timely updated by clearing linked caches in response to changes in rig control values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If scene constraints are introduced to relate animation rigs, then the animation system becomes more versatile and expressive, but the mapping complexity of rig controls to rig control caches increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex mapping relationship by introducing intermediate entities (constraint graphs, dependency graphs) that break down the many-to-many mapping into manageable one-to-many relationships. Each rig control is tracked independently through constraint graphs that show its specific influence on target rig controls, making the complex system tractable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses constraint graphs and dependency graphs as intermediary structures between rig controls and rig control caches. These intermediaries maintain the relationships without requiring direct complex mapping, allowing the system to track dependencies through the graph structures rather than maintaining complex direct mappings.
2Adaptability or versatility
If scene constraints are added to relate rig controls across animation rigs, then the animation capability is enhanced, but it becomes difficult to determine which rig control caches need to be reset
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through dependency graphs that continuously track which rig control caches depend on which rig controls. When a rig control changes, the system queries the dependency graph to receive feedback about which caches are affected, enabling automatic determination of which caches need resetting without manual analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
Dependency graphs serve as intermediaries between rig controls and rig control caches, maintaining the relationship information. Instead of directly analyzing complex mappings to determine cache reset requirements, the system queries the dependency graph structure, which already contains the necessary relationship information in an organized format.
3Manufacturing precision
If rig control caches are frequently reset to maintain accuracy, then the animation precision is maintained, but the computational overhead and playback efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of resetting all rig control caches unconditionally, the patent applies partial action by selectively resetting only those caches that are actually affected by rig control changes. The dependency graphs enable identification of the minimal necessary subset of caches to reset, avoiding unnecessary computations and maintaining playback efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from dependency graphs to determine precisely which caches need resetting. Rather than using a blanket reset approach, the query mechanism provides feedback about the specific affected caches, enabling precision-only resets that maintain animation accuracy while minimizing computational overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one implementation, an animation system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code. The hardware processor executes the software code to receive pose data including rig control values for multiple animation rigs, and to store the rig control values for each animation rig in respective rig control caches identified with the animation rig. The hardware processor also executes the software code to receive constraint data linking one animation rig to one rig control cache identified with any animation rig, receive change data for one rig control value of that linked animation rig, update the rig control value based on the change data, and clear the rig control cache linked with the updated animation rig. Thus, updating any rig control value of an animation rig results in clearing rig control caches linked with that animation rig.