Portable Animation Rig Transport via Virtual Machine Instruction Set
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computer graphics systems face challenges in transporting animation setups between different applications, resulting in loss of animation information due to lack of standardized representation of animation rigs across tools and platforms.
Innovation Solution
Generating an executable representation of the animation asset using a virtual machine instruction set architecture, creating a transport file that includes both behavioral and geometric components, and executing it on a runtime engine to maintain consistent behavior across platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If standard file formats are used to transport 3D models and animation sequences between applications, then compatibility between different applications is improved, but animation information is lost due to lack of standardized representation for animation rigs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an animation rig representation that serves as an intermediary structure between different animation applications. This representation includes a scene description with geometric objects, animation rig data with behavioral components, and motion curve data, allowing animation rigs to be transported and reconstructed across different applications without information loss while maintaining compatibility through standardized data exchange formats
2Adaptability or versatility
If new modeling features are added to one application, then functionality of that application is improved, but the features cannot be transported to other applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the animation system into distinct modular components: geometric objects, animation rigs with behavioral components, and motion curves. This segmentation allows new modeling features to be added as independent animation rig components that can be selectively transported between applications through the standardized animation rig representation, enabling feature portability while maintaining application-specific functionality
3Productivity
If animation rigs are reconstructed from motion curves after animation sequence generation, then the animation sequence can be executed, but the animation rig is no longer available for generating different animation sequences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a copying mechanism where the animation rig representation (including scene description, animation rig data, and motion curve data) can be copied and transported between applications. The runtime engine in the target application reconstructs the animation rig from this copied data, enabling both execution of the animation sequence and preservation of the animation rig for generating additional animation sequences in the new application environment
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transporting both behavior and related geometric information for an animation asset between different animation environments. A common virtual machine specification with a specific instruction set architecture is defined for executing behavioral traits of the animation asset. Each target animation environment implements the instruction set architecture. Because each virtual machine runtime engine implements an identical instruction set architecture, animation behavior can identically reproduced over any arbitrary platform implementing the virtual machine runtime engine. Embodiments of the present invention beneficially enable reuse of animation assets without compatibility restrictions related to platform or application differences.