3D Animation Sequence Concatenation via Synthetic Motion Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
The generation and concatenation of 3D character animations are hindered by the time-consuming and cumbersome process of manually defining motion curves or using motion capture, which can be costly and difficult to edit, and transitions between animations often result in choppy transitions due to mismatched animation variables.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that generates and concatenates 3D character animations by receiving high-level descriptions of desired motion sequences, using a server system to create synthetic motion data, and streaming it to a rendering engine, with features like similarity scoring and intermediate motion insertion to ensure smooth transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual definition of motion curves is used, then animation precision can be controlled, but the process is time-consuming and laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses motion capture data from real-world performances as templates and automatically retargets this motion data to 3D character models. Instead of manually creating motion curves from scratch, animators copy existing motion performances and automatically adapt them to different characters, significantly reducing the time required while maintaining precision through automated retargeting algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of directly adjusting hundreds of motion curves with an automated computational system. The system automatically generates motion curves by retargeting motion capture data, substituting the laborious manual adjustment process with algorithmic transformation that achieves both speed and precision.
2Quantity of substance
If motion capture is used, then motion data can be obtained, but the equipment and process are complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and utilizes only the essential motion data from motion capture performances, separating the valuable motion information from the complex capture infrastructure. By focusing on the motion data itself rather than the complex equipment used to capture it, the system simplifies the overall process while maintaining access to high-quality motion data.
Solution Approach 2:
The motion capture system is designed to capture motion data that can be universally retargeted to multiple different 3D character models. A single motion capture session can serve multiple characters through automated retargeting, making the complex equipment investment worthwhile by maximizing its utility across multiple applications and characters.
3Manufacturing precision
If motion capture is repeated to obtain desired motion, then motion accuracy improves, but cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic control over the retargeting process, allowing animators to adjust and refine motion data interactively. The automated retargeting can be dynamically tuned to achieve desired accuracy levels without requiring complete repetition of the motion capture process, enabling flexible adjustment between time and accuracy trade-offs.
4Duration of action of moving object
If motion data from different animations is concatenated, then sequence length increases, but transitions become choppy due to mismatched Avars
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary alignment of motion data from different animations before concatenation. By pre-processing the motion data to ensure consistent Avar mappings and compatible starting/ending poses, the system prepares the motion sequences in advance, eliminating choppy transitions during the actual concatenation operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate transition motions that act as bridges between different animation sequences. These intermediary motions smoothly connect the end of one animation to the start of the next by creating intermediate poses that bridge the gap between mismatched Avar states, eliminating choppy transitions while maintaining sequence length extension.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for generating and concatenating 3D character animations are described including systems in which recommendations are made by the animation system concerning motions that smoothly transition when concatenated. One embodiment includes a server system connected to a communication network and configured to communicate with a user device that is also connected to the communication network. In addition, the server system is configured to generate a user interface that is accessible via the communication network, the server system is configured to receive high level descriptions of desired sequences of motion via the user interface, the server system is configured to generate synthetic motion data based on the high level descriptions and to concatenate the synthetic motion data, the server system is configured to stream the concatenated synthetic motion data to a rendering engine on the user device, and the user device is configured to render a 3D character animated using the streamed synthetic motion data.