Expression Animation Generation via Control Vertex Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for generating expression animations for virtual characters result in overly simple animations due to limitations in complex generation operations, requiring manual debugging and lacking effective solutions.
Innovation Solution
An expression animation generation method that adapts an object model to a target skeleton, adjusting control vertices and skeletons to generate a wide variety of expression animations by binding key points and skinning the model, allowing for the creation of more realistic and dynamic animations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual debugging of models is performed multiple times to generate expression animations, then the animation generation process can be controlled, but the development time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing a mapping relationship between control vertices and skeleton elements before animation generation. The control model is prepared in advance with defined control weights and binding relationships, so that when expression animation needs to be generated, the system can directly adjust control vertices without manual debugging, significantly reducing development time while maintaining animation quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a control model that copies and abstracts the essential control relationships from complex 3D models. Instead of manually debugging detailed models, the system works with a simplified control model that replicates the necessary control functionality, enabling rapid animation generation without sacrificing quality
2Ease of manufacture
If local scaling models or model fusion methods are used to generate expression animations, then the process is simpler, but the generated animations are excessively simple and lack complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different control vertices to have different control weights and influence ranges on the 3D model. Each control vertex can independently affect specific regions with varying intensities, enabling the generation of complex and diverse expression animations while maintaining an easy-to-use control interface
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the control weights and binding relationships adjustable and adaptable. The control model can dynamically respond to different adjustment instructions, allowing the system to generate animations of varying complexity levels based on the same underlying framework, thus achieving both ease of use and animation versatility
3Adaptability or versatility
If control vertices and skeletons are adjusted with control weights to generate expression animations, then the animation diversity increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a control model as a mediator between simple user inputs and complex 3D model transformations. The control vertices and control weights serve as an intermediate layer that simplifies user interaction while enabling complex animation generation, thus achieving animation diversity without exposing the full complexity of the underlying system
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses an expression animation generation method performed at a computing device. The method includes: obtaining an object model of a target virtual object; obtain an object control model matching the target virtual object by adapting the obtained object model to a target skeleton, the object control model comprising a plurality of control vertices and a plurality of control skeletons; obtaining an adjustment instruction for the target virtual object; identifying a target control vertex and associated target control skeletons to be adjusted in the object control model according to the adjustment instruction; adjusting the identified target control vertex and the associated target control skeletons in the object control model according to respective control weights of the associated target control skeletons, to obtain an expression frame image of the target virtual object; and generating an expression animation of the target virtual object by using the expression frame image.