Hierarchical Model Inheritance for Animation Rigging
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for creating and managing complex computer-generated imagery and animations are time-consuming and costly due to the need for manual creation and setup of each model, especially when dealing with hundreds to thousands of models in a feature-length animation, where each character's topology often requires unique rigging and setup.
Innovation Solution
A computerized animation system that allows for the creation and use of hierarchical models, where lower-level models inherit elements and rigging from higher-level models, enabling efficient model manipulation and animation through an energy minimization process, and allowing user-selectable models and rigging within a hierarchy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual creation and setup of each model is performed, then model quality and customization are improved, but production time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The model creation process is segmented into hierarchical levels (base model, intermediate models, final models). Each level handles specific aspects of model complexity, allowing systematic reuse of common elements across multiple characters while maintaining individual customization where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
A base model is created once and then copied/instanced multiple times to generate intermediate and final models. The base model contains shared geometry, rigging, and materials that are automatically inherited by all derived models, dramatically reducing repetitive manual work.
2Adaptability or versatility
If unique rigging is created for each character model, then character-specific animation control is improved, but setup time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Rigging is segmented into hierarchical components where a base rig provides common animation controls (locomotion, basic posing) that are inherited by all character models. Character-specific rigging elements are added only where needed at higher levels of the hierarchy, separating common functionality from unique requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The base model and its rigging are designed to be universal and applicable to multiple character models. The same base rig serves all characters in the scene, providing consistent animation controls across different character instances while allowing individual customization through overrides.
3Manufacturing precision
If hundreds to thousands of models are hand-created, then model quality and consistency are maintained, but production cost and time become prohibitive
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple character models are merged into a unified hierarchical structure where common elements are consolidated in the base model. This allows all characters to share the same core geometry, materials, and rigging, ensuring visual consistency across the scene while eliminating redundant creation work.
Solution Approach 2:
The base model serves as a universal template that can be instantiated multiple times to create consistent character models throughout the animation. Any updates to the base model automatically propagate to all derived models, maintaining consistency across hundreds or thousands of characters.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for design and use of models can have models with rigging, controls, avars, etc., but can also have controls that are themselves models, thus leading to a hierarchy of models and rigging usable for controlling models in an animation system wherein models correspond to elements or objects for which computer-generated graphics are to be rendered.