Storyboard Editor for Real-Time Animation Authoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing animation authoring tools require professional knowledge and programming skills, making it difficult for ordinary users to create animations due to the need for script language proficiency and complex graphic user interfaces.

Innovation Solution

An animation authoring apparatus and method that includes a storyboard editor for text or graphic input, a parser to convert edited storyboards into graphic animations, and a rendering engine for real-time conversion and output, allowing users to create and edit animations without extensive technical knowledge.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If professional authoring tools with graphic user interface are used, then animation creation capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring professional knowledge

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanimation creation capabilityVSAvoiduser accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a storyboard editor as an intermediary tool that bridges the gap between simple text input and complex animation rendering. Users interact with a familiar storyboard format through a graphic user interface, and the system automatically converts this into animation scripts, eliminating the need for users to directly handle complex programming while maintaining professional animation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a parser to automatically convert the storyboard format (a simplified copy or representation of the final animation structure) into the required animation script format. This copying process allows users to work with a simplified representation while the system handles the complex transformation to professional animation code.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Manufacturing precision

If script language based authoring tools are used, then animation authoring precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to programming requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanimation authoring precisionVSAvoiduser accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The storyboard editor serves as an intermediary that translates user-friendly text and graphic input into precise animation scripts. The parser automatically converts the storyboard format into structured animation code, maintaining manufacturing precision while shielding users from programming complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of script writing with an automated parsing and conversion system. The parser automatically transforms storyboard input into animation scripts, substituting the need for manual programming with an automated language processing mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If real-time conversion from storyboard to animation is implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to rendering engine requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanimation production speedVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the animation authoring system into distinct functional modules: a storyboard editor for input, a parser for syntax conversion, and a rendering engine for final output. This segmentation allows real-time processing by assigning specific tasks to each module, improving productivity while managing complexity through modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The parser performs preliminary action by pre-processing and validating the storyboard input before it reaches the rendering engine. This preliminary syntax parsing and structure preparation enables the rendering engine to focus solely on animation generation, improving real-time conversion efficiency while distributing complexity across multiple stages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8223152B2Apparatus and method of authoring animation through storyboard
Publication Date: 2012.07.17 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

An animation authoring apparatus and method of authoring an animation including a storyboard editor to provide a storyboard editing screen, to interact with a user to edit a storyboard, and to store the edited storyboard, a parser to parse syntax of the edited storyboard, and a rendering engine to convert the edited storyboard into a graphic animation based on the parsed syntax of the edited storyboard.