Patent US3856927A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0453044A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0453044A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A method and apparatus for storing and animation of data
Assignee: NEURONES CARTOON
•
Filing: 1991-04-17
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-04-17
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for storing data, particularly data for motion picture cartoon, of at least one object, whereby at least an outline of a first and a second view is drawn and whereby a set of identifiers identifying said views is stored, and wherein said views are identified by identification curves representing said outline and wherein said identification curves are divided into curve sections the three-dimensional co-ordinates of their ends and an index is stored as an identifier. The stored data is than processed for animation purpose.
Inventors
- 👤 Philippe Coenen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 00:09
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T17/00; G06T17/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for storing data, particularly data for motion picture cartoon, of at least one object, whereby at least an outline of a first and a second view different from the first view is drawn and whereby a set of identifiers, identifying the object, are stored, characterized in that : - said views being identified by means of identification curves, reproducing at least said outlines ; - said identification curves being divided into curve sections for dividing a surface of said object into partial surfaces which are each delimited by at least three identification curve sections ; - there is determined for each curve section coordinates of their ends in said first and second view and whereby a same index is assigned thereto ; - there is determined three-dimensional coordinates of said ends of each curve sections on the basis of said co-ordinates of said ends in said first and second view to which a same index has been assigned ; - elements of said set of identifiers being formed by taking for an element to be formed each time said index and said three-dimensional co-ordinates to which it has been assigned.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said first and second views are obtained by projecting said identification curves on a first, respectively a second reference plane, each comprising a different set of two crossing axes of a three-dimensional space.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said three-dimensional co-ordinates are determined by eliminating among said co-ordinates in said first and second view to which a same index has been assigned, one of said co-ordinates common to said first and second view.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
45 words
A method as claimed in onr of the claims 1-3, characterized in that each curve section is divided into segments of which three-dimensional co-ordinates of their ends being determined, which co-ordinates are then included into said element comprising said index of said divided curve section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 4, characterized in that each curve section is divided into linear segments.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
32 words
A method according to one of the claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the identification curves of the first and the second views are divided into an equal number of segments.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
35 words
A method according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one surface parameter of the object is associated to each curve section and in that said parameter is stored.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the colour to be associated to said curve section segment is chosen as a surface parameter of the object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 7, characterized in that a code word indicating a degree and a non-uniformity of said object along said curve is chosen as surface parameter of said object.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
An animation method using the data stored according to the method of anyone of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least one partial surface of said object is generated by interpollation of the co-ordinates of said ends of said sections delimiting said partial surfaces to be generated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
A method according to claim 10 applied to data stored according to the method of claim 4, characterized in that the coordinates of the end of said sections delimiting said partial surface are transposed into a topological space, and wherein a meshing of the partial surface is then carried out in the topological space with form of polygons with at least three vertices, each segment end being part of at least one line of said meshing and in that the co-ordinates of the meshing nodes are then determined and subsequently transposed again by reverse transposition into the three-dimentional space.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
144 words
A method according to claim 11, characterized in that polygons with four vertices are formed and in that for each of said partial surface a first, respectively second generating line and a first respectively second directrix, which are mutually opposite two by two, are selected among the four associated curve sections delimitating said partial surface, and in that the meshing is carried out by linking each said end on the first generating line, respectively first directrix to at least one of said ends on the second generating line, respectively second directrix, whereby the generation of said partial surfaces is obtained by letting the first generating line being transformed stepwise into the second generating line, whereby a linear interpollation is applied during that transformation at each step between the first generating line in its initial position and the actual position of said first generating line.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
40 words
A method according to one of the claims 11 or 12, characterized in that said meshing lines are formed so as to cross each other in the topological space at said meshing nodes at angles comprised between 70 and 90°.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
40 words
A method according to one of the claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the meshing optimisation criterion is applied during the meshing which criterion consists in detecting within a polygon a predetermined change of flatness at the object surface.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
55 words
A method according to one of the claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the values of said surface parameter of the object are determined at a polygon vertex laying within said partial surface by linear interpollation of the values of the surface parameter of the object at the adjacent curve sections surrounding said vertex.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
51 words
A method as claimed in one of the claims 10 to 15, characterized in that said partial surface is generated by forming each time between said coordinates of said ends to which a same index has been assigned a curve by application of a Bézier, B-, C-or β Splines curve equation.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
18 words
A method according to one of the claims 12 to 16, characterized in that animation functions are stored.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 17, characterized in that said animation function is applied to the identification curve.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
198 words
A device for memorising data, particularly data for motion picture cartoon, said data being related to at least an outline of a first and a second view different from the first view of an object, said device comprising a generator for generating a set of identifiers identifying said object and a memory provided for storing said set of identifiers, characterized in that said generator comprises : - first means for fetching from a curve section being part of an identification curve reproducing at least said outline, co-ordinates of said ends of said section in said first and second view and for assigning a same index thereto ; - second means for determining three-dimensional co-ordinates of said ends of each section on the basis of said co-ordinates of said ends in said first and second view to which a same index has been assigned, said second means being connected to said first means ; - third means for forming elements of said set of identifiers, connected to said second means, said elements comprising each time said index and said three-dimensional co-ordinates to which it is assigned, said third means having an output connected to an input of said memory.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
An animation device comprising a device as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that it comprises interpollation means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that it comprises transposition means for mapping the co-ordinates of the vertices of a partial surface into a topological space.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
A data storage carrier to be used in the apparatus according to one of the claims 19 to 20, characterized in that it is formed by a floppy disc.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR2629233A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.