US6167562A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for creating an animation program and method for creating the same
Assignee: Hitachi Software Engineering Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-05-08
•
Granted: 2000-12-26
•
Expires: 2017-05-08
Abstract
Abstract The apparatus for creating an animation program can create animation programs for use with game software and presentations with high efficiency, without requirements for a high degree of programming techniques. The animation program creating apparatus has a moving image drawing device with a program storing circuit for storing animation programs, a character image drawing circuit for drawing character images, and a background image drawing circuit for drawing background images, which is further provided with an image input unit for entering animating image information, an image editing unit for editing the animating image information entered by the image input unit, an animation management circuit for managing multiple pieces of the entered image information by creating an animation program in an image-drawing unit of drawing an image by sorting the multiple pieces of the entered image information in a time series and by providing the animation program with an animation number, and an operating unit for operating the moving image drawing device to reproduce the animation program created.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi Kaneko
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:15
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T13/00; G06T2213/00; G06T2213/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
An apparatus for creating an animation program having a moving image drawing device comprising a program storing circuit for storing an animation program; a character image drawing circuit for drawing a character image, drivable by said animation program; and a background image drawing circuit for drawing a background image, drivable by said animation program; comprising: image input means for entering image information to be animated; image editing means for editing said animating image information entered by said image input means; animation management means for managing said entered image information by creating an animation program in an image-drawing unit of drawing an image by sorting said multiple pieces of said entered image information in a time series and by providing the animation program with an animation number; and operating means for operating said moving image drawing device to reproduce the animation program created by said animation management means; wherein the animation program can be viewed and modified independently without necessitating reprogramming of a game program using the animation program, and wherein the game program includes a source program that is converted into an object program by one of a plurality of different compilers stored in an auxiliary storage, said one of a plurality of compilers being selected depending upon a particular game machine for which the game program is intended.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
219 words
An apparatus for creating an animation program having a moving image drawing device comprising a program storing circuit for storing an animation program; a character image drawing circuit for drawing a character image, drivable by said animation program; and a background image drawing circuit for drawing a background image, drivable by said animation program; comprising: image input means for entering image information to be animated; image editing means for editing said animating image information entered by said image input means; animation management means for managing said entered image information by creating an animation program in an image-drawing unit of drawing an image by sorting said multiple pieces of said entered image information in a time series and by providing the animation program with an animation number; and operating means for operating said moving image drawing device to reproduce the animation program created by said animation management means; wherein the animation program can be viewed and modified independently without necessitating reprogramming of a game program using the animation program, and wherein the game program includes a source program that is converted into an object program by one of a plurality of different compilers stored in an auxiliary storage, said one of a plurality of compilers being selected depending upon a particular game machine for which the game program is intended.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus for creating an animation program as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating means gives an instruction to reproduce an image-drawing unit of the animation program provided with said animation number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus for creating an animation program as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image input means is a manual image input device of a tablet type.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
243 words
An animation program creating apparatus having a moving image drawing device comprising a program storing circuit for storing an animation program; a character image drawing circuit for drawing a character image, drivable by said animation program; a background image drawing circuit for drawing a background image, drivable by said animation program; and a sound creating circuit, comprising: image input means for entering image information to be animated; sound information input means for entering sound information; image editing means for editing said animating image information entered by said image input means and said sound information entered by said sound information input means; animation management means for managing an animation program by creating the animation program in an image-drawing unit of drawing an image by sorting said multiple pieces of said entered image information and sound information in a time series and by providing the animation program with an animation number; and operating means for operating said moving image drawing device to reproduce the animation program created by said animation management means; wherein the animation program can be viewed and modified independently without necessitating reprogramming of a game program using the animation program, and wherein the game program includes a source program that is converted into an object program by one of a plurality of different compilers stored in an auxiliary storage, said one of a plurality of different compilers being selected depending upon a particular game machine for which the game program is intended.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
243 words
An animation program creating apparatus having a moving image drawing device comprising a program storing circuit for storing an animation program; a character image drawing circuit for drawing a character image, drivable by said animation program; a background image drawing circuit for drawing a background image, drivable by said animation program; and a sound creating circuit, comprising: image input means for entering image information to be animated; sound information input means for entering sound information; image editing means for editing said animating image information entered by said image input means and said sound information entered by said sound information input means; animation management means for managing an animation program by creating the animation program in an image-drawing unit of drawing an image by sorting said multiple pieces of said entered image information and sound information in a time series and by providing the animation program with an animation number; and operating means for operating said moving image drawing device to reproduce the animation program created by said animation management means; wherein the animation program can be viewed and modified independently without necessitating reprogramming of a game program using the animation program, and wherein the game program includes a source program that is converted into an object program by one of a plurality of different compilers stored in an auxiliary storage, said one of a plurality of different compilers being selected depending upon a particular game machine for which the game program is intended.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus for creating an animation program as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said animation management means is provided with a function providing for a motion of the animation in the image-drawing unit; and the reproduction of the image-drawing unit provided with the animation number is made using said function.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
193 words
A method for creating an animation program for a moving image drawing device having a program storing circuit for storing an animation program; a character image drawing circuit for drawing a character image, drivable by said animation program; and a background image drawing character for drawing a background image, drivable by said animation program; comprising: entering animation image information on an animating image; editing said animating image information entered; managing said animating image information by creating an animation program by sorting multiple pieces of said image information in a time series and providing an image-drawing unit of the animation program with an animation number; and reproducing said created animation program in said moving image drawing device by specifying the animation number; wherein the animation program can be viewed and modified independently without necessitating reprogramming of a game program using the animation program, and wherein the game program includes a source program that is converted into an object program by one of a plurality of different compilers stored in an auxiliary storage, said one of a plurality of compilers being selected depending upon a particular game machine for which the game program is intended.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
193 words
A method for creating an animation program for a moving image drawing device having a program storing circuit for storing an animation program; a character image drawing circuit for drawing a character image, drivable by said animation program; and a background image drawing character for drawing a background image, drivable by said animation program; comprising: entering animation image information on an animating image; editing said animating image information entered; managing said animating image information by creating an animation program by sorting multiple pieces of said image information in a time series and providing an image-drawing unit of the animation program with an animation number; and reproducing said created animation program in said moving image drawing device by specifying the animation number; wherein the animation program can be viewed and modified independently without necessitating reprogramming of a game program using the animation program, and wherein the game program includes a source program that is converted into an object program by one of a plurality of different compilers stored in an auxiliary storage, said one of a plurality of compilers being selected depending upon a particular game machine for which the game program is intended.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus for creating an animation program as claimed in claim 4, wherein: said animation management means is provided with a function providing for a motion of the animation in the image-drawing unit; and the reproduction of the image-drawing unit provided with the animation number is made using said function.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4517654A
Cited
US4588187A
Cited
US4952051A
Cited
US5384667A
Cited
US5325473A
Cited
US5696892A
Cited
US5742521A
Cited
US5781184A
Cited
US5680534A
Cited
US5999698A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-12-26 | 2004-06-26 | 2004-12-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-12-26 | 2008-06-26 | 2008-12-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-12-26 | 2012-06-26 | 2012-12-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |