Method and system for editing or modifying 3D animations in a non-linear editing environment

Claim 1

A method for creating and modifying an edit comprising 3D animation information, comprising: providing a plurality of animation elements with associated animation parameters, wherein the animation parameters include the 3D animation information; selecting an animation element from the plurality of animation elements; generating a clip object by arranging the selected animation element in an associated track for graphical display relative to a timeline; compositing a plurality of the clip objects so as to form a collection of layered tracks defining the edit, wherein one of the clip objects includes a sequence of 2D animation frames associated with the 3D animation information and having a start position and an end position relative to the time line; modifying at least one of the animation parameters associated with the selected animation elements and independently re-rendering the associated animation elements in accordance with an extent of each modification, wherein modifying includes modifying a duration of one of the clip objects by altering one of the associated start and end positions of the clip object, and modifying the 3D animation information according to the modified duration of the clip object.

Claim 2

A method for creating and modifying an edit comprising 3D animation information, comprising: providing a plurality of animation elements with associated animation parameters, wherein the animation parameters include the 3D animation information; selecting an animation element from the plurality of animation elements; generating a clip object by arranging the selected animation element in an associated track for graphical display relative to a timeline; compositing a plurality of the clip objects so as to form a collection of layered tracks defining the edit, wherein one of the clip objects includes a sequence of 2D animation frames associated with the 3D animation information and having a start position and an end position relative to the time line; modifying at least one of the animation parameters associated with the selected animation elements and independently re-rendering the associated animation elements in accordance with an extent of each modification, wherein modifying includes modifying a duration of one of the clip objects by altering one of the associated start and end positions of the clip object, and modifying the 3D animation information according to the modified duration of the clip object.

Claim 4

A system for creating and modifying an edit comprising 3D animation information, comprising: a storage device for storing a plurality of animation elements with associated modifiable animation parameters, wherein the animation parameters include the 3D animation information; a computer operatively connected to the storage device to access the animation elements stored therein for selecting an animation element from the plurality of animation elements; means for arranging the selected animation element in an associated track so as to form a clip object for graphical display relative to a time line; means for compositing a plurality of the clip objects so as to form a collection of layered tracks defining the edit, wherein one of the clip objects includes a sequence of 2D animation frames associated with the 3D animation information and having a start position and an end position relative to the time line; a tool associated with each animation element for modifying at least one of the animation parameters to initiate independent re-rendering of the animation elements associated with the modified animation parameters in accordance with an extent of each modification, wherein the tool includes means for modifying a duration of one of the clip objects by altering one of the associated start and end positions of the clip object, and means for modifying the 3D animation information according to the modified duration of the clip object.

Claim 5

A system for creating and modifying an edit comprising 3D animation information, comprising: a storage device for storing a plurality of animation elements with associated modifiable animation parameters, wherein the animation parameters include the 3D animation information; a computer operatively connected to the storage device to access the animation elements stored therein for selecting an animation element from the plurality of animation elements; means for arranging the selected animation element in an associated track so as to form a clip object for graphical display relative to a time line; means for compositing a plurality of the clip objects so as to form a collection of layered tracks defining the edit, wherein one of the clip objects includes a sequence of 2D animation frames associated with the 3D animation information and having a start position and an end position relative to the time line; a tool associated with each animation element for modifying at least one of the animation parameters to initiate independent re-rendering of the animation elements associated with the modified animation parameters in accordance with an extent of each modification, wherein the tool includes means for modifying a duration of one of the clip objects by altering one of the associated start and end positions of the clip object, and means for modifying the 3D animation information according to the modified duration of the clip object.

Claim 15

A method for implementing a graphical user interface for editing a three-dimensional animation comprising an animation element with associated animation parameters, wherein the animation parameters define animation of a three-dimensional object over time, the method comprising: displaying a clip object corresponding to the animation element, wherein the clip object is displayed in a track in a timeline and has a start position and an end position relative to said timeline, wherein the start position and the end position define a duration of the clip object, wherein the duration of the clip object defines the animation parameters associated with the animation element; rendering the animation element to produce a first rendered sequence of two dimensional animation frames in accordance with the animation parameters as defined by the duration of the clip object; compositing the first rendered sequence of two-dimensional animation frames with at least one other clip object representing another sequence of two-dimensional frames to produce a representation of the three-dimensional animation; allowing a user to modify the duration of the clip object corresponding to the animation element by manipulating at least one of the start position and the end position of the clip object, whereby the animation parameters associated with the animation element corresponding to the clip object are modified according to the modified duration of the clip object; rendering the animation element corresponding to the clip object in accordance with the animation parameters as defined by any modification to the duration of the clip object to produce a second rendered sequence of two dimensional animation frames; and compositing the second rendered sequence of two-dimensional animation frames with the at least one other clip object representing the other sequence of two-dimensional frames to produce a representation of the three-dimensional animation.

Claim 16

A method for implementing a graphical user interface for editing a three-dimensional animation comprising an animation element with associated animation parameters, wherein the animation parameters define animation of a three-dimensional object over time, the method comprising: displaying a clip object corresponding to the animation element, wherein the clip object is displayed in a track in a timeline and has a start position and an end position relative to said timeline, wherein the start position and the end position define a duration of the clip object, wherein the duration of the clip object defines the animation parameters associated with the animation element; rendering the animation element to produce a first rendered sequence of two dimensional animation frames in accordance with the animation parameters as defined by the duration of the clip object; compositing the first rendered sequence of two-dimensional animation frames with at least one other clip object representing another sequence of two-dimensional frames to produce a representation of the three-dimensional animation; allowing a user to modify the duration of the clip object corresponding to the animation element by manipulating at least one of the start position and the end position of the clip object, whereby the animation parameters associated with the animation element corresponding to the clip object are modified according to the modified duration of the clip object; rendering the animation element corresponding to the clip object in accordance with the animation parameters as defined by any modification to the duration of the clip object to produce a second rendered sequence of two dimensional animation frames; and compositing the second rendered sequence of two-dimensional animation frames with the at least one other clip object representing the other sequence of two-dimensional frames to produce a representation of the three-dimensional animation.