Brian R Steiner

US Patent:

7427991, Sep 23, 2008

Filed:

Feb 10, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/364272

Inventors:

Armin Bruderlin - Culver City CA, US
Jeffrey M. Chan - Los Angeles CA, US
Robert B. Engle - Los Angeles CA, US
Gokhan Kisacikoglu - Redondo Beach CA, US
Brian Steiner - Los Angeles CA, US
David S. Tanner - Los Angeles CA, US

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. - Culvery City CA

International Classification:

G09G 5/00

US Classification:

345581, 345473, 345474, 345419, 382100

Abstract:

A system and process for digitally representing a plurality of surface-attached geometric objects on a model. The system and process comprises generating a plurality of particles and placing the plurality of particles on a surface of the model. A first plurality of curves are generated and placed at locations on the model. Characteristics are defined for the first plurality of curves. A second plurality of curves is interpolated from the first plurality of curves at locations of the particles. A plurality of surface-attached geometric objects is generated that replaces all of the particles and the second plurality of curves.

US Patent:

6486882, Nov 26, 2002

Filed:

Jul 21, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/620963

Inventors:

Jeff Wolverton - Los Angeles CA
Paolo Costabel - Culver City CA
Alan Lee Davidson - Marina Del Rey CA
Francisco Xavier DeJesus - Marina Del Rey CA
Brian Todd Steiner - Los Angeles CA
Scott E Anderson - Marina Del Rey CA
Allen Clifford Ruilova - Santa Monica CA

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Pictures Entertainment - Culver City CA

International Classification:

G06T 1500

US Classification:

345475

Abstract:

A process for generating animated images of a two-dimensional array of objects advancing in a third dimension includes the steps of: defining an array of objects; defining a start position, an end position, and an advancement path associated with each of the objects, each advancement path extending from the associated start position to the associated end position; defining an associated rate of advancement for each of the objects along the associated path; defining a manifold surface including a locus of points each being defined in a three dimensional coordinate system and having an associated height coordinate value, each of the objects being associated with one of the points on the manifold surface; determining an associated advancement start time for each of the objects based on the associated rate of advancement and an associated height coordinate value of an associated point on the manifold surface; and defining animated images of the array of objects advancing along the associated advancement paths in accordance with the associated rates of advancement and the associated advancement start times. The manifold surface provides an animator with a means for controlling a resulting animation in order to achieve a desired animated effect without the need to perform a cumbersome trial and error process.