Patent ID: 7353149
Filing Date: 2008-04-01
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A method performed by a simulator of dynamically simulating contact of rigid body objects at discrete intervals of time, the method comprising the steps of: performing a non-penetration process determining non-penetration constraint force values and providing an output; performing a separate friction process determining friction force values and providing an output; feeding back the output of each process as an input to the other process; wherein for each pair of colliding rigid body objects a value of an integrated relative velocity vector calculated through an integrated relative velocity algorithm at the point of contact is maintained throughout simulation, with a zero value at the initial point of contact; wherein the friction process calculates a friction force required to reduce or eliminate the integrated relative velocity vector for the pair of rigid body objects; wherein the value of the integrated relative velocity vector increases over time as error related to the friction process accumulates; and wherein the output of the non-penetration process, the integrated relative velocity vector, and the output of the friction process are used to simulate the contact of the rigid body objects; and displaying at least one of the rigid body objects at a position in a virtual world.