Patent ID: 6373492
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
In a computer animation system including a computer input device for specifying points and lines in a computer drawing space, a process for transforming line segments in animation drawings for use in an animation sequence, the process comprising:specifying a first, straight reference line comprising a plurality of points, specifying a second displacement line, said second line substantially overlyaing said first reference line, specifying a direction and rate of movement of said second line relative to a first line segment in a first animation drawing, at each of said plurality of points comprising said reference line, calculating the magnitude and direction of a vector normal to said reference line and terminating at said second line to define a plurality of n displacement vectors, said first vector corresponding to a first point on said reference line and said nth vector corresponding to an nth point on said reference line, specifying a starting point on said first line segment for application of said displacement line vectors, applying said vectors to said points on said first line segment to obtain a first set of displaced points in accordance with the magnitude and direction of said vectors, wherein said first vector is applied at said starting point and said nth vector is applied at an nth point on said first line segment, generating a second line segment comprised of said first set of displaced points to replace said first line segmenet in a second animation drawing, shifting said displacement line vectors m points along said first line segment in accordance with the direction and rate of said second line, applying said vectors to said points on said first line segment to obtain a second set of displaced points in accordance with the magnitude and direction of said vectors, wherein said first vector is applied at the point shifted m points from said starting point and the nth vector is applied at the n+mth point on said first line segment, generating a third line segment comprised of said second set of displaced points to replace said first line segment in a third animation drawing.