Patent ID: 6476804
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
A process for generating animated graphical images of an exterior patch surface of an exterior layer disposed over an animated underlying structure comprising the steps of:generating and arranging a plurality of underlying patches each being in a rest position to form an underlying patch surface representing an underlying structure disposed in a rest position; generating and arranging a plurality of exterior patches to form an exterior patch surface superimposed over said underlying structure in said rest position, each of said exterior patches having an associated array of control points; transforming said control points of said exterior patches into a polygonal mesh of vertex points each being coincident with at least one of said control points; establishing a binding positional relationship between each of said vertex points and an associated closest one of said underlying patches to said vertex point; animating said underlying structure causing a displacement in the position of at least one of said underlying patches relative to said rest positions of said underlying patches, and resulting in a deformed underlying structure; and moving at least a portion of said vertex points based on said associated binding positional relationships and displacements in the positions of said underlying patches.