Abstract:
A method for authenticating animation, the method comprises the steps of capturing an image; converting the captured image into a wire mesh data for permitting animation of the image; providing movement data, which directs movement of the wire mesh data, and texture data indicating the covering for the wire mesh; electronically transmitting the wire mesh data, texture data and movement data; encrypting the movement data; and electronically transmitting the encryption the movement data for verifying that the animation is unaltered during transmission from its source.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to producing and transmitting animation and, more particularly, to encrypting such animation before transmission for producing a secure animation that is essentially tamper-proof during transmission. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Animation typically includes a three-dimensional wire mesh produced from an image and a texture model that represents the visual features associated with the wire mesh. A set of movement instructions is produced for directing movement of the wire mesh. When the instructions are input to the wire mesh having the texture model residing thereon, a three-dimensional moving image is produced. 
   Typically, the wire mesh, texture model and instructions are sent to a customer for their entertainment and/or use. Although the presently known and utilized animation creation and transmission components are satisfactory, they include drawbacks. During transmission, such components may be intercepted and undesirably modified. 
   Consequently, a need exists for a secure method for transmitting such animation that is essentially tamper-proof. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention, the invention resides in a method for authenticating animation, the method comprising the steps of (a) capturing an image; (b) converting the captured image into a wire mesh data for permitting animation of the image; (c) providing movement data, which directs movement of the wire mesh data, and texture data indicating the covering for the wire mesh; (d) electronically transmitting the wire mesh data, texture data and movement data; (e) encrypting the movement data; and (f) electronically transmitting the encryption the movement data for verifying that the animation is unaltered during transmission from its source. 
   The above and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent when taken in conjunction with the following description and drawings wherein identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. 
   ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention has the advantage of electronically transmitting animation that is essentially tamper-proof. 
   The present invention includes the feature of encrypting the animation before transmission for insuring verification that the animation is unaltered. 
   These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a digital camera of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram of an animation processor, a corresponding flow chart illustrating creation of a typical animation from the processor and a corresponding wire mesh produced from the processor; 
       FIG. 3  is a process flowchart illustrating the method of the present invention for securely transmitting an animation; and 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a typical wire mesh. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In the following description, a portion of the present invention will be described in the preferred embodiment as a software program. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the equivalent of such software may also be constructed in hardware. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a digital camera  10  for capturing digital images. The digital camera  10  includes an image sensor (not shown) for capturing the incident light and converted it into electronic signals. Such digital cameras  10  are well known in the art and will not be discussed further detail herein. Similarly, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the camera  10  could also be a film based camera whose images are digitized for animation after processing of the film. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an animation processor  20  and a flow chart for producing the animation. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the animation processor  20  includes electronic components therein for producing wire mesh, texture (or skinning) information and movement instructions for the animation. In this regard, the animation process is initiated S 2 , and the processor  20  produces S 4  a three-dimensional wire mesh  30  from the digital image input by the user. Referring briefly to  FIG. 4 , the wire mesh  30  is a plurality of interconnecting segments  35  that forms a model of the exterior shape of the input image. Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the processor  20  further analyzes the input image, and produces S 6  a texture model for each image for producing a digital representation of the exterior, visible features of the image. The user will instruct the animation processor  20  as to the particular movements desired for the image. From these instructions, the animation processor  20  produces S 8  movement data that directs the individual segments of the wire mesh to deform thus producing movement. The animation processor  20  outputs S 10  the wire mesh, texture and corresponding movement instructions to the user in a file structure. This process may be repeated for a subsequent image or simply produce different movement instructions for an existing wire frame. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a flow diagram of the present invention for sending the wire mesh  30   a , texture database  40   a , and movement instructions (wire mesh database)  50   a  to a user which ensures all of these components have not been modified or altered during transmission. In this regard, the wire mesh  30   a , textured database  40   a  and movement instructions  50   a  produced by the animation processor is sent to a user, such as via the Internet or manual distribution and the like. The sender then encrypts the texture database  40   b , wire mesh  30   b  and wire mesh database  50   b  with a private key  60  for producing a secure executable file  70  which is essentially tamper proof. The sender may send this encryption via any suitable means, such as via the Internet or manual distribution and the like, or it may be send as an attachment to the unencrypted file. 
   The receiver of the digital files then decrypts  80  the texture database  40   b , wire mesh  30   b  and wire database  50   b  with a public key. The public key may be sent to the user by the sender, or may be retrieved from publicly accessible facilities, such as the Internet and the like. As well known to those skilled in the art, the public key may only decrypt the digital files, whereas the private key can encrypt and decrypt. Such encryption and decryption technology is well known in the art and will not be discussed in detail herein. The customer then compares  90  the decrypted texture  40   b , wire mesh  30   b  and wire database  50   b  with the originally received texture database  40   a , wire mesh  30   a  and wire database  50   a . This comparison may be performed by any suitable computer having code for performing such task, which code requires minimal computer skills to prepare and, as a result, will not be discussed in detail herein. 
   If the decrypted texture  40   b , wire mesh  30   b  and wire database  50   b  is the same as the originally sent texture database  40   a , wire mesh  30   a  and wire database  50   a , the animation is verified as being unmodified during transmission. If they are not the same, the originally sent animation has been modified without proper authority. 
   In an alternative embodiment, in lieu of encrypting the duplicate wire mesh  30   b , duplicate texture database  40   b  and duplicate wire mesh database (collectively referred to as duplicates), each or any one of these could be “hashed” and then encrypted before sending to the customer. In this regard, hashing includes passing all or each of the desired duplicates through an algorithm for converting it into a unique smaller representation, which is well known in the art. One example of a hashing algorithm is the SHA-1 algorithm as specified in FIPS PUB 180-1, which hashes any given size data to only 20 bytes. This hash is then encrypted and sent to the customer where the hash is decrypted. 
   The customer then passes the corresponding original (either or all of the wire mesh  30   a , texture database  40   a  and wire mesh  50   a ) through the same hashing algorithm for obtaining a corresponding smaller unique representation. As is well known in the art, any alteration of the data that is subsequently hashed with a cryptographically strong hashing function is likely to result in a different hash from a hash of the unaltered data, which obviously indicates that the data has been altered. The user or customer then compares the two hashes for verifying whether the data has been altered. 
   The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
   
     
       
             
           
             
             
           
         
             
                 
             
             
               PARTS LIST 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
               10 
               digital camera 
             
             
               20 
               animation processor 
             
             
               30 
               wire mesh 
             
             
               35 
               interconnecting segments 
             
             
               30a 
               wire mesh 
             
             
               30b 
               wire mesh 
             
             
               40a 
               texture database 
             
             
               40b 
               texture database 
             
             
               50a 
               movement instructions (wire mesh database) 
             
             
               50b 
               movement instructions (wire mesh database) 
             
             
               60 
               private key 
             
             
               70 
               executable file 
             
             
               80 
               customer decrypts 
             
             
               90 
               customer compares 
             
             
               S2 
               process initiated 
             
             
               S4 
               produce wire mesh 
             
             
               S6 
               produce textures 
             
             
               S8 
               produce movement instructions 
             
             
               S10 
               output