Patent ID: 7728837

Claim:
A computerized modeling method for modeling physical behavior based on angular positioning of model objects, comprising the steps of: defining a three-dimensional model having three objects and at least one pivot point about which at least two objects of the three objects are rotatable to a plurality of different angular positions; defining a plurality of animation frames for displaying the three-dimensional model; assigning at least one different animation frame to the three-dimensional model for each of the plurality of different angular positions, and storing the model, including each of the at least one different animation frame for each of the plurality of different angular positions, on a computer storage medium; selectably displaying, on a display device of a computer system, an animation sequence using said model by accessing the model stored on the computer storage medium using a processor of the computer system, wherein displaying the animation sequence comprises: upon determining that the angular position of the at least two objects is a first angular position, the at least one different animation frame assigned to the first angular position is displayed and remains displayed for a duration of time longer than the frame rate as long as the angular position of the at least two objects remain in the first angular position; and upon determining that the angular position of the at least two objects has changed from the first angular position to a second angular position after the duration of time longer than the frame rate, the at least one different animation frame assigned to the second angular position is displayed such that the display of the animation sequence is advanced based on the change in the angular position of the at least two objects rather than being advanced based on a change in time.