Patent ID: 7034835

Claim:
A method for converting a frame-based animation into an interpolator-based animation, the frame based animation including a plurality of animation objects and a plurality of successive frames represented by frame instructions, the frames including a displayed group of the animation objects, the animation objects in the displayed group having associated display properties that change throughout the successive frames, the animation objects in the displayed group each appearing at a unique associated depth in the frames, the frame instructions identifying for each frame the animation objects from the displayed group appearing therein and the display properties and depth associated with each of the animation objects appearing therein, the method including steps of: a) identifying each unique combination of animation object and associated depth identified in the frame instructions for the plurality of frames; b) for each identified unique combination, identifying the display properties associated with the animation object of the combination through the successive frames; and c) for each identified display property for each identified unique combination, creating an interpolator associated with the animation object of the combination which specifies any changes that occur in the display property for the specified animation object throughout the plurality of frames.