Patent ID: 8416246

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: identifying, using a computer system, for a point on an item in an animation process, at least first and second transformation points corresponding to respective first and second transformations of the point, each of the first and second transformations representing an influence on a location of the point of respective first and second joints associated with the item; determining, using the computer system, an axis for a cylindrical coordinate system, in part by estimating a third transformation that is a product of an inverse of the first transformation multiplied by the second transformation; performing, using the computer system, an interpolation of the first and second transformation points in the cylindrical coordinate system to obtain an interpolated point; recording, using the computer system, the interpolated point as a location of the point when the first and second transformations are applied to the point; generating a surface representation of the item, the surface representation including the recorded interpolated point; and generating an image of the item based on the generated surface representation.