Patent ID: 7164424

Claim:
A computer-implemented process for generating a video having interactive water effects, comprising using a computer to perform the following process actions: inputting an image of a scene; generating a reflection copy of the scene depicted in the input image to create a water region image, wherein the water region image comprises the reflection copy of the entire scene; merging the input image and water region image, and sizing the merged image to fit a desired frame size, to produce a first frame of the video; distorting the water region portion of the merged image to simulate at least one ripple originating at a site selected by a viewer; and generating a sequence of additional frames, each of which comprises a distorted version of the water region of the immediately preceding frame in which any ripple simulated in the immediately preceding frame is shown in a new location that simulates the natural motion of a ripple across a surface of a body of water displaying the frames.