IP Library Granted Patent US 7,098,911
Granted Patent B2
US 7,098,911 · App. 10/622,630 · Granted Aug 29, 2006

Placing feathers on a surface

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,098,911
App. No.
10/622,630
Granted
Aug 29, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a computer implemented method for placing feathers on a surface. The method includes providing a surface having a plurality of vertices and establishing a growing direction for each of the plurality of vertices on the surface. Feathers are placed on the surface based on the plurality of vertices and the growing direction.

Claims (27)

1. A computer implemented method for placing feathers on a surface, comprising;

establishing a plurality of vertices on a surface;

establishing a growing direction for each of the plurality of vertices on the surface;

placing feathers on the surface based on the plurality of vertices and the growing direction;

receiving a shape of each feather;

automatically detecting collisions between adjacent feathers based on the shape of each feather; and

automatically adjusting the respective growing directions of the feathers by rotating the feathers with respect to their vertices such that the respective shape of each feather does not collide with the shape of an adjacent feather.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein placing further comprises placing key feathers at selected vertices and interpolating to place other feathers on the surface between the selected vertices.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein placing further comprises recursively placing the feathers on the surface based on the growing direction.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the shape is defined by a rachis, a left curve and a right curve.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of vertices form similarly shaped polygons and wherein establishing includes evenly distributing the plurality of vertices over the surface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing includes establishing vertices over a body of a bird.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing includes establishing vertices over a wing skeleton.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing includes establishing vertices over a tail skeleton.

9. The method of claim 1 and further comprising re-tiling the surface so the vertices are evenly distributed.

10. A method for placing feathers on a surface, comprising:

establishing a plurality of vertices on a surface, each vertex having a growing direction; and

performing a recursive algorithm to place a feather at each vertex, comprising:

finding a growing direction for vertices in the growing direction of the vertex;

receiving a shape of the feather;

if the shape of the feather at the vertex collides with a shape of an adjacent feather, then automatically adjusting the growing direction of the vertex by rotating the feather with respect to the vertex until there is no collision between the shape of the feather and said shape of the adjacent feather.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the shape of the feather is defined by a rachis, a left curve and a right curve.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of vertices form similarly shaped polygons and wherein establishing includes evenly distributed the plurality of vertices over the surface.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein establishing includes establishing the plurality of vertices over a body of a bird.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein establishing includes establishing the plurality of vertices over a wing skeleton.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein establishing includes establishing the plurality of vertices over a tail skeleton.

16. The method of claim 10 and further comprising re-tiling the surface so the vertices are evenly distributed.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2014
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034541/0477 →
RE-RECORD TO CORRECT THE NAME OF THE SECOND ASSIGNOR, PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 014304 FRAME 0249, ASSIGNOR CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF THE ENTIRE INTEREST. Recorded Jun 7, 2004
From: CHEN, YANYUN; GUO, BAINING; XU, YING-QING
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015423/0312 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2004
From: SHUM, HEUNG-YEUNG
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 014928/0611 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2003
From: CHEN, YANYUN; GOU, BAINING; XU, YING-QING
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 014304/0249 →