Non-hierarchical unchained kinematic rigging technique and system for animation
View Patent ↗In computer enabled key frame animation, a method and associated system for rigging a character so as to provide a large range of motion with great fluidity of motion. The rigging uses a character body that moves along a path or freely as needed. The nodes in the body and path are not physically connected but are linked for performing a particular task. This task driven behavior of the nodes which may allow them to re-organize themselves in different re-configurations in order to perform a common duty, implies a variable geometry to the entire dynamic structure. To some regard the nodes can be said to be intelligent.
1. A computer enabled apparatus for animation comprising:
a memory operatively coupled to the computer enabled apparatus and storing a path including a set of nodes;
a spline module defining the path including the set of nodes as a spline and having a variable geometry defined only by a consecutive order of the nodes, the nodes being non-hierarchical;
a path module operatively coupled to the spline module and controlling rotation of segments of the path;
a lock module operatively coupled to the spline module and associating an animated character or object with the path for movement along the path; and
at least one body module operatively coupled to the spline module and defining a second set of nodes that characterize a shape of the character or object and having a variable geometry defined only by a consecutive order of the second set of nodes, the second set of nodes being non-hierarchical;
wherein the path shapes itself to the shape of the character or object and the path serves as a pose for the character or object.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body module controls the character or object to rotate, translate, twist, scale, or shift at least one segment of the character or object.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the path module assigns a control to each node in the path for use by an animator.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each node in the path and in the character or object has an associated matrix of values.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a length of each node in the path and in the character or object is predetermined.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the character or object includes a plurality of nodes and each node in the character or object is defined as a spline.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the path module assigns an additional control intermediate each node in the path.
8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each control has two associated end points which are nodes in the path.
9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the path module applies a rotation to a node of the path using the control.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a travel module operatively coupled to the spline module and allowing movement of the character or object along the path and otherwise not constrained.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein two adjacent segments of the path rotate together.
12. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the path module provides a control associated with a segment of the path between two adjacent nodes and rotates the segment using the control.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the path module scales a length of each segment of the path.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the rotation is relative to an axis defined by the path.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein two matrices of values are associated with each of the two path segments.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the path represents a road, trail, hill, ramp, or stairs along which the character or object moves.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lock module associates each of a plurality of nodes of the path with one of a plurality of points in the character or object whereby the character or object is locked to the path from a first animation frame to a second animation frame.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the locking is such that at least one part of the character or object is locked to a location in world space of the animation.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the locking is such that at least one part of the character or object is locked to a control associated with the path.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the locking is such that at least one part of the character or object is locked to move at a predetermined speed along the path animation frame-to-frame.
21. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the locking is such that a length of the character or object changes animation frame-to-frame.
22. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the locking controls a tension between the character or object and the path.
23. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the locking projects a shadow of the character or object onto the path.