IP Library Granted Patent US 12,293,452
Granted Patent B2
US 12,293,452 · App. 16/705,037 · Granted May 6, 2025

Room shaders for animated movies

Inventors: Bret St. Clair (Culver City, CA); Ole Gulbrandsen (Culver City, CA)
Assignees: SONY GROUP CORPORATION; SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.
G06T15/87G06F30/13G06T13/80G06T15/005G06T15/506G06T19/20G06T2210/04G06T2210/62G06T2219/2012
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,293,452
App. No.
16/705,037
Granted
May 6, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Generating image data for a room image, including: generating at least one planar layer in depth for a first room image; generating at least one wall layer for a wall in the first room image; creating a second room image by duplicating one or more of the at least one planar layer for the first room image and duplicating one of more of the at least one wall layer for the first room image, and modifying the at least one duplicate planar layer and the at least one duplicate wall layer; and applying the first room image and the second room image as patterns to a surface of a building image.

Claims (56)

1. A method of generating image data for a room image for an animated movie, the method comprising:

generating a first plurality of planar layers in depth for a first room image including conveying a room interior effect for a room visible through a window on a flat surface of a building image by specifying color and transparency of each planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers to create an illusion of depth on the flat surface,

wherein each layer of the first plurality of planar layers in depth is depicted in a plane that is substantially parallel to the window and while ceilings, floors, and walls are depicted in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the window,

wherein the first plurality of planar layers is depicted behind a glass of the window to provide classic animation styles for the animated movie;

generating a first plurality of wall layers for a wall in the first room image;

creating a second room image by duplicating one or more of the first plurality of planar layers for the first room image to produce a second plurality of planar layers and duplicating one of more of the first plurality of wall layers for the first room image to produce a second plurality of wall layers, and modifying the second plurality of planar layers and the second plurality of wall layers by adjusting frequency and size of the one or more of the first plurality of planar layers and the one or more of the first plurality of wall layers;

applying the first room image and the second room image as patterns to the flat surface of the building image to create the illusion of depth;

generating a third plurality of planar layers in depth for a third room image;

generating a fourth plurality of planar layers in depth for a fourth room image, wherein the third room image and the fourth room image represent a single connected room visible through two respective windows;

calculating a parallax offset between a planar layer for the third room image and a planar layer for the fourth room image; and

calculating shading reflection using the parallax offset for at least one surface in the third room image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the color of each planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers is specified using at least one area of uniform color.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

verifying each planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers, wherein each planar layer is tested to be substantially parallel to at least one other planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

generating a ceiling layer for a ceiling in the room image and a floor layer for a floor in the room image.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

verifying a wall layer of the first plurality of wall layers is substantially perpendicular to one or more of the first plurality of planar layers.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating multiple room images by duplicating the first plurality of planar layers and first plurality of wall layers from the first room image; and

modifying the second plurality of planar layers and the second plurality of wall layers for each of the multiple room images.

7. A room shader for generating image data for a room image for an animated movie, the room shader comprising:

a layers generator to generate a first plurality of planar layers in depth for a first room image including conveying a room interior effect for a room visible through a window on a flat surface of a building image by specifying color and transparency of each planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers to create an illusion of depth on the flat surface,

wherein each layer of the first plurality of planar layers in depth is depicted in a plane that is substantially parallel to the window and while ceilings, floors, and walls are depicted in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the window,

wherein the first plurality of planar layers is depicted behind a glass of the window to provide classic animation styles for the animated movie;

a wall generator to generate a first plurality of wall layers for a wall in the first room image;

a pattern multiplier to create a second room image by duplicating one or more of the first plurality of planar layers for the first room image to produce a second plurality of planar layers and duplicating one or more of the first plurality of wall layers for the first room image to produce a second plurality of wall layers,

the pattern multiplier to modify the second planar layers and the second wall layers by adjusting frequency and size of the one or more of the first plurality of planar layers and the one or more of the first plurality of wall layers;

a pattern applier to apply the first room image and the second room image as patterns to the flat surface of the building image to create the illusion of depth;

a parallax offset calculator; and

a reflection shader,

wherein the layers generator also generates a third plurality of planar layers in depth for a third room image, and generates a fourth plurality of planar layers in depth for a fourth room image,

wherein the third room image and the fourth room image represent a single connected room visible through two respective windows,

the parallax offset calculator to calculate a parallax offset between a planar layer for the third room image and a planar layer for the fourth room image, and

a reflection shader to calculate shading reflection using the parallax offset for at least one surface in the third room image.

8. The room shader of claim 7 , wherein the color of each planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers is specified using at least one area of uniform color.

9. The room shader of claim 7 , further comprising

a verify layer unit to verify each planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers, wherein each planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers is tested to be substantially parallel to at least one other planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers.

10. The room shader of claim 9 , wherein the verify layer unit also verifies a wall layer is substantially perpendicular to one or more of the first plurality of planar layers.

11. The room shader of claim 7 , further comprising:

a ceiling generator to generate a ceiling layer for a ceiling in the room image; and

a floor generator to generate a floor layer for a floor in the room image.

12. The room shader of claim 7 , wherein:

the pattern multiplier creates multiple room images by duplicating the plurality of planar layers and plurality of wall layers from the first room image; and

the pattern applier modifies the second plurality of planar layers and the second plurality of wall layers for each of the multiple room images.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program to generate image data for a room image for an animated movie, the computer program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

generate a first plurality of planar layers in depth for a first room image including conveying a room interior effect for a room visible through a window on a flat surface of a building image by specifying color and transparency of each planar layer of the first plurality of planar layers to create an illusion of depth on the flat surface,

wherein each layer of the first plurality of planar layers in depth is depicted in a plane that is substantially parallel to the window and while ceilings, floors, and walls are depicted in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the window,

wherein the first plurality of planar layers is depicted behind a glass of the window to provide classic animation styles for the animated movie;

generate a first plurality of wall layers for a wall in the first room image;

create a second room image by duplicating one or more of the first plurality of planar layers for the first room image to produce a second plurality of planar layers and duplicating one of more of the first plurality of wall layers for the first room image to produce a second plurality of wall layers, and modifying the second plurality of planar layers and the second plurality of wall layers by adjusting frequency and size of the one or more of the first plurality of planar layers and the one or more of the first plurality of wall layers;

apply the first room image and the second room image as patterns to the flat surface of the building image to create the illusion of depth;

generate a third plurality of planar layers in depth for a third room image;

generate a fourth plurality of planar layers in depth for a fourth room image. wherein the third room image and the fourth room image represent a single connected room visible through two respective windows;

calculate a parallax offset between a planar layer for the third room image and a planar layer for the fourth room image; and

calculate shading reflection using the parallax offset for at least one surface in the third room image.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 16, 2023
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063665/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2021
From: ST. CLAIR, BRET; GULBRANDSEN, OLE
To: SONY CORPORATION; SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 054932/0150 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62776336 · Dec 6, 2018
Provisional Application 62775830 · Dec 5, 2018
Related Publication 20200184716A1 · Jun 11, 2020
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