A system and method are disclosed for generating an animatable object. A skeleton of the desired character is constructed by the user utilizing various predetermined components. These predetermined components include a various selection of rods and joints. The rods are static components which remain rigid during motion, while the various joints are moveable components. A static digitized image, for example, an image of the user, is utilized and a constructed skeleton is superimposed onto it. The desired object, such as the image of the user, can then be extracted from the background of the digital image and the resulting personal character can then be animated, for instance by selecting and dragging one of the hands with a mouse.

System and method for generating an animatable character

Method and apparatus for interleaved processing of direct and indirect texture coordinates in a graphics system

A hardware-accelerated recirculating programmable texture blender/shader arrangement circulates computed color and alpha data over multiple texture blending/shading cycles (stages) to provide multi-texturing and other effects. Up to sixteen independently programmable consecutive stages, forming a chain of blending operations, are supported for applying multiple textures to a single object in a single rendering pass.

Recirculating shade tree blender for a graphics system

The invention features a system and method for adding hyperlinked information to television broadcast system. The system includes a video source providing video information and an annotation system. The annotation system generates annotation data to be associated with the video information and generates annotation data timing information. The hyperlinked broadcast system also includes an augmented video information transmission generator that receives the annotation data, the video information, and the annotation data timing information. The augmented video information transmission generator generates an augmented video transmission signal including the annotation data, the annotation data timing information and the video information. In operation, the augmented video information transmission generator associates the video information with the annotation data using the annotation data timing information. A receiver displays the annotation information associated with the video signal on a frame by frame basis.

Method and apparatus for hyperlinking in a television broadcast

Method and apparatus for dynamically reconfiguring the order of hidden surface processing based on rendering mode

A system and method for assigning the vertices of an envelope to one or more elements of a skeleton in an animation model. Bounding volumes are defined for skeleton elements and define effective volumes which are positioned relative to the skeleton elements to encompass one or more vertices of envelopes. The bounding volume geometry may be defined as desired and a desired assignment operation type is selected for the bounding volume. When automated assignment is performed, assignment of the vertices within the bounding volumes is performed in accordance with the selected assignment operation for each bounding volume and with a selected maximum number of elements to which each vertex may be assigned. Bounding volumes may be overlapped to provide versatile automated assignment and the bounding volumes and corresponding assignment operations are stored with the skeleton and therefore are independent of the envelopes employed. Thus, the bounding volumes and assignment operations can be used both for the assignment of pre-production quality, low resolution, envelopes and for the subsequent assignment of production quality, high resolution, envelopes, as desired.

Richard Laperriere

Papers

System and method using bounding volumes for assigning vertices of envelopes to skeleton elements in an animation system