WHEEL MOTION CONTROL INPUT DEVICE FOR ANIMATION SYSTEM

摘要

An input device for a computer graphics system provides a plurality of wheels that control movement of a virtual camera. The input device can be readily used by professional camerman without knowledge or training on CG animation software tools. The input device comprises a housing having at least one wheel operatively coupled to at least one outer surface of the housing. The at least one wheel has an axially coupled shaft that is driven rotationally by manipulation of the wheel. Circuitry contained within the housing and operatively coupled to the shaft generates a control signal corresponding to rotational motion of the at least one wheel. The control signal is thereby provided to the animation processor to control the virtual camera. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one wheel further comprises a plurality of wheels with each such wheel corresponding to a different range of motion of the virtual camera, including a first wheel corresponding to panning motion of the virtual camera, a second wheel corresponding to tilting motion of the virtual camera, and a third wheel corresponding to rolling motion of the virtual camera. The circuitry further includes an angle encoder operatively coupled to the shaft and a control circuit adapted to convert the control signal into a data stream having a format readable by the animation processor. The input device may also include at least one speed control adapted to change effective resolution of the at least one wheel, and at least one direction control adapted to change effective direction of the at least one wheel.