Method and apparatus for animating two-dimensional and three-dimensional images

摘要

The invention concerns a method of animating an image comprising a chain of N segments i (i = 0, 1, 2, ..., N-1) between a pseudo-root segment 0 and a pseudo-leaf end segment N-1, each segment being defined by an orientation in space ( alpha , beta , psi , the pseudo-leaf segment having to reach a target angular orientation ( alpha target, beta target, psi target), the method comprising the following steps: defining an image field function comprising: an attractive component associated with the target angular orientation and of zero value for that orientation, and if angular constraints are to be complied with, a repulsive component associated with each constraint, determining the motion of each segment from an equation of motion as a function of the field for the initial orientation of that segment, and animating the chain of segments in accordance with the motion thus determined. The method can be implemented using geometrical transformations or quaternions.