Abstract: The movement of elements through a region of three dimensional (3D) space is simulated by utilizing a number of two dimensional (2D) grids to define the region of 3D space. Movement information is associated with each grid point of each 2D grid, and changed over a time period. For each element in 3D space, movement information is interpolated from the grid points of a pair of 2D grids that lie on opposite sides of the element. The interpolated movement information is used to advect the elements through the region of 3D space.

Abstract: The movement of elements through a region of three dimensional (3D) space is simulated by utilizing a number of two dimensional (2D) grids to define the region of 3D space. Movement information is associated with each grid point of each 2D grid, and changed over a time period. For each element in 3D space, movement information is interpolated from the grid points of a pair of 2D grids that lie on opposite sides of the element. The interpolated movement information is used to advect the elements through the region of 3D space.

Abstract: Changes to the outputs of a dependency graph, which has attribute nodes and operator nodes, are detected by forming product proxies for the outputs of dependency graph nodes. The product proxies can be formed by entering information about the dependency graph into a hashing algorithm. Before and after product proxies are then used to determine if the outputs have changed.

Abstract: A to-be-animated creature is set up by creating a rig, defining connection points on the rig, and associating geometry with the rig via the connection points. The set up creature is then animated by moving the creature with user defined actions which move a part of the rig. When one part of the rig moves, the remaining parts follow.

Abstract: Spectral imbalance (alteration in timbre) when playing home video versions of motion pictures having soundtrack equalized for playback in a room whose room-loudspeaker system is aligned to the standard motion picture theater X-curve is overcome by timbre correction which compensates for the X-curve equalization. Surround-sound home playback of motion pictures is enhanced by employing main channel loudspeakers that produce generally direct sound fields and surround channel loudspeakers that produce generally diffuse sound fields. In addition, the reproduced surround-sound channel is further enhanced by decreasing the interaural cross-correlation of the surround-sound channel sound field and by reducing comb filtering effects in the surround-sound channel at listening positions within the room, preferably by introducing slight pitch shifting in the signals applied to multiple surround loudspeakers.

Abstract: A method and system for recording and playing back from a bulk digital data storage medium having unequal access time, such as a rotating magnetic disk, data of a plurality of separate files, such as multi-channel sound information. Blocks of the digital data streams are stored in physically non-sequential scattered positions on a disk. The starting sectors of each recording track of the disk are not made the same but rather at least two different starting sectors are provided on alternating tracks in order to reduce the amount of access time between blocks of data. The blocks of data are read from the disk into a buffer memory in accordance with a disk read head scheduling technique that causes the next block of data with the shortest access time to be transferred unless there is an urgency to maintain balance in the various channels, in which case a block of data for the channel having the least buffered data is transferred next.

Abstract: A motion picture loudspeaker system is described in which the loudspeaker elements are integral with an acoustical boundary wall such that the characteristics of the vented box woofers are optimized. In order to overcome high reflection problems as sound from the tweeters is reflected by the motion picture screen and the acoustical boundary wall, frequency dependent acoustical absorptive material is attached to the wall to inhibit high frequency reflections with minimal effect on the bass optimization. The system includes the use of a steep slope crossover netowrk having a crossover frequency such that there is a first order match of the woofer and tweeter dispersion at the crossover.

Abstract: A universal multilayer circuit prototyping board is provided having a predefined universal pattern of socket pin perforations which accommodates all standard DIP integrated circuit packages at virtually any position on the board. The universal board allows high density circuit packing while maintaining excellent electrical performance with high speed circuits.

Abstract: One or more high speed programmable digital signal processors, particularly for audio processing such as mixing, sound effects and synthesizing, are supported by one or more slower speed computers that provide timed and untimed update commands to the high speed processors. Untimed commands are originated as by real-time operator gestures. Timed commands are originated by a master support computer. A queue of update commands is maintained in the high speed processor such that untimed commands are placed at the head of the queue for immediate execution and timed commands are placed at the end of the list. New timed commands are interleaved in time order with timed commands already in the queue.