Patents by Inventor Steven Thomas Wrinch

Steven Thomas Wrinch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • System and method for blended animation enabling an animated character to aim at any arbitrary point in a virtual space
    Patent number: 8648864
    Abstract: A method for blended animation by providing a set of animation sequences associated with an animated character model is disclosed. In one embodiment, a geometric representation of a blend space is generated from the set of animation sequences using locator nodes associated with each animation sequence. A subset of animation sequences is selected from the set of animation sequences by casting a ray from a reference bone to a target through the geometric representation and selecting animation sequences that are geometrically close to the intersection of the cast ray and the geometric representation. A blend weight is determined for each member animation sequence in the selected subset of animation sequences. A blended animation is generated using the selected subset of animation sequences and the blend weights, then rendered to create a final animation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Thomas Wrinch
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BLENDED ANIMATION ENABLING AN ANIMATED CHARACTER TO AIM AT ANY ARBITRARY POINT IN A VIRTUAL SPACE
    Publication number: 20090195544
    Abstract: A method for blended animation by providing a set of animation sequences associated with an animated character model is disclosed. In one embodiment, a geometric representation of a blend space is generated from the set of animation sequences using locator nodes associated with each animation sequence. A subset of animation sequences is selected from the set of animation sequences by casting a ray from a reference bone to a target through the geometric representation and selecting animation sequences that are geometrically close to the intersection of the cast ray and the geometric representation. A blend weight is determined for each member animation sequence in the selected subset of animation sequences. A blended animation is generated using the selected subset of animation sequences and the blend weights, then rendered to create a final animation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Thomas Wrinch