JP3263443B2 - Animation editing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an animation editing apparatus for editing animation data.

In this type of apparatus, an animation data file (animation file) is created by using a computer, and the animation is reproduced by read-accessing the file.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art In FIG. 18, data A, B, and C (for example, data A is an image image, data B is a voice, data C is a character) forming the same animation are prepared in advance. , C are connected in order from the head of the animation file to the tail.

When an animation is reproduced, an animation file is opened and each data A, B, C
Are sequentially read, and as a result, the animation indicated by the data A, B, and C is reproduced.

[0005]

When the story of the animation is changed, even if the scene of the changed portion is slightly different from the previous and next scenes, all the data relating to the scene of the changed portion is created and the existing data (A , B, C), and linking these data (A, B, C) is required (see FIG. 18).

Therefore, conventionally, it takes time and effort to create an animation file, and the capacity of the animation file increases with the length of the story.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of facilitating editing work and making an animation file compact.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus according to the present invention is configured as follows.

First Invention Referring to FIG. 2, an image data input means 20 for inputting data indicating the contents of image expression for a plurality of animation images, a display control data input means 22 for inputting animation display control data, An animation file creating means 24 for storing the data representing the expression content of the image and the input data for the display control in the same animation file; and reading each data representing the content of the animation image from the animation file and storing the data in a plurality of memories. Image data reading means 28 for individually writing, and display data creating means 3 for reading display control data from an animation file and creating display data of a single image from the contents of each memory according to the data.
0, and animation display means 32 for displaying an animation image indicated by the created display data.

Second invention In FIG. 3, an animation display means 34 for displaying animation images corresponding to a plurality of divided areas, and an image data input for inputting data indicating the contents of image expression for each animation image to be displayed. Means 36;
Correlation data input means 38 for inputting data indicating the correspondence between each divided area and the expression content of each animation image and the priority for displaying each animation image
An animation file creating means 40 for storing, in the same animation file, input data indicating the expression content of the animation image and input data indicating the correspondence between each divided area and the expression content of the animation image; And animation display control means 42 for controlling the display of each animation image using the stored contents of

[0011]

A plurality of image data of animation are stored in the same animation file, and display control data of the image data is also stored in the animation file.

At the time of reproducing the animation, the respective image data are read out to different memories, and the contents of these memories are switched and displayed according to the control data, or are displayed in combination.

Second Invention Different animation contents are displayed in each of the plurality of divided areas, and data for associating the contents of each animation display with the divided areas in which they are displayed are input.

[0014]

FIG. 6 shows a keyboard 600 and a mouse 60 in FIG.
2 to the data processing device 604.

A keyboard 602 is used for inputting a character string, and a mouse 602 is used for creating and correcting images (still images and moving images) and sounds (including sound effects and music).

Further, an image of a still image (such as a photograph) is input from the image reader 606, and an image and a sound of a moving image are input from the image / sound input device 608 (VTR, CD-ROM, etc.).

In the data processing device 604, an animation editing process using these inputs is performed according to a keyboard input and a mouse input, and an animation file obtained by the process is stored in the hard disk 610.

At the time of animation reproduction, an animation file on the hard disk 610 is opened, and an image image and a character string indicating the contents of the file are displayed on the display 612.

A sound signal indicated by the contents of the opened animation file is sent from the data processing device 604 to the sound reproducing device 614, and the sound reproducing device 6
At 14, audio playback output is obtained.

The data processing device 604 is provided with an image memory 616, and the image memory 616 has a plurality of display memories for storing data displayed on the display 612 (see FIG. 7).

FIG. 7 illustrates data stored in the animation files (1, 2,..., N) on the hard disk 610. These animation files are composed of animation data (images, audio, , Character data), attribute control data, synthesis control data, area division control data, and procedure control data.

In the same figure, the data processing device 604
The input editing program execution unit 700, the reproduction management program execution unit 702, the animation reproduction program execution unit 704, the attribute control program execution unit 706, the synthesis control program execution unit 708, the area division control program execution unit 710, and the procedure control program execution unit The input editing program execution unit 700 edits animation data, attribute control data, composite control data, area division data, and procedure control data according to input and stores the edited data in the same animation file. Are executed, and execution units 704, 706, 708, 710, 71
2 is started by the reproduction management program execution unit 702.

FIG. 8 illustrates attribute control data relating to display colors for animation reproduction. The attribute control data for display colors is a list of records in which the display color change time, pallet number, and RGB value are fields. .

After the animation file including the attribute control data is created by the input editing program execution unit 700, when a user input instructing the reproduction of the animation is given to the reproduction management program execution unit 702,
The processing of FIG. 9 is performed by the animation reproduction program execution unit 704 and the attribute control program execution unit 706.

In FIG. 9, when the animation file is read-accessed and the animation data (image image) is read from the animation file (step 900), this image image is stored in the image memory 6 (step 900).
16 (step 902), and after the palette conversion is performed to change the display color (step 90).
4) The image in the image memory 616 is transferred to the display 612 and displayed (step 906).

Here, the attribute control program execution unit 706
In, when the current time coincides with the time of a record in the attribute control data, a pallet conversion process of changing the display color to the one indicated by the record is performed. Therefore, the display color of the animation is changed according to the attribute control data. It changes automatically over time.

In order to perform this display color change (palette conversion), only a small amount of attribute control data is required, and it is not necessary to prepare an image for a frame of a display color change portion.

Similar processing can be performed for voice (pitch, size, etc.) and characters (font, size, etc.). In this case, attribute control data including those contents is prepared in advance. You.

FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C show examples of the combined control data, respectively, and FIG. 11 illustrates the contents of the processing performed by the combined control program execution unit 708. .

In the process, a plurality of image images are prepared in advance and stored in advance in the display memory (having a capacity of one frame) of the image memory 616 by the animation reproduction program execution unit 704 (separate display). Stored in the memory), and determines the type of the combined control data (steps 1100, 1102, 1104, 1106,...)
The data of the edited contents of each display memory is transferred to the display 612 (steps 1150, 1152, 1150).
..) Are performed by the synthesis control program execution unit 708.

For example, in the case of the synthetic control data shown in FIG. 10A, as time elapses, an image image (frame) of a certain display memory and an image image of another display memory are switched and displayed.

In the case of the synthetic control data shown in FIG. 10B, the weight of the image in each display memory is changed with the passage of time, and a synthetic image is created by superimposing them. The images are displayed on the display 162 in order.

In the case of the composite control data shown in FIG. 10C, after a certain image is displayed, the display is switched to another image by a horizontal wipe.

In order to perform such display switching and composition, it is sufficient to prepare only a small amount of composition control data as shown in FIG. 10, and it is not possible to create an image image to be displayed in advance during that time. Not required.

FIG. 12 shows the area division control data. This data is a list of records in which the number of the divided area, the coordinates of the area end, the time of area display, and the priority on the display screen are fields. ing.

FIG. 13 illustrates the contents of the processing performed by the area division control program execution unit 710 using the area division control data. In the processing, it is confirmed that the current time matches the display time in the record. First, the field (area number → area definition data) and priority field contents in the record are confirmed (steps 1300 and 1302).

Then, a process (step 1304) of writing the corresponding image in the order indicated by the contents of the priority field into the portion corresponding to the divided region of the image memory 616 indicated by the contents of the region field is performed. Transferred to the display 612 (step 13
06).

In the case of FIG. 12, at time 1, area 1
Is displayed, and the image in the area 2 is overwritten with this as the background.

As described above, a new image image in which existing image images are pasted together (a plurality of animations are divided and displayed on a screen) can be automatically generated, and the operation of creating a complicated image image is unnecessary. .

FIG. 14 shows an animation file according to the present embodiment. As can be understood from FIG. 14, the frames of animations 1 and 2 are alternately arranged from the head of the file to the end of the file. Control data is inserted between frames).

The animation reproduction program execution unit 704 reads the animation file from the beginning. Therefore, when the first frame of the animation file 2 is read, the first frames of the animation files 1 and 2 are used. Display becomes possible.

If the frames of the image and the sound of the same animation are alternately arranged in the animation file, the image and the sound are immediately reproduced when the first frame is read out. it can.

FIG. 15A shows the format of the procedure control data. FIG. 15B shows a repetition command, and FIG. 15C shows a fixed conditional branch command.
In FIG. 15D, commands for conditional branching by mouse input are described respectively (otherwise, commands for variable operation and the like may be prepared).

FIG. 16A illustrates an example of incorporating the repeat command and the fixed conditional branch command in FIG. 15, and in FIG. 16A, these commands are inserted between frames of the image image (image image, It may be inserted between data in units of one frame of voice and text).

FIG. 16 (B) illustrates the display operation in the case of FIG. 16 (A).
The display control of the procedure of displaying each frame 3 twice twice in sequence and then displaying both frames of the image images 1 and 3 twice sequentially is performed in accordance with both renormalization commands.

FIG. 17 (A) illustrates an example of incorporation using the repeat command in FIG. 15 (B) and the conditional branch command by mouse input in FIG. 15 (D), and FIG. 17 (B) illustrates this example. Has been described.

In FIG. 17B, the mouse button is turned on when each frame of the images 1, 2, and 3 is displayed twice in sequence in a loop. Accordingly, the frame display of the image 2 (the third loop) is omitted, and the frame display of the image frame 3 (the third loop) is omitted.
Is done immediately. At this time, the mouse button is turned off again, so that the frames of the images 1, 2, and 3 are displayed in order (the fourth time at the end of the loop).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the control for changing the attributes of the image, sound, and character which are the contents for displaying the animation, such as the display color, volume, and character type (FIG. 8, Also, control for expressing an animation by entanglement of a plurality of images such as wipe, fade-in, fade-out, and cut-back (see FIGS. 10 and 11), and displaying a plurality of animations on one screen (See FIGS. 12 and 13) can be realized by inserting only a small amount of control data (attribute control data, synthesis control data, and area division control data) into the animation file.

In other words, it is not necessary to prepare a huge amount of data for reproducing animations with these complicated expressions, and the editing work for creating the animation files becomes extremely easy and efficient. The animation file becomes extremely compact.

Further, since the reproduction contents of the animation are divided into frames and the frames are arranged in the reproduction order in the file (see FIG. 14), a plurality of animations are reproduced simultaneously while read-accessing the animation file. It is also possible (in FIG. 14,
You can switch between two images or combine them.)

In addition, by inserting a procedure control command into the animation file, the animation can be reproduced partly and repeatedly, and an intelligent animation reproduction function such as branching according to conditions can be easily and freely realized. (See FIGS. 15, 16 and 17).

This animation reproduction can be performed in response to an external input, so that the user can arbitrarily change the story of the animation.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, an animation full of expressive power can be efficiently and easily edited without increasing the capacity of an animation file.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration explanatory diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of each section of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of display color attribute control data.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a display color attribute control procedure.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of synthesis control data.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of synthesis control.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of area division control data.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of region division control.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an animation file.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of procedure control data.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of processing contents of a procedure control.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of processing contents of procedure control.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration according to a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 600 Keyboard 602 Mouse 604 Data processing device 606 Image reader 608 Image / audio input unit 610 Hard disk 612 Display 614 Audio reproduction device 616 Image memory 700 Input editing program execution unit 702 Reproduction management program execution unit 704 Animation reproduction program execution unit 706 Attribute control program execution Unit 708 synthesis control program execution unit 710 region division control program execution unit 712 procedure control program execution unit

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image data input means for inputting data indicating the contents of image representation for a plurality of animation images; a display control data input means for inputting display control data of an animation image; Animation file creation means for storing the data to be displayed and the input data for display control in the same animation file; and reading image data from the animation file to read out each data showing the expression contents of the animation image and individually writing the data into a plurality of memories. Means, display data creation means for reading display control data from the animation file and creating display data of a single image from the contents of each memory in accordance with the data, and animation display for displaying an animation image indicated by the created display data Has a stage, the, animation editing apparatus, characterized in that. 2. An animation display means for displaying an animation image corresponding to each of a plurality of divided areas; an image data inputting means for inputting data indicating the contents of an image expression for each of the displayed animation images; Data input means for inputting data indicating the correspondence between the data and the expression content of each animation image and the priority for displaying each animation image; and each input data and each divided region indicating the expression content of the animation image. Animation file creation means for storing input data indicating a correspondence relationship with the expression content of each animation image in the same animation file; animation display control means for controlling display of each animation image using the storage content of the animation file; Having, Animation editing device features.