1. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly; said solution group being related with at least one target part of said plurality of parts; each respective part of said plurality of parts being identified by a respective part-containing volume and a respective locus; each said respective locus being identified with respect to an origin; the method comprising the steps of:
(a) identifying said respective part-containing volume of each respective said at least one target part;
(b) including each said respective part-containing volume of each respective said at least one target part as part of a target-containing volume for said at least one target part;
(c) identifying each respective part-containing volume for each said relevant part; each said relevant part being identified by a respective part-containing volume having a predetermined relationship with respect to said target-containing volume; and
(d) assigning said relevant part to said solution group.
2. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein each said respective locus is defined according to three substantially orthogonal axes substantially originating at said origin.
3. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein each said respective locus is defined according to a three dimensional polar coordinate system substantially centered at said origin.
4. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein each said respective part-containing volume is substantially polyhedral.
5. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein each said respective part-containing volume is substantially spherical.
6. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined relationship is a substantially abutting relationship between a respective said part-containing volume and said target-containing volume.
7. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined relationship is a substantially intersecting relationship between a respective said part-containing volume and said target-containing volume.
8. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein each said respective part-containing volume is substantially polyhedral.
9. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein each said respective part-containing volume is substantially spherical.
10. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly; said solution group being situated substantially proximate to at least one target part of said plurality of parts; each respective part of said plurality of parts being identified by a respective part volume and a respective locus; each respective said part volume substantially containing a respective said part; each said respective locus being identified with respect to an origin; the method comprising the steps of:
(a) identifying a target volume substantially containing said at least one target part;
(b) identifying each respective part volume for each said relevant part; each said relevant part being identified by a respective part volume having a predetermined relationship with respect to said target volume; and
(c) assigning each said relevant part to said solution group.
11. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein each said respective locus is defined according to three substantially orthogonal axes substantially originating at said origin.
12. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein each said respective locus is defined according to a three dimensional polar coordinate system substantially centered at said origin.
13. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein each said respective part volume is substantially a polyhedral shape.
14. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein each said respective part-containing volume is substantially a spherical shape.
15. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said predetermined relationship is a substantially abutting relationship between a respective said part volume and said target volume.
16. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said predetermined relationship is a substantially intersecting relationship between a respective said part volume and said target volume.
17. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein each said respective part volume is substantially a polyhedral shape.
18. A method for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein each said respective part-containing volume is substantially a spherical shape.
19. An apparatus for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly; said solution group being situated substantially proximate to at least one target part of said plurality of parts; the apparatus comprising:
(a) a storage unit; said storage unit storing information identifying each respective part of said plurality of parts by a respective part volume and a respective locus; each respective said part volume substantially containing at least one respective said part; each said respective locus being identified with respect to an origin;
(b) a computing unit coupled with said storage unit for accessing said storage unit to obtain and treat information stored in said storage unit;
(c) an input unit for commanding said computing unit in effecting said accessing, using and treating; and
(d) an output unit coupled with said computing unit for presenting output signals from said computing unit;
said computing unit and said input unit cooperating to identify a target volume substantially containing said at least one target part; said computing unit employing information stored in said storage unit for said treating to effect identifying each respective part volume for each said relevant part; each said relevant part being identified by a respective part volume having a predetermined relationship with respect to said target volume; said computing unit assigning each said relevant part to said solution group; said output unit presenting said solution group to a user.
20. An apparatus for determining a solution group of relevant parts among a plurality of parts in an assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein said predetermined relationship includes at least one of a substantially abutting relationship and a substantially intersecting relationship.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system configured to modify a set of time ordered digital images comprising a computer having memory and a program stored in said memory that is configured to:
associate a first mask with a motion object in a first image at a first mask location;
copy said first mask to create a second mask associated with a second image;
move said second mask to a second mask location associated with said motion object in said second image; and,
reshape said second mask to fit said motion object in said second image based on underlying image data in said second image.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to:
accept user input of at least one threshold associated with said underlying image data;
create said first mask based on said at least one threshold associated with said underlying image data at said first mask location;
wherein said associate said first mask with said motion object comprises storing said first mask in said memory.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to:
move said second mask based on said underlying image data in said second image.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to:
reshape said second mask through a search near said second mask location in said second image based on said underlying image data contained within said first mask in said first image.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to:
track underlying image data in said second image that is contained within said first mask in said first image to adjust said second mask shape in said second image.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to:
reshape said second mask through a search via gradient descent within a bounding box around said second mask location in said second image based on said underlying image data contained within said first mask in said first image.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein said computer is further configured to:
create a fit box for said second mask in said second image; and,
modify a mask shape of said second mask using a gradient descent of minimum errors within said fit box based on said underlying image data.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said modify of the mask shape of said second mask further comprises a modification of said shape using Bezier curve animation with edge detection.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein said modify the mask shape of said second mask further comprises a modification of said shape via polygon animation with edge detection.
10. The system of claim 7 wherein said computer is further configured to:
calculate a weighted index for said first mask in said first image using bilinear interpolation;
calculate said minimum errors based on said weighted index for said first mask and on said underlying image data.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to:
wherein said second mask comprises a polygon or curve and wherein said move or reshape or both said move and said reshape of said second mask comprises a change in location of at least one pixel of said mask or one or more vertices or control points of said mask.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said reshape of said second mask further comprises a modification of said shape based on Bezier curve animation with edge detection.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein said reshape of said second mask further comprises a modification of said shape based on polygon animation with edge detection.
14. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to:
accept at least one depth parameter associated with said first mask in said first image;
apply said at least one depth parameter to said second mask in said second image.
15. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to:
accept user input to manually adjust said second mask.
16. The system of claim 1 said computer is further configured to:
import a first alpha mask for a computer-generated element in said first image and import a second alpha mask for said second image and further reshape said first mask and reshape said second mask to fit a border of said alpha mask for said computer-generated element.
17. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to calculate amount of disk space that may be utilized to archive a movie conversion project and signify at least one asset that may be rebuilt from other assets to avoid archival of said at least one asset.
18. The system of claim 1 wherein said underling image data is a feature or image feature or image characteristic associated with one or more pixels.
19. A system configured to modify a set of time ordered digital images comprising a computer having memory and a program stored in said memory that is configured to:
associate a first mask with a motion object in a first image at a first mask location;
copy said first mask to create a second mask associated with a second image;
move said second mask to a second mask location associated with said motion object in said second image based on underlying image data in said second image; and,
reshape said second mask to fit said motion object in said second image based on said underlying image data in said second image through a search near said second mask location in said second image based on said underlying image data contained within said first mask in said first image.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein said computer is further configured to:
accept at least one depth parameter associated with said first mask in said first image;
apply said at least one depth parameter to said second mask in said second image.