User interface for controlling animation of an object

Abstract

A user can control the animation of an object via an interface that includes a control area and a user-manipulable control element. In one embodiment, the control area includes an ellipse, and the user-manipulable control element includes an arrow. In yet another embodiment, the control area includes an ellipse, and the user-manipulable control element includes two points on the circumference of the ellipse. In yet another embodiment, the control area includes a first rectangle, and the user-manipulable control element includes a second rectangle. In yet another embodiment, the user-manipulable control element includes two triangular regions, and the control area includes an area separating the two regions.

1 . A user interface for a computer program, comprising: 
 a control area comprising an ellipse; and 
 a user-manipulable control element located within the control area, for specifying a value, wherein the user-manipulable control element comprises a representation of a vector having a magnitude and an orientation, and wherein the value controls an animation of an object.  
   
     
     
         2 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the representation of the vector comprises an arrow, and wherein the body of the arrow is a straight line, and wherein the tail of the arrow is located in the center of the ellipse, the arrow pointing toward a point on the circumference of the ellipse.  
     
     
         3 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the value controls the animation of the object according to a behavior.  
     
     
         4 . The user interface of  claim 3 , wherein the magnitude of the vector controls a first user-settable parameter of the behavior, and wherein the orientation of the vector controls a second user-settable parameter of the behavior.  
     
     
         5 . The user interface of  claim 4 , wherein the first user-settable parameter comprises a speed with which the object moves, and wherein the second user-settable parameter comprises a direction in which the object moves.  
     
     
         6 . The user interface of  claim 5 , wherein the behavior comprises a Throw behavior.  
     
     
         7 . The user interface of  claim 5 , wherein the behavior comprises a Wind behavior.  
     
     
         8 . The user interface of  claim 4 , wherein the behavior comprises creating one or more duplicates of the object and animating the one or more duplicates by changing a location of the one or more duplicates over time, and wherein the first user-settable parameter comprises a speed with which the one or more duplicates moves, and wherein the second user-settable parameter comprises a direction in which the one or more duplicates moves.  
     
     
         9 . A user interface for a computer program, comprising: 
 a control area comprising an ellipse; and 
 a user-manipulable control element located within the control area, for specifying a value, wherein the user-manipulable control element comprises an arrow having a curved body, and wherein the value controls an animation of an object.  
   
     
     
         10 . The user interface of  claim 9 , wherein the curved body of the arrow comprises an arc of the circumference of the ellipse, and wherein the tail and the head of the arrow are located on the circumference of the ellipse, the arrow pointing along the circumference of the ellipse.  
     
     
         11 . The user interface of  claim 9 , wherein the value controls the animation of the object according to a behavior.  
     
     
         12 . The user interface of  claim 11 , wherein the length of the arrow controls a first user-settable parameter of the behavior, and wherein the direction of the arrow controls a second user-settable parameter of the behavior.  
     
     
         13 . The user interface of  claim 12 , wherein the first user-settable parameter comprises a speed with which the object rotates, and wherein the second user-settable parameter comprises a direction in which the object rotates.  
     
     
         14 . The user interface of  claim 13 , wherein the behavior comprises a Spin behavior.  
     
     
         15 . A user interface for a computer program, comprising: 
 a control area comprising a first rectangle; and 
 a user-manipulable control element comprising a second rectangle, for specifying a first value and a second value, wherein the first value and the second value control an animation of an object,  
   wherein a location of the center of the first rectangle and a location of the center of the second rectangle substantially coincide.    
     
     
         16 . The user interface of  claim 15 , wherein the first value and the second value control the animation of the object according to a behavior.  
     
     
         17 . The user interface of  claim 16 , wherein the first value controls a first user-settable parameter of the behavior, and wherein the second value controls a second user-settable parameter of the behavior.  
     
     
         18 . The user interface of  claim 17 , wherein the first user-settable parameter comprises a change in the object's width, and wherein the second user-settable parameter comprises a change in the object's height.  
     
     
         19 . The user interface of  claim 16 , wherein the behavior comprises a Grow/Shrink behavior.  
     
     
         20 . The user interface of  claim 15 , wherein the first value comprises a difference between a width of the second rectangle and a width of the first rectangle, and wherein the second value comprises a difference between a height of the second rectangle and a height of the first rectangle.  
     
     
         21 . The user interface of  claim 15 , wherein the first rectangle indicates a first size of the object, and wherein the second rectangle indicates a second size of the object.  
     
     
         22 . A user interface for a computer program, comprising: 
 a control area; and 
 a user-manipulable control element comprising a first region, for specifying a first value, and a second region, for specifying a second value, wherein the first value and the second value control an animation of an object.  
   
     
     
         23 . The user interface of  claim 22 , wherein one of a group containing the first region and the second region is triangular.  
     
     
         24 . The user interface of  claim 22 , wherein the control area comprises an area separating the first region and the second region.  
     
     
         25 . The user interface of  claim 22 , wherein the first value and the second value control the animation of the object according to a behavior.  
     
     
         26 . The user interface of  claim 25 , wherein the first value controls a first user-settable parameter of the behavior, and wherein the second value controls a second user-settable parameter of the behavior.  
     
     
         27 . The user interface of  claim 26 , wherein the first user-settable parameter comprises a fade-in time of the object, and wherein the second user-settable parameter comprises a fade-out time of the object.  
     
     
         28 . The user interface of  claim 25 , wherein the behavior comprises a Fade In/Fade Out behavior.  
     
     
         29 . The user interface of  claim 22 , wherein the first value comprises a width of the first region, and wherein the second value comprises a width of the second region.  
     
     
         30 . A user interface for a computer program, comprising: 
 a control area comprising an ellipse; and 
 a user-manipulable control element comprising a first point and a second point, wherein the first point and the second point are located on the circumference of the ellipse, and wherein the first point and the second point define an arc of the circumference of the ellipse, and wherein the arc specifies a first value and a second value, and wherein the first value and the second value control an animation of an object.  
   
     
     
         31 . The user interface of  claim 30 , wherein the first value and the second value control the animation of the object according to a behavior.  
     
     
         32 . The user interface of  claim 31 , wherein the first value controls a first user-settable parameter of the behavior, and wherein the second value controls a second user-settable parameter of the behavior.  
     
     
         33 . The user interface of  claim 32 , wherein the behavior comprises creating one or more duplicates of the object and animating the one or more duplicates by changing a location of the one or more duplicates over time, and wherein the first user-settable parameter comprises a size of a range in which the one or more duplicates moves, and wherein the second user-settable parameter comprises a location of the range in which the one or more duplicates moves.  
     
     
         34 . The user interface of  claim 30 , wherein the first value comprises a length of the arc, and wherein the second value comprises a position of the arc.  
     
     
         35 . A user interface for a computer program for animating an object according to a behavior, the behavior having a plurality of user-settable parameters, the user interface comprising a plurality of user-manipulable control elements, a user-manipulable control element specifying a value of a user-settable parameter.  
     
     
         36 . The user interface of  claim 35 , wherein the plurality of user interface elements specify values of a subset of the plurality of user-settable parameters.  
     
     
         37 . The user interface of  claim 36 , wherein the subset's contents do not vary.  
     
     
         38 . The user interface of  claim 36 , wherein the subset's contents vary based on a user-settable value.  
     
     
         39 . The user interface of  claim 36 , wherein the subset's contents vary based on a pattern of past user activity.  
     
     
         40 . The user interface of  claim 35 , wherein one of the plurality of user interface elements is graphical.  
     
     
         41 . The user interface of  claim 35 , wherein one of the plurality of user interface elements is semi-transparent.  
     
     
         42 . The user interface of  claim 35 , wherein one of the plurality of user interface elements controls an animation of an object.  
     
     
         43 . The user interface of  claim 42 , wherein one of the plurality of user interface elements controls the animation of the object according to a behavior.  
     
     
         44 . The user interface of  claim 35 , wherein the user interface is non-modal.  
     
     
         45 . A computer-implemented method for animating an object, the method comprising: 
 presenting a user interface comprising: 
 a control area comprising an ellipse; and  
 a user-manipulable control element located within the control area, for specifying a value, wherein the user-manipulable control element comprises a representation of a vector having a magnitude and an orientation;  
 receiving input via the user-manipulable control element; and  
 animating the object based on the received input.  
   
     
     
         46 . A computer-implemented method for animating an object, the method comprising: 
 presenting a user interface comprising: 
 a control area comprising an ellipse; and  
 a user-manipulable control element located within the control area, for specifying a value, wherein the user-manipulable control element comprises an arrow having a curved body;  
 receiving input via the user-manipulable control element; and  
 animating the object based on the received input.  
   
     
     
         47 . A computer-implemented method for animating an object according to a behavior, the behavior having a plurality of user-settable parameters, the method comprising: 
 presenting a user interface comprising a plurality of user-manipulable control elements, a user-manipulable control element specifying a value of a user-settable parameter;    receiving input via the user-manipulable control element; and    animating the object based on the received input.    
     
     
         48 . A computer-readable medium storing a computer program product for animating an object, the computer program product comprising: 
 program code for presenting a user interface comprising: 
 a control area comprising an ellipse; and  
 a user-manipulable control element located within the control area, for specifying a value, wherein the user-manipulable control element comprises a representation of a vector having a magnitude and an orientation;  
   program code for receiving input via the user-manipulable control element; and    program code for animating the object based on the received input.