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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for animating an object, wherein animating the object comprises creating one or more duplicates of the object and animating the one or more duplicates according to a range in which the one or more duplicates moves, the method comprising:
 presenting a user interface comprising:
 a control area comprising an ellipse; and 
 a first user-manipulable control element located on the circumference of the ellipse, wherein the first user-manipulable control element comprises a first point and a second point, and wherein the first point and the second point together specify a sector of the ellipse, and wherein a size of the sector specifies a size of the range, and wherein a position of the sector specifies a location of the range; 
   receiving user input via the first user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging the first point in order to set the sector's size and the sector's position; and   animating the object based on the received input.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein animating the object further comprises animating the one or more duplicates according to a speed with which the one or more duplicates moves, and wherein the user interface further comprises a second user-manipulable control element located mostly within the ellipse, wherein the second user-manipulable control element comprises a representation of a vector having a variable magnitude, and wherein the magnitude of the vector directly specifies the speed, and wherein the representation of the vector comprises an arrow having a straight body and a tail located in the center of the ellipse, the arrow pointing toward a point on the circumference of the ellipse, the method further comprising:
 receiving user input via the second user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging a head of the representation of the vector in order to set the vector's magnitude. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein animating the object further comprises creating the one or more duplicates according to a Birth Rate parameter that specifies how many particles are created per second. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the user interface further comprises a slider that indicates a value for the Birth Rate parameter. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a value of the Birth Rate parameter is a percentage. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein animating the object further comprises removing the one or more duplicates according to a Life parameter that specifies how long a particle is displayed before disappearing. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the user interface further comprises a slider that indicates a value for the Life parameter. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein a value of the Life parameter is a percentage. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein animating the object further comprises creating the one or more duplicates according to a Scale parameter that specifies how large a duplicate is relative to the object. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the user interface further comprises a slider that indicates a value for the Scale parameter. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a value of the Scale parameter is a percentage. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the user interface is semi-transparent. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is non-modal. 
     
     
         14 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon data representing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 presenting a user interface comprising:
 a control area comprising an ellipse; and 
 a first user-manipulable control element located on the circumference of the ellipse, wherein the first user-manipulable control element comprises a first point and a second point, and wherein the first point and the second point together specify a sector of the ellipse, and wherein a size of the sector specifies a size of a range in which one or more duplicates of an object moves, and wherein a position of the sector specifies a location of the range; 
   receiving user input via the first user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging the first point in order to set the sector's size and the sector's position; and   animating the object based on the received input.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein animating the object further comprises animating the one or more duplicates according to a speed with which the one or more duplicates moves, and wherein the user interface further comprises a second user-manipulable control element located mostly within the ellipse, wherein the second user-manipulable control element comprises a representation of a vector having a variable magnitude, and wherein the magnitude of the vector directly specifies the speed, and wherein the representation of the vector comprises an arrow having a straight body and a tail located in the center of the ellipse, the arrow pointing toward a point on the circumference of the ellipse, the operations further comprising:
 receiving user input via the second user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging a head of the representation of the vector in order to set the vector's magnitude.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein animating the object further comprises creating the one or more duplicates according to a Birth Rate parameter that specifies how many particles are created per second. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein animating the object further comprises removing the one or more duplicates according to a Life parameter that specifies how long a particle is displayed before disappearing. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein animating the object further comprises creating the one or more duplicates according to a Scale parameter that specifies how large a duplicate is relative to the object. 
     
     
         19 . A system for animating an object, wherein animating the object comprises creating one or more duplicates of the object and animating the one or more duplicates according to a range in which the one or more duplicates moves, the system comprising a processor configured to perform a method, the method comprising:
 presenting a user interface comprising:
 a control area comprising an ellipse; and 
 a first user-manipulable control element located on the circumference of the ellipse, wherein the first user-manipulable control element comprises a first point and a second point, and wherein the first point and the second point together specify a sector of the ellipse, and wherein a size of the sector specifies a size of the range, and wherein a position of the sector specifies a location of the range; 
   receiving user input via the first user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging the first point in order to set the sector's size and the sector's position; and   animating the object based on the received input.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein animating the object further comprises animating the one or more duplicates according to a speed with which the one or more duplicates moves, and wherein the user interface further comprises a second user-manipulable control element located mostly within the ellipse, wherein the second user-manipulable control element comprises a representation of a vector having a variable magnitude, and wherein the magnitude of the vector directly specifies the speed, and wherein the representation of the vector comprises an arrow having a straight body and a tail located in the center of the ellipse, the arrow pointing toward a point on the circumference of the ellipse, the method further comprising:
 receiving user input via the second user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging a head of the representation of the vector in order to set the vector's magnitude.