Automatic Animation Generation

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a method that receives a selection of an animation to apply to two or more graphical objects in a scene over a particular time duration. The method identifies parameters for each of the graphical objects. Based on the selected animation, the method generates modifications to at least one parameter for each of the graphical objects over the particular time duration. The parameter of a first graphical object is modified differently than the parameter of a second graphical object. The method stores the modifications as data for the scene.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, executable by at least one processing unit, and comprising instructions to:
 render a user interface comprising a plurality of graphical objects, each of the plurality of graphical objects characterized by a first parameter, the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects having an initial value corresponding to a first keyframe;   determine, for each of the plurality of graphical objects, a terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to a second keyframe, the second keyframe being separated from the first keyframe by a determinate period;   determine, for each of the plurality of graphical objects, one or more intermediate values of the first parameter between the initial value and the terminal value; and   render, over a period corresponding to the determinate period, each of the plurality of graphical objects in accordance with the initial value, the one or more intermediate values, and the terminal value of the first parameter.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions to render a user interface comprising a plurality of graphical objects, further comprise instructions to assign the initial value of the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects in accordance with a default value. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 receive a selection of an action, the selected action applicable to one or more graphical objects from amongst the plurality of graphical objects,   wherein the instructions to determine, for each of the one or more graphical objects, the terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to the second keyframe, further comprise instructions to determine, for each of the one or more graphical objects, the terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to the second keyframe based on the selected action.   
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 display a first plurality of selectable actions;   receive an input selection; and   display, responsive to the input selection, a second plurality of selectable actions,   wherein the instructions to receive a selection of the selected action comprise instructions to receive a selection of the selected action from amongst the second plurality of selectable actions.   
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 receive a selection of a second parameter characterizing at least one graphical object from amongst the plurality of graphical objects, the second parameter for the at least one graphical object having an initial value corresponding to the first keyframe; and   receive a selection of a terminal value of the second parameter characterizing the at least one graphical object, the terminal value corresponding to the second keyframe; and   determine, for the at least one graphical object, one or more intermediate values of the second parameter between the initial value of the second parameter and the terminal value of the second parameter,   wherein the instructions to render, over the period corresponding to the determinate period, each of the plurality of graphical objects in accordance with the initial value, the one or more intermediate values, and the terminal value of the first parameter, further comprise instructions to render, over the period corresponding to the determinate period, the at least one graphical object in accordance with the initial value, the one or more intermediate values, and the terminal value of the second parameter.   
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to determine the determinate period based on the selected action. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 receive a selection of the first keyframe and receive a selection of the second keyframe,   wherein the instructions to determine, for each of the plurality of graphical objects, the terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to the second keyframe, further comprise instructions to determine the determinate period based, at least in part, on the initial value of the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects and the terminal value of the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects.   
     
     
         8 . A method of managing graphic animation, comprising:
 rendering, using an electronic display, a user interface comprising a plurality of graphical objects, each of the plurality of graphical objects characterized by a first parameter, the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects having an initial value corresponding to a first keyframe;   determining, using one or more processors, for each of the plurality of graphical objects, a terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to a second keyframe, the second keyframe being separated from the first keyframe by a determinate period;   determining, using the one or more processors, for each of the plurality of graphical objects, one or more intermediate values of the first parameter between the initial value and the terminal value; and   rendering, using the electronic display, over a period corresponding to the determinate period, each of the plurality of graphical objects in accordance with the initial value, the one or more intermediate values, and the terminal value of the first parameter.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising assigning the initial value of the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects in accordance with a default value. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the one or more processors, a selection of an action, the selected action applicable to one or more graphical objects from amongst the plurality of graphical objects; and   
       determining, for each of the one or more graphical objects, the terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to the second keyframe based, at least in part, on the selected action. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 displaying, using the electronic display, a first plurality of selectable actions;   receive, at the one or more processors, an input selection; and   displaying, responsive to the input selection, a second plurality of selectable actions,   wherein receiving the selection of the selected action comprises receiving the selection of the selected action from amongst the second plurality of selectable actions.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the one or more processors, a selection of a second parameter characterizing at least one graphical object from amongst the plurality of graphical objects, the second parameter for the at least one graphical object having an initial value corresponding to the first keyframe; and   receiving, at the one or more processors, a selection of a terminal value of the second parameter characterizing the at least one graphical object, the terminal value corresponding to the second keyframe; and   determining, using the one or more processors, for the at least one graphical object, one or more intermediate values of the second parameter between the initial value of the second parameter and the terminal value of the second parameter,   wherein rendering, over the period corresponding to the determinate period, each of the plurality of graphical objects in accordance with the initial value, the one or more intermediate values, and the terminal value of the first parameter, further comprises rendering, over the period corresponding to the determinate period, the at least one graphical object in accordance with the initial value, the one or more intermediate values, and the terminal value of the second parameter.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining the determinate period based on the selected action. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of the first keyframe and receiving a selection of the second keyframe,   wherein determining, for each of the plurality of graphical objects, the terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to the second keyframe, further comprises determining the determinate period based, at least in part, on the initial value of the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects and the terminal value of the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects.   
     
     
         15 . A graphics system, comprising:
 a display unit;   at least one processor coupled to the display unit; and   at least one memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor and comprising instructions to:   render, using the display unit, a user interface comprising a plurality of graphical objects, each of the plurality of graphical objects characterized by a first parameter, the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects having an initial value corresponding to a first keyframe;   determine, using the at least one processor, for each of the plurality of graphical objects, a terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to a second keyframe, the second keyframe being separated from the first keyframe by a determinate period;   determine, using the at least one processor, for each of the plurality of graphical objects, one or more intermediate values of the first parameter between the initial value and the terminal value; and   render, using the display unit, over a period corresponding to the determinate period, each of the plurality of graphical objects in accordance with the initial value, the one or more intermediate values, and the terminal value of the first parameter.   
     
     
         16 . The graphics system of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions to render, using the display unit, a user interface comprising a plurality of graphical objects, further comprise instructions to assign, at the at least one processor, the initial value of the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects in accordance with a default value. 
     
     
         17 . The graphics system of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 receive, at the at least one processor, a selection of an action, the selected action applicable to one or more graphical objects from amongst the plurality of graphical objects, and   wherein the instructions to determine, using the at least one processor, for each of the one or more graphical objects, the terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to the second keyframe, further comprise instructions to determine, for each of the one or more graphical objects, the terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to the second keyframe, based on the selected action.   
     
     
         18 . The graphics system of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 display, using the display unit, a first plurality of selectable actions;   receive, at the at least one processor, an input selection; and   display, using the display unit, responsive to the input selection, a second plurality of selectable actions,   wherein the instructions to receive the selection of the selected action comprise instructions to receive the selection of the selected action from amongst the second plurality of selectable actions.   
     
     
         19 . The graphics system of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 receive, at the at least one processor, a selection of a second parameter characterizing at least one graphical object from amongst the plurality of graphical objects, the second parameter for the at least one graphical object having an initial value corresponding to the first keyframe; and   receive, at the at least one processor, a selection of a terminal value of the second parameter characterizing the at least one graphical object, the terminal value corresponding to the second keyframe; and   determine, using the at least one processor, for the at least one graphical object, one or more intermediate values of the second parameter between the initial value of the second parameter and the terminal value of the second parameter,   wherein the instructions to render, using the display unit, over the period corresponding to the determinate period, each of the plurality of graphical objects in accordance with the initial value, the one or more intermediate values, and the terminal value of the first parameter, further comprise instructions to render, using the display unit, over the period corresponding to the determinate period, the at least one graphical object in accordance with the initial value, the one or more intermediate values, and the terminal value of the second parameter.   
     
     
         20 . The graphics system of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 receive, at the at least one processor, a selection of the first keyframe and receive, at the at least one processor, a selection of the second keyframe, and   wherein the instructions to determine, using the at least one processor, for each of the plurality of graphical objects, the terminal value of the first parameter corresponding to the second keyframe, further comprise instructions to determine, using the at least one processor, the determinate period based, at least in part, on the initial value of the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects and the terminal value of the first parameter for each of the plurality of graphical objects.