Animation Timeline Scene Management for Motion Path Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The current animation user interface in presentation applications like Microsoft PowerPoint is cumbersome, making it difficult for users to effectively utilize and manage animation features, particularly motion path animation effects, which require complex adjustments and lack intuitive tools for direct manipulation.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an animation timeline that allows users to analyze discrete states, view scenes, and directly manipulate objects to author animations, including motion path animation effects, using a motion path tweening method and a ghost version of the object to visualize the animation path, facilitating easier adjustment and scaling of motion paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional animation user interface is used with drop-down menus and dialogs, then animation effects can be applied, but the user interface becomes cumbersome and difficult to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The animation creation process is segmented into discrete states represented as scenes in a timeline. Each scene can be independently created, edited, and managed, transforming the complex animation creation process into manageable segments. Users can navigate between scenes sequentially, making the overall system easier to operate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension by organizing animations as a timeline of discrete states. This time-based organization allows users to view and edit animations sequentially rather than navigating through complex nested menus, adding a new dimension to the user interface that simplifies interaction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If motion path animation effects are used with curved paths, then animation flexibility is improved, but additional logic is required to scale the motion path to maintain its shape
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores the scaled motion path parameters when a scene is created or modified. The scaling logic is performed in advance during scene setup, so that when the animation plays, the user simply needs to adjust endpoint positions without worrying about maintaining path shape through complex real-time calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary representation layer between the user's simple endpoint adjustments and the complex motion path scaling requirements. This intermediary system automatically handles the scaling logic, translating user-friendly operations into the precise path adjustments needed for curved motion paths.
3Measurement precision
If users manually adjust motion path endpoints to reposition objects, then precise control is achieved, but it is difficult to know the end state of the animation effect
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides visual feedback by displaying the motion path and intermediate states as the user adjusts endpoints. The timeline view shows how changes to one scene affect subsequent scenes, giving users immediate feedback on the consequences of their adjustments and helping them predict the final animation state.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy or representation of the motion path and object positions in the timeline view. This copy allows users to see the intended end state before finalizing the animation, enabling them to adjust endpoints with confidence that the visual representation accurately reflects the resulting animation behavior.
Data Source
AI summary
An animation timeline is analyzed to determine one or more discrete states. Each discrete state includes one or more animation effects. The discrete states represent scenes of a slide in a slide presentation. The concepts of scenes allows user to view a timeline of scenes, open a scene, and direct manipulate objects in the scene to author animations. The animations can include motion path animation effects, which can be directly manipulated utilizing a motion path tweening method. To aid in direct manipulation of a motion path of an object, a ghost version of the object can be shown to communicate to a user the position of the object after a motion path animation effect that includes the motion path is performed. The ghost version may also be used to show a start position when a start point is manipulated.