Elizabeth A H Nelson

US Patent:

7336280, Feb 26, 2008

Filed:

Nov 18, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/992462

Inventors:

Elizabeth K. Nelson - Seattle WA, US
Greg D. Schechter - Seattle WA, US
Leonardo E. Blanco - Redmond WA, US
Matthew W. Calkins - Seattle WA, US
Michael J. Hillberg - Beaux Arts WA, US
Namita Gupta - Seattle WA, US
Sriram Subramanian - Kirkland WA, US
Kurt Jacob - Redmond WA, US
Kenneth L. Young - Sammamish WA, US
Patrick Mullen - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06T 13/00

US Classification:

345473

Abstract:

Described is a method and system in which storyboard objects coordinate the animation of multiple elements and/or media displayed on a computer graphics display. Storyboards relate properties of elements in an element tree to a timeline, such that the properties associated with a storyboard are animated/play together as a group by starting, stopping, seeking or pausing the storyboard. Triggers, such as controlled by user interaction with the displayed information, including property triggers that change values in response to a state change, and event triggers that fire events, may cause the storyboard to start, stop, pause and seek. Storyboards may be used in XAML-based programs, and may be directly associated with elements, or indirectly associated with elements via styles. Complex properties and changeables are supported. Media playback may be controlled via storyboards, and thereby coordinated with other media playback and/or animations.

US Patent:

7477254, Jan 13, 2009

Filed:

Jul 13, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/181197

Inventors:

Elizabeth K. Nelson - Seattle WA, US
Kurt B. Jacob - Redmond WA, US
Matt Calkins - Seattle WA, US
Michael J. Hillberg - Beaux Arts WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06T 13/00
G09G 5/00

US Classification:

345473, 345661

Abstract:

Smooth transitions between rich media (e. g. , animations of visual elements of a UI) are provided when a “second” animation is started on a property of a visual element for which a “first” animation is already running. When the second animation is started, an animation system causes a current value of the property that resulted from the running of the “first” animation (i. e. , snapshot) to be stored, terminates or releases the first animation, and then causes the second animation to run using the snapshot as the “from” value of the property. Because the second animation “begins” at exactly the point at which the first animation ended, the transition between the first and second animation is smooth. An animation storage object can be created for a property for which an animation has been triggered to store base values and snapshots of the property while being animated.