Methods and systems for implementing dynamic properties on objects that support only static properties

• US 7,296,276 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Daniel J., Maymudes, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Van H.
• Application Number:
  US10/927,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20050034133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 719/315, 719/316, 719/331, 719/332, 715/723, 715/764, 717/110, 386/52
• US Class Current: 719/316
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4488 Object-oriented

Abstract

Methods and systems of simulating dynamic properties on computer-implemented objects that do not support dynamic properties are described. In one embodiment, one or more first objects that do not support dynamic properties are provided. One or more second programmable objects are provided and are programmed to effect property value changes on the objects that do not support dynamic properties.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media;

code means embodied on the one or more computer-readable storage medium which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to provide a multi-media project editing architecture comprising;

one or more first objects associated with a matrix switch, the one or more first objects supporting only static properties associated with rendering a multi-media project;

one or more second objects associated with the one or more first objects and configured to call the one or more first objects to effect one or more property value changes on the one or more first objects in a manner that makes the one or more first objects appear as if they support dynamic properties;

one or more data structures associated with the one or more second objects, individual data structures containing data that is to be used by the one or more second objects to effect a property value change;

wherein the one or more data structures comprise an array of one or more sets of data structures, each set of data structures being associated with a property that is to be changed and containing property data that is to be used to change property values for a property; and

wherein the property data comprises at least one property value change that is to be made, a time at which a property value change is to be made, and a description of how a property value change is to be made.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more second objects are configured to maintain property data that is used to call the one or more first objects.

3. The computing system of claim 2, wherein the property data comprises at least one property value change that is to be made.

4. The computing system of claim 2, wherein the property data comprises a time at which a property value change is to be made.

5. The computing system of claim 2, wherein the property data comprises how a property value change is to be made.

6. The computing system of claim 2, wherein the property data comprises one or more of the following:

at least one property value change that is to be made, a time at which a property value change is to be made, and how a property value change is to be made.

7. The computing system of claim 2, wherein the property data comprises at least one property value change that is to be made, a time at which a property value change is to be made, and how a property value change is to be made.

8. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the property data comprises at least one property value change that is to be made.

9. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the property data comprises a time at which a property value change is to be made.

10. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the property data comprises how a property value change is to be made.

11. A computer-implemented multi-media project editing architecture embodied in a computer readable storage medium comprising:

one or more first objects associated with a matrix switch, the one or more first objects supporting only static properties, the one or more first objects being configured to implement a transform associated with processing of a multi-media editing project;

one or more second objects associated with the one or more first objects and configured to call the one or more first objects to effect one or more property value changes on the one or more first objects in a manner that makes the one or more first objects appear as if they support dynamic properties; and

one or more data structures associated with the one or more second objects, individual data structures containing property data that is to be used by the one or more second objects to effect a property value change;

wherein the one or more data structures comprise an array of one or more sets of data structures, each set of data structures being associated with a property whose values are to be changed and containing property data that is to be used to change property values for a property, and

wherein the property data comprises;

at least one value to which a property is to be changed, a time at which at least one property value is to be changed, and how at least one property value is to be changed.

12. The computer-implemented multi-media project editing architecture of claim 11, wherein the property data comprises at least one value to which a property is to be changed.

13. The computer-implemented multi-media project editing architecture of claim 11, wherein the property data comprises a time at which at least one property value is to be changed.

14. The computer-implemented multi-media project editing architecture of claim 11, wherein the property data comprises how at least one property value is to be changed.

15. A property value-changing method comprising:

providing one or more first objects associated with a matrix switch, the one or more first objects supporting only static properties, the one or more first objects being configured to implement a transform associated with processing of a multi-media editing project;

providing one or more programmable objects configured to effect property value changes on the objects that support only static properties; and

effecting at least one property value change on the one or more objects that support only static properties using the one or more programmable objects;

programming the one or more programmable objects with property data that is to be used by the one or more programmable objects to effect said at least one property value change;

organizing the property data in one or more data structures that are used by the one or more programmable objects, wherein said organizing comprises defining an array of data structures, each array comprising one or more sets of structures and each set being associated with a property whose value can change;

wherein the property data comprises one or more property values that are to be changed, a time at which a property value is to be changed, and how a property value is to be changed.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the property data comprises one or more property values that are to be changed.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the property data comprises a lime at which a property value is to be changed.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the property data comprises how a property value is to be changed.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising organizing the property data in one or more data structures that are used by the one or more programmable objects.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said effecting comprises calling the one or more objects that support only static properties with the one or more programmable objects.

21. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 15.

22. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

provide one or more objects that support only static properties, the one or more objects being configured to implement a transform associated with processing of a multi-media editing project, wherein the one or more objects are associated with a matrix switch;

provide one or more programmable objects configured to effect property value changes on the one or more objects that support only static properties;

program the one or more programmable objects with property data that is to be used by the one or more programmable objects to effect said at least one property value change, the property data comprising;

property value changes that are to be made, time(s) at which property value changes are to be made, and how the property value changes are to be made; and

effect at least one property value change on the one or more objects that support only static properties in a manner that makes the one or more objects appear as if they support dynamic properties by using the one or more programmable objects to call the one or more objects that support only static properties.