Control of timing for animations in dynamic icons

• US 8,589,815 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fong, Jeffrey Cheng-Yao, Arnold, Jeff, Glein, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US12/721,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 715/706, 715/771, 715/772, 715/864
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/00 Animation

Abstract

Dynamic icons are described that can employ animations, such as visual effects, audio, and other content that change with time. If multiple animations are scheduled to occur simultaneously, the timing of the animations can be controlled so that timing overlap of the animations is reduced. For example, the starting times of the animations can be staggered so that multiple animations are not initiated too close in time. It has been found that too much motion in the user interface can be distracting and cause confusion amongst users.

Claims

1. A method for displaying dynamic icons in a graphical user interface of a computing device, comprising:

receiving first content to be animated in a first dynamic icon;

receiving second content to be animated in a second dynamic icon;

starting animation of the first content in the first dynamic icon;

at a time different from a start time of the animation of the first content in the first dynamic icon, starting animation of the second content in the second dynamic icon;

checking whether a difference in time overlap of the animations of the first content in the first dynamic icon and the second content in the second dynamic icon is below a predetermined threshold; and

if the time overlap exceeds the predetermined threshold, controlling timing of the animations of the first and second content in the first and second dynamic icons, respectively, so as to reduce overlap of when the animations are displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, further including associating the first and second content with animations to be displayed in the respective first and second dynamic icons.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling of timing is performed in an animation manager that uses a state machine to ensure a staggered starting time of the animations.

4. The method of claim 1, further including randomizing timelines of the animations to randomly make the animations longer or shorter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling of timing includes determining a position of the first and second dynamic icons and adjusting the timing of the animations based on the position.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the position includes receiving the XY coordinates for each dynamic icon, calculating a distance between the dynamic icons, and increasing a visual difference in the animations the closer together the dynamic icons are positioned.

7. The method of claim 1, further including using a most recent animation displayed in determining a next animation to display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the animations include displaying a photo in the dynamic icon.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second dynamic icons are displayed on a mobile phone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to receiving the first and second content, requesting an animation manager how to display the content.

11. An apparatus for displaying dynamic icons comprising:

a processor;

a graphical user interface for displaying multiple user interface elements capable of animating content; and

an animation manager executed on the processor coupled to the multiple user interface elements, the animation manager including a state machine so as to stagger a starting time of when animations are displayed in the user interface elements;

wherein the animation manager uses the state machine to determine an appropriate animation timing for each user interface element so as to implement the staggering,

wherein the state machine takes into account a most recent animation that was started, location of the user interface elements being animated, and duration and speed of the animations.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further including an application database that is used to push the content to the user interface elements.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the user interface elements are dynamic icons.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the state machine is configured to randomize timelines of the animations to randomly make the animations longer or shorter.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the state machine is configured to determine a position of the first and second user interface elements and adjust the timing of the animations based on the position.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the state machine is configured to store a previous animation that was displayed and select the next animation based on the previous animation.

18. A method for displaying dynamic icons in a graphical user interface of a computing device, comprising:

receiving first content to be animated in a first dynamic icon;

receiving second content to be animated in a second dynamic icon; and

using a state machine to control timing of the animations of the first and second content in the first and second dynamic icons, respectively, so as to reduce overlap of when the animations are displayed;

wherein a latest animation displayed, location of the first dynamic icon and second dynamic icon, and duration of the animations are used to select a next animation.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the reducing overlap includes randomizing timelines of the animations to randomly make the animations longer or shorter.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the controlling of timing includes determining a position of the dynamic icons and adjusting the timing of the animations based on the position.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining the position includes receiving the XY coordinates for each dynamic icon, calculating a distance between the dynamic icons, and increasing a visual difference in the animations the closer together the dynamic icons are positioned.