Method apparatus and computer-readable medium for altering the appearance of an animated object
AssigneeQuid Novi, S.A., Inc.
InventorD. Gray Purdy
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Abstract
A data animation program (11) is provided that alters the appearance of an animated object (39) to reflect a percentage change in data represented by the animated object. The data is provided to the data animation program by a data source (20) such as a temperature sensor or an Internet web site. The percentage change in data is converted to a rate of motion for the animated object. The appearance of the animated object is then altered in accordance with the rate of motion. For example, if the animated object is a propeller, the rate of motion will be expressed in revolutions per minute (RPMs) and the propeller then spins at the determined rate of motion so as to indicate the percentage change in data represented by the animated object.
Claims29
A method for altering the appearance of an animated object, the animated object graphically representing data, the method comprising:
- (a) determining a percentage change in the data represented by the animated object;
- (b) converting the percentage change in the data to a rate of alteration for the animated object;
- and
- (c) altering the appearance of the animated object in accordance with the rate of alteration for the animated object.
An apparatus for representing data as an animated object and altering the animated object as the data represented by the animated object changes, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a processing unit;
- and
- (b) a storage medium coupled to the processing unit, the storage medium storing program code implemented by the processing unit for:
- (i) calculating a percentage change in the data;
- (ii) converting the percentage change in the data to a rate of alteration for the animated object;
- and
- (iii) altering the animated object in accordance with the rate of alteration for the animated object.
A computer-readable medium having a computer-executable component for altering the appearance of an animated object according to changes in data represented by the animated object, wherein the computer-executable component alters the appearance of an animated object by:
- (a) determining a rate of alteration for the animated object based on a change in data represented by the animated object;
- and
- (b) altering the appearance of the animated object in accordance with the rate of alteration for the animated object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.