Systems and methods for editing of a computer-generated animation across a plurality of keyframe pairs

A method comprising:

• receiving, by an animation authoring tool executed by a processor, input modifying a time span along an animation's reference timeline of at least a portion of an animation,
• wherein the at least a portion of the animation whose time span is being modified comprises a plurality of non-roving keyframe pairs depicting at least one transitioning property of a graphical object, and
• wherein each non-roving keyframe pair comprises a plurality of non-roving keyframes, wherein each keyframe comprises an image depicting the graphical object at a point in time on the reference timeline corresponding to a value of the at least one transitioning property;
• automatically re-positioning, by the animation authoring tool, the plurality of non-roving keyframes of the non-roving keyframe pairs with regard to the reference timeline so as to span the modified time span and so as to maintain a previously-defined proportionality for each of the plurality of non-roving keyframes;
• and
• providing, by the animation authoring tool, the plurality of non-roving keyframe pairs for display.

A system comprising:

• computer-readable medium to which instructions are stored;
• processor operable to execute said instructions that when executed by the processor causes the processor to:
• receive a definition of a plurality of non-roving keyframe pairs depicting at least one transitioning property for a graphical object in an animation, each non-roving keyframe pair comprising a plurality of non-roving keyframes with each non-roving keyframe being positioned at a respective point on a reference timeline for the animation, wherein each keyframe comprises an image depicting the graphical object at a point in time on the reference timeline corresponding to a value of the at least one transitioning property;
• form a time-editable unit that comprises data specifying a timing relationship between the plurality of non-roving keyframe pairs depicting the at least one transitioning property,
• receive input modifying a time span for the time-editable unit along the reference timeline;
• re-position the plurality of non-roving keyframes with regard to the reference timeline so as to span the modified time span and so as to maintain time proportionality for each of the plurality of non-roving keyframes in accordance with the specified timing relationship of the time-editable unit;
• and
• provide the plurality of non-roving keyframe pairs for display.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions encoded thereon which when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method comprising:

• receiving input modifying a time span along an animation's reference timeline of at least a portion of the animation,
• wherein the at least a portion of the animation whose time span is being modified comprises a plurality of non-roving keyframe pairs depicting at least one transitioning property of a graphical object, and
• wherein each non-roving keyframe pair comprises a plurality of non-roving keyframes, wherein each keyframe comprises an image depicting the graphical object at a point in time on the reference timeline corresponding to a value of the at least one transitioning property;
• automatically re-positioning the plurality of non-roving keyframes of the non-roving keyframe pairs with regard to the reference timeline so as to span the modified time span and so as to maintain a previously-defined proportionality for each of the plurality of non-roving keyframes;
• and
• providing the plurality of non-roving keyframe pairs for display.