Patent Publication Number: US-10762683-B2

Title: Animation sequence associated with feedback user-interface element

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/676,658, filed 14 Nov. 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure generally relates to a user interface. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A user interface (UI), in the industrial design field of human-machine interaction, is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of the interactions between a human, often referred to as a “user”, and a machine at the user interface is the user&#39;s control of the machine and its operations (e.g., through user input) and machine feedback (e.g., through program output). A graphical user interface (GUI) is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with software applications executing on electronic or computing devices through multimedia objects (e.g., images, videos, audios, etc.) rather than purely text commands. 
     SUMMARY OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS 
     In particular embodiments, a user interface for presenting content to users may have a hierarchical structure. The user interface may have any number of content sections, and each content section may have any number of content items. The content items may be of any type or format. A user may consume or interact with some of the content items. In particular embodiments, each content item may correspond to a user interface (UI) element. 
     In particular embodiments, when a user-interface element is displayed on a user device, in response to a user interacting with the user-interface element, an animation sequence is displayed on the user device. With some implementations, the animation sequence is associated with the user-interface element with which the user has interacted (e.g., the user-interface element itself is featured in the animation sequence). As an example, the user-interface element may be associated with a content item and enable a user to provide feedback to the content item, such as a “like” button or icon in the form of a thumb. When the user selects the “like” UI element, an animation sequence may be displayed that depicts the “like” UI element first recedes backward while decreasing in size and then advances forward while increasing in size. The movement of the “like” UI element during the animation sequence may be based on spring motion. Alternatively, the animation sequence may depict a ripple effect involving the “like” UI element. 
     In particular embodiments, the animation sequence displayed may depend on the type of user interaction with respect to the user-interface element. As an example, while the user puts his finger down on the “like” UI element, the “like” UI element recedes backward and decreases in size in response. When the user releases his finger from the “like” UI element, the “like” UI element advances or pops forward and increases in size in response. As another example, if the user quickly taps (i.e., quick touch and release) the “like” UI element, the UI element first recedes backward and then advances forward. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example network environment associated with a social-networking system. 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate two example mobile electronic devices. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an example social graph. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an example object hierarchy. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an example content item with a feedback UI element. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an example method for displaying an animation sequence in response to a user interaction with a feedback UI element. 
         FIGS. 7A-7I  illustrate an example animation sequence. 
         FIGS. 8A-8F  illustrate an example animation sequence. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an example computer system. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     A user interface (UI) may be incorporated into any type of software applications, including, for example, desktop applications, mobile applications, or web-based applications, to enable users to interact with and control the applications. A graphical user interface (GUI) is a type of user interface that enables users to interact with software applications through multi-media objects, including, for example, icons, buttons, menus, images, video, or audios. 
     In particular embodiments, a software application may be associated with a social-networking system.  FIG. 1  illustrates an example network environment  100  associated with a social-networking system. Network environment  100  includes a user  101 , a client system  130 , a social-networking system  160 , and a third-party system  170  connected to each other by a network  110 . Although  FIG. 1  illustrates a particular arrangement of user  101 , client system  130 , social-networking system  160 , third-party system  170 , and network  110 , this disclosure contemplates any suitable arrangement of user  101 , client system  130 , social-networking system  160 , third-party system  170 , and network  110 . As an example and not by way of limitation, two or more of client system  130 , social-networking system  160 , and third-party system  170  may be connected to each other directly, bypassing network  110 . As another example, two or more of client system  130 , social-networking system  160 , and third-party system  170  may be physically or logically co-located with each other in whole or in part. Moreover, although  FIG. 1  illustrates a particular number of users  101 , client systems  130 , social-networking systems  160 , third-party systems  170 , and networks  110 , this disclosure contemplates any suitable number of users  101 , client systems  130 , social-networking systems  160 , third-party systems  170 , and networks  110 . As an example and not by way of limitation, network environment  100  may include multiple users  101 , client system  130 , social-networking systems  160 , third-party systems  170 , and networks  110 . 
     In particular embodiments, user  101  may be an individual (human user), an entity (e.g., an enterprise, business, or third-party application), or a group (e.g., of individuals or entities) that interacts or communicates with or over social-networking system  160 . In particular embodiments, social-networking system  160  may be a network-addressable computing system hosting an online social network. Social-networking system  160  may generate, store, receive, and transmit social-networking data, such as, for example, user-profile data, concept-profile data, social-graph information, or other suitable data related to the online social network. Social-networking system  160  may be accessed by the other components of network environment  100  either directly or via network  110 . In particular embodiments, social-networking system  160  may include an authorization server that allows users  101  to opt in or opt out of having their actions logged by social-networking system  160  or shared with other systems (e.g., third-party systems  170 ), such as, for example, by setting appropriate privacy settings. In particular embodiments, third-party system  170  may be a network-addressable computing system that can host various third-party software applications (e.g., web-based applications). Third-party system  170  may generate, store, receive, and transmit various types of data, such as, for example, texts, images, videos, or audios. Third-party system  170  may be accessed by the other components of network environment  100  either directly or via network  110 . In particular embodiments, one or more users  101  may use one or more client systems  130  to access, send data to, and receive data from social-networking system  160  or third-party system  170 . Client system  130  may access social-networking system  160  or third-party system  170  directly, via network  110 , or via a third-party system. As an example and not by way of limitation, client system  130  may access third-party system  170  via social-networking system  160 . Client system  130  may be any suitable computing device, such as, for example, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a cellular telephone, a smartphone, or a tablet computer. 
     This disclosure contemplates any suitable network  110 . As an example and not by way of limitation, one or more portions of network  110  may include an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cellular telephone network, or a combination of two or more of these. Network  110  may include one or more networks  110 . 
     Links  150  may connect client system  130 , social-networking system  160 , and third-party system  170  to communication network  110  or to each other. This disclosure contemplates any suitable links  150 . In particular embodiments, one or more links  150  include one or more wireline (such as for example Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS)), wireless (such as for example Wi-Fi or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)), or optical (such as for example Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) or Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)) links. In particular embodiments, one or more links  150  each include an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a VPN, a LAN, a WLAN, a WAN, a WWAN, a MAN, a portion of the Internet, a portion of the PSTN, a cellular technology-based network, a satellite communications technology-based network, another link  150 , or a combination of two or more such links  150 . Links  150  need not necessarily be the same throughout network environment  100 . One or more first links  150  may differ in one or more respects from one or more second links  150 . 
     In particular embodiments, data (e.g., data representing various types of information or content) may be sent between servers associated with social-networking system  160  and individual client systems  130  via network  110 . When two electronic devices (e.g., a server and a client) are connected to a network (e.g., a computer or communications network, such as network  110 ), data may be transmitted between the two devices over the network using one or more suitable network protocols. A network may include any number of sub-networks. By transmitting data between the two devices, the two devices may communicate with each other. 
     In network communications, there are two ways to send a communication (i.e., data) from one device to another device: push and pull. With push technology, the request for the communication transaction is initiated by the sending device. That is, the sending device “pushes” the communication, so to speak, to the receiving device. In this case, the sending device may be considered the active party and the receiving device may be considered the passive party in the transaction. In contrast, with pull technology, the request for the communication transaction is initiated by the receiving device. That is, the receiving device “pulls” the communication, so to speak, from the sending device. In this case, the sending device may be considered the passive party and the receiving device may be considered the active party in the transaction. In particular embodiments, a server associated with social-networking system  160  may push data to a client system  130 . A communication pushed from a server to a client may be referred to as a “push notification”. Similarly, a client system  130  may push data to a server associated with social-networking system  160 . 
     In particular embodiments, a client system  130  may be a mobile electronic or computing device. A mobile electronic device—such as a Smartphone, tablet computer, or laptop computer—may include functionality for determining its location, direction, or orientation, such as a GPS receiver, compass, or gyroscope. Such a mobile device may also include functionality for wireless communication, such as BLUETOOTH communication, near-field communication (NFC), or infrared (IR) communication or communication with a wireless local area networks (WLANs) or cellular-telephone network. Such a mobile device may also include one or more cameras, scanners, touchscreens, microphones, or speakers. Mobile electronic devices may also execute software applications, such as games, web browsers, or social-networking applications. With social-networking applications, users may connect, communicate, and share information with other users in their social networks. 
     In particular embodiments, a mobile electronic device (e.g., Smartphone or tablet computer) may include a touchscreen capable of receiving touch input.  FIG. 2A  illustrates an example mobile electronic device  210  (e.g., a Smartphone) having a touchscreen  215 . Touchscreen  215  may incorporate one or more touch sensors and a touch-sensor controller for detecting the presence and location of a touch (e.g., from a user&#39;s finger) or the proximity of an object (e.g., a stylus). In particular embodiments, a specific touch detected via touchscreen  215  may result in a touch input event. 
     Different mobile electronic devices may have different designs. As a result, the size, shape, or aspect ration of the touchscreens of different mobile devices may differ.  FIG. 2B  illustrates another example mobile electronic device  220  (e.g., a tablet computer) having a touchscreen  225 . Similarly, touchscreen  225  may incorporate one or more touch sensors and a touch-sensor controller for detecting the presence and location of a touch (e.g., from a user&#39;s finger) or the proximity of an object (e.g., a stylus). A specific touch detected via touchscreen  225  may result in a touch input event. However, since mobile electronic devices  210  and  220  are two different types of devices, their respective touchscreen  215  and  225  have different sizes and aspect ratios. 
     There may be various types of touches or gestures, such as single tap, double tap, short press, long press, slide, swipe, flip, pinch open, or pinch close, corresponding to various types of touch input events. Different touch input events may result in different responses and this disclosure contemplates any applicable gesture. 
     Social-networking system  160  may store various types of data including, for example, user data, application data, or social data. In particular embodiments, such data may be stored in a graph having any number of nodes and edges, where each edge connects two nodes. The graph is often referred to as a “social graph” or “open graph” as it contains, among others, social information. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates example social graph  300 . In particular embodiments, social-networking system  160  may store one or more social graphs  300  in one or more data stores. In particular embodiments, social graph  300  may include multiple nodes—which may include multiple user nodes  302  or multiple concept nodes  304 —and multiple edges  306  connecting the nodes. Example social graph  300  illustrated in  FIG. 3  is shown, for didactic purposes, in a two-dimensional visual map representation. In particular embodiments, a social-networking system  160 , client system  130 , or third-party system  170  may access social graph  300  and related social-graph information for suitable applications. The nodes and edges of social graph  300  may be stored as data objects, for example, in a data store (such as a social-graph database). Such a data store may include one or more searchable or queryable indexes of nodes or edges of social graph  300 . 
     In particular embodiments, a user node  302  may correspond to a user of social-networking system  160 . As an example and not by way of limitation, a user may be an individual (human user), an entity (e.g., an enterprise, business, or third-party application), or a group (e.g., of individuals or entities) that interacts or communicates with or over social-networking system  160 . In particular embodiments, when a user registers for an account with social-networking system  160 , social-networking system  160  may create a user node  302  corresponding to the user, and store the user node  302  in one or more data stores. Users and user nodes  302  described herein may, where appropriate, refer to registered users and user nodes  302  associated with registered users. In addition or as an alternative, users and user nodes  302  described herein may, where appropriate, refer to users that have not registered with social-networking system  160 . In particular embodiments, a user node  302  may be associated with information provided by a user or information gathered by various systems, including social-networking system  160 . As an example and not by way of limitation, a user may provide his or her name, profile picture, contact information, birth date, sex, marital status, family status, employment, education background, preferences, interests, or other demographic information. In particular embodiments, a user node  302  may be associated with one or more data objects corresponding to information associated with a user. In particular embodiments, a user node  302  may correspond to one or more webpages. 
     In particular embodiments, a concept node  304  may correspond to a concept. As an example and not by way of limitation, a concept may correspond to a place (such as, for example, a movie theater, restaurant, landmark, or city); a website (such as, for example, a website associated with social-network system  160  or a third-party website associated with a web-application server); an entity (such as, for example, a person, business, group, sports team, or celebrity); a resource (such as, for example, an audio file, video file, digital photo, text file, structured document, or application) which may be located within social-networking system  160  or on an external server, such as a web-application server; real or intellectual property (such as, for example, a sculpture, painting, movie, game, song, idea, photograph, or written work); a game; an activity; an idea or theory; another suitable concept; or two or more such concepts. A concept node  304  may be associated with information of a concept provided by a user or information gathered by various systems, including social-networking system  160 . As an example and not by way of limitation, information of a concept may include a name or a title; one or more images (e.g., an image of the cover page of a book); a location (e.g., an address or a geographical location); a website (which may be associated with a URL); contact information (e.g., a phone number or an email address); other suitable concept information; or any suitable combination of such information. In particular embodiments, a concept node  304  may be associated with one or more data objects corresponding to information associated with concept node  304 . In particular embodiments, a concept node  304  may correspond to one or more webpages. 
     In particular embodiments, a node in social graph  300  may represent or be represented by a webpage (which may be referred to as a “profile page”). Profile pages may be hosted by or accessible to social-networking system  160 . Profile pages may also be hosted on third-party websites associated with a third-party server  170 . As an example and not by way of limitation, a profile page corresponding to a particular external webpage may be the particular external webpage and the profile page may correspond to a particular concept node  304 . Profile pages may be viewable by all or a selected subset of other users. As an example and not by way of limitation, a user node  302  may have a corresponding user-profile page in which the corresponding user may add content, make declarations, or otherwise express himself or herself. As another example and not by way of limitation, a concept node  304  may have a corresponding concept-profile page in which one or more users may add content, make declarations, or express themselves, particularly in relation to the concept corresponding to concept node  304 . 
     In particular embodiments, a concept node  304  may represent a third-party webpage or resource hosted by a third-party system  170 . The third-party webpage or resource may include, among other elements, content, a selectable or other icon, or other inter-actable object (which may be implemented, for example, in JavaScript, AJAX, or PHP codes) representing an action or activity. As an example and not by way of limitation, a third-party webpage may include a selectable icon such as “like,” “check in,” “eat,” “recommend,” or another suitable action or activity. A user viewing the third-party webpage may perform an action by selecting one of the icons (e.g., “eat”), causing a client system  130  to transmit to social-networking system  160  a message indicating the user&#39;s action. In response to the message, social-networking system  160  may create an edge (e.g., an “eat” edge) between a user node  302  corresponding to the user and a concept node  304  corresponding to the third-party webpage or resource and store edge  306  in one or more data stores. 
     In particular embodiments, a pair of nodes in social graph  300  may be connected to each other by one or more edges  306 . An edge  306  connecting a pair of nodes may represent a relationship between the pair of nodes. In particular embodiments, an edge  306  may include or represent one or more data objects or attributes corresponding to the relationship between a pair of nodes. As an example and not by way of limitation, a first user may indicate that a second user is a “friend” of the first user. In response to this indication, social-networking system  160  may transmit a “friend request” to the second user. If the second user confirms the “friend request,” social-networking system  160  may create an edge  306  connecting the first user&#39;s user node  302  to the second user&#39;s user node  302  in social graph  300  and store edge  306  as social-graph information in one or more of data stores (e.g., data stores associated with social-networking system  160 ). In the example of  FIG. 3 , social graph  300  includes an edge  306  indicating a friend relation between user nodes  302  of user “A” and user “B” and an edge indicating a friend relation between user nodes  302  of user “C” and user “B.” Although this disclosure describes or illustrates particular edges  306  with particular attributes connecting particular user nodes  302 , this disclosure contemplates any suitable edges  306  with any suitable attributes connecting user nodes  302 . As an example and not by way of limitation, an edge  306  may represent a friendship, family relationship, business or employment relationship, fan relationship, follower relationship, visitor relationship, subscriber relationship, superior/subordinate relationship, reciprocal relationship, non-reciprocal relationship, another suitable type of relationship, or two or more such relationships. Moreover, although this disclosure generally describes nodes as being connected, this disclosure also describes users or concepts as being connected. Herein, references to users or concepts being connected may, where appropriate, refer to the nodes corresponding to those users or concepts being connected in social graph  300  by one or more edges  306 . 
     In particular embodiments, an edge  306  between a user node  302  and a concept node  304  may represent a particular action or activity performed by a user associated with user node  302  toward a concept associated with a concept node  304 . As an example and not by way of limitation, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a user may “like,” “attended,” “played,” “listened,” “cooked,” “worked at,” or “watched” a concept, each of which may correspond to a edge type or subtype. A concept-profile page corresponding to a concept node  304  may include, for example, a selectable “check in” icon (such as, for example, a clickable “check in” icon) or a selectable “add to favorites” icon. Similarly, after a user clicks these icons, social-networking system  160  may create a “favorite” edge or a “check in” edge in response to a user&#39;s action corresponding to a respective action. As another example and not by way of limitation, a user (user “C”) may listen to a particular song (“Ramble On”) using a particular application (SPOTIFY, which is an online music application). In this case, social-networking system  160  may create a “listened” edge  306  and a “used” edge (as illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) between user nodes  302  corresponding to the user and concept nodes  304  corresponding to the song and application to indicate that the user listened to the song and used the application. Moreover, social-networking system  160  may create a “played” edge  306  (as illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) between concept nodes  304  corresponding to the song and the application to indicate that the particular song was played by the particular application. In this case, “played” edge  306  corresponds to an action performed by an external application (SPOTIFY) on an external audio file (the song “Imagine”). Although this disclosure describes particular edges  306  with particular attributes connecting user nodes  302  and concept nodes  304 , this disclosure contemplates any suitable edges  306  with any suitable attributes connecting user nodes  302  and concept nodes  304 . Moreover, although this disclosure describes edges between a user node  302  and a concept node  304  representing a single relationship, this disclosure contemplates edges between a user node  302  and a concept node  304  representing one or more relationships. As an example and not by way of limitation, an edge  306  may represent both that a user likes and has used at a particular concept. Alternatively, another edge  306  may represent each type of relationship (or multiples of a single relationship) between a user node  302  and a concept node  304  (as illustrated in  FIG. 3  between user node  302  for user “E” and concept node  304  for “SPOTIFY”). 
     In particular embodiments, social-networking system  160  may create an edge  306  between a user node  302  and a concept node  304  in social graph  300 . As an example and not by way of limitation, a user viewing a concept-profile page (such as, for example, by using a web browser or a special-purpose application hosted by the user&#39;s client system  130 ) may indicate that he or she likes the concept represented by the concept node  304  by clicking or selecting a “Like” icon, which may cause the user&#39;s client system  130  to transmit to social-networking system  160  a message indicating the user&#39;s liking of the concept associated with the concept-profile page. In response to the message, social-networking system  160  may create an edge  306  between user node  302  associated with the user and concept node  304 , as illustrated by “like” edge  306  between the user and concept node  304 . In particular embodiments, social-networking system  160  may store an edge  306  in one or more data stores. In particular embodiments, an edge  306  may be automatically formed by social-networking system  160  in response to a particular user action. As an example and not by way of limitation, if a first user uploads a picture, watches a movie, or listens to a song, an edge  306  may be formed between user node  302  corresponding to the first user and concept nodes  304  corresponding to those concepts. Although this disclosure describes forming particular edges  306  in particular manners, this disclosure contemplates forming any suitable edges  306  in any suitable manner. 
     In particular embodiments, a set of objects may be organized into a hierarchy based on, for example, how the individual objects are related to each other. An object hierarchy may have any number of levels, and at each level, there may be any number of objects. Parent-child or sibling relationships may exist between specific objects in the hierarchy. Within an object hierarchy, a parent object is one level above the level of its child objects. Two sibling objects are at the same level and share the same parent object. In addition, any portion of the hierarchy may also be considered a hierarchy in itself. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a portion of an example object hierarchy  400  that includes a number of objects  410 .  FIG. 4  is in fact a visual representation of an object hierarchy. Each node represents a specific object in the hierarchy, and each edge connecting two nodes represents a parent-child relationship between the two corresponding objects. 
     In particular embodiments, an object in a hierarchy may or may not have a parent. If an object does not have a parent, it may be referred to as a “root” object (e.g., object  410 A). Typically, the root object is positioned at the first or topmost level of the hierarchy. In particular embodiments, an object in a hierarchy may or may not have any children. If an object does not have any children, it may be referred to as a “leaf” or “terminal” object (e.g., object  410 B). If an object does have children (e.g., object  410 C), it may have any number of children. In addition, objects sharing the same parent may be referred to as each other&#39;s “siblings”. For example, in  FIG. 4 , object  410 C is the parent of objects  410 D and  410 B. Objects  410 D and  410 B are the children of object  410 C and are siblings to each other. Thus, a hierarchy of objects (e.g., object hierarchy  400 ) not only includes the individual objects (e.g., objects  410 ) themselves but also indicates the relationships among the specific objects. Moreover, the position of a specific object within the hierarchy may indicate its relationships with other objects in the hierarchy. 
     Objects  410  may be of various types, and this disclosure contemplates any applicable object types. For example and without limitation, the term “object” may refer to any type of content, including but not limited to images, videos, captions, text blocks or boxes, user-interface elements, clickable links, newsfeed stories, references to other objects, advertisements, calendar events, units for displaying open graph analysis that may be graphically rendered, applications, websites, web pages, books, chapters. In particular embodiments, given a hierarchy of objects, which may be a portion of another, larger hierarchy of objects, the hierarchical relationships (e.g., parent-child or sibling relationships, positions of the objects within the hierarchy) between specific objects may direct some aspects of how these objects behave in the context of a user interface or how the objects are presented to a user. 
     As an example, in the context of the desktop of a computing device, the desktop may be a parent object, and sometimes the root object of a hierarchy, whose child objects are the individual software applications available on the desktop. A software application, while itself being one of the child objects of the desktop, is also the parent object of the individual components of that software application. Different software applications may include different components. For example, for a software application that manages digital books (e.g., a book reader application), its components may include the digital books available, the individual chapters of each book, the pages of each chapter, and the texts, images, videos, audios, or other content or media elements on each page. Each of these also corresponds to an object (e.g., user-interface component) in the hierarchy. More specifically, within the hierarchy, the digital book application may be the parent object of the digital books. A digital book may be the parent object of the individual chapters of that book. A chapter, while itself being one of the child objects of the book, is also the parent object of the pages in that chapter. A page is the parent object of the texts, images, videos, audios, or other content or media elements on that page. A text block, image, video, audio, or other content or media element is one of the child objects of the page to which it belongs. Similarly, for a software application that manages news feeds, its components may include the individual news channels and the news stories within each channel. Each of these may correspond to an object. Within the hierarchy, the news-feed application, while itself being one of the child objects of the desktop, is also the parent object of the news channels. A news channel in turn is the parent object of the news stories included in that channel. 
     As another example, in the context of the Internet or the World Wide Web, the Internet may be a parent object whose child objects are the individual websites. A website, while itself being one of the child objects of the Internet, is also the parent object of the individual web pages of that website. A web page, while itself being one of the child objects of the website to which it belongs, is the parent object of the texts, images, videos, audios, or links (e.g., Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)) included in the web page. Each text block, image, video, audio, or link may also correspond to a specific object in the hierarchy. 
     As a third example, a website, such as a social-networking website implemented by social-networking system  160 , may also be arranged in a hierarchical structure for navigating the content of the social-networking website. In this context, the social-networking website may be a parent object whose child objects are the components (e.g., photo albums, user profile pages, etc.) of the website. For example, a photo album, while itself being a child object of the social-networking website, may in turn be a parent object, and the individual photos within the album may be the child objects of the photo album. A user&#39;s profile page may be structured in such a hierarchical fashion as well. The profile page itself may be considered a parent object, and the individual objects on the profile page may be the child objects of the profile page. In particular embodiments, a profile page may be considered and rendered (e.g., for presentation to a user) as a linear timeline of objects, such as, for example and without limitation, photos, photo albums, check-ins, comments from other users, attended events, tags, applications the user has added to the profile page, stories, songs the user has listened to, playlists. These various types of objects may all be children of the profile page, or may be further arranged into multiple levels. With some implementations, a user&#39;s profile page may include any number of sections, such as the user&#39;s education and employment information, the user&#39;s public “wall”, or the user&#39;s social connections. Then the various types of objects above may be divided into specific sections. 
     In particular embodiments, an object  410  may be a component of a user interface. In this case, object hierarchy  400  may correspond to the user interface, and each object  410  may correspond to a specific component of the user-interface. A user interface may have various types of components, and this disclosure contemplates any applicable user-interface component types. For example, a user-interface component (i.e., an object  410 ) may be a window, a section, a tab, an image, a video, an audio, a text block, a menu, an icon, a button, a checkbox, a website, a web page, a frame, a clickable link, a message, a post, or an input field. In particular embodiments, an object  410  may be consumed by a user if the user is able to, for example and without limitation, interact with, view, read, listen to, manipulate, or handle the object  410 . For example, some user-consumable objects  410  may be texts, images, videos, audios, feeds, executables (e.g., application programs or games), websites, web pages, digital books, photo albums, posts, or messages. 
     In particular embodiments, when the user interface corresponding to object hierarchy  400  is displayed (e.g., on a client system  130 ), the structure of the corresponding object hierarchy  400  may reflect the structure of the user interface. The relationships among the individual components in the user interface, as reflected in object hierarchy  400 , may influence how these components are organized and presented to users. The user interface may have any number of layers, respectively corresponding to the individual levels of object hierarchy  400 . Objects  410  (e.g., user-interface components) at a specific level of object hierarchy  400  are displayed in the corresponding layer of the user interface. With some implementations, the lowest or bottommost layer of the user interface corresponds to the first or topmost level of object hierarchy  400 . Thus, root object  410 A is displayed in the lowest layer of the user interface. Furthermore, in the user interface, each object  410  (e.g., user-interface component) is displayed in a layer immediately above the layer where its parent, if one exists, is displayed and immediately below the layer where its children, if any, are displayed. Sibling objects  410  are displayed at the same layer. Thus, the position of a component in the user interface indicates its relationships (e.g., parent-child or sibling) with other components in the user interface. 
     In particular embodiments, a user-interface component (e.g., an image, a video, a folder, etc.) may be displayed in various display modes. As an example, the user-interface component may be displayed in a “full-screen” mode, where the user-interface component occupies the entire or nearly the entire display area (e.g., the screen of an electronic device). As another example, the user-interface component may be displayed in an “on-page” mode, where the user-interface component is included in another user-interface component and displayed as a part of that other user-interface component (e.g., an image is displayed as a part of a web page). As a third example, the user-interface component may be displayed in an “index” mode, where the user-interface component is a part of a series of user-interface components (e.g., an image is displayed together with other images from the same album, or a chapter of a book is displayed in the table of content of the book together with other chapters from the same book). 
     In particular embodiments, a hierarchical user interface may be used to present content to a user. Such a user interface may be referred to as a “content feed” or “news feed” user interface. The content may be of any type and format, such as, for example and without limitation, text, icon, image, video, audio, web page, post, or message. This disclosure contemplates any applicable content type and format. In particular embodiments, the individual content items (e.g., text, image, video, audio, web page, post, message, news piece, etc.) may be organized into various categories, referred to as content sections. For example, related content items may be categorized into the same content section. The user interface may include any number of content sections, and each content section may include any number of content items. Hierarchically, a content section may be the parent of the content items belonging to that section. For example, various photos taken during a holiday trip may be organized into the same album, and various photo albums may be organized into the photo section of the user interface. 
     In particular embodiments, a user may consume or interact with a specific content item. For example, a user consumes a content item when the user scrolls, opens up, views, listens to, selects, reviews, or comments on the content item. A user interacts with a content item when the user selects, clicks on, taps, reviews, or comments on the content item. This disclosure contemplates any applicable means for a user to consume or interact with a content item. 
     In particular embodiments, when a content item is displayed on a user device (e.g., a client system  130 ) and presented to a user (e.g., user  101 ), another UI element may be displayed in association with the content item. The UI element may enable the user to provide feedback (e.g., to social-networking system  160 ) with respect to the content item.  FIG. 5  illustrates an example content item  510  together with an associated feedback UI element  520 . In this case, content item  510  is a text message posted by a user of social-networking system  160 . Feedback UI element  520  is a “like” button or icon in the form of a thumb. If the user likes content item  510 , the user may, for example, click on “like” button  520 , which results in a corresponding communication to be sent from the user device to a server associated with social-networking system  160 , notifying social-networking system  160  that the user likes content item  510 . In particular embodiments, social-networking system  160  may store this information (e.g., in social graph  300 ). Furthermore, social-networking system  160  may store similar feedback communications received from various users indicating which users like which content items in social graph  300 . 
     In particular embodiments, in response to a user interaction with a feedback UI element, an animation sequence involving the feedback UI element may be displayed on the user device.  FIG. 6  illustrates an example method  600  for displaying an animation sequence in response to a user interaction with a feedback UI element. 
     Method  600  may begin at STEP  610 , where a content item may be displayed (e.g., on the screen of a user device). Again, the content item may have any applicable type or format. At STEP  620 , a feedback UI element may be displayed in association with the content item. In particular embodiments, the feedback UI element enables a user to provide feedback with respect to the associated content item. The feedback UI element may be of any applicable type or format (e.g., button, icon, link, etc). For example, the feedback UI element may be a “like” button. If a user likes the associated content item, the user may click on the “like” button, which causes a communication to be sent from the user device to, for example, a server associated with social-network system  160 , indicating to social-network system  160  that the user likes this specific content item. 
     In particular embodiments, at STEP  630 , in response to the user interaction with the feedback UI element, an animation sequence may be displayed on the user device. With some implementations, the animation sequence may feature the feedback UI element itself Different animation sequences may be displayed and this disclosure contemplates any applicable animation sequences. 
       FIGS. 7A-7I  illustrates an example animation sequence. In this case, the feedback UI element is a “like” button in the form of a thumb. In response to a user interaction with respect to the “like” button (e.g., tapping or clicking on the “like” button), the animation sequence depicts that the “like” button first recedes backward while decreasing in size and then advances or pops forward while increasing in size.  FIG. 7A  illustrates the “like” button in its original size.  FIGS. 7B-7C  illustrate the “like” button gradually decreasing in size until it reaches its smallest size as illustrated in  FIG. 7C . Then,  FIGS. 7D-7G  illustrate the “like” button gradually increasing in size, even surpassing its original size, until it reaches its largest size as illustrated in  FIG. 7G . Then,  FIGS. 7H-7I  illustrate the “like” button gradually decreasing in size again, until it returns to its original size as illustrated in  FIG. 7I . 
     When a three-dimensional object is presented in a two-dimensional medium, various perspective techniques may be employed to simulate three-dimensional visual effects. For example, when an object gradually decreases in size, it has the visual effect of the object gradually receding backward, moving farther away from the viewer. Conversely, when an object gradually increases in size, it has the visual effect of the object gradually advancing forward, moving closer to the viewer. Thus, in the animation sequence illustrated in  FIGS. 7A-7I , when the “like” button gradually decreases in size as illustrated in  FIGS. 7B-7C , it has the visual effect of the “like” button gradually receding backward on the screen of the user device, moving farther away from the user. Conversely, when the “like” button gradually increases in size as illustrated in  FIGS. 7D-7G , it has the visual effect of the “like” button gradually advancing forward on the screen, moving closer to the user. 
       FIGS. 8A-8F  illustrates another example animation sequence. In this case, the feedback UI element is again a “like” button in the form of a thumb. In response to a user interaction with respect to the “like” button (e.g., tapping or clicking on the “like” button), the animation sequence depicts a ripple effect featuring the “like” button. The portion of the screen where the “like” button is displayed (i.e., the lower-right cover of the screen), including the “like” button itself, deforms to visually simulate the ripple effect. In addition, the “like” button changes its color from grey to blue during the animation sequence to visually indicate that a user has interacted with the “like” button. At the end of the animation sequence, the portion of the screen where the “like” button is displayed as well as the “like” button return to their original form. 
     In particular embodiments, different animation sequences may be displayed in response to different types of user interactions with respect to the feedback UI element. As an example, while a user presses a finger down on the feedback UI element (e.g., the feedback UI element being displayed on a touchscreen), the feedback UI element continues to decrease in size, simulating the effect that the feedback UI element continues to recede backward on the touchscreen. With some implementations, the feedback UI element continues to decrease in size for as long as the user pressing a finger on the feedback UI element. Alternatively, with other implementations, the feedback UI element continues to decrease in size until it reaches its minimum size, which may be predefined. Thereafter, the feedback UI element remains at its minimum size even if the user continues to press a finger on the feedback UI element. As another example, upon the user releasing the finger that has been pressing on the feedback UI element, the feedback UI element gradually increases in size, simulating the effect that the feedback UI element advances or springs forward on the touchscreen. As a third example, when a user quickly taps on the feedback UI element, the feedback UI element first decreases in size and recedes backward, and then increases in size and advances forward, and then returns to its original size and state. 
     In particular embodiments, the movements of the feedback UI element during an animation sequence may be based on spring motion. With some implementations, the spring motion may be defined based on Hooke&#39;s law of elasticity, which, in mechanics and physics, states that the extension of a spring is in direct proportion with the load applied to it. Mathematically, Hooke&#39;s law states that F=−kx, where x is the displacement of the spring&#39;s end from its equilibrium position; F is the restoring force exerted by the spring on that end; and k is the rate of spring constant. 
     With some implementations, the movements of the feedback UI element during an animation sequence may simulate the effect of attaching the feedback UI element to one end of an imaginary spring, while the other end of the spring is attached to a position on the screen where the feedback UI element is displayed in its original or normal state. During an animation sequence, the feedback UI element may be displaced from its original position on the screen (e.g., receding backward, advancing forward, or deforming). Nevertheless, the feedback UI element is tethered to its original position and state by the imaginary spring. Thus, the movements of the feedback UI element during an animation sequence may have a bouncing visual quality. 
     Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method of  FIG. 6 , where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular steps of the method of  FIG. 6  as occurring in a particular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of the method of  FIG. 6  occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular components, devices, or systems carrying out particular steps of the method of  FIG. 6 , this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of any suitable components, devices, or systems carrying out any suitable steps of the method of  FIG. 6 . 
     In particular embodiments, method  600  may be implemented as computer software and executed on an electronic or computer system.  FIG. 9  illustrates an example computer system  900 . In particular embodiments, one or more computer systems  900  perform one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, one or more computer systems  900  provide functionality described or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, software running on one or more computer systems  900  performs one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein or provides functionality described or illustrated herein. Particular embodiments include one or more portions of one or more computer systems  900 . Herein, reference to a computer system may encompass a computing device, and vice versa, where appropriate. Moreover, reference to a computer system may encompass one or more computer systems, where appropriate. 
     This disclosure contemplates any suitable number of computer systems  900 . This disclosure contemplates computer system  900  taking any suitable physical form. As example and not by way of limitation, computer system  900  may be an embedded computer system, a system-on-chip (SOC), a single-board computer system (SBC) (such as, for example, a computer-on-module (COM) or system-on-module (SOM)), a desktop computer system, a laptop or notebook computer system, an interactive kiosk, a mainframe, a mesh of computer systems, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a server, a tablet computer system, or a combination of two or more of these. Where appropriate, computer system  900  may include one or more computer systems  900 ; be unitary or distributed; span multiple locations; span multiple machines; span multiple data centers; or reside in a cloud, which may include one or more cloud components in one or more networks. Where appropriate, one or more computer systems  900  may perform without substantial spatial or temporal limitation one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein. As an example and not by way of limitation, one or more computer systems  900  may perform in real time or in batch mode one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein. One or more computer systems  900  may perform at different times or at different locations one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein, where appropriate. 
     In particular embodiments, computer system  900  includes a processor  902 , memory  904 , storage  906 , an input/output (I/O) interface  908 , a communication interface  910 , and a bus  912 . Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular computer system having a particular number of particular components in a particular arrangement, this disclosure contemplates any suitable computer system having any suitable number of any suitable components in any suitable arrangement. 
     In particular embodiments, processor  902  includes hardware for executing instructions, such as those making up a computer program. As an example and not by way of limitation, to execute instructions, processor  902  may retrieve (or fetch) the instructions from an internal register, an internal cache, memory  904 , or storage  906 ; decode and execute them; and then write one or more results to an internal register, an internal cache, memory  904 , or storage  906 . In particular embodiments, processor  902  may include one or more internal caches for data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates processor  902  including any suitable number of any suitable internal caches, where appropriate. As an example and not by way of limitation, processor  902  may include one or more instruction caches, one or more data caches, and one or more translation lookaside buffers (TLBs). Instructions in the instruction caches may be copies of instructions in memory  904  or storage  906 , and the instruction caches may speed up retrieval of those instructions by processor  902 . Data in the data caches may be copies of data in memory  904  or storage  906  for instructions executing at processor  902  to operate on; the results of previous instructions executed at processor  902  for access by subsequent instructions executing at processor  902  or for writing to memory  904  or storage  906 ; or other suitable data. The data caches may speed up read or write operations by processor  902 . The TLBs may speed up virtual-address translation for processor  902 . In particular embodiments, processor  902  may include one or more internal registers for data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates processor  902  including any suitable number of any suitable internal registers, where appropriate. Where appropriate, processor  902  may include one or more arithmetic logic units (ALUs); be a multi-core processor; or include one or more processors  902 . Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular processor, this disclosure contemplates any suitable processor. 
     In particular embodiments, memory  904  includes main memory for storing instructions for processor  902  to execute or data for processor  902  to operate on. As an example and not by way of limitation, computer system  900  may load instructions from storage  906  or another source (such as, for example, another computer system  900 ) to memory  904 . Processor  902  may then load the instructions from memory  904  to an internal register or internal cache. To execute the instructions, processor  902  may retrieve the instructions from the internal register or internal cache and decode them. During or after execution of the instructions, processor  902  may write one or more results (which may be intermediate or final results) to the internal register or internal cache. Processor  902  may then write one or more of those results to memory  904 . In particular embodiments, processor  902  executes only instructions in one or more internal registers or internal caches or in memory  904  (as opposed to storage  906  or elsewhere) and operates only on data in one or more internal registers or internal caches or in memory  904  (as opposed to storage  906  or elsewhere). One or more memory buses (which may each include an address bus and a data bus) may couple processor  902  to memory  904 . Bus  912  may include one or more memory buses, as described below. In particular embodiments, one or more memory management units (MMUs) reside between processor  902  and memory  904  and facilitate accesses to memory  904  requested by processor  902 . In particular embodiments, memory  904  includes random access memory (RAM). This RAM may be volatile memory, where appropriate Where appropriate, this RAM may be dynamic RAM (DRAM) or static RAM (SRAM). Moreover, where appropriate, this RAM may be single-ported or multi-ported RAM. This disclosure contemplates any suitable RAM. Memory  904  may include one or more memories  904 , where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular memory, this disclosure contemplates any suitable memory. 
     In particular embodiments, storage  906  includes mass storage for data or instructions. As an example and not by way of limitation, storage  906  may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, flash memory, an optical disc, a magneto-optical disc, magnetic tape, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive or a combination of two or more of these. Storage  906  may include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media, where appropriate. Storage  906  may be internal or external to computer system  900 , where appropriate. In particular embodiments, storage  906  is non-volatile, solid-state memory. In particular embodiments, storage  906  includes read-only memory (ROM). Where appropriate, this ROM may be mask-programmed ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), electrically alterable ROM (EAROM), or flash memory or a combination of two or more of these. This disclosure contemplates mass storage  906  taking any suitable physical form. Storage  906  may include one or more storage control units facilitating communication between processor  902  and storage  906 , where appropriate. Where appropriate, storage  906  may include one or more storages  906 . Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular storage, this disclosure contemplates any suitable storage. 
     In particular embodiments, I/O interface  908  includes hardware, software, or both, providing one or more interfaces for communication between computer system  900  and one or more I/O devices. Computer system  900  may include one or more of these I/O devices, where appropriate. One or more of these I/O devices may enable communication between a person and computer system  900 . As an example and not by way of limitation, an I/O device may include a keyboard, keypad, microphone, monitor, mouse, printer, scanner, speaker, still camera, stylus, tablet, touch screen, trackball, video camera, another suitable I/O device or a combination of two or more of these. An I/O device may include one or more sensors. This disclosure contemplates any suitable I/O devices and any suitable I/O interfaces  908  for them. Where appropriate, I/O interface  908  may include one or more device or software drivers enabling processor  902  to drive one or more of these I/O devices. I/O interface  908  may include one or more I/O interfaces  908 , where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular I/O interface, this disclosure contemplates any suitable I/O interface. 
     In particular embodiments, communication interface  910  includes hardware, software, or both providing one or more interfaces for communication (such as, for example, packet-based communication) between computer system  900  and one or more other computer systems  900  or one or more networks. As an example and not by way of limitation, communication interface  910  may include a network interface controller (NIC) or network adapter for communicating with an Ethernet or other wire-based network or a wireless NIC (WNIC) or wireless adapter for communicating with a wireless network, such as a WI-FI network. This disclosure contemplates any suitable network and any suitable communication interface  910  for it. As an example and not by way of limitation, computer system  900  may communicate with an ad hoc network, a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or one or more portions of the Internet or a combination of two or more of these. One or more portions of one or more of these networks may be wired or wireless. As an example, computer system  900  may communicate with a wireless PAN (WPAN) (such as, for example, a BLUETOOTH WPAN), a WI-FI network, a WI-MAX network, a cellular telephone network (such as, for example, a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network), or other suitable wireless network or a combination of two or more of these. Computer system  900  may include any suitable communication interface  910  for any of these networks, where appropriate. Communication interface  910  may include one or more communication interfaces  910 , where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular communication interface, this disclosure contemplates any suitable communication interface. 
     In particular embodiments, bus  912  includes hardware, software, or both coupling components of computer system  900  to each other. As an example and not by way of limitation, bus  912  may include an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, an Enhanced Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, a front-side bus (FSB), a HYPERTRANSPORT (HT) interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an INFINIBAND interconnect, a low-pin-count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI-Express (PCIe) bus, a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association local (VLB) bus, or another suitable bus or a combination of two or more of these. Bus  912  may include one or more buses  912 , where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular bus, this disclosure contemplates any suitable bus or interconnect. 
     Herein, a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium or media may include one or more semiconductor-based or other integrated circuits (ICs) (such, as for example, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or application-specific ICs (ASICs)), hard disk drives (HDDs), hybrid hard drives (HHDs), optical discs, optical disc drives (ODDs), magneto-optical discs, magneto-optical drives, floppy diskettes, floppy disk drives (FDDs), magnetic tapes, solid-state drives (SSDs), RAM-drives, SECURE DIGITAL cards or drives, any other suitable computer-readable non-transitory storage media, or any suitable combination of two or more of these, where appropriate. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium may be volatile, non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile, where appropriate. 
     Herein, “or” is inclusive and not exclusive, unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A or B” means “A, B, or both,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Moreover, “and” is both joint and several, unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A and B” means “A and B, jointly or severally,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. 
     The scope of this disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications to the example embodiments described or illustrated herein that a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to the example embodiments described or illustrated herein. Moreover, although this disclosure describes and illustrates respective embodiments herein as including particular components, elements, functions, operations, or steps, any of these embodiments may include any combination or permutation of any of the components, elements, functions, operations, or steps described or illustrated anywhere herein that a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend. Furthermore, reference in the appended claims to an apparatus or system or a component of an apparatus or system being adapted to, arranged to, capable of, configured to, enabled to, operable to, or operative to perform a particular function encompasses that apparatus, system, component, whether or not it or that particular function is activated, turned on, or unlocked, as long as that apparatus, system, or component is so adapted, arranged, capable, configured, enabled, operable, or operative.