Patent ID: 8253747

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for animating an object, wherein animating the object comprises creating one or more duplicates of the object and animating the one or more duplicates according to a range in which the one or more duplicates moves, the method comprising: displaying a user interface comprising: a control area comprising an ellipse; a first user-manipulable control element located on the circumference of the ellipse, wherein the first user-manipulable control element specifies a first point on the circumference of the ellipse; a second user-manipulable control element located on the circumference of the ellipse, wherein the second user-manipulable control element specifies a second point on the circumference of the ellipse, and wherein the first point and the second point together specify a sector of the ellipse, and wherein a size of the sector specifies a size of a range in which one or more duplicates of an object moves, and wherein a position of the sector specifies a location of the range; and a third user-manipulable control element located within the sector; receiving user input via the first user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging the first user-manipulable control element to set the sector's size and the sector's position; receiving user input via the second user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging the second user-manipulable control element to set the sector's size and the sector's position; receiving user input via the third user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging the third user-manipulable control element to set the sector's position without affecting the sector's size; and animating the object based on the received input.