Defining motion in a computer system with a graphical user interface

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a method that defines movement in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer system. This method detects an interaction between a cursor and a first object in the GUI. Based on this interaction, the method moves a second object in the GUI. In some embodiments, the movement of the second object is a rotational movement within the GUI. In other embodiments, the second object's movement is a translation movement, such as a rectilinear translation movement or a curvilinear translation movement. Also, in some embodiments, the second object relates to a special effect that is applied to another object in the GUI. For instance, in some embodiments, the second object is a shadow of a third object in the GUI.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A method for defining movement in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer system, the method comprising:
 detecting a translation movement of a directional user gesture input across a first object in the GUI from a first angular position of the first object to a second angular position of the first object; and   defining, simultaneous with the corresponding detected translation movement of the directional user gesture input, a same relative angular movement of a second object in the GUI from a third angular position of the second object to a fourth angular position of the second object, wherein the first angular position is different from the third angular position and the second angular position is different from the fourth angular position.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein defining the same relative angular movement of the second object comprises determining an angular distance between the first angular position and the second angular position. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein an angular distance between the first angular position and the third angular position is 180°. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first object is associated with a first coordinate system of the GUI and the first and second angular positions are positions defined in the first coordinate system, wherein the second object is associated with a second coordinate system of the GUI and the third and fourth angular positions are defined in the second coordinate system. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein detecting the translation movement of the directional user gesture input comprises:
 identifying the first angular position and the second angular position based on coordinate axes of the first coordinate system; and   determining an angular movement between the first angular position and the second angular position in the first coordinate system.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein defining the same relative angular movement of the second object comprises:
 identifying the third angular position based on the position of the second object in a second coordinate system of the GUI; and   identifying the fourth angular position by applying the determined angular movement at the third angular position in the second coordinate system.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein each angular movement of the second object moves every point in the second object along the same angular path. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the second object is a shadow of a text object and the third and fourth angular positions are angles of the shadow relative to the text object. 
     
     
         41 . A method for defining movement in a graphical user interface (GUI), the method comprising:
 displaying a first GUI object having an associated shadow in the GUI; and   displaying a two dimensional shape that is a second GUI object having a surface area and a region surrounding the two-dimensional shape in the GUI for detecting translation movements of a directional user gesture input, wherein (i) a first translation movement of the directional user gesture input within the surface area from a first angular position to a second angular position corresponds to a first curvilinear translation movement of the shadow along a first curvilinear path about the GUI object and (ii) a second translation movement of the directional user gesture input outside of the surface area and within the surrounding region from a third angular position to a fourth angular position corresponds to a second curvilinear translation movement of the shadow along a second curvilinear path about the GUI object.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the curvilinear translation movements of the shadow move every point of the shadow along a same curvilinear path. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the second curvilinear path of the shadow about the GUI object comprises an angular distance that is the same as the angular distance between the third angular position and the fourth angular position of the second translation movement of the directional user gesture input. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein a third translation movement of the directional user gesture input from the first angular position within the surface area to the fourth angular position outside of the surface area and within the surrounding region corresponds to a third curvilinear translation movement of the shadow along the first and second curvilinear paths about the GUI object. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein a selection of a point at a particular angular position outside of the surface area and within the surrounding region causes a particular curvilinear translation movement of the shadow to the particular angular position. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the second GUI object is a circular slider, the method further comprising displaying a third GUI object for defining a radial distance between the first GUI object and the associated shadow. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the first and second GUI objects are displayed in the same display area of the GUI. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein first and second GUI objects are displayed in separate display areas of the GUI. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the first GUI object is a text object and the associated shadow is a shadow of the text object. 
     
     
         50 . A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program comprising a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising:
 a first object having a corresponding shadow; and   a second selectable object comprising a surface area of a two-dimensional shape for defining curvilinear movements of the shadow about the first object, wherein the second object is selected by interactions with a directional user gesture input within the surface area and within a region surrounding the surface area, wherein (i) a first translation movement of the directional user gesture input within the surface area from a first angular position to a second angular position corresponds to a first curvilinear translation movement of the shadow about the first object and (ii) a second translation movement of the directional user gesture input outside of the surface area and within the surrounding region from a third angular position to a fourth angular position corresponds to a second curvilinear translation movement of the shadow about the first object.   
     
     
         51 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 50 , wherein the GUI further comprises a tool for toggling display of the shadow corresponding to the first object. 
     
     
         52 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 50 , wherein each curvilinear translation movement of the shadow about the first object moves every point in the shadow along the same curvilinear path about the first object. 
     
     
         53 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 50 , wherein the first object is a text object in the GUI.