116 results about "Document layout" patented technology

Documents are preloaded from a server to a client device before the client device submits a request for the preloaded documents. The server predicts which documents to preload based on past user browsing activities at the client device and document layouts. At the client device, specific graphical features may be applied to the links to the preloaded documents such that a user can easily tell which document link is associated with the preloaded documents.

Methods and apparatus for variable document printing are disclosed in which a graphical user interface is configured to allow user manipulation of layout rules associated with content containers within a template for variable document generation. One method involves laying out (626) container objects (407, 408) forming part of a template (624) intended for a variable data document. The objects each have a rectangular boundary in two-dimensional space, and the method comprises detecting an operation (628, 2800) to modify a position of at least one edge of at least one of the objects. Then, rules of association between edges of the objects having a corresponding orientation to the one edge are identified. A position of at least the one edge is then modified whilst observing the rules of association between all the correspondingly oriented edges. Finally an objective function derived from the rules of association between the correspondingly oriented edges is minimized (3009) to thereby balance a layout of the objects in at least the dimension of modification. Other methods involve maintaining the objective function for a group of edges, the addition and removal of constraints in respect of correspondingly oriented edges, the removal, addition and then removal of constraints in modifying the width of a container, the calculation of text container sizes, and the creation of tables, particularly for text containers.

A system and methods for facilitating adaptive grid-based document layout. More particularly, the present invention features a new approach to adaptive grid-based document layout that utilizes a set of adaptive templates that are configurable in a range of different pages sizes and viewing conditions. The templates include various element types and constraint-based relationships that define the layout of elements with reference to viewing conditions under which the document content will be displayed and that define other content properties. Through a layout engine and paginator, the present invention determines a desirable sequence of templates to use for adapting document content. Additionally, the present invention provides a template authoring tool and user interface for interactively drawing and arranging layout elements within an adaptive template.

Methods and apparatus for variable document printing are disclosed in which a graphical user interface is configured to allow user manipulation of layout rules associated with content containers within a template for variable document generation. One method involves laying out (626) container objects (407, 408) forming part of a template (624) intended for a variable data document. The objects each have a rectangular boundary in two-dimensional space, and the method comprises detecting an operation (628, 2800) to modify a position of at least one edge of at least one of the objects. Then, rules of association between edges of the objects having a corresponding orientation to the one edge are identified. A position of at least the one edge is then modified whilst observing the rules of association between all the correspondingly oriented edges. Finally an objective function derived from the rules of association between the correspondingly oriented edges is minimized (3009) to thereby balance a layout of the objects in at least the dimension of modification. Other methods involve maintaining the objective function for a group of edges, the addition and removal of constraints in respect of correspondingly oriented edges, the removal, addition and then removal of constraints in modifying the width of a container, the calculation of text container sizes, and the creation of tables, particularly for text containers.

A system and method specify a custom document as a constraint satisfaction problem to create the specified document using existing constraint solving algorithms wherein the document, its content components, and its layout requirements as elements of a constraint satisfaction problem which when solved, results in an automated document layout for the set of content components. The system and method enables an automated custom document creation process, providing a wider array of output documents.

The present invention provides a means to display the contents of a document using a selected display condition, while preserving the layout of the document. It provides an information processing system comprising: a web browser for displaying a document having a predetermined layout; and a display controller for controlling a method used by the web browser to display the document. The display controller includes: a layout structure analyzer for analyzing the structure of the layout for the document; a region arrangement determiner for dividing a web page under a desired display condition, whereby the contents of the page are displayed in order to display the document in accordance with regions that are allocated and that reflect the structure of the document layout obtained by the layout structure analyzer; and an intra-region contents determiner for determining which contents of the document are to be displayed inside each of the allocated regions that are determined by the region arrangement determiner.

A method and apparatus for automated document layout creation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a first layout of document image objects and creating a second layout of document image objects subject to placement constraints corresponding to placement of document image objects, at least one of the placement constraints being based on object content in one or more of the document image objects.

A customized document is created at an end user local computer by utilizing a plug-in program installed within a web-browser of the local computer to access and request from a memory device, such as an Internet server, a pre-prepared and unalterable document layout and desired pre-prepared document content, including a graphics image, text, and image and text orientation. The end user in some instances is able to specify the text, select its font type and size, and import end user provided digital image. The graphic image may be edited at the local computer. The document request is fulfilled using the plug-in to interface with the memory device and retrieve the necessary document layout and content, and the user is provided the option of saving the document at the local computer-e-mailing the document, or printing the document using a printer connected to the local computer.

A system and method for improving document layout on arbitrary devices of different resolutions and size using manifold representations of content. Manifold representations of content are: multiple versions of anything that might appear in a document, from text, to images, to even such things as stylistic conventions. The specific content is selected and formatted dynamically, on the fly, by a layout engine in order to best adapt to a given viewing situation. A user interface for authoring and editing such manifold content is disclosed.

Electronic document design methods and computer programs allowing a user to separately control and modify layout and the design components of an electronic document. A number of possible document layouts and possible document designs are stored. A document is based on the combination of one of the stored layouts and one of the stored designs. While the user is viewing the electronic document, controls are available to the user allowing the user to view and select among alternate layouts and designs for that document. Color schemes and font schemes for the document may also be separated controlled.

Methods and apparatus for variable document printing are disclosed in which a graphical user interface is configured to allow user manipulation of layout rules associated with content containers within a template for variable document generation. One method involves laying out (626) container objects (407, 408) forming part of a template (624) intended for a variable data document. The objects each have a rectangular boundary in two-dimensional space, and the method comprises detecting an operation (628, 2800) to modify a position of at least one edge of at least one of the objects. Then, rules of association between edges of the objects having a corresponding orientation to the one edge are identified. A position of at least the one edge is then modified whilst observing the rules of association between all the correspondingly oriented edges. Finally an objective function derived from the rules of association between the correspondingly oriented edges is minimized (3009) to thereby balance a layout of the objects in at least the dimension of modification. Other methods involve maintaining the objective function for a group of edges, the addition and removal of constraints in respect of correspondingly oriented edges, the removal, addition and then removal of constraints in modifying the width of a container, the calculation of text container sizes, and the creation of tables, particularly for text containers.

A system and process for a server to provide a page of a document generated by an adaptive document layout application in a fixed-layout document format to a client computer over a client-server based network is presented. The document page is provided in response to a request for the page from the client, which may also specify a desired window size and / or desired formatting. In general, the server, referred to hereinafter as the Adaptive Document Layout (ADL) server, receives the request from a client computer and generates the requested document page using the aforementioned adaptive document layout application. The generated page is then converted into a prescribed fixed-layout document format. Finally, the ADL server transmits the page to the client computer via the client-server based network.

The present disclosure discloses ways of navigating content. For example, techniques herein can include defining a logical flow of multiple content regions in a display page, initiating display of a first content region of the multiple content regions, the first content region of the display page displayed on a display screen according to a first zoom level, and in response to receiving navigation input in the display page to view a next content region following the first content region in the logical flow, identifying a second content region that follows the first content region in the logical flow. Additionally, embodiments herein can include analyzing parameters of the second content region to determine a second zoom level for viewing the second content region and initiating display of the second content region according to the second zoom level, the second zoom level being different than the first zoom level.

A method and apparatus for automated document layout creation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a first layout of document image objects and creating a second layout of document image objects subject to placement constraints corresponding to placement of document image objects, at least one of the placement constraints being based on object content in one or more of the document image objects.

What is disclosed is a system and method for specifying a custom document as a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) to create the specified document using existing constraint solving algorithms wherein the document, its content components, and its layout requirements as elements of a constraint satisfaction problem which when solved, results in an automated document layout for the set of content components. This enables an easier (i.e., automated) custom document creation process while providing a wider array of output documents.

The present invention provides systems and methods for creating and editing electronic layouts, such as layouts used to create web pages, via digital networks. An exemplary system for creating an electronic layout suitably includes a server, a network, a database and one or more user interfaces. The server may suitably provide a layout editor configured to place one or more containers, areas and / or spacers onto a layout panel in response to inputs from a user and a layout manager configured to validate properties of the layout and to generate the layout. An exemplary method for creating a document layout suitably includes displaying a layout panel; placing at least one container on the layout panel to create the layout, the container comprising a software object representing a visual element; and storing the layout in a database for future use and / or editing.

A system and methodology is provided herein employing automated search, filtering, and automated document layout technologies conjoined with various delivery options to provide an end-to-end information push service. As such, it enables complete personalized custom report documents to be automatically created, thereby reducing cost in existing personalized document workflows, as well as enabling documents to be created that increase consumer satisfaction and knowledge worker productivity. One example deployment manifestation of the teachings provided yields a personal newspaper embodiment.

What is disclosed is a system and method for specifying a custom document as a multi-criteria constraint optimization problem, and a method to automatically create the specified document using existing constraint optimization solving algorithms. The present method specifies the document, its content components, its layout requirements, and its desired aesthetic criteria are expressed as elements of a constraint optimization problem which when solved, results in an automated document layout for the set of content components that satisfies not only certain primitive content and layout constraints, but which also advantageously fulfills desired design properties and which provides a way to ensure that the generated document is well designed. The method for automatic document layout comprises the steps of determining a set of variables that can be adjusted to achieve a satisfactory layout; expressing said satisfactory layout as a set of constraints on said determined set of variables wherein at least one of said set of constraints is expressed as being optimizable; and solving said constraints to find a layout which solves for the variables over the constraints. The system for automatic document layout on multi-function office equipment comprises means for document layout constraint acquisition; means for document layout variable specification which specifies a set of variables that can be adjusted to achieve a satisfactory layout; means for relationship-constraint to optimization-constraint conversion which expresses said satisfactory layout as a set of constraints on said set of variables wherein at least one of said set of constraints is expressed as being optimizable; and means for constraint optimization for solving said constraints to find a layout which solves for the variables over said constraints.

A system and methodology is provided herein employing automated search, filtering, and automated document layout technologies conjoined with various delivery options to provide an end-to-end information push service. As such, it enables complete personalized custom report documents to be automatically created, thereby reducing cost in existing personalized document workflows, as well as enabling documents to be created that increase consumer satisfaction and knowledge worker productivity. The user satisfaction and productivity is enhanced by tracking the user's actual usage of the report document and feeding that usage back into the user profile. One example deployment manifestation of the teachings provided yields a personal newspaper embodiment which monitors the user usage and provides feedback of that usage to the system methodology thus dynamically altering any subsequently delivered custom report documents.

A description of document elements to be laid out on a page, comprises two or more hierarchical levels; wherein each document element is placed at one of the hierarchical levels; and elements at a lower hierarchical level are associated with a document element at a next higher hierarchical level. Page layout according to such a document description may be optimised discretely at different hierarchical levels without affecting constraints.

A method and apparatus for creating visualizations using tree functionals is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises representing a group of document images using a plurality of visualizations that visualize document layout information for the group of document images based on one or more display device characteristics and based on content of the group of documents, and adapting the plurality of visualizations to an available display by removing one or more visualizations from the plurality of visualizations based on at least two functional values.

A method and system are provided for formatting documents for printing in a selected format and resolution upon determination that the software program generating the print job is incapable of creating a document in the selected layout and at the selected resolution. The process of formatting the document involves causing the software program to generate a print job at a resolution lower than that selected by the user. Images of pages generated by the software program are then formed and printed at a higher resolution, such that the images formed on the printed pages are resized to fit multiple images on one printed page.

A user interface for improving document layout on arbitrary devices of different resolutions and size using manifold representations of content. Manifold representations of content are: multiple versions of anything that might appear in a document, from text, to images, to even such things as stylistic conventions. The specific content is selected and formatted dynamically, on the fly, by a layout engine in order to best adapt to a given viewing situation. A user interface for authoring and editing such manifold content is disclosed.

A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for generating visualizations (e.g., icons) suitable for a specific display. In one embodiment, the method comprises selecting a group of document images having similar layout features suitable for visualization or a specific display from the plurality of document images based on layout analysis information corresponding to the plurality of document images, and creating a plurality of visualizations to visualize document layout information for a group of document images based on one or more display device characteristics and based on content of the group of documents.

A message bridge integrates a data management system with a document production system so that variable data may be provided to the document production system without off-line processing. The message bridge includes a transport adapter and a Web server. Preferably, a transport adapter resides at the data management system and a transport adapter resides at the Web server. The transport adapter at the data management system collects and converts variable data into data messages for communication with the document production system so a document composition engine may incorporate variable data in document layouts and printed documents. Soft documents generated by the document composition engine may be communicated to the data management system through the message bridge for proofing and approval.

Embedded Media Barcode Links (EMBL), are optimally blended iconic barcode marks printed on paper documents that signify the existence of media associated with that part of the document. EMBLs are used for media retrieval with a camera phone. Users take a picture of an EMBL-signified document patch using a cell phone, and the media associated with the EMBL-signified document location is displayed on the phone. Unlike traditional bar code which requires an exclusive space, EMBLs are optimally blended with contents and thus have less interference with the original document layout and can be moved closer to a media associated location. Unlike Embedded Media Makers (EMM) which requires underlying document features for the marker identification, EMBL has no requirement to underlying features. Moreover, EMBL can take the advantage of users' knowledge to traditional barcode. Retrieval of media associated with an EMBL is based on the barcode identification of the captured EMBL.

The invention relates to a template-based intelligent format checking method aiming at a Word document, belonging to the technical field of computer applications. The checking method comprises the following steps: analyzing a standard Word document template so as to obtain the rules of document layouts, patterns and the like; conducting edition, setting, storing and loading to the rules; and then according to the rules, checking the format of the Word document, giving the checking result including pointing out the content being non-conform to format standards as well as correction suggestion, so as to help a user to carry out correction. The template-based intelligent format checking method aiming at the Word document is realized by writing programs on a computer, wherein the programs are applications operated on an operation system on which Microsoft Word can run, and dynamic link library or Marco with which Web application or Word can run. The method has simple use and wide application range, and can greatly improve check efficiency and reduce careless omission, thus improving document quality and relieving the workload of the user.

A digital ink annotation process and system for processing digital documents and digital ink annotations therein. An annotation's position is maintained within a document such that the original intent and meaning of the annotation is preserved. This is true even if the document is edited, resized, displayed on a different device or otherwise modified. The process includes automatic and manual grouping of digital ink strokes within a document to define digital ink annotations, classifying the annotations according to annotation type, and anchoring the annotations to appropriate regions or positions in a document. The process further includes reflowing the annotations in a new document layout such that the annotations conform and adapt to the new layout while preserving the original intents and meanings of the annotations. The system includes a classification module, an anchoring module, a reflow module and a clean-up module to implement the digital ink annotation process.