Binary Space Partitioning Screen Layout Manager
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional layout managers for dashboards lack flexibility and intuitiveness, making it difficult for non-experts to create aesthetically pleasing and predictable layouts, especially when dealing with visual elements of varying sizes and aspect ratios, and fail to maintain the proximity of related elements during modifications.
Innovation Solution
A binary space partitioning (BSP) layout manager system that recursively subdivides the screen into tiles, allowing for interactive and flexible placement of visual elements while maintaining their proximity, using constraints to optimize tile sizes and positions, and employing a lightweight constraint solver to ensure visually coherent and compact layouts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional layout managers are used, then layout management is simple, but flexibility and intuitiveness are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The layout manager segments the screen space into a hierarchical structure using binary space partitioning, where the screen is recursively divided into regions that can independently contain visual elements. This segmentation enables flexible layout configuration while maintaining manageable complexity through the hierarchical organization of space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to traditional 2D layout management by creating a tree structure of regions and visual elements. This additional hierarchical dimension allows non-expert users to build layouts through simple drag-and-drop operations while the system automatically manages the complex spatial relationships.
2Adaptability or versatility
If visual elements are placed freely, then layout flexibility improves, but maintaining proximity of related elements becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the screen into hierarchical regions where related visual elements can be grouped together. This segmentation allows elements to be placed freely within their designated regions while maintaining stable proximity relationships through the hierarchical structure that preserves groupings during modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The layout manager provides automatic feedback mechanisms that detect when visual elements need to be repositioned to maintain optimal proximity relationships. When modifications are made, the system automatically adjusts element positions within the hierarchical regions to preserve the proximity of related elements, giving users feedback that their layout intentions are being maintained.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dashboard modifications are made, then adaptability improves, but layout coherence deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic layout management system where the hierarchical region structure automatically adapts to modifications while maintaining overall coherence. When visual elements are added, removed, or moved, the system dynamically recalculates positions and regions within the binary space partitioning framework, ensuring that layout coherence is preserved despite continuous modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The layout manager provides self-service functionality by automatically managing the complex adjustments needed to maintain layout coherence during modifications. The system autonomously handles region recalculations, element repositioning, and constraint satisfaction without requiring user intervention, allowing users to make modifications freely while the system maintains coherence independently.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic layout manager system for displaying a plurality of visual elements in different sections of a screen of an electronic device or of a screen image projected by an electronic device, said sections being in the form of assembled square or rectangular tiles of various sizes that in combination fill a square or rectangular screen surface area, the system comprising a layout manager program module configured to define the size and position of each of the tiles as a function of constraints stored in a memory of the system or calculated by an algorithm of the program module, the program module configured to recursively subdivide said screen surface area by horizontal and vertical partitions (H, V) to create a binary space partitioning (BSP) layout containing horizontal and vertical partitions representable by a logical binary tree where each node of the tree represents a partition and each leaf of the tree represents a tile, whereby each addition of a tile comprises either adding a vertical partition (V) or alternatively adding a horizontal partition (H) and each subtraction of a tile comprises either subtracting a vertical partition (V) or alternatively subtracting a horizontal partition (H), the program module configured to automatically resize, as a function of one or more of said constraints, at least one or more tiles aligned with the added or removed tile to fill the space that was occupied by said one or more resized tiles before said addition or subtraction, said aligned tiles sharing a common partition orthogonal to the added or subtracted partition, said automatic resizing occurring in a direction orthogonal to the added or subtracted partition whereby when a vertical partition is added or subtracted said automatically resized tiles are resized in width and when a horizontal partition is added or subtracted said automatically resized tiles are resized in height.