Document Layout Optimization via Energy Minimization

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing document design templates struggle to automatically adjust layout and attributes to accommodate varying amounts of user-inserted content, often resulting in aesthetically unpleasing designs with overlapping text and images due to the inability to infer the designer's intent and adapt accordingly.

Innovation Solution

A method that generates an energy model of the layout based on original component positions and sizes, adjusting positions to minimize deformation, overlap, color proximity, and font size reduction energies, thereby optimizing the layout to preserve the designer's intent and maintain aesthetic appeal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the layout is fixed to preserve the designer's intent, then the aesthetic appeal is maintained, but the ability to accommodate varying amounts of user content deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to accommodate varying user contentVSAvoidlayout configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the layout configuration changeable rather than fixed. The system automatically adjusts component positions, sizes, and spacing based on the amount of user content inserted, allowing the layout to adapt dynamically while preserving the designer's intent through energy minimization optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the layout automatically adjusts to accommodate user content, then the adaptability improves, but the aesthetic appeal and designer intent preservation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic layout adjustmentVSAvoidaesthetic appeal

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes parameters such as component positions, sizes, and spacing automatically based on user content amount. The energy minimization algorithm adjusts these parameters to find optimal configurations that maintain aesthetic appeal while accommodating varying content sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If the component positions are fixed, then the manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the overlap prevention and aesthetic quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelayout implementation simplicityVSAvoidcomponent overlap

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically detecting component overlaps and adjusting positions to eliminate them. The energy minimization process self-corrects layout issues without requiring manual intervention, maintaining simplicity while preventing harmful overlaps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9015581B2Self-adjusting document layouts using system optimization modeling

Publication Date: 2015.04.21 CIMPRESS SCHWEIZ GMBH

AI summary

Methods and systems for optimizing a layout of a document constructed based on a template document, where the template document comprises a plurality of individually-specified components including one or more individually specified user-content components configured to receive user content from a user of the template document. An energy model of the layout of the user-content components in the user document is generated based on original positions and sizes of the user-content components in the template document. Positions of corresponding components in the user document are automatically adjusted to minimize the energy of the user-content component layout in the user document.