Transform Point Management for Multi-State Content Editing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Content creation applications often display unintended 'helper' effects that confuse creators and lead to unexpected behavior, as they normalize object positions and transformations, making it difficult to manage and edit multi-state electronic content effectively.

Innovation Solution

A content creation application selectively hides non-intuitive, helper effects and only displays changes explicitly intended by the creator, using a transform point to maintain stable object positions and transformations across states, allowing for intuitive editing and management of multi-state electronic content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the application displays all effects including helper effects, then complete information is provided, but confusion and unexpected behavior occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffect information completenessVSAvoidinterface clarity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The effects are segmented into two distinct categories: user-defined effects and helper effects. This segmentation allows the interface to selectively display only user-defined effects by default, while still maintaining access to complete effect information through appropriate interface controls. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by organizing information in a way that prioritizes clarity while preserving completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Helper effects are extracted from the main effects list and handled separately. The system identifies and isolates helper effects generated during normalization operations, then selectively excludes them from the default display. This extraction allows the interface to show only intentionally defined effects, reducing confusion while maintaining the ability to access helper effects when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the application normalizes object positions to maintain group integrity, then group consistency is maintained, but unintended helper effects are generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegroup consistencyVSAvoidunintended helper effects

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the potentially harmful effect of unintended helper effects into a benefit by automatically identifying and categorizing them as helper effects. The normalization process that generates these effects is retained to maintain group consistency, but the resulting helper effects are systematically identified and excluded from the default effects list, transforming a problem into a managed feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

Different quality attributes are applied to different types of effects. User-defined effects receive full visibility and editability, while helper effects generated during normalization are marked with a different quality attribute that causes them to be hidden by default. This local differentiation in effect properties allows the system to maintain group consistency through normalization while preventing confusion from unintended effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If the application allows editing of all effects, then complete control is provided, but unexpected behavior occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffect editing controlVSAvoidbehavior predictability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary classification of effects before presenting them for editing. By identifying and categorizing helper effects in advance, the system can prevent users from editing effects that would cause unexpected behavior. This preliminary action ensures that only appropriate effects are available for editing, maintaining both versatility and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The effects list serves as an intermediary layer between user input and content transformation. By controlling what appears in this intermediary list, the system mediates between user editing capabilities and actual content changes. Helper effects are filtered out of this intermediary layer, preventing unintended behavior while preserving user control over intentional effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8881037B2Systems and methods for managing transform points and effects in multi-state electronic content

Publication Date: 2014.11.04 ADOBE INC

AI summary

One exemplary embodiment involves receiving input editing electronic content being edited in the electronic content creation application and identifying changes to the electronic content being edited that are required based on the input. The exemplary embodiment further involves determining one or more of the changes to be hidden effects and selectively displaying information associated with one or more effects defined for the electronic content being edited, where the information associated with the one or more effects excludes information about the hidden effects.