Analyzing an image showing a graphical representation of a layout

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 in which the input image set includes a human-produced image; the human-produced image showing the graphical representation.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 in which the human-produced image shows a sketch of the layout, the sketch being the graphical representation.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, further comprising: using the segment source data and the segment position data to obtain output image data defining an image that includes a layout as represented by the graphical representation.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 in which the segment position data indicate, for each of the segments, a width and a height; the act of using the segment source data and the segment position data comprising: using the segment position data to scale each of the segments to fit within the width and height indicated by the segment position data.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4 in which the segment position data indicate, for each of the segments, a reference point; the act of using the segment source data and the segment position data comprising: using the segment position data to position each of the segments at the reference point indicated by the segment position data.

Claim 8

The method of claim 4 in which the input image set further shows a sketch of a source graphical representation; the segment source data indicating that the sketch is a source of the first segment; the act of using the segment source data and the segment position data to obtain output image data further comprising: using the input image data to obtain content data indicating information represented by the source graphical representation; using the content data to obtain data defining a precisely formed graphical representation representing the information indicated by the content data; and using the data defining the precisely formed graphical representation to obtain the output image data.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 in which the source graphical representation is a node-link structure, a parallel length graph, a proportioned parts graph, a row/column representation, a perimeter relationship representation, or a two-dimensional graph.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 in which the graphical representation of the layout includes two or more segment representations; the act of using the input image data to obtain segment source data and segment position data comprising: using the input image data to obtain relative position data indicating the position of each segment representation relative to the graphical representation; and using the relative position data to obtain the segment position data.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 in which the graphical representation of the layout includes a rectangular boundary and lines parallel to sides of the boundary defining the segment representations within the boundary, each segment representation being rectangular; the act of using the input image data to obtain relative position data comprising: using the input image data to obtain boundary position data indicating the boundary's position and first segment position data indicating a first segment representation's position; and using the boundary position data and the first segment position data to obtain first segment relative position data indicating a position of the first segment representation relative to the boundary; the relative position data including the first segment relative position data.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 in which the input image set further shows an image source sheet defining a source image; the act of using the input image data to obtain segment source data and segment position data comprising: using the input image data to obtain image source data indicating, for the first segment, that the image source sheet is a source for the segment.

Claim 13

The method of claim 11 in which the image source sheet includes source identifier marks; the source identifier marks indicating a source identifier identifying the source image; the act of using the segment identifier data to obtain segment source data comprising: obtaining source identifier data indicating the source identifier indicated by the source identifier marks; and using the source identifier data and the segment identifier data to determine whether the image source sheet is a source for the segment.

Claim 14

The method of claim 12 in which the source identifier marks form a number of connected components that indicate the source identifier; the segment identifier marks forming the same number of connected components; the act of obtaining source identifier data comprising: obtaining first count data indicating the number of connected components formed by the source identifier marks; the act of obtaining segment identifier data comprising: obtaining second count data indicating the number of connected components formed by the segment identifier marks.

Claim 17

The method of claim 14 in which the machine further comprises image output circuitry for providing data defining images as output; the method further comprising: using the segment source data and the segment position data to obtain output image data defining an image that includes a layout as represented by the graphical representation; and providing the output image data to the image output circuitry.

Claim 18

A machine comprising: image input circuitry for obtaining data defining images as input; memory for storing data; and a processor connected for receiving data defining images from the image input circuitry and connected for accessing data stored in the memory; the data stored in the memory comprising instruction data indicating image processing instructions the processor can execute; the processor, in executing the image processing instructions: receiving input image data from the image input circuitry, the input image data defining an input image set that shows a graphical representation of a layout that includes two or more image segments; the graphical representation including segment source information indicating sources of the segments in the layout and segment position information indicating positions of the segments within the layout; the segment source information including, for a first one of the segments, segment identifier marks indicating a segment identifier identifying the first segment; and using the input image data to obtain segment source data indicating a source for each of the segments and segment position data indicating a position for each of the segments; the processor, in using the input image data to obtain segment source data: obtaining segment identifier data indicating the segment identifier indicated by the segment identifier marks; and using the segment identifier data to obtain the segment source data; the segment source data indicating a source for the first segment.

Claim 19

A machine comprising: image input circuitry for obtaining data defining images as input; memory for storing data; and a processor connected for receiving data defining images from the image input circuitry and connected for accessing data stored in the memory; the data stored in the memory comprising instruction data indicating image processing instructions the processor can execute; the processor, in executing the image processing instructions: receiving input image data from the image input circuitry, the input image data defining an input image set that shows a graphical representation of a layout that includes two or more image segments; the graphical representation including segment source information indicating sources of the segments in the layout and segment position information indicating positions of the segments within the layout; the segment source information including, for a first one of the segments, segment identifier marks indicating a segment identifier identifying the first segment; and using the input image data to obtain segment source data indicating a source for each of the segments and segment position data indicating a position for each of the segments; the processor, in using the input image data to obtain segment source data: obtaining segment identifier data indicating the segment identifier indicated by the segment identifier marks; and using the segment identifier data to obtain the segment source data; the segment source data indicating a source for the first segment.

Claim 20

The machine of claim 16 in which the input image circuitry is connected for receiving facsimile transmissions.

Claim 21

The method of claim 16 in which the machine further comprises image output circuitry for providing data defining images as output; the processor further, in executing the image processing instructions: using the segment source data and the segment position data to obtain output image data defining an image that includes a layout as represented by the graphical representation; and providing the output image data to the image output circuitry.

Claim 22

The machine of claim 18 in which the output image circuitry is connected for providing facsimile transmissions.

Claim 23

The machine of claim 16 in which the machine is an image processing server; the image processing server being connected to a network for receiving requests for image processing operations; the network including the image input circuitry; the instruction data further indicating request handling instructions the processor can execute; the processor, in executing the request handling instructions, determining whether to execute the image processing instructions.

Claim 24

The machine of claim 16 in which the machine is a fax server.

Claim 25

The machine of claim 16 in which the machine is a copier.

Claim 26

An article of manufacture for use in a machine that includes: image input circuitry for obtaining data defining images as input; a storage medium access device for accessing a medium that stores data; and a processor connected for receiving data defining images from the image input circuitry; the processor further being connected for receiving data from the storage medium access device; the article comprising: a storage medium that can be accessed by the storage medium access device when the article is used in the system; and data stored by the storage medium so that the storage medium access device can provide the stored data to the processor when the article is used in the system; the stored data comprising instruction data indicating instructions the processor can execute; the processor, in executing the instructions: receiving input image data from the image input circuitry, the input image data defining an input image set that shows a graphical representation of a layout that includes two or more image segments; the graphical representation including segment source information indicating sources of the segments in the layout and segment position information indicating positions of the segments within the layout; the segment source information including, for a first one of the segments, segment identifier marks indicating a segment identifier identifying the first segment; and using the input image data to obtain segment source data indicating a source for each of the segments and segment position data indicating a position for each of the segments; the processor, in using the input image data to obtain segment source data: obtaining segment identifier data indicating the segment identifier indicated by the segment identifier marks; and using the segment identifier data to obtain the segment source data; the segment source data indicating a source for the first segment.

Claim 27

An article of manufacture for use in a machine that includes: image input circuitry for obtaining data defining images as input; a storage medium access device for accessing a medium that stores data; and a processor connected for receiving data defining images from the image input circuitry; the processor further being connected for receiving data from the storage medium access device; the article comprising: a storage medium that can be accessed by the storage medium access device when the article is used in the system; and data stored by the storage medium so that the storage medium access device can provide the stored data to the processor when the article is used in the system; the stored data comprising instruction data indicating instructions the processor can execute; the processor, in executing the instructions: receiving input image data from the image input circuitry, the input image data defining an input image set that shows a graphical representation of a layout that includes two or more image segments; the graphical representation including segment source information indicating sources of the segments in the layout and segment position information indicating positions of the segments within the layout; the segment source information including, for a first one of the segments, segment identifier marks indicating a segment identifier identifying the first segment; and using the input image data to obtain segment source data indicating a source for each of the segments and segment position data indicating a position for each of the segments; the processor, in using the input image data to obtain segment source data: obtaining segment identifier data indicating the segment identifier indicated by the segment identifier marks; and using the segment identifier data to obtain the segment source data; the segment source data indicating a source for the first segment.

Claim 30

The method of claim 24 in which the source identifier marks form a number of connected components that indicate the source identifier; the segment identifier marks forming the same number of connected components; the act of obtaining source identifier data comprising: obtaining first count data indicating the number of connected components formed by the source identifier marks; the act of obtaining segment identifier data comprising: obtaining second count data indicating the number of connected components formed by the segment identifier marks; the act of using the source identifier data and the segment identifier data comprising: determining whether the first count data and the second count data indicate equal numbers.