Method and apparatus for automated layout of text and graphic elements

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for displaying comprises a video display device.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for displaying comprises a printer.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of constraints comprises: at least one constraint on size of a text element relative to the piece of artwork and to the greeting card.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of constraints comprises: at least one constraint on placement of a text element relative to the piece of artwork and to the greeting card.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of constraints comprises: at least one scaling constraint requiring a text element to fill or fit a designated area of the greeting card.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of constraints comprises a constraint on aspect ratio of the greeting card.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for manipulating comprises means for scaling size of a text element in accordance with one of the plurality of constraints of the selected artwork or specifications when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for manipulating comprises means for changing spacing between text elements and graphic elements in accordance with one of the plurality of constraints of the selected artwork specification when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for manipulating comprises means for changing line breaks in user-defined character strings of a text element of the selected artwork specification when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for manipulating comprises means for stretching a user-defined character string of a text element by changing length of the user defined character string in a single direction when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for manipulating comprises means for scaling size of the piece of artwork in accordance with one of the plurality of constraints of the selected artwork specification when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for manipulating comprises means, when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied, for selecting at least one of the plurality of constraints to not be satisfied.

Claim 17

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (a) of selecting further comprises the steps of: defining the plurality of constraints; and storing the plurality of constraints in a memory device.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (a) of selecting includes selecting a constraint on size of a text element relative to the piece of artwork and to the greeting card.

Claim 19

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (a) of selecting includes selecting a constraint on placement of a text element relative to the piece of artwork and to the greeting card.

Claim 20

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (a) of selecting includes selecting at least one scaling constraint requiring a text element to fill or fit a designated area of the greeting card.

Claim 21

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (a) of selecting includes selecting a constraint on aspect ratio of the greeting card.

Claim 22

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (b) of selecting includes the further steps of: defining size of the greeting card; and defining aspect ratio of the greeting card.

Claim 23

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (b) of selecting includes selecting a font style of a text element.

Claim 24

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (b) of selecting includes defining character strings of a text element.

Claim 25

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (a) of selecting includes defining graphic data of the piece of artwork.

Claim 26

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (c) of arranging includes scaling size of a text element in accordance with at least one but not all of the plurality of constraints of the selected artwork specifications when all of the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 27

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (c) of arranging includes scaling size of a text element in accordance with the plurality of constraints of the selected artwork specifications when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 28

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (c) of arranging includes changing spacing between a text element and the piece of artwork in accordance with the plurality of constraints of the selected artwork specification when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 29

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (c) of arranging includes changing line breaks in character strings in a text element when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 30

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (c) of arranging includes stretching a character string of at least one text element by changing lengths of the character string in a single direction when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 31

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (d) of displaying includes the step of displaying the greeting card electronically on a display device.

Claim 32

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (c) of arranging includes manipulating text elements and artwork specification so that at least one of plurality of constraints is complied with exactly.

Claim 33

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (c) of arranging includes the step of arranging the plurality of constraints into a hierarchical arrangement in which some constraints have a higher priority than others and wherein higher priority constraints are satisfied.

Claim 36

A software product for providing information and instructions to a general purpose computer, comprising: an electronic memory medium for providing information to the general purpose computer, said electronic memory medium having stored thereon a plurality of page specifications, each of said page specifications comprising a plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints describing a layout of user-defined text elements and graphic elements on an output medium, said user-defined text elements and graphic elements described by data structures on the electronic memory medium; said electronic memory medium further storing a program for providing to a general purpose computer instructions necessary for manipulating said user-definable text elements and graphic elements of said page specification in accordance with the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints of said page specification; said electronic memory medium further storing a program for providing to the general purpose computer instructions necessary for, when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied, automatically modifying the data structures.

Claim 37

A software product for providing information and instructions to a general purpose computer, comprising: an electronic memory medium for providing information to the general purpose computer, said electronic memory medium having stored thereon a plurality of page specifications, each of said page specifications comprising a plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints describing a layout of user-defined text elements and graphic elements on an output medium, said user-defined text elements and graphic elements described by data structures on the electronic memory medium; said electronic memory medium further storing a program for providing to a general purpose computer instructions necessary for manipulating said user-definable text elements and graphic elements of said page specification in accordance with the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints of said page specification; said electronic memory medium further storing a program for providing to the general purpose computer instructions necessary for, when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied, automatically modifying the data structures.

Claim 38

A software product for providing information and instructions to a general purpose computer, comprising: an electronic memory medium for providing information to a general purpose computer, said electronic memory medium having stored thereon a plurality of artwork specifications, each artwork specification comprising user-defined information describing a piece of artwork and a plurality of constraints describing layout of text elements in relation to the piece of artwork, said plurality of artwork specifications described by data structures on the electronic memory medium; said electronic memory medium further storing a program for providing to a general purpose computer instructions necessary for selecting one of the artwork specifications, selecting text elements of a greeting card in response to user action, and manipulating the text elements and the artwork specification to automatically generate a greeting card layout in accordance with the plurality of constraints of the selected artwork specification; and said electronic memory medium further storing a program for providing to a general purpose computer instructions necessary for automatically modifying at least one of the information describing a piece of artwork and the selected text elements to be respectively different from the user-defined information previously stored and the text elements selected by the user when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 39

A software product for providing information and instructions to a general purpose computer, comprising: an electronic memory medium for providing information to a general purpose computer, said electronic memory medium having stored thereon a plurality of artwork specifications, each artwork specification comprising user-defined information describing a piece of artwork and a plurality of constraints describing layout of text elements in relation to the piece of artwork, said plurality of artwork specifications described by data structures on the electronic memory medium; said electronic memory medium further storing a program for providing to a general purpose computer instructions necessary for selecting one of the artwork specifications, selecting text elements of a greeting card in response to user action, and manipulating the text elements and the artwork specification to automatically generate a greeting card layout in accordance with the plurality of constraints of the selected artwork specification; and said electronic memory medium further storing a program for providing to a general purpose computer instructions necessary for automatically modifying at least one of the information describing a piece of artwork and the selected text elements to be respectively different from the user-defined information previously stored and the text elements selected by the user when the plurality of constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 42

The method of claim 35 wherein step (a) further comprises the further steps of: defining said plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints; and storing said plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints in a memory device.

Claim 43

The method of claim 35 wherein said plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints comprises: a constraint on the size of one of the plurality of elements relative to others of said plurality of elements and to the page.

Claim 44

The method of claim 35 wherein said plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints comprises: a constraint on the placement of one of the plurality of elements relative to others of said plurality of elements and to the page.

Claim 45

The method of claim 35 wherein said plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints comprises: at least one scaling constraint requiring one of the plurality of elements to fill or fit a designated area of the page.

Claim 46

The method of claim 35 wherein said plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints comprises: a constraint on the aspect ratio of the page.

Claim 47

The method of claim 35 wherein step (b) comprises the further steps of: defining the size of the page; and defining the aspect ratio of the page.

Claim 48

The method of claim 35 wherein step (b) further comprises the step of: selecting a font style for one of the text elements of the page specification.

Claim 49

The method of claim 35 wherein step (b) comprises: defining the character strings of the text elements of the page specification.

Claim 50

The method of claim 35 wherein step (b) comprises: defining the graphic data of the graphic elements of the page specification.

Claim 51

The method of claim 35 wherein step (c) comprises the step of: scaling the size of one of the text elements and graphic elements in accordance with said plurality of constraints of said selected page specification when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 52

The method of claim 35 wherein step (c) comprises the step of: changing the spacing between ones of the text elements and graphic elements in accordance with said plurality of constraints of said selected page specification when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 53

The method of claim 35 wherein step (c) comprises the step of: changing the line breaks in the character strings of one of the text elements defined in step (b) when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 54

The method of claim 35 wherein step (c) comprises: stretching the character string of at least one text element defined in step (b) by changing the lengths of the character strings in a single direction when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 55

The method of claim 35 wherein step (d) comprises: displaying the page layout of step (c) electronically on a display device.

Claim 56

The method of claim 35 wherein step (d) comprises: printing the page layout of step (c) on a printer.

Claim 57

The method of claim 35 wherein step (c) comprises: manipulating said text elements and graphic elements so that at least one of said plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints is complied with exactly.

Claim 58

The method of claim 35 wherein said plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints have a hierarchical arrangement in which some of said plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints have a higher priority than other of said plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints and wherein the higher priority constraints are satisfied in step (c).

Claim 59

The method of claim 35 wherein said plurality of constraints comprises: at least one constraint which arranges ones of said text elements and graphic elements into a hierarchical structure which is manipulated as a single entity.

Claim 60

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said means for displaying comprises a video display device.

Claim 61

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said means for displaying comprises a printer.

Claim 62

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said plurality of constraints comprises: at least one constraint on the size of one of the plurality of elements relative to others of said plurality of elements and to the page.

Claim 63

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said plurality of constraints comprises: at least one constraint on the placement of one of the plurality of elements relative to other of said plurality of elements and to the page.

Claim 64

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said plurality of constraints comprises: at least one scaling constraint requiring one of the plurality of elements to fill or fit a designated area of the page.

Claim 65

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said plurality of constraints comprises: a constraint on the aspect ratio of the page.

Claim 66

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said means for manipulating comprises: means for scaling the size of one of the text elements in accordance with one of said constraints of said one page specification when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 67

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said means for manipulating comprises: means for changing the spacing between the text elements and graphic elements in accordance with one of said of constraints of said one page specification when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 68

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said means for manipulating comprises: means for changing the line breaks in the user-defined character strings of a text element of said one page specification when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 69

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said means for manipulating comprises: means for stretching a user-defined character string of a text element by changing the length of the character string in a single direction when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 70

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said means for storing is a ROM memory device.

Claim 71

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said means for manipulating comprises: means for scaling the size of one of the graphic elements in accordance with one of said constraints of said one page specification when the plurality of prioritized and weighted constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Claim 72

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (a) of selecting includes selecting a constraint on placement of a text element relative to the piece of artwork and to the greeting card.

Claim 73

The method of claim 14 wherein the step (d) of displaying includes the step of displaying the greeting card electronically on a display device.