Document processing using frame-based templates with hierarchical tagging

Claim 1

A method for manipulating and outputting information in a computer system, the computer system including an output device and a data input device, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, through said data input device into said computer, a flow of input data including a plurality of sets of input data said input data including data and a plurality of data type identification tags, at least one said set of input data without a frame assignment; determining, using said computer, an output format of said plurality of sets of input data based on said flow of input data including automatically determining a number of frames in said output format based on said flow of input data and output characteristics determined by said computer system, said output format having at least a first and a second automatically determined output frame, each having a plurality of defined constraints; automatically assigning to said at least first and second automatically determined output frames and automatically flowing, using said computer, each of said sets of input data including said at least one set of input data without a frame assignment into a selected one of said at least first and second output frames by matching said data type identification tag included in each of said sets of said input data with a corresponding data type identification tag in each of said output frames; evaluating, in said computer, said plurality of constraints when each of said sets of input data are flowed, and placing and sizing said at least first and second output frames to accommodate said input data; and outputting said input data in said at least first and second output frames on said output device of said computer system.

Claim 2

A method for manipulating and outputting information in a computer system, the computer system including an output device and a data input device, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, through said data input device into said computer, a flow of input data including a plurality of sets of input data said input data including data and a plurality of data type identification tags, at least one said set of input data without a frame assignment; determining, using said computer, an output format of said plurality of sets of input data based on said flow of input data including automatically determining a number of frames in said output format based on said flow of input data and output characteristics determined by said computer system, said output format having at least a first and a second automatically determined output frame, each having a plurality of defined constraints; automatically assigning to said at least first and second automatically determined output frames and automatically flowing, using said computer, each of said sets of input data including said at least one set of input data without a frame assignment into a selected one of said at least first and second output frames by matching said data type identification tag included in each of said sets of said input data with a corresponding data type identification tag in each of said output frames; evaluating, in said computer, said plurality of constraints when each of said sets of input data are flowed, and placing and sizing said at least first and second output frames to accommodate said input data; and outputting said input data in said at least first and second output frames on said output device of said computer system.

Claim 9

A system for outputting data, comprising: an output device; a data input device; a processor programmed to: (a) receive a flow of input data from said data input said input data including data and a plurality of data type identification tags, at least one said set of input data without a frame assignment; (b) determine an output format of said flow of input data including determining a number of frames in said output format based on said flow of input data and output characteristics determined by said computer system, said output format having a plurality of output frames, each output frame having at least one defined constraint; (c) automatically assign and flow said data including said at least one set of input data without a frame assignment into appropriate determined output frames by matching data type identification tags associated with said data to corresponding data type identification tags associated with said plurality of output frames; (d) solve each of said constraints affected by the flow of said data; (e) dynamically size each of said output frames; and (f) output said input data in said output frames on said output device.

Claim 10

A system for outputting data, comprising: an output device; a data input device; a processor programmed to: (a) receive a flow of input data from said data input said input data including data and a plurality of data type identification tags, at least one said set of input data without a frame assignment; (b) determine an output format of said flow of input data including determining a number of frames in said output format based on said flow of input data and output characteristics determined by said computer system, said output format having a plurality of output frames, each output frame having at least one defined constraint; (c) automatically assign and flow said data including said at least one set of input data without a frame assignment into appropriate determined output frames by matching data type identification tags associated with said data to corresponding data type identification tags associated with said plurality of output frames; (d) solve each of said constraints affected by the flow of said data; (e) dynamically size each of said output frames; and (f) output said input data in said output frames on said output device.

Claim 17

A method for operating a digital computer to output input data from a flow of input data, the method comprising the steps of: receiving said input data in said digital computer, said input data having a plurality of tags placed between text and graphics data, at least one set of said input data without a frame assignment; selecting, using said digital computer, an appropriate output format for said input data based upon said tags located in said input data said output format including an automatically determined number of frames based on said flow of input data; operating said digital computer to automatically assign and flow said input data into a plurality of output frames including an automatically determined number of frames defined by said selected output format based upon said tags located in said input data, each of said plurality of output frames having tags corresponding to said tags located in said input data; dynamically sizing and positioning said plurality of output frames, using said digital computer, as said data is flowed into said frames; evaluating established constraints associated with said plurality of output frames using said digital computer to maintain established relationships between said plurality of output frames as said frames are dynamically sized; and outputting said input data in said appropriate output format on a an output device coupled to said digital computer.

Claim 18

A method for operating a digital computer to output input data from a flow of input data, the method comprising the steps of: receiving said input data in said digital computer, said input data having a plurality of tags placed between text and graphics data, at least one set of said input data without a frame assignment; selecting, using said digital computer, an appropriate output format for said input data based upon said tags located in said input data said output format including an automatically determined number of frames based on said flow of input data; operating said digital computer to automatically assign and flow said input data into a plurality of output frames including an automatically determined number of frames defined by said selected output format based upon said tags located in said input data, each of said plurality of output frames having tags corresponding to said tags located in said input data; dynamically sizing and positioning said plurality of output frames, using said digital computer, as said data is flowed into said frames; evaluating established constraints associated with said plurality of output frames using said digital computer to maintain established relationships between said plurality of output frames as said frames are dynamically sized; and outputting said input data in said appropriate output format on a an output device coupled to said digital computer.