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US5873106A
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Geometry management for displaying objects on a computer
Assignee: Oracle International Corp
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Filing: 1995-09-18
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Granted: 1999-02-16
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Expires: 2015-09-18
Abstract
Abstract A geometry management system provides an initial bottom-up layout that determines the ideal and default sizes of objects including the pages, views, and frame windows. The geometry management system further includes a top down configuration to handle resizing of a window including the objects contained in the window. The geometry management system includes geometry manager objects, container objects, and child objects. At design or layout time, the child objects are placed in a parent container via a drag and drop operation. The geometry management system specifies size parameters through negotiation among the child objects, the containers, and the high level geometry manager. When a child object requires resizing, the child object requests geometry from the parent container object. Based on the specified parameters, the container determines whether a given geometry is feasible. If the parameters are acceptable, the container implements the geometry. The container may be bound to a geometry manager that implements an overall geometry management policy for the display.
Inventors
- 👤 Joshy Joseph
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:10
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T17/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for managing geometric relationships among a plurality of objects for display on an output display, said method comprising the steps of: managing spatial relationships for at least one object in accordance with a high level geometry management policy; binding said high level geometry management policy to a graphical configurable container that defines a geometric shape for encapsulating said object, wherein said high level geometry management policy is independent of said geometric shape of said graphical configurable container; and displaying said object, encapsulated in said geometric shape of said graphical configurable container, on said output display in accordance with said high level geometry management policy.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for managing geometric relationships among a plurality of objects for display on an output display, said method comprising the steps of: managing spatial relationships for at least one object in accordance with a high level geometry management policy; binding said high level geometry management policy to a graphical configurable container that defines a geometric shape for encapsulating said object, wherein said high level geometry management policy is independent of said geometric shape of said graphical configurable container; and displaying said object, encapsulated in said geometric shape of said graphical configurable container, on said output display in accordance with said high level geometry management policy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of managing spatial relationships for a plurality of graphical configurable containers in accordance with said high level geometry management policy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said graphical configurable container comprises a geometric shape including a polygon, arcs, and an ellipse.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of managing spatial relationships for said object further comprises the step of managing spatial relationships of said object in a plurality of rows and columns to form a matrix.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of generating, in response to user input, a placeholder object to define relative spacing among one or more objects.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: displaying, in accordance with said high level geometry management policy, said graphical configurable container and said object in a frame window; and resizing said frame window such that said graphical configurable container is re-sized in accordance with said high level geometry management policy and said graphical configurable container resize, as necessary, said object encapsulated therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of resizing said object such that said graphical configurable containers are resized, if necessary, to accommodate said object in accordance with said high level geometry management policy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the step of resizing said object comprises the steps of: generating, in response to resizing of an object, a request from said object to obtain a new geometry including specifying a preference to accommodate said resizing; determining an acceptable geometry for said object in accordance with said graphical configurable container and said high level geometry management policy; and implementing said acceptable geometry for said object.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of managing spatial relationships for said object in accordance with a high level geometry management policy comprises the step of managing spatial relationships to fully display said object in said graphical configurable container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the step of managing spatial relationships for said object comprises the step of managing spatial relationships of said object in a single row or column.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
108 words
A method for designing a computer readable geometry managed form comprising a plurality of objects encapsulated therein for display on an output display, said method comprising the steps of: displaying a plurality of cells on said output display such that said cells provide visual placeholders for configurable containers that encapsulate at least one object, wherein spatial relationships for said configurable containers are managed in accordance with a high level geometry management policy to define geometric relationships among said cells; and providing a drag and drop operation for a user to permit a user to place objects in said cells to specify geometric constraints among objects in said form.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
108 words
A method for designing a computer readable geometry managed form comprising a plurality of objects encapsulated therein for display on an output display, said method comprising the steps of: displaying a plurality of cells on said output display such that said cells provide visual placeholders for configurable containers that encapsulate at least one object, wherein spatial relationships for said configurable containers are managed in accordance with a high level geometry management policy to define geometric relationships among said cells; and providing a drag and drop operation for a user to permit a user to place objects in said cells to specify geometric constraints among objects in said form.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of displaying a plurality of cells comprises the step of displaying at least two cells adjacent to form a row or column.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of displaying, adjacent to an end cell in a row or column, a header cell to permit a user to align objects placed in cells in said corresponding row or column.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying said form at run time to uphold said geometric constraints specified at design time.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
112 words
A computer system comprising: an input device for receiving user input; an output display for displaying a plurality of objects; a processor unit for executing a plurality of instructions to display objects on said output display, said instructions including: a container object for generating, in response to user input, at least one graphical container to encapsulate at least one of said objects and for managing spatial relationships for said objects being encapsulated; and a geometry manager for implementing a high level geometry management policy, and for attaching, in response to user input, said geometry manager to said object container to manage said at least one graphical container independent of said container object.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
112 words
A computer system comprising: an input device for receiving user input; an output display for displaying a plurality of objects; a processor unit for executing a plurality of instructions to display objects on said output display, said instructions including: a container object for generating, in response to user input, at least one graphical container to encapsulate at least one of said objects and for managing spatial relationships for said objects being encapsulated; and a geometry manager for implementing a high level geometry management policy, and for attaching, in response to user input, said geometry manager to said object container to manage said at least one graphical container independent of said container object.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
108 words
A computer readable medium having a set of instructions stored therein, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps of: managing spatial relationships for at least one object in accordance with a high level geometry management policy; binding said high level geometry management policy to a graphical configurable container that defines a geometric shape for encapsulating said object, wherein said high level geometry management policy is independent of said geometric shape of said graphical configurable container; and displaying said object, encapsulated in said geometric shape of said graphical configurable container, on said output display in accordance with said high level geometry management policy.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
108 words
A computer readable medium having a set of instructions stored therein, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps of: managing spatial relationships for at least one object in accordance with a high level geometry management policy; binding said high level geometry management policy to a graphical configurable container that defines a geometric shape for encapsulating said object, wherein said high level geometry management policy is independent of said geometric shape of said graphical configurable container; and displaying said object, encapsulated in said geometric shape of said graphical configurable container, on said output display in accordance with said high level geometry management policy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 16, further comprising instructions for managing spatial relationships for a plurality of graphical configurable containers in accordance with said high level geometry management policy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 16, wherein the instructions for encapsulating at least object in a graphical configurable container comprises instructions for generating a geometric shape including a polygon, arcs, and an ellipse.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
The computer readable medium set forth in claim 16, wherein the instructions for managing spatial relationships for said object further comprises instructions for managing spatial relationships of said object in a plurality of rows and columns to form a matrix.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 16, further comprising instructions for generating, in response to user input, a placeholder object to define relative spacing among one or more objects.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
68 words
The computer readable medium set forth in claim 16, further comprising instructions for: displaying, in accordance with said high level geometry management policy, said graphical configurable container and said object in a frame window; and resizing said frame window such that said graphical configurable container is re-sized in accordance with said high level geometry management policy and said graphical configurable container resizes, as necessary, said object encapsulated therein.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer readable medium set forth in claim 16, further comprising instructions for resizing said object such that said graphical configurable containers are resized, if necessary, to accommodate said object in accordance with said high level geometry management policy.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
73 words
The computer readable medium set forth in claim 22, wherein instructions for resizing said object comprise instructions for: generating, in response to resizing of an object, a request from said object to obtain a new geometry including specifying a preference to accommodate said resizing; determining an acceptable geometry for said object in accordance with said graphical configurable container and said high level geometry management policy; and implementing said acceptable geometry for said object.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer readable medium set forth in claim 16, wherein instructions for managing spatial relationships for said object in accordance with a high level geometry management policy comprises instructions for managing spatial relationships to fully display said object in said graphical configurable container.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer readable medium set forth in claim 24, further comprising instructions for managing spatial relationships of said object in a single row or column.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-02-15 | 2002-08-17 | 2003-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-02-15 | 2006-08-17 | 2007-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-02-15 | 2010-08-17 | 2011-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |