Reflow narrative text objects in a document having text objects and graphical objects, wherein text object are classified as either narrative text object or annotative text object based on the distance from a left edge of a canvas of display

• US 10,296,570 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Saund, Eric, Mahoney, James V., Janssen, Jr., William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paula, Cesar B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Yahao
• Application Number:
  US14/062,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20150121183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 715243, 715244, 715245, 715246, 715247, 715253
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/163 Handling of whitespace
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

A method and system is provided to author an electronic document having content including document objects, the documents objects including at least text objects and graphical objects, the graphical objects including at least one of image objects, structured graphics, digital ink, and hyperlinks. The method and system modifies the content of the electronic document, and applies an automatic hybrid reflow process to reflow at least one of the text objects of the electronic document in accordance with the applied automatic hybrid reflow process. The applied automatic hybrid reflow process acting to position the text objects and the graphical objects on the electronic document.

Claims

1. A method of authoring an electronic document displayed on an electronic display, the electronic document having content including document objects, the document objects including at least text objects and graphical objects, the text objects including at least one of narrative text objects or annotative text objects, and the graphical objects including at least one of image objects, structured graphics, digital ink, and hyperlinks, the method comprising:

modifying the content of the electronic document;

automatically assigning a status of narrative text objects to at least one of the text objects at a time of input, wherein the narrative text objects are subject to automatic reflow, and wherein a text object of the text objects is automatically classified as a narrative text object when a left edge of the text object is placed within a predetermined distance from a left edge of a canvas of the electronic display;

automatically assigning a status of annotative text objects to at least one of the text objects at a time of input, wherein the annotative text objects remain in place relative to local coordinate systems, where the local coordinate systems of graphical objects can be translated with respect to a global system of the entire document, and wherein a text object of the text objects is automatically classified as an annotative text object when a left edge of the text object is not placed within the predetermined distance from the left edge of the canvas of the electronic display;

performing a recalculate layout routine to recalculate a layout of the electronic document in consideration of the status assigned to the text objects;

applying an automatic hybrid reflow process; and

reflowing at least one of the text objects of the electronic document in accordance with the applied automatic hybrid reflow process, wherein the applied automatic hybrid reflow process acts to position the text objects and the graphical objects in the electronic document,

wherein the method is implemented using an electronic computing device.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one text object that is reflowed is assigned the status of a narrative text object.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

providing distinct treatment between the narrative text objects and the annotative text objects.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the performing of the recalculate layout routine further comprises:

sorting the document objects according to positions that the document objects are located within the electronic document; and

creating a list of obstacle document objects, wherein the obstacle document objects include at least one of the image objects and the annotative text objects.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the narrative text object and the annotative text object is identified on the electronic display by at least one visual indicator.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the automatic hybrid reflow process further comprises:

performing a localized application of the text reflow.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the localized application of text reflow comprises:

assigning a reference vertical position to document objects; and

performing a recalculate layout routine, wherein placement of the document objects are recalculated in consideration of the reference vertical position.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the placement of the document objects includes translating the document objects in synchrony with surrounding narrative text objects.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the reference vertical position is established in reference to a narrative text object falling above the document object.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein the reference vertical position is established in reference to a text line.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the reference text line is assigned to all document objects falling below the reference text line location.

12. The method according to claim 10 further including adjusting the document objects that fall below the reference text line of the reflowed narrative text objects, wherein the adjusting maintains a determined vertical distance of the document objects with respect to the reference text line.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reflowing causes the at least one narrative text object to grow or shrink in height.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the applying of the automatic hybrid reflow process further includes:

performing automatic determination of vertical jumps.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the performing automatic determination of vertical jumps comprises:

applying a reflow narrative text object routine to the electronic document.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the applying of the reflow narrative object routine comprises:

finding a viable text line position to establish a location for a current text line; and

building textual content of the current text line.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the finding of the viable text line position comprises:

determining the limits of the viable text line position in the presence of obstacle document objects;

determining if, by adding at least one current character, a width of the current text line would fall within or outside limits of the viable text line position;

adding the at least one current character when it is determined the at least one current character does not extend outside the limits of the viable text line position; and

finding a next viable text line position for a next text line, when the at least one next character causes the current text line to extend outside the viable text line position.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the at least one current character is a group of characters that comprise a word.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein the finding of the next viable text line, includes determining locations of at least one of the obstacle document objects.

20. The method according to claim 1 wherein the reflowed electronic document is at least part of an electronic message composed by:

selecting and transferring content from a referenced document external of a message composition region to the message composition region for use in composing the electronic message,

wherein the selecting and transferring are performed were a single view is presented to a user.

21. A system configured to author an electronic document displayed on an electronic display, the electronic document having content including document objects, the document objects including at least text objects and graphical objects, the text objects including at least one of narrative text objects or annotative text objects, and the graphical objects including at least one of image objects, structured graphics, digital ink, and hyperlinks, the system comprising:

an electronic computing device, programmed to;

modify the content of the electronic document;

automatically assign a status of narrative text objects to at least one of the text objects at a time of input, wherein the narrative text objects are subject to automatic reflow, and wherein a text object of the text objects is automatically classified as a narrative text object when a left edge of the text object is placed within a predetermined distance from a left edge of a canvas of the electronic display;

automatically assign a status of annotative text objects to at least one of the text objects at a time of input, wherein the annotative text objects remains in place relative to local coordinate systems, where the local coordinate systems of graphical objects can be translated with respect to a global system of the entire document, and wherein a text object of the text objects is automatically classified as an annotative text object when a left edge of the text object is not placed within the predetermined distance from the left edge of the canvas of the electronic display;

perform a recalculate layout routine to recalculate a layout of the electronic document in consideration of the status assigned to the text objects;

apply an automatic hybrid reflow process; and

reflow at least one of the text objects of the electronic document in accordance with the applied automatic hybrid reflow process, wherein the applied automatic hybrid reflow process acts to position the text objects and the graphical objects on the electronic document.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein the at least one text object that is reflowed is assigned the status of a narrative text object.

23. The system according to claim 21 wherein the electronic computing device, is further programmed to:

provide distinct treatment between the narrative text objects and the annotative text objects.

24. The system to claim 21 wherein the recalculate layout routine is further configured to:

sort the document objects according to positions that the document objects are located within the electronic document; and

create a list of obstacle document objects, wherein the obstacle document objects include at least one of the image objects and the annotative text objects.

25. The system according to claim 21 wherein at least one of the narrative text object and the annotative text object is identified on the electronic display by at least one visual indicator.

26. The system according to claim 21 wherein the automatic hybrid reflow process is further configured to:

perform a localized application of the text reflow.

27. The system according to claim 26 wherein the localized application of text reflow is configured to:

assign a reference vertical position to document objects; and

perform a recalculate layout routine, wherein placement of the document objects are recalculated in consideration of the reference vertical position.

28. The system according to claim 27 wherein the placement of the document objects includes translating the document objects in synchrony with surrounding narrative text objects.

29. The system according to claim 27 wherein the reference vertical position is established in reference to a narrative text object falling above the document object.

30. The system according to claim 27 wherein the reference vertical position is established in reference to a text line.

31. The method according to claim 30 wherein the reference text line is assigned to all document objects falling below the reference text line location.

32. The system according to claim 30 further including adjusting the document objects that fall below the reference text line of the reflowed narrative text objects, wherein the adjusting maintains a determined vertical distance of the document objects with respect to the reference text line.

33. The system according to claim 27 wherein the reflowing causes the at least one narrative text object to grow or shrink in height.

34. The system according to claim 21 wherein the automatic hybrid reflow process is further configured to:

perform automatic determination of vertical jumps.

35. The system according to claim 34 wherein the automatic determination of vertical jumps is further configured to:

apply a reflow narrative text object routine to the electronic document.

36. The system according to claim 35 wherein the reflow narrative object routine is further configured to:

find a viable text line position to establish a location for a current text line; and

build textual content of the current text line.

37. The system according to claim 36 wherein the finding of the viable text line position is further configured to:

determine the limits of the viable text line position in the presence of obstacle document objects;

determine if, by adding at least one current character, a width of the current text line would fall within or outside limits of the viable text line position;

add the at least one current character when it is determined the at least one current character does not extend outside the limits of the viable text line position; and

find a next viable text line position for a next text line, when the at least one next character causes the current text line to extend outside the viable text line position.

38. The system according to claim 37 wherein the at least one current character is a group of characters that comprise a word.

39. The system according to claim 37 wherein the finding of the next viable text line, includes a determination of locations of at least one of the obstacle document objects.

40. The system according to claim 21 wherein the reflowed electronic document is at least part of an electronic message composed by the electronic computing device further configured to:

select and transfer content from a referenced document external of a message composition region to the message composition region for use in the composition of the electronic message,

wherein the select and transfer occur when a single view is presented to a user.

41. Computer readable program code executed by an electronic computing device comprising at least a processor and a memory, that causes said electronic computing device to perform a method of authoring an electronic document having content including document objects, the document objects including at least text objects and graphical objects, the text objects including at least one of narrative text objects or annotative text objects, and the graphical objects including at least one of image objects, structured graphics, digital ink, and hyperlinks, the method comprising:

modifying the content of the electronic document;

automatically assigning a status of narrative text objects to at least one of the text objects at a time of input, wherein the narrative text objects are subject to automatic reflow, and wherein a text object of the text objects is automatically classified as a narrative text object when a left edge of the text object is placed within a predetermined distance from a left edge of a canvas of an electronic display;

automatically assigning a status of annotative text objects to at least one of the text objects at a time of input, wherein the annotative text objects remain in place relative to local coordinate systems, where the local coordinate systems of graphical objects can be translated with respect to a global system of the entire document, and wherein a text object of the text objects is automatically classified as an annotative text object when a left edge of the text object is not placed within the predetermined distance from the left edge of the canvas of the electronic display;

performing a recalculate layout routine to recalculate a layout of the electronic document in consideration of the status assigned to the text objects;

applying an automatic hybrid reflow process; and

reflowing at least one of the text objects of the electronic document in accordance with the applied automatic hybrid reflow process, wherein the applied automatic hybrid reflow process acts to position the text objects and the graphical objects on the electronic document.