METHOD OF LINKING DISPLAY IMAGES

• US 20010001857A1
• Filed: 02/20/1998
• Published: 05/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Luke Kendall, Richard Lam
• Original Assignee: Luke Kendall, Richard Lam
• Inventors: KENDALL, LUKE, LAM, RICHARD
• Application Number:
  US09/026,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20010001857A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/501.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A method of providing a hierarchical structure linking a plurality of images on a page. A frame is provided for each of the images, each frame including at least one link node. A link vector is then generated, linking a node on one frame with a node on another frame, thereby to create a child item to parent item relationship between images associated with the respective frames. The steps of node linking are repeated as desired until a family of child item to parent item relationships has been generated.

Claims

1. A method of providing a hierarchical structure for manipulating one or more of a plurality of images, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing an image slot for each of said selected images;

b) constructing a bounding box for each said slot, wherein each of said bounding boxes is provided with at least one link node;

c) creating a link vector adapted to link a link node of one bounding box slot to a link node of another bounding box slot, wherein the bounding box slots are linked in a child item to parent item relationship;

d) repeating step c) until a desired family group is constructed.

2. The method as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said image slot includes a text slot, a clipart slot or a digital image slot.

3. The method as recited in

claim 2

, wherein said text slot comprises substantially text characters.

4. The method as recited in

claim 2

, wherein said clipart slot comprises substantially computer generated images.

5. The method as recited in

claim 2

, wherein said digital image slot comprises substantially bitmap digital images.

6. The method as recited in

claim 1

, comprising the further step of manipulating a child item bounding box slot such that the manipulating does not manipulate a parent item bounding box.

7. The method as recited in

claim 1

or

claim 6

, comprising the further step of manipulating a parent item which, for predetermined manipulates, result in a manipulation of a child item.

10. A computer apparatus operable according to the method of

claim 1

or

claim 8

.

11. A computer image processing system operable according to the method of

claim 1

or

claim 8

.

12. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for implementing the method of

claim 1

or

claim 8

.

8. A method of manipulating at least one of a plurality of images, said method comprising the steps of:

a) constructing a bounding box for each image of the plurality of images, wherein each of said bounding box is provided with at least one link node;

b) creating a link vector adapted to link a link node of a bounding box of one image to a link node of a bounding box of another image, wherein said one image is a child item and said other image is a parent item; and

c) repeating step b) until a desired family group is constructed;

wherein

d) manipulation of a parent item results in a manipulation of one or more child items.

9. The method as recited in

claim 8

, wherein said manipulation includes a rotation, a translation, a delete, a re-linking of link vectors, a resizing and/or combinations of the manipulations.

13. A method of providing a hierarchical structure linking a plurality of images on a page, the method including the steps of:

(a) providing a frame for each of the images, each frame including at least one link node;

(b) generating a link vector linking a node on one frame with another frame, thereby to create a child item to parent item relationship between images associated with the respective frames

(c) repeating step (b) until a desired family of child item to parent item relationships has been generated.

14. A method according to

claim 13

, further including the step of manipulating the frame of a child item to effect manipulation of the corresponding child item, wherein a related parent item is not manipulated by such manipulation of the child item.

15. A method according to

claim 13

, further including the step of manipulating the frame of a parent item to effect manipulation of the corresponding parent item, wherein related child items are correspondingly manipulated by manipulation of the parent item.

16. A method according to

claim 15

, wherein the corresponding child items are correspondingly manipulated only for predetermined manipulations of their related parent.

17. A method according to

claim 13

, wherein a child item may be a parent item for a further child item.

18. A method according to

claim 13

, wherein one or more of the frames is designated as a text frame, a clipart frame, or a digital image frame.

19. A method according to

claim 13

, wherein the frame includes a bounding box for bounding the corresponding image.

26. A computer image processing system operable according to the method of

claim 13

or

claim 20

.

27. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for implementing the method of

claim 13

or

claim 20

.

20. A method of manipulating at least one of a plurality of images, said method including the steps of:

a) generating a bounding box for each of the plurality of images, each bounding box including at least one link node;

b) creating a link vector linking a link node of a bounding box of one image to a link node of a bounding box of another image, thereby to establish one image as a child item and the other image as a parent item; and

c) repeating step b) until a desired family group is constructed;

wherein manipulation of a parent item results in a manipulation of one or more child items within the family group.

21. A method according to

claim 20

, wherein said manipulation includes a rotation, a translation, a delete, a re-linking of link vectors, a resizing, or any combination of those manipulations.

22. A computer apparatus including:

means for providing an image slot for each of said selected images;

means for constructing a bounding box for each said slot, wherein each of said bounding boxes is provided with at least one link node; and

means for creating a link vector adapted to link a link node of one bounding box slot to a link node of another bounding box slot, wherein the bounding box slots are linked in a child item to parent item relationship.

24. A computer apparatus according to

claim 22

or

claim 23

, wherein each of the child items may be manipulated, the manipulation of any child not affecting the corresponding parent item.

25. A computer apparatus according to

claim 22

, wherein each of the parent items may be manipulated, the manipulation of any parent item causing child items from the same family group correspondingly to be manipulated.

23. A computer apparatus including:

(a) means for providing a frame for each of the images, each frame including at least one link node; and

(b) means for generating a link vector linking a node on one frame with another frame, thereby to create a child item to parent item relationship between images associated with the respective frames;

wherein

the computer apparatus is configured to repeat step (b) until a desired family of child item to parent item relationships has been generated.