Flexible schemes for applying properties to information in a medium

• US 20010054050A1
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Published: 12/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Joseph King, Michael B. Orr, Nathan W. Everett, Steven E. Weil
• Inventors: King, Joseph, Everett, Nathan W., Orr, Michael B., Weil, Steven E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,734,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing

Abstract

A scheme data structure is used for applying a set of coordinated attributes to any number of components within a composition such as a document, Internet web page, computer screen etc. A scheme data structure allows a user to easily apply variations of professionally designed font, color, graphic, paragraph and other schemes to a composition. The data structure includes a scheme instance category indicating a type of scheme and a number of attributes corresponding to the scheme instance category. The structure has a number of scheme slots, and each scheme slot can be associated with zero or more components of the composition. Each of the scheme slots is arranged to hold a distinct value for each of the attributes. Thus, for each of the scheme slots, the scheme instance data structure may be used to apply values of attributes to the components of the composition associated with each scheme slot. Each scheme instance data structure may also have a number of levels. Each level contains a complete set of values for the attributes of that scheme. User input is used to determine which level should be applied to each component. A user specifies an amount value indicating number of components affected and a diversity value indicating diversity of scheme attributes affecting the components. A threshold value for each component indicates a range of difficulty for changing default values for attributes of that component. A method also applies values in a determined scheme level to components of a composition in response to user input.

Claims

1. A scheme instance data structure embodied in a computer-readable medium for applying a coordinated plurality of attributes to a plurality of components within a composition, said scheme instance data structure comprising:

an associated scheme instance category indicative of a type of said scheme instance data structure;

a plurality of attributes corresponding to said scheme instance category; and

a plurality of scheme slots, each said scheme slot being associated with zero or more components of the composition, each said scheme slot further being associated with each of said plurality of attributes such that each said scheme slot is arranged to hold a distinct value corresponding to each of said plurality of attributes, such that for each of said scheme slots, said scheme instance data structure may be utilized to apply values of said associated attributes to said zero or more components of the composition associated with said each said scheme slot.

2. A scheme instance data structure as recited in

claim 1

further comprising a plurality of values for said plurality of attributes, such that each of said scheme slots holds a value corresponding to each of said plurality of attributes.

3. A scheme instance data structure as recited in

claim 1

further comprising a plurality of levels, each of said levels including:

a plurality of level values, each of said scheme slots being arranged to hold one of said level values corresponding to each of said plurality of attributes.

4. A scheme instance data structure as recited in

claim 1

wherein said scheme instance category comprises a member of the group consisting of:

a font scheme, a color scheme, a graphics scheme and a paragraph scheme.

5. A software product comprising a plurality of product components, each said product component including a plurality of associated scheme slots, and each said associated scheme slot being associated with a distinct scheme instance as recited in

claim 1

.

6. A software product comprising a plurality of product components, each said product component including:

a first associated scheme slot selected from the plurality of scheme slots as recited in

claim 1

; and

a plurality of additional scheme slots selected from additional scheme objects.

7. A software product comprising a plurality of product components, each said product component having a plurality of associated scheme slots, each said associated scheme slot being associated with a scheme instance data structure for applying a coordinated plurality of attributes to a plurality of components within a composition, said scheme instance data structure including:

a plurality of coordinated attributes corresponding to a scheme instance category;

a plurality of scheme slots, each said scheme slot being suitable for association with zero or more components of the composition, each said scheme slot further being associated with each of said plurality of attributes; and

a plurality of levels, each said level being arranged to hold a plurality of level values, each said scheme slot being arranged to hold one of said level values for each of said plurality of attributes, such that for each of said scheme slots, said scheme instance data structure may be utilized to apply level values of said associated attributes to said zero or more components of the composition.

8. A software product comprising a plurality of product components, each said product component including:

a first associated scheme slot selected from the plurality of scheme slots as recited in

claim 7

; and

a plurality of additional scheme slots selected from additional scheme objects.

9. A method of applying a color scheme to elements on a computer display, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a set of elements arranged on a computer display having a first color scheme;

choosing a second color scheme to be applied to said elements, said second color scheme being arranged to group said elements into a plurality of groups, each said plurality of groups of said second color scheme being a color scheme slot and having a set of predefined colors, each of said groups of said second color scheme further having a predefined color relationship with other of said groups;

associating each of said elements with one of said groups of said second color scheme and with the set of predefined colors associated with said one of said groups, each said set of predefined colors associated with each group including color attributes; and

applying said second color scheme to said elements such that each of said elements takes on the set of predefined colors of the group with which each element is associated, whereby said predefined color relationships between said groups are applied to said elements.

10. A method of applying a color scheme to elements on a computer display, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a set of elements arranged on a computer display having a first color scheme;

choosing a second color scheme to be applied to said elements, said second color scheme being arranged to group said elements into a plurality of groups each having a set of predefined colors, each of said groups of said second color scheme further having a predefined color relationship with other of said groups;

associating each of said elements with one of said groups of said second color scheme and with the set of predefined colors associated with said one of said groups;

applying said second color scheme to said elements such that each of said elements takes on the set of predefined colors of the group with which each element is associated, whereby said predefined color relationships between said groups are applied to said elements; and

pre-assigning each of said elements to one of said groups of said second color scheme, whereby said elements are arranged into said plurality of groups.

11. A method as recited in

claim 10

further comprising the steps of:

choosing a third color scheme to be applied to said elements, said third color scheme being different from said second color scheme and including said groups of said second color scheme, such that said step of pre-assigning operates also to pre-assign said elements to said groups of said third color scheme, said groups of said third color scheme each having a set of predefined colors; and

applying said third color scheme to said elements such that each of said elements takes on the set of predefined colors of the group with which each element is associated, whereby said predefined color relationships between said groups are maintained for said elements in said third color scheme.