System and method for automated positioning of graphic objects

• US 20040104946A1
• Filed: 09/18/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Li, Yufeng
• Application Number:
  US10/664,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20040104946A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method for representing HMI user screens comprising the activities of: obtaining an organization and a hierarchy of a collection comprising a plurality of HMI screen nodes; determining an arrangement of the collection; and rendering the collection according to the arrangement. Certain exemplary embodiments provide a device for providing a representation of user screens for an HMI.

Claims

1. A method for representing HMI user screens comprising the activities of:

obtaining an organization and a hierarchy of a collection comprising a plurality of HMI screen nodes;

determining an arrangement of the collection; and

rendering the collection according to the arrangement.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating a position of a leaf.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating a position of a visible leaf.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating a position of a parent.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a collision.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a position of a parent.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a position of a parent upon detecting a collision.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising recursively calculating a position of each of the plurality of HMI screen nodes.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising recursively calculating a position of each of the plurality of HMI screen nodes and updating a position of a parent upon detecting a collision.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the visibility of a node.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the visibility of a node and children of the node.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrangement is a tree arrangement.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrangement is a vertical tree arrangement.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrangement is a horizontal tree arrangement.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrangement is rendered with equal inter-generational node spacing.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrangement is rendered with equal intra-generational node spacing.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrangement is rendered with each parent aligned centrally to all children of that parent.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrangement is rendered with all nuclear children separated equally.

19. A machine-readable medium containing instructions for activities comprising:

obtaining an organization and a hierarchy of a collection comprising a plurality of HMI screen nodes;

determining an arrangement of the collection; and

rendering the collection according to the arrangement.

20. A device for providing a representation of user screens for an HMI comprising:

means for obtaining an organization and a hierarchy of a collection comprising a plurality of HMI screen nodes;

means for determining an arrangement of the collection; and

means for rendering the collection according to the arrangement.