Text spacing adjustment

• US 20040205642A1
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Menninga, Eric A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,039,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/529
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191

Abstract

Method and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for adjusting spacing between characters in a line of text. A plurality of character classes are specified based on user input. A character class from the plurality of character classes is assigned to a character of a pair of characters in the line. Spacing between characters of the pair of characters is adjusted based on the assigned character class. Method and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for selecting rules for spacing adjustment in a line of text, and method and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for evaluating line layout are also described.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting spacing between characters in a line of text, comprising:

receiving user input specifying a character classification that defines a plurality of character classes, each character class in the plurality of character classes including one or more characters as members of the class, wherein at least one character is a member of more than one character classes in the plurality of character classes;

determining whether a character of a pair of characters in a line of text is a member of only one character class or more than one character classes in the plurality of character classes;

if the character is a member of only one character class, assigning the only one character class to the character of the pair of characters in the line of text;

if the character is a member of more than one character classes, assigning exactly one of the more than one character classes to the character; and

adjusting spacing between characters of the pair of characters based on the character class assigned to the character.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a plurality of rules each of which is operable to adjust spacing between characters of the pair of characters based on the assigned character class; and

selecting a rule from the plurality of rules to define a line layout for the line of text;

wherein adjusting spacing between characters of the pair of characters includes applying the selected rule to adjust the spacing between characters of the pair of characters.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

assigning a different priority value to each rule of the plurality of rules, the different priority values defining an order of preference to apply the rules of the plurality of rules, wherein

selecting a rule from the plurality of rules includes selecting a rule from the plurality of rules based on the assigned priority values.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein a rule of the plurality of rules defines one or more of the following:

an optimal spacing, a maximum compression, and a maximum expansion between adjacent characters.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of rules is defined based on user input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a character of the pair of characters is a Roman character.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving user input specifying the character classification includes receiving user input assigning characters to character classes based on a character attribute.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the character attribute includes one or more of the following attributes:

font face, font type, and font size.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving user input specifying the character classification includes receiving user input selecting a predefined character classification according to a language environment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning exactly one of the more than one character classes to the character of the pair of characters comprises:

receiving user input selecting the exactly one of the more than one character classes.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein:

specifying the character classification includes, for each character class in the plurality of character classes, specifying character codes of the characters that are members of the class.

43. The method of claim 2, wherein the line layout is specified by one or more line parameters that include an optimal line width, a maximum line expansion or a maximum line compression.

11. A method for selecting rules for spacing adjustment in a line of text, comprising:

receiving user input specifying a character classification that defines a plurality of character classes, each character class in the plurality of character classes including one or more characters as members of the class, wherein at least one character is a member of more than one character classes in the plurality of character classes;

determining whether a character of a pair of characters in a line of text is a member of only one character class or more than one character classes in the plurality of character classes;

if the character is a member of only one character class, assigning the character class to the character of a pair of characters in a line of text;

if the character is a member of more than one character classes, assigning exactly one of the more than one character classes to the character of the pair of characters in the line of text;

identifying a plurality of rules based on the assigned character class, each rule in the plurality of rules being operable to adjust spacing between characters of the pair of characters; and

selecting exactly one rule from the plurality of rules to adjust spacing between characters of the pair of characters.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

assigning a different priority value to each rule of the plurality of rules, the different priority values defining an order of preference to apply rules of the plurality of rules, wherein

selecting exactly one rule from the plurality of rules includes selecting the rule from the plurality of rules based on the assigned priority values.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein assigning exactly one of the more than one character classes comprises:

receiving user input selecting exactly one of the more than one character classes.

14. A method for evaluating a line layout, comprising:

selecting one or more rules for adjusting spacing been characters in a line of text to define a line layout, each selected rule being assigned to a respective pair of characters in the line of text and having a priority value;

calculating a composite value for the line from all the priority values of all the selected rules; and

evaluating the line layout of the line based on the composite value.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

formatting a paragraph based on the line layout evaluation, the paragraph containing the line.

44. The method of claim 14, wherein:

calculating the composite value includes calculating a sum of all the priority values of all the selected rules.

16. A method for adjusting spacing between characters of pairs of characters in a line of text, comprising:

providing a plurality of rules for adjusting spacing between pair of characters in the line of text to define a line layout, the plurality of rules including two or more rules that are operable to adjust spacing between characters of a first pair of characters in the line of text, each rule of the two or more rules having a different priority value, the different priority values specifying an order of preference for the two or more rules;

using the different priority values of the two or more rules to select a preferred rule from the two or more rules; and

applying the preferred rule to adjust spacing between characters of the first pair of characters.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein using the different priority values of the two or more rules to select the preferred rule includes:

providing a priority level for the line layout; and

selecting the preferred rule from the two or more rules based on the priority level for the line layout.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein selecting a preferred rule from the two or more rules further comprises:

selecting a preferred rule from the two or more rules based on character attributes.

18. (cancelled)

20. A spacing adjustment device for line composition in a desktop publishing device, comprising:

a user input receiving device;

a character classification device operable to specify a character classification based on user input received by the user input receiving device, the character classification defining a plurality of character classes, each character class in the plurality of character classes including one or more characters as members of the class, wherein at least one character is a member of more than one character classes in the plurality of character classes, the character classification device being configured to determine whether a character in a line of text is a member of only one character class or more than one character classes; and

a rule defining device operable to assign a plurality of rules to a particular pair of character classes, the rules of the plurality of rules being operable to adjust spacing in the line of text between pairs of characters that are assigned to the respective character classes in the particular pair of character classes.

21. The spacing adjustment device of claim 20, further comprising

a prioritization device operable to assign different priority values to rules in the plurality of rules, the different priority values defining an order of preference for the plurality of rules.

22. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for adjusting spacing between characters in a line of text, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive user input specifying a character classification that defines a plurality of character classes, each character class in the plurality of character classes including one or more characters as members of the class, wherein at least one character is a member of more than one character classes in the plurality of character classes;

determine whether a character of a pair of characters in a line of text is a member of only one character class or more than one character classes in the plurality of character classes;

if the character of the pair of characters is a member of only one character class, assign the only one character class to the character of the pair of characters in the line of text;

if the character of the pair of characters is a member of more than one character classes, assign exactly one of the more than one character classes to the character of the pair of characters in the line of text; and

adjust spacing between characters of the pair of characters based on the character class assigned to the character.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

define a plurality of rules each of which is operable for adjusting spacing between characters of the pair of characters based on the assigned character class; and

select a rule from the plurality of rules to define a line layout for the line of text;

wherein the instructions operable to cause the programmable processor to adjust spacing between characters of the pair of characters include instructions operable to cause the programmable processor to apply the selected rule to adjust the spacing between characters of the pair of characters.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

assign a different priority value to each rule of the plurality of rules, the different priority values defining an order of preference to apply the rules of the plurality of rules,

wherein the instructions operable to cause the programmable processor to select a rule from the plurality of rules include instructions operable to cause the programmable processor to select a rule from the plurality of rules based on the assigned priority values.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein a rule of the plurality of rules defines one or more of the following:

an optimal spacing, a maximum compression, and a maximum expansion between adjacent characters.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the plurality of rules is defined based on user input.

27. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein a character of the pair of characters is a Roman character.

28. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to receive user input specifying the character classification include instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to receive user input assigning characters to character classes based on a character attribute.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the character attribute includes one or more of the following attributes:

font face, font type, and font size.

30. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to receive user input specifying the character classification include instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to receive user input selecting a predefined character classification according to a language environment.

31. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to assign exactly one of the more than one character classes to the character of the pair of characters comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to receive user input selecting the exactly one from the more than one character classes.

42. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to specify the character classification include instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

specify for each character class in the plurality of character classes character codes of the characters that are members of the class.

45. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the line layout is specified by one or more line parameters that include an optimal line width, a maximum line expansion or a maximum line compression.

32. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for selecting rules for spacing adjustment in a line of text, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive user input specifying a character classification that defines a plurality of character classes, each character class in the plurality of character classes including one or more characters as members of the class, wherein at least one character is a member of more than one character classes in the plurality of character classes;

determine whether a character of a pair of characters in a line of text is a member of only one character class or more than one character classes in the plurality of character classes;

if the character of the pair of characters is a member of one character class, assign the character class to the character of a pair of characters in a line of text;

if the character of the pair of characters is a member of more than one character classes, assign exactly one of the more than one character classes to the character of the pair of characters in the line of text;

identify a plurality of rules based on the assigned character class, each rule in the plurality of rules being operable to adjust spacing between characters of the pair of characters; and

select exactly one rule from the plurality of rules to adjust spacing between characters of the pair of characters.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

assign a different priority value to each rule of the plurality of rules, the different priority values defining an order of preference to apply rules of the plurality of rules, wherein

the instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to select exactly one rule from the plurality of rules include instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to select the rule from the plurality of rules based on the assigned priority values.

34. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to assign exactly one of the more than one character classes comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to receive user input selecting exactly one of the more than one character classes.

35. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for evaluating a line layout, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

select one or more rules for adjusting spacing between characters in a line of text to define a line layout, each selected rule being assigned to a respective pair of characters in the line of text and having a priority value;

calculate a composite value for the line from all the priority values of all the selected rules; and

evaluate the line layout of the line based on the composite value.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

format a paragraph based on the line layout evaluation, the paragraph containing the line.

46. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to calculate the composite value include instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to calculate a sum of all the priority values of all the selected rules.

37. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for adjusting spacing between characters of pairs of characters in a line of text, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

provide a plurality of rules for adjusting spacing between pairs of characters in the line of text to define a line layout, the plurality of rules including two or more rules that are operable to adjust spacing between characters of a first pair of characters in the line of text, each rule of the two or more rules having a different priority value, the different priority values specifying an order of preference for the two or more rules;

use the different priority values of the two or more rules to select a preferred rule from the two or more rules; and

apply the preferred rule to adjust spacing between characters of the first pair of characters.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the instructions operable to cause a programmable process to use the different priority values of the two or more rules to select the preferred rule include instructions operable to cause the programmable processor to:

provide a priority level for the line layout; and

select the preferred rule from the two or more rules based on the priority level for the line layout.

40. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to select a preferred rule from the two or more rules further comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to select a preferred rule from the two or more rules based on character attributes.

39. (cancelled)