Method for creating and using user-friendly grids

• US 20050068290A1
• Filed: 09/28/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NBOR Corp.
• Original Assignee: NBOR Corp.
• Inventors: Jaeger, Denny
• Application Number:
  US10/674,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20050068290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

A graphic user interface and method for creating and using grids includes displaying one or more grids as graphic objects having many of the properties associated with common graphic objects. As a result, the grids may be independently moved and/or resized in a manner similar to the moving and/or resizing of other graphic objects. In addition, the grids may be snapped to other grids in a manner similar to then snapping of other graphic objects to a grid. Thus, an complex composite grid can be formed by snapping multiple grids together.

Claims

1. A method for creating and using a grid, said method comprising:

activating a grid feature to create said grid; and

displaying said grid as a graphic object at a location on a display surface in response to user input, said grid including a first plurality of parallel lines along a first direction and at least one line along a second direction to intersect one of said parallel lines, said grid being of a size defined by said user input, said location of said grid being further defined by said user input.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a second grid as a second graphic object at a second location of said display surface in response to another user input.

3. A graphical user interface for creating and using a grid, said graphic user interface comprising:

a surface on which graphic objects can be displayed; and

a grid of a user-defined size displayed on said surface at a user-defined location, said grid being a graphic object that can be moved on said surface in response to user input.

4. The graphic user interface of claim 3 further comprising a second grid of a user-defined size displayed on said surface at a user-defined location, said second grid also being a graphic object that can be moved on said surface in response to user input.

5. A storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said computer to perform method steps for creating and using a grid, said method steps comprising:

activating a grid feature to create said grid; and

displaying said grid as a graphic object at a location on a display surface in response to user input, said grid including a first plurality of parallel lines along a first direction and at least once line along a second direction to intersect one of said parallel lines, said grid being of a size defined by said user input, said location of said grid being further defined by said user input.

6. The storage medium of claim 5 further comprising displaying a second grid as a second graphic object at a second location of said display surface in response to another user input.