Information processing method and apparatus, and computer-readable program

• US 20050168780A1
• Filed: 01/06/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Makino, Jun, Hara, Kenta, Kobashi, Kazuhumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.180
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates

Abstract

An information processing technology for efficiently checking layout results for all data records is provided. Variable data input from a data source is assigned to partial display areas contained in a template to determine the size of each of the partial display areas based on the assigned variable data. Specified data for disposing the partial display areas at regular positions in a page is compared with a plurality of items of stored data assigned to the partial display areas to extract an item of data that matches a designated extracting condition. The extracted item of data is assigned to the partial display areas to display a first layout of the partial display areas in the page together with a second layout based on the specified data. The second layout based on the specified data is modified and displayed in accordance with a modification made to the first layout.

Claims

1. An information processing method for assigning variable data input from a data source to partial display areas contained in a template so as to determine the size of each of the partial display areas based on the assigned variable data, the information processing method comprising:

an extracting step of comparing specified data for disposing the partial display areas at regular positions in a page with a plurality of items of stored data assigned to the partial display areas so as to extract an item of data that matches a designated extracting condition;

a display control step of assigning the item of data extracted in the extracting step to the partial display areas so as to display a first layout of the partial display areas in the page together with a second layout based on the specified data; and

a layout control step of modifying and displaying the second layout based on the specified data in accordance with a modification made to the first layout.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting step comprises a first search step of extracting only an item of data having a certain difference from the specified data from among the plurality of items of stored data.

3. The information processing method according to claim 2, wherein the extracting step comprises a second search step of extracting the item of data for generating the first layout in accordance with a result of the first search step or the stored data together with the designated extracting condition.

4. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting step extracts the item of data by performing a quantification operation on a difference between the second layout based on the specified data and the first layout based on the plurality of items of stored data assigned to the partial display areas.

5. The information processing method according to claim 4, wherein the quantification operation is performed on at least one of a difference between a size of the extracted item of data and a size of the specified data, a distance between a central point of the extracted item of data and a central point of the specified data based on positional information concerning the partial display areas, and a ratio of an area of the extracted item of data to an area of the specified data in the partial display areas.

6. The information processing method according to claim 5, wherein, when the extracting step performs the quantification operation by using the ratio of the area of the extracted item of data to the area of the specified data in the partial display areas, and when an amount of data to be assigned is zero, the extracting step excludes the data from the quantification operation.

7. The information processing method according to claim 4, wherein the designated extracting condition includes an instruction to perform the quantification operation, a number of items of data to be extracted for generating the first layout, and an instruction as to whether, when an amount of data to be assigned is zero, the data is to be subjected to the quantification operation.

8. An information processing apparatus for assigning variable data input from a data source to partial display areas contained in a template so as to determine the size of each of the partial display areas based on the assigned variable data, the information processing apparatus comprising:

extracting means for comparing specified data for disposing the partial display areas at regular positions in a page with a plurality of items of stored data assigned to the partial display areas so as to extract an item of data that matches a designated extracting condition;

display control means for assigning the item of data extracted by the extracting means to the partial display areas so as to display a first layout of the partial display areas in the page together with a second layout based on the specified data; and

layout control means for modifying and displaying the second layout based on the specified data in accordance with a modification made to the first layout.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the extracting means comprises first search means for extracting only an item of data having a certain difference from the specified data from among the plurality of items of stored data.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the extracting means comprises second search means for extracting the item of data for generating the first layout in accordance with a result of the first search means or the stored data together with the designated extracting condition.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the extracting means extracts the item of data by performing a quantification operation on a difference between the second layout based on the specified data and the first layout based on the plurality of items of stored data assigned to the partial display areas.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the quantification operation is performed on at least one of a difference between a size of the extracted item of data and a size of the specified data, a distance between a central point of the extracted item of data and a central point of the specified data based on positional information concerning the partial display areas, and a ratio of an area of the extracted item of data to an area of the specified data in the partial display areas.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, when the extracting means performs the quantification operation by using the ratio of the area of the extracted item of data to the area of the specified data in the partial display areas, and when an amount of data to be assigned is zero, the extracting means excludes the data from the quantification operation.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the extracting condition includes an instruction to perform the quantification operation, a number of items of data to be extracted for generating the first layout, and an instruction as to whether, when an amount of data to be assigned is zero, the data is to be subjected to the quantification operation.

15. A computer-readable program for allowing a computer to execute information processing for assigning variable data input from a data source to partial display areas contained in a template so as to determine the size of each of the partial display areas based on the assigned variable data, the computer-readable program comprising:

an extracting step of comparing specified data for disposing the partial display areas at regular positions in a page with a plurality of items of stored data assigned to the partial display areas so as to extract an item of data that matches a designated extracting condition;

a display control step of assigning the item of data extracted in the extracting step to the partial display areas so as to display a first layout of the partial display areas in the page together with a second layout based on the specified data; and

a layout control step of modifying and displaying the second layout based on the specified data in accordance with a modification made to the first layout.

16. The computer-readable program according to claim 15, wherein the extracting step allows the computer to execute a first search step of extracting only an item of data having a certain difference from the specified data from among the plurality of items of stored data.

17. The computer-readable program according to claim 16, wherein the extracting step allows the computer to execute a second search step of extracting the item of data for generating the first layout in accordance with a result of the first search step or the stored data together with the designated extracting condition.

18. The computer-readable program according to claim 15, wherein the extracting step allows the computer to execute the item of data by performing a quantification operation on a difference between the second layout based on the specified data and the first layout based on the plurality of items of stored data assigned to the partial display areas.

19. The computer-readable program according to claim 18, wherein the quantification operation is performed on at least one of a difference between a size of the extracted item of data and a size of the specified data, a distance between a central point of the extracted item of data and a central point of the specified data based on positional information concerning the partial display areas, and a ratio of an area of the extracted item of data to an area of the specified data in the partial display areas.

20. The computer-readable program according to claim 19, wherein, when the extracting step performs the quantification operation by using the ratio of the area of the extracted item of data to an area of the specified data in the partial display areas, and when an amount of data to be assigned is zero, the extracting step allows the computer to exclude the data from the quantification operation.

21. The computer-readable program according to claim 18, wherein the extracting condition includes an instruction to perform the quantification operation, a number of items of data to be extracted for generating the first layout, and an instruction as to whether, when an amount of data to be assigned is zero, the data is to be subjected to the quantification operation.