Method for assigning graphical images to pages

• US 20050240865A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Tretter, Daniel R., Atkins, C. Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,296,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/251
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/114 Pagination

Abstract

A system and method for paginating objects, such as graphical images, within a predefined space, such as a viewable or printed page, is provided. The system and method includes substantially evenly distributing graphical images on a selected number of pages. Alternately, the system and method may determine remainders based on supplied numbers of graphical images per page and total number of pages, and redetermine and reassign depending upon the remainders, or may employ a page layout technique using scoring to establish a best layout for available graphical images and assign graphical images to pages using the page layout technique, or may determine pagination based on expected viewing conditions. The system and method may also receive specific hard page breaks establishing chapters and compute soft page breaks based on certain criteria.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a total quantity of graphical images in an image list to a total quantity of pages, comprising:

allocating a first quantity of graphical images to each page of a first quantity of pages; and

allocating a second quantity of graphical images, the second quantity of graphical images being one more image than the first quantity of graphical images, to each page of a second quantity of pages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein allocating the first quantity of images comprises:

determining an integer value equal to the total quantity of images minus a number of images per page multiplied by the total quantity of pages; and

allocating the first quantity of images equal to the number of images per page to the first quantity of pages, equal to the total quantity of pages minus the integer value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein allocating the second quantity of images comprises allocating a number of images equal to one more image than the first quantity of images to all remaining pages of the total quantity of pages.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the page represents one from a group including a page from a photo album, a slide from a slideshow, and an arrangement of space on a computer screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user specifies the total quantity of pages by establishing a minimum and maximum number of images per page, and wherein specifying the quantity of pages comprises averaging the minimum and maximum number of images per page.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said allocating the second quantity of images comprises assigning the second quantity of images to random pages.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said allocating the second quantity of images comprises assigning the second quantity of images to pages in a predetermined manner.

8. A method of assigning graphical images to a plurality of pages, comprising:

enabling a user to establish a desired number of graphical images per page for an image list comprising a quantity of graphical images;

determining a number of pages;

determining an adjusted number of graphical images per page using the number of pages;

determining a remainder representing a difference between the quantity of graphical images and the adjusted number of graphical images per page multiplied by the number of pages; and

assigning a remaining number of graphical images per page to each of a final quantity of pages, the remaining number of graphical images per page based on the adjusted number of graphical images per page and the final quantity of pages based on the remainder.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said assigning comprises distributing the remaining quantity of graphical images among the final quantity of pages in a random manner.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said assigning comprises distributing the remaining quantity of graphical images among the final quantity of pages in a predetermined manner.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the page represents one from a group including a page from a photo album, a slide from a slideshow, and an arrangement of space on a computer screen.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the enabling allows the user to specify a desired quantity of graphical images per page by establishing a minimum and maximum number of graphical images per page, and wherein specifying the quantity of graphical images per page comprises averaging the minimum and maximum number of graphical images per page.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the assigning comprises assigning graphical images equal to the adjusted number of graphical images per page minus one to each of −

1 multiplied by the remainder quantity of pages.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the assigning comprises assigning graphical images equal to the adjusted number of graphical images per page plus one to each of the remainder quantity of pages.

15. A method for assigning a number of graphical images to a plurality of pages, comprising:

establishing a desired number of graphical images per page, wherein said desired number of graphical images per page may represent a range of desired graphical images per page;

providing a quantity of graphical images equal to the desired number of graphical images per page to a page layout technique having a scoring functionality, said page layout technique determining a best score arrangement of graphical images, said best score arrangement of graphical images equating to a desired page layout of a first quantity of graphical images;

assigning the first quantity of graphical images from the number of graphical images to a page; and

sequentially repeating said providing and assigning until no further graphical images are available.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said establishing comprises soliciting a value from a user, said value from the user corresponding to the desired number of graphical images per page.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said establishing comprises soliciting a maximum and minimum quantity of graphical images per page from a user, thus representing the range of desired graphical images per page.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the page represents one from a group including a page from a photo album, a slide from a slideshow, and an arrangement of space on a computer screen.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said providing comprises:

providing a first quantity of graphical images according to a lowest value in the range to the page layout technique, and the page layout technique establishing a first layout and associated first score;

providing at least one intermediate quantity of graphical images according to a middle value in the range to the page layout technique, and the page layout technique establishing at least one middle layout and at least one associated middle score;

providing a last quantity of graphical images according to a highest value in the range to the page layout technique, and the page layout technique establishing a highest layout and associated highest score; and

selecting a best layout based on a best score from among the first layout, at least one middle layout, and highest layout, and associated first score, at least one middle score, and highest score.

20. A method for assigning a number of graphical images to a plurality of pages based on desired appearance of at least one graphical image, comprising:

soliciting information from a user, the information comprising at least one from a group comprising size of a reference image, a viewing distance of the reference image, a desired final viewing distance, and a desired final image size;

determining a desired final image size for the at least one image when not obtained from said information soliciting; and

determining a number of graphical images per page based on at least one from a group comprising the page area, expected page coverage, and typical page coverage.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein computing the desired final image size comprises employing geometry or trigonometry to equate final image size in accordance with desired viewing range.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the page represents one from a group including a page from a photo album, a slide from a slideshow, and an arrangement of space on a computer screen.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising after said computing the number of graphical images per page:

determining a number of pages and computing an adjusted number of graphical images per page using the number of pages;

determining a remainder representing a difference between the quantity of graphical images and the adjusted number of graphical images per page multiplied by the number of pages; and

assigning a remaining number of graphical images per page to each of a final quantity of pages, the remaining number of graphical images per page based on the adjusted number of graphical images per page and the final quantity of pages based on the remainder.

24. A method for assigning a number of graphical images to a plurality of pages, said number of graphical images split into at least two chapters, the method comprising:

soliciting information from a user, the information comprising hard page breaks separating chapters and information sufficient to ascertain a desired number of pages; and

assigning soft page breaks within chapters when the desired number of pages minus one minus the number of hard page breaks is greater than zero.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising requesting different information from the user when the requested number of page breaks is less than the desired number of hard page breaks.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said assigning soft page breaks comprises allocating soft page breaks among chapters such that differences between quantities of graphical images on each page are minimized.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising assessing the difference between a quantity of graphical images on one page having the largest number of graphical images and a quantity of graphical images on another page having the smallest number of graphical images.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising reassigning image quantities and soft page breaks to minimize the difference between a quantity of graphical images on the page having the largest number of graphical images and a quantity of graphical images on the page having the smallest number of graphical images.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the page represents one from a group including a page from a photo album, a slide from a slideshow, and an arrangement of space on a computer screen.

30. A system for assigning a number of graphical images to a plurality of pages, said graphical images in the form of an image list, comprising:

a receiving element configured to receive the image list;

a processor configured to receive the image list from the receiving element and automatically process the image list into multiple pages by dividing the image list according to predetermined criteria; and

a display device capable of displaying the graphical images displayed on the multiple pages determined by the processor.

31. The system of claim 30, said processor having an ability to operate according to instructions comprising:

allocating a first quantity of graphical images to each page of a first quantity of pages; and

allocating a second quantity of graphical images, the second quantity of graphical images being one more image than the first quantity of graphical images, to each page of a second quantity of pages.

32. The system of claim 30, said processor having an ability to operate according to instructions comprising:

enabling a user to establish a desired number of graphical images per page for the image list comprising a quantity of graphical images;

determining a number of pages;

determining an adjusted number of graphical images per page using the number of pages;

determining a remainder representing a difference between the quantity of graphical images and the adjusted number of graphical images per page multiplied by the number of pages; and

assigning a remaining number of graphical images per page to each of a final quantity of pages, the remaining number of graphical images per page based on the adjusted number of graphical images per page and the final quantity of pages based on the remainder.

33. The system of claim 30, said processor having an ability to operate according to instructions comprising:

establishing a desired number of graphical images per page, wherein said desired number of graphical images per page may represent a range of desired graphical images per page;

providing a quantity of graphical images equal to the desired number of graphical images per page to a page layout technique having a scoring functionality, said page layout technique determining a best score arrangement of graphical images, said best score arrangement of graphical images equating to a desired page layout of a first quantity of graphical images;

assigning the first quantity of graphical images from the number of graphical images to a page; and

sequentially repeating said providing and assigning until no further graphical images are available.

34. The system of claim 30, said processor having an ability to operate according to instructions comprising:

soliciting information from a user, the information comprising at least one from a group comprising size of a reference image, a viewing distance of the reference image, a desired final viewing distance, and a desired final image size;

determining a desired final image size for the at least one image when not obtained from said information soliciting; and

determining a number of graphical images per page based on at least one from a group comprising the page area, expected page coverage, and typical page coverage.

35. The system of claim 30, said processor having an ability to operate according to instructions comprising:

soliciting information from a user, the information comprising hard page breaks separating chapters and information sufficient to ascertain a desired number of pages; and

assigning soft page breaks within chapters when the desired number of pages minus one minus the number of hard page breaks is greater than zero.

36. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a device having a user interface and a display, the set of instructions comprising:

an input routine capable of receiving and processing information into an image list;

a processing routine able to process the image list into multiple pages by dividing the image list according to predetermined criteria; and

a display routine responsive to said processing routine for displaying graphical images on multiple pages as determined by said processing routine.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, said processing routine having an ability to operate according to instructions comprising:

allocating a first quantity of graphical images to each page of a first quantity of pages; and

allocating a second quantity of graphical images, the second quantity of graphical images being one more image than the first quantity of graphical images, to each page of a second quantity of pages.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, said processing routine having an ability to operate according to instructions comprising:

enabling a user to establish a desired number of graphical images per page for the image list comprising a quantity of graphical images;

determining a number of pages;

determining an adjusted number of graphical images per page using the number of pages;

determining a remainder representing a difference between the quantity of graphical images and the adjusted number of graphical images per page multiplied by the number of pages; and

assigning a remaining number of graphical images per page to each of a final quantity of pages, the remaining number of graphical images per page based on the adjusted number of graphical images per page and the final quantity of pages based on the remainder.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, said processing routine having an ability to operate according to instructions comprising:

establishing a desired number of graphical images per page, wherein said desired number of graphical images per page may represent a range of desired graphical images per page;

providing a quantity of graphical images equal to the desired number of graphical images per page to a page layout technique having a scoring functionality, said page layout technique determining a best score arrangement of graphical images, said best score arrangement of graphical images equating to a desired page layout of a first quantity of graphical images;

assigning the first quantity of graphical images from the number of graphical images to a page; and

sequentially repeating said providing and assigning until no further graphical images are available.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, said processing routine having an ability to operate according to instructions comprising:

soliciting information from a user, the information comprising at least one from a group comprising size of a reference image, a viewing distance of the reference image, a desired final viewing distance, and a desired final image size;

determining a desired final image size for the at least one image when not obtained from said information soliciting; and

determining a number of graphical images per page based on at least one from a group comprising the page area, expected page coverage, and typical page coverage.

41. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, said processing routine having an ability to operate according to instructions comprising:

soliciting information from a user, the information comprising hard page breaks separating chapters and information sufficient to ascertain a desired number of pages; and

assigning soft page breaks within chapters when the desired number of pages minus one minus the number of hard page breaks is greater than zero.