Method and system for programmed control of computer generated graphics layout
First Claim
1. A method for automatically determining the detailed layout of a graph having numerous detail design parameters (DDPs), each DDP representing a single attribute of the graph layout, in response to user selection of high-level design control parameters (DCPs), each DCP including a plurality of DDPs, in a system including:
- input means for enabling a user to provide the system with a user-selected value for each of a complete set of DCPs;
a database for associating each user-selected value of each DCP provided through the input means with a predetermined set of DDP values;
memory means for storing, at an address associated with each DCP value, its associated set of DDP values;
selection means adapted to receive a user-selected DCP value from the input means and for selecting from the memory means, by reference to the database, the associated set of DDP values; and
graphics process means for receiving the set of DDP values selected by the selection means from the memory means and converting the received set into graphical output primitives suitable for operating a graphics output device to produce on an output medium a graph having a layout determined by the set of DDP values;
the method comprising the steps of;
(a) receiving from the input means user-selected values for members of the complete set of DCPs'"'"'(b) determining, in association with the database, the location in memory of the set of DDPs associated with each userselected DCP value;
(c) selecting the set of DDPs from memory;
(d) converting the selected set of DDPs into graphical output primitives for the output device; and
(e) providing the primitives to the output device to cause it to produce a graph having the layout determined by the user-selected DCPs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system providing high-level control of the layout of computer-generated graphs which adjusts detail design parameters specifying layout attributes of a graph. The adjustments are done automatically in response to values of design control parameters selected by a user to effect choices made by the user regarding the layout design of a graph. For a graph being designed, the selected design control parameter values control the selection, from tabularized groups of graph detail design parameters, of specific detail design parameter values. The selected graph detail design parameter values are provided to a graph production process to enable it to control an output device used in producing a graph which is laid out according to the user'"'"'s choices.
98 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for automatically determining the detailed layout of a graph having numerous detail design parameters (DDPs), each DDP representing a single attribute of the graph layout, in response to user selection of high-level design control parameters (DCPs), each DCP including a plurality of DDPs, in a system including:
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input means for enabling a user to provide the system with a user-selected value for each of a complete set of DCPs; a database for associating each user-selected value of each DCP provided through the input means with a predetermined set of DDP values; memory means for storing, at an address associated with each DCP value, its associated set of DDP values; selection means adapted to receive a user-selected DCP value from the input means and for selecting from the memory means, by reference to the database, the associated set of DDP values; and graphics process means for receiving the set of DDP values selected by the selection means from the memory means and converting the received set into graphical output primitives suitable for operating a graphics output device to produce on an output medium a graph having a layout determined by the set of DDP values;
the method comprising the steps of;(a) receiving from the input means user-selected values for members of the complete set of DCPs'"'"' (b) determining, in association with the database, the location in memory of the set of DDPs associated with each userselected DCP value; (c) selecting the set of DDPs from memory; (d) converting the selected set of DDPs into graphical output primitives for the output device; and (e) providing the primitives to the output device to cause it to produce a graph having the layout determined by the user-selected DCPs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for automatically determining the detailed layout of a graph having numerous detail design parameters (DDPs), each DDP representing a single attribute of the graph layout, in response to user selection of high-level design control parameters (DCPs), comprising:
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input means for enabling a user to provide the system with a user-selected value for each of a complete set of DCPs'"'"' a database for associating each user-selected value of each DCP provided through the input means with a predetermined set of DDP values; memory means for storing, at an address associated with each DCP value, its associated set of DDP values; selection means adapted to receive a user-selected DCP value from the input means and for selecting from the memory means, by reference to the database, the associated set of DDP values; and graphics process means for receiving the set of DDP values selected by the selection means from the memory means and converting the received set into graphical output primitives suitable for operating a graphics output device to produce on an output medium a graph having a layout determined by the set of DDP values. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification