Method and apparatus for grouping graphic objects on a computer based system having a graphical user interface
First Claim
1. A method for creating and manipulating groups of graphic objects in a computer-controlled graphics editing system, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) a user drawing a persistant first enclosure graphic object, said first enclosure graphic object defining a boundary for a region wherein a first set of one or more graphic objects are positioned;
b) said user acting on said first enclosure graphic object; and
c) said system detecting that said first enclosure graphic object has been acted on and causing said first enclosure graphic object and said first set of one or more graphic objects to also be selected and grouped.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for creating and manipulating groups of graphic objects using enclosures. A persistent graphic object, such as a closed loop is drawn around a set of graphic objects as an enclosure. When the enclosure is selected the enclosure and the set of graphic objects within are grouped. Besides moving graphic objects into and out of the enclosure, the contents of a group can then be modified by 1) graphically altering the enclosure loop to include or remove graphic objects, 2) fusing groups by moving one of them so that their enclosure loops overlap (i.e., they "fuse" into one), 3) fusing groups through gestures which "touch" enclosure loops of the groups to be fused or 4) splitting the group into multiple groups through a splitting gesture.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for creating and manipulating groups of graphic objects in a computer-controlled graphics editing system, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) a user drawing a persistant first enclosure graphic object, said first enclosure graphic object defining a boundary for a region wherein a first set of one or more graphic objects are positioned; b) said user acting on said first enclosure graphic object; and c) said system detecting that said first enclosure graphic object has been acted on and causing said first enclosure graphic object and said first set of one or more graphic objects to also be selected and grouped. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for manipulating groups of graphic objects in a computer-controlled graphics editing system, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) a user drawing a first enclosure graphic object around a first set of graphic objects; b) said user drawing a second enclosure graphic object around a second set of graphic objects; c) said user performing a fusion gesture to fuse said first enclosure and said second enclosure; d) said system fusing said first enclosure and said second enclosure to create a fused enclosure having a shape corresponding to said first enclosure connected to said second enclosure and said fusion gesture, and said fused enclosure defining an area containing said first set of graphic objects and said second set of graphic objects. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer controlled graphics display system including a display and user controllable means for generating graphic objects, said system further comprising:
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enclosure detection circuitry, said enclosure detection circuitry for identifying a graphic object as an enclosure, said enclosure defining a region; group detection circuitry for identifying a group of graphic objects in said region, wherein operations performed on said graphic objected identified as an enclosure will also be performed on said group of graphic objects in said region; position detection circuitry for detecting a position of a gesture; gesture interpretation circuitry for identifying said gesture as being one of an associated plurality of gesture types and performing an enclosure operation corresponding to said identified gesture type on said enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification