Affinitive placement by proximity in a computer-implemented graphics system

• US 6,417,865 B1
• Filed: 03/09/1999
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Bou, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Santiago, Enrique L.
• Application Number:
  US09/265,021
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 345/651, 345/652, 345/677, 345/678, 345/619, 345/676, 345/672, 345/650, 345/648, 345/649, 345/663, 345/473
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A computer-implemented graphics program provides affinitive placement of objects by proximity, wherein two or more objects are automatically placed in a drawing relative to one another using similarly-situated and previously-placed objects as examples for the suggested placement of the objects.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for placing one or more objects in a drawing displayed on a monitor attached to the computer, comprising:

(a) identifying two or more related objects that are similar to an active object and an affinity object; and

(b) creating a relationship between the active object and the affinity object using a relationship between the identified related objects as an example, wherein the creating step (b) comprises placing the active object in the drawing relative to the affinity object using the relationship between the identified related objects.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the active object is an object designated for placement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the active object is an object designated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step (a) further comprises identifying one or more related objects similar to the active object that are proximate to the active object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step (a) further comprises identifying one or more related objects similar to the active object that are proximate to the active object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step (a) further comprises identifying one or more related objects similar to the active object that have been previously nominated by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the identifying step (a) comprises identifying at least one first object similar to the active object that is attached to a second object similar to the affinity object; and

wherein the creating step (b) comprises attaching the active object to the affinity object in a manner suggested by a relationship between the identified first and second objects.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the identifying step (a) comprises identifying at least one object similar to the active object that is attached to the affinity object; and

wherein the creating step (b) comprises attaching the active object to the affinity object in a manner suggested by a relationship between the identified object and the affinity object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationship comprises one or more attributes selected from a group comprising a relative location, position, orientation, and direction.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the placing step comprises placing the active object in the drawing relative to the affinity object using the relationship between the identified related objects in a “

suggest from example”

function.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the “

suggest from example”

function comprises placing the active object relative to the affinity object in a manner similar to the relationship between the identified related objects.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating step (b) further comprises suggesting a placement of the active object relative to the affinity object using a plurality of examples.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising ranking the examples for use in the suggested placement of the active object relative to the affinity object.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising visually indicating the suggested placement of the active object relative to the affinity object.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising visually indicating which object was used for the suggested placement of the active object relative to the affinity object.

16. A computer-implemented system for placing one or more objects in a drawing, comprising:

(a) a computer having a monitor attached thereto;

(b) means, performed by the computer, for identifying two or more related objects that are similar to an active object and an affinity object; and

(c) means, performed by the computer, for creating a relationship between the active object and the affinity object using a relationship between the identified related objects as an example, wherein the means for creating (c) comprises means for placing the active object in the drawing relative to the affinity object using the relationship between the identified related objects.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the active object is an object designated for placement.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the active object is an object designated for movement.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for identifying (b) further comprises means for identifying one or more related objects similar to the active object that are proximate to the active object.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for identifying (b) further comprises means for identifying one or more related objects similar to the active object that are visible from the active object.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for identifying (b) further comprises means for identifying one or more related objects similar to the active object that have been previously nominated by the user.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

wherein the means for identifying (b) comprises means for identifying at least one first object similar to the active object that is attached to a second object similar to the affinity object; and

wherein the means for creating (c) comprises means for attaching the active object to the affinity object in a manner suggested by a relationship between the identified first and second objects.

23. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

wherein the means for identifying (b) comprises means for identifying at least one object similar to the active object that is attached to the affinity object; and

wherein the means for creating (c) comprises means for attaching the active object to the affinity object in a manner suggested by a relationship between the identified object and the affinity object.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the relationship comprises one or more attributes selected from a group comprising a relative location, position, orientation, and direction.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for placing comprises means for placing the active object in the drawing relative to the affinity object using the relationship between the identified related objects in a “

suggest from example”

function.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the “

suggest from example”

function comprises means for placing the active object relative tot he affinity object in a manner similar to the relationship between the identified related objects.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for creating (c) further comprises means for suggesting a placement of the active object relative to the affinity object using a plurality of examples.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising means for ranking the examples for use in the suggested placement of the active object relative to the affinity object.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising means for visually indicating the suggested placement of the active object relative to the affinity object.

30. The system of claim 27, further comprising means for visually indicating which object was used for the suggested placement of the active object relative to the affinity object.

31. An article of manufacture embodying logic for performing a method for placing one or more objects in a drawing displayed on a monitor attached to the computer, the method comprising:

(a) identifying two or more related objects that are similar to an active object and an affinity object; and

(b) creating a relationship between the identified related objects as an example, wherein the creating step (b) comprises placing the active object in the drawing relative to the affinity object using the relationship between the identified related objects.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the active object is an object designated for placement.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the active object is an object designated for movement.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the identifying step (a) further comprises identifying one or more related objects similar to the active object that are proximate to the active object.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the identifying step (a) further comprises identifying one or more related objects similar to the active object that are visible from the active object.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the identifying step (a) further comprises identifying ore or more related objects similar to the active object that have been previously nominated by the user.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 31, further comprising:

wherein the identifying step (a) comprises identifying at least one first object similar to the active object that is attached to a second object similar to the affinity object; and

wherein the creating step (b) comprises attaching the active object to the affinity object in a manner suggested by a relationship between the identified first and second objects.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 31, further comprising:

wherein the identifying step (a) comprises identifying at least one object similar to the active object that is attached to the affinity object; and

wherein the creating step (b) comprises attaching the active object to the affinity object in a manner suggested by a relationship between the identified object and the affinity object.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the relationship comprises one or more attributes selected from a group comprising a relative location, position, orientation, and direction.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the placing step comprises placing the active object in the drawing relative to the affinity object using the relationship between the identified related objects in a “

suggest from example”

function.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the “

suggest from example”

function comprises placing the active object relative to the affinity object in a manner similar to the relationship between the identified related objects.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the creating step (b) further comprises suggesting a placement of the active object relative to the affinity object using a plurality of examples.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 42, further comprising ranking the examples for use in the suggested placement of the active object relative to the affinity object.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 42, further comprising visually indicating the suggested placement of the active object relative to the affinity object.

45. The article of manufacture of claim 42, further comprising visually indicating which object was used for the suggested placement of the active object relative to the affinity object.