System and method for constraint-based document generation

• US 7,010,746 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Purvis, Lisa S
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ries, Laurie Anne
• Application Number:
  US10/202,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20040019852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 715/521, 715/517, 715/522, 715/523, 715/524
• US Class Current: 715/249
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

What is disclosed is a system and method for specifying a custom document as a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) to create the specified document using existing constraint solving algorithms wherein the document, its content components, and its layout requirements as elements of a constraint satisfaction problem which when solved, results in an automated document layout for the set of content components. This enables an easier (i.e., automated) custom document creation process while providing a wider array of output documents.

Claims

1. A system for constraint-based generation of documents comprising:

a processor; and

an input device to input user specified constraints;

said processor specifying, in accordance with the inputted user specified constraints, document area problem variables by identifying a plurality of document areas which have associated constraints;

said processor specifying, in accordance with the inputted user specified constraints, document parameter problem variables by identifying document parameters that can be changed;

said processor specifying document area value domains for each document area problem variable by identifying content pieces appropriate for the document areas having associated constraints;

said processor specifying document parameter value domains for each document parameter problem variable by identifying valid ranges for each document parameter;

said processor specifying a layout constraint which further constrains the value domains of the document parameter;

said processor specifying content constraints which further constrain the value domains of the document areas having associated constraints;

said processor determining a layout for a document such that the user specified constraints are satisfied; and

said processor generating a document in accordance with the determined layout that satisfies the user specified constraints.