Systems and methods for producing digital content

• US 7,191,398 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nitta, Takashi, Ohashi, Hirotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon; Heather R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Botts; Michael K.
• Application Number:
  US10/107,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20020165937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 715/517
• US Class Current: 715/205
• 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: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739

Abstract

The present invention provides a digital content production system which appropriately arranges information in a blank region present in a layout area in an easy-to-read layout without destroying layout consistency. The present invention can include a content delivery terminal that lays out a digital content by selecting the digital contents in a content registration data base based on user information, and by arranging a variety of pieces of information forming the selected digital contents into a predetermined frame in a layout area. When a blank region is present in the layout area after information forming the digital contents is arranged in the layout area, one of the information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is searched for and retrieved based on the size of the blank region, and the information is arranged into the blank region by using the retrieved information arrangement process.

Claims

1. A digital content production system, comprising:

a content storage device that stores registered digital contents;

a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device; and

a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device produces the digital content for output by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on a size of the blank region, and information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when a number of characters storable in the blank region is in a first range of storable characters,

a second information arranging process, which selects and stores digital content based on the number of characters storable in the blank region, is selected when the number of characters storable in the blank region is in a second range of storable characters that is less than the first range,

and a third information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content including text information with a minimum number of characters, is selected when the number of characters storable in the blank region is in a third range of storable characters that is less than the second range.

2. A digital content production system, comprising:

a content storage device that stores registered digital contents;

a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device; and

a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device produces the digital content for output, including one or a plurality of layout areas per page-by-page basis, by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on page information relating to the page of the layout area, and information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when a page number of the layout area including the blank region is in a first range of page numbers,

a second information arranging process, which selects and stores digital content based on a number of characters storable in the blank region, is selected when the page number of the layout area including the blank region is in a second range of page numbers that is less than the first range,

and a third information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content including text information with a minimum number of characters, is selected when the page number of the layout area including the blank region is in a third range of page numbers that is less than the second range.

3. A digital content production system, comprising:

a content storage device that stores registered digital contents;

a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device, and

a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device produces the digital content for output by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on the location of the blank region in the layout area, and information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when the blank region occurs in a top half portion of the layout area,

and a second information arranging process, which selects and stores digital content based on a number of characters storable in the blank region, is selected when the blank region occurs in a bottom half portion of the layout area.

4. A digital content production system, comprising:

a content storage device that stores registered digital contents;

a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device; and

a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device producing the digital content for output by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on the shape of the blank region, and information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores digital content based on a number of characters storable in the blank region, is selected when a vertical side of a shape of the blank region is longer than the horizontal side of the shape of the blank region, or the horizontal side of the shape of the blank region is longer than the vertical side of the shape of the blank region, by more than a predetermined value,

and a second information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when the vertical side of a shape of the blank region is not longer than the horizontal side of the shape of the blank region, or the horizontal side of the shape of the blank region is not longer than the vertical side of the shape of the blank region, by more than the predetermined value.

5. A digital content production system, comprising;

a content storage device that stores registered digital contents;

a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device; and

a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device producing the digital content for output by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on a designated upper limit of a number of pages, and information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content including text information with a minimum number of characters, is selected when an upper limit of a number of pages is less than a predetermined value,

and a second information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when the upper limit of the number of pages is greater than or equal to the predetermined value.

6. A digital content production system, comprising:

a content storage device that stores registered digital contents;

a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device; and

a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device produces the digital content for output by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on a number of digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, and information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when a number of the digital contents selected by the content selection device is greater than or equal to a predetermined value,

and a second information arranging process, which selects and stores digital content based on a number of characters storable in the blank region, is selected when a number of the digital contents selected by the content selection device is less than the predetermined value.

7. A recording medium on which is recorded a digital content production program for operation with a digital content production system, the digital content production system having a content storage device that stores registered digital contents, a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device, and a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device produces the digital content for output by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area, the recording medium including instructions for causing the content selection device and the content production device to perform a process so that,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on the size of the blank region, information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when a number of characters storable in the blank region is in a first range of storable characters,

a second information arranging process, which selects and stores digital content based on the number of characters storable in the blank region, is selected when the number of characters storable in the blank region is in a second range of storable characters that is less than the first range,

and a third information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content including text information with a minimum number of characters, is selected when the number of characters storable in the blank region is in a third range of storable characters that is less than the second range.

8. A recording medium on which is recorded a digital content production program for operation with a digital content production system, the digital content production system having a content storage device that stores registered digital contents, a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device, and a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device produces the digital content for output, including one or a plurality of layout areas per page-by-page basis, by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area, the recording medium including instructions for causing the content selection device and the content production device to perform a process so that,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on page information relating to the page of the layout area, information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when a page number of the layout area including the blank region is in a first range of page numbers,

a second information arranging process, which selects and stores digital content based on a number of characters storable in the blank region, is selected when the page number of the layout area including the blank region is in a second range of page numbers that is less than the first range,

and a third information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content including text information with a minimum number of characters, is selected when the page number of the layout area including the blank region is in a third range of page numbers that is less than the second range.

9. A recording medium on which is recorded a digital content production program for operation with a digital content production system, the digital content production system having a content storage device that stores registered digital contents, a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device, and a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device produces the digital content for output by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area, the recording medium including instructions for causing the content selection device and the content production device to perform a process so that,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on the location of the blank region in the layout area, information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when the blank region occurs in a top half portion of the layout area,

and a second information arranging process, which selects and stores digital content based on a number of characters storable in the blank region, is selected when the blank region occurs in a bottom half portion of the layout area.

10. A recording medium on which is recorded a digital content production program for operation with a digital content production system, the digital content production system having a content storage device that stores registered digital contents, a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device, and a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device producing the digital content for output by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area, the recording medium including instructions for causing the content selection device and the content production device to perform a process so that,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on the shape of the blank region, information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores digital content based on a number of characters storable in the blank region, is selected when a vertical side of a shape of the blank region is longer than the horizontal side of the shape of the blank region, or the horizontal side of the shape of the blank region is longer than the vertical side of the shape of the blank region, by more than a predetermined value,

and a second information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when the vertical side of a shape of the blank region is not longer than the horizontal side of the shape of the blank region, or the horizontal side of the shape of the blank region is not longer than the vertical side of the shape of the blank region, by more than the predetermined value.

11. A recording medium on which is recorded a digital content production program for operation with a digital content production system, the digital content production system having a content storage device that stores registered digital contents, a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device, and a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device producing the digital content for output by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area, the recording medium including instructions for causing the content selection device and the content production device to perform a process so that,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on a designated upper limit of the number of pages, information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content including text information with a minimum number of characters, is selected when an upper limit of a number of pages is less than a predetermined value,

and a second information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when the upper limit of the number of pages is greater than or equal to the predetermined value.

12. A recording medium on which is recorded a digital content production program for operation with a digital content production system, the digital content production system having a content storage device that stores registered digital contents, a content selection device that selects digital contents for arrangement in the content storage device, and a content production device that produces the digital content for output by determining an output layout of the digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, the content production device produces the digital content for output by arranging information forming the digital contents for arrangement into a predetermined frame in a layout area, the recording medium including instructions for causing the content selection device and the content production device to perform a process so that,

when a blank region containing no information arranged therewithin is present in the layout area after the information forming the digital contents for arrangement is arranged in the layout area, one of a plurality of information arrangement processes for arranging information into the blank region through respective different methods is selected based on the number of digital contents for arrangement selected by the content selection device, information is arranged into the blank region through the selected information arrangement process,

a first information arranging process, which selects and stores the digital content based on a priority of the digital content, is selected when a number of the digital contents selected by the content selection device is greater than or equal to a predetermined value,

and a second information arranging process, which selects and stores digital content based on a number of characters storable in the blank region, is selected when a number of the digital contents selected by the content selection device is less than the predetermined value.