System and method for dynamic space management of a display space

• US 7,404,147 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2001
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Bell, Blaine A, Feiner, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILU, TADESSE
• Application Number:
  US10/258,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20040125140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,646 Days
• Field of Search: 715/788, 715/778, 715/765, 715/781, 715/790, 715/802, 715/806, 715/807, 715799-801, 715/803
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method for space management of a workspace provided on a display includes defining a first data structure of full-space rectangles present on the workspace, wherein at least a portion of the full-space rectangles are permitted to overlap. A second data structure of largest empty-space rectangles available on the workspace is also defined to complete the representation of the workspace. The methods include performing an operation on at least one full-space rectangle on the workspace and redefining the first data structure and the second data structure in accordance with the workspace resulting from the operation performed. The operations can include adding a new full-space rectangle, moving an existing full-space rectangle and deleting an existing full full-space rectangle from the workspace. Generally, the workspace is a display device coupled to an electronic device such as a personal computer, personal digital assistant, electronic book viewer and the like.

Claims

1. A method for space management of a workspace comprising:

allocating at least one full-space rectangle of the workspace;

defining a first data structure for representing at least a portion of full-space rectangles to be present on the workspace, and permitting representation of said at least a portion of the full-space rectangles in an overlapping configuration;

defining a second data structure of largest empty-space rectangles available on the workspace;

performing an operation on the workspace involving at least one full-space rectangle; and

redefining the first data structure and the second data structure in accordance with the workspace resulting from the performing step

wherein the operation performed on at least one full-space rectangle is selected from the group consisting of adding a new full-space rectangle, deleting an existing full-space rectangle and moving an existing full-space rectangle

wherein the operation is the addition of a new full-space rectangle which is automatically placed in a final position on the workspace

wherein the operation of automatically placing the full-space rectangle further comprises;

querying the second data structure to identify candidate largest empty space rectangles which satisfy at least one user defined placement parameter;

selecting one of the candidate largest empty space rectangles; and

placing the full-space rectangle within the selected candidate largest empty space rectangle,

wherein if not largest empty space rectangles satisfy the user defined placement parameter, the user can optionally place the full space rectangle on the workspace.

2. A method for space management of a workspace comprising:

allocating at least one full-space rectangle of the workspace;

defining a first data structure for representing at least a portion of full-space rectangles to be present on the workspace, and permitting representation of said at least a portion of the full-space rectangles in an overlapping configuration;

defining a second data structure of largest empty-space rectangles available on the workspace;

performing an operation on the workspace involving at least one full-space rectangle;

redefining the first data structure and the second data structure in accordance with the workspace resulting from the performing step; and

retaining a copy of at least a portion of the first and second data structures prior to performing said redefining step.

3. The method of space management according to claim 2, further comprising performing an undo operation of the performed operation by redefining the first and second data structures in accordance with the retained copies of the at least a portion of the first data structure and second data structure.

4. The method of space management according to claim 3, wherein the operation is an undoable add operation, and wherein the at least a portion of the second data structure which is copied is a set of rectangles which are removed from the second data structure as a result of the operation, and wherein empty space rectangles added to the second data structure as a result of the operation are marked for a subsequent removal in the event of an undo operation.

5. A method for space management of a workspace comprising:

allocating at least one full-space rectangle of the workspace;

defining a first data structure for representing at least a portion of full-space rectangles to be present on the workspace, and permitting representation of said at least a portion of the full-space rectangles in an overlapping configuration;

defining a second data structure of largest empty-space rectangles available on the workspace;

performing an operation on the workspace involving at least one full-space rectangle; and

redefining the first data structure and the second data structure in accordance with the workspace resulting from the performing step,

wherein the operation is a deletion operation and wherein the step of redefining the second data structure further comprises;

a. identifying the edges of the full-space rectangle to be deleted;

b. selecting a first edge of the full-space rectangle to be deleted;

c. identifying each empty-space rectangle in the second data structure which is adjacent to the selected edge;

d. merging the adjacent empty-space rectangles with empty-space generated by deleting the full-space rectangle;

e. adding the merged empty-space rectangle to the second data structure if the merged empty-space rectangle is a largest empty-space rectangle;

f. dropping the merged empty-space rectangle if it is a subset of a previously identified largest empty-space rectangle;

g. saving the merged empty-space rectangle as an input empty space rectangle for a subsequent merging operation of step d if the merged empty-space rectangle is not added or dropped;

h. selecting a next edge; and

i. repeating steps c through h for each edge identified in step c.

6. A method for space management of a workspace comprising:

allocating at least one full-space rectangle of the workspace;

defining a first data structure for representing at least a portion of full-space rectangles to be present on the workspace, and permitting representation of said at least a portion of the full-space rectangles in an overlapping configuration;

defining a second data structure of largest empty-space rectangles available on the workspace;

performing an operation on the workspace involving at least one full-space rectangle; and

redefining the first data structure and the second data structure in accordance with the workspace resulting from the performing step,

wherein the workspace is a three dimensional workspace, and wherein at least one of the dimensions of the workspace is time.