Object association in a computer generated drawing environment

• US 7,474,310 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2005
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Moran, Evan F. B., Allyn, Barry Christopher, Clay, Daniel J., Daw, Craig L., Albertson, Dan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung; Kee M
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMINI, JAVID A
• Application Number:
  US11/203,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20070036403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 345/440, 382/128, 283/115, 283/34
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

Methods and systems for associating two objects in a drawing application with one another are provided. Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a method in a computing environment that includes receiving a command to designate a target and designating the target. The method can further include identifying a subject and providing a suggested association of the subject with the target. The method can still further include receiving a command to accept the suggested association and associating the subject with the target as suggested.

Claims

1. A method in a computing environment for associating two objects in a drawing application with one another, the method comprising:

receiving a command to designate a target, the target including a first object on a drawing area of the drawing application;

designating the target to be connected to a second object in the drawing area;

identifying the second object to be connected to the first object;

displaying a suggested association between the first object and the second object in the drawing area, wherein the suggested association is a visual indication identifying a direction relative to the target;

receiving a command to accept the suggested association between the first object and the second object; and

associating the second object with the target as suggested.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the second object with the target includes at least one of placing the second object relative to the target in a selected direction and connecting the target to the second object with a connector.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the second object with the target includes placing the second object relative to the target in a selected direction and connecting the target to the second object with a connector, the connection being a dynamic connection so that the target and second object remain connected by the connector when (a) the target is moved, (b) the second object is moved, or (c) both (a) and (b).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a second object includes:

receiving a command to designate the second object from one and more objects in at least one of a drawing area and an area separate from the drawing area; and

designating the second object as commanded.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a second object includes:

suggesting a second object designation;

receiving a command to accept the suggested second object designation; and

designating the second object.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the visual indication identifying a direction relative to the target indicates a suggested direction for (a) placing the second object relative to the target, (b) extending a connector away from the target, wherein the connector is suitable for connecting the target to the second object, or (c) both (a) and (b).

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the visual indication identifying a direction relative to the target indicates a suggested direction for (a) placing the second object relative to the target, (b) extending a connector away from the target, wherein the connector is suitable for connecting the target to the second object, or (c) both (a) and (b), and wherein the method further comprises removing the visual indicator.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

identifying a second object includes identifying multiple second objects;

displaying a suggested association between the first object and the second object in the drawing area includes providing a suggested association of each second object with the first object;

receiving a command to accept the suggested association includes receiving a command to accept the suggested associations; and

associating the second object with the target includes associating the second objects with the target as suggested.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a suggested association between the first object and the second object in the drawing area includes providing a first suggested association of the second object with the first object and at least one second suggested association of the second object with the first object.

10. A computer-implemented method for associating a first object with a second object in a drawing application, the method comprising:

accepting a designation of the first object as a target for the second object to connect to, the first object being displayed in a first drawing area of the drawing application;

accepting a selection of the second object from a plurality of objects displayed in a second drawing area of the drawing application, the second drawing area being separate from the first drawing area;

displaying at least one suggested connection between the first object and the second object before the second object is displayed in the first drawing area, wherein the at least one suggested connection is not displayed until after the target is designated and the second object is selected, wherein the suggested connection is a visual indication identifying a direction relative to, the first object;

receiving a command to accept one of the at least one suggested connection between the first object and the second object; and

displaying the second object in the first drawing area based on the accepted one of the at least one suggested connection.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein displaying at least one suggested connection includes displaying at least one visual indicators identifying a direction relative to the target for placing the second object in the first drawing area.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein displaying at least one suggested connection includes displaying at least one visual indicators identifying a direction relative to the target for placing the second object in the first drawing area and a connector for connecting the first object to the second object when the second object is displayed in the first drawing area.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein displaying the second object includes displaying the second object in the first drawing area in the identified direction and displaying a connector between the first object and the second object.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein displaying at least one suggested connection includes displaying at least one visual indicators identifying a direction relative to the target for placing the second object in the first drawing area, the visual indicators being ghosted.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein displaying at least one suggested connection includes displaying at least one visual indicators identifying a direction relative to the target for placing the second object in the first drawing area, the visual indicators being unghosted when the command to accept one of the at least one suggested connection is received.

16. A computer-readable medium storing instructions for performing a method according to claim 10.

17. A computer-implemented system for associating a first object with a second object in a drawing application, the system comprising a computer-storage medium containing instructions that cause a processor to perform a method comprising:

accepting a designation of the first object as a target for the second object to connect to, the first object being displayed in a first drawing area of the drawing application;

accepting a selection of the second object from a plurality of objects displayed in a second drawing area of the drawing application, the second drawing area being separate from the first drawing area;

displaying at least one suggested connection between the first object and the second object before the second object is displayed in the first drawing area, wherein displaying the at least one suggested connection includes displaying at least one visual indicators identifying a direction relative to the target, and wherein the at least one suggested connection is not displayed until after the designation of the first object is accepted and the selection of the second object is accepted;

receiving a command to accept one of the at least one suggested connection between the first object and the second object; and

displaying the second object in the first drawing area based on the accepted one of the at least one suggested connection.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the at least one visual indicators identifying a direction relative to the target is for placing the second object in the first drawing area and wherein displaying the at least one suggested connection includes displaying a connector for connecting the first object to the second object when the second object is displayed in the first drawing area.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein displaying the second object includes displaying the second object in the first drawing area in the identified direction and displaying a connector between the first object and the second object.