Computerized method for dynamic content placement in a document

• US 8,127,227 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Kates, Jesse M., Fridy, Jennifer A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton, Jr., Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEBROW, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US11/585,053
• Time in Patent Office: 1,954 Days
• Field of Search: 715/273, 715/243
• US Class Current: 715/243
• 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 40/131 Fragmentation of text files, e.g. creating reusable text-blocks; Linking to fragments, e.g. using XInclude; Namespaces

Abstract

A computer-operated method for dynamically laying out content in a document, so as to thereby establish a resulting document. A computer first virtually lays out primary content portions in a virtual document space within computer memory. The computer then lays out secondary content portions in spatial correlation with associated primary content portions, to the extent space permits. And the computer then lays out tertiary content portions in spatial correlation with areas of the document, such as groups of primary content portions, to the extent space permits, while giving layout preference to tertiary content portions that have higher priority than already-placed secondary content portions. The invention can be used to dynamically generate invoices for telecommunication subscribers or in other scenarios.

Claims

1. A computerized method of dynamically laying out a document in a document space defined in computer memory, to facilitate subsequent output of the document for viewing by a user, the method comprising, in order:

(a) a computer positioning one or more primary content portions in the document space;

(b) for each of one or more secondary content portions that is associated respectively with a given primary content portion thereby positioned in the document space and that has an associated priority, the computer positioning the secondary content portion in the document space in spatial correlation with the associated primary content portion, wherein positioning each of one or more secondary content portions in the document space comprises;

(i) identifying a plurality of secondary content portions that are each associated with any primary content portion positioned in the document space;

(ii) sorting the plurality of identified secondary content portions in priority order; and

(iii) taking the secondary content portions in the sorted order, attempting to position each secondary content portion in the document space and, if insufficient space exists in the document space to position a given secondary content in spatial correlation with its associated primary content portion, then declining to position the given secondary content portion in the document space; and

(c) for each of one or more tertiary content portions that is associated respectively with a group of one or more primary content portions and that has an associated priority, the computer positioning the tertiary content portion in the document space in spatial correlation with the associated group of one or more primary content portions, wherein positioning the tertiary content portion in the document space in spatial correlation with the associated group of one or more primary content portions comprises;

(i) making a determination of whether sufficient space exists in the document space to position the tertiary content portion in spatial correlation with the associated group of one or more primary content portions;

(ii) if the determination is that sufficient space exists, then positioning the tertiary content portion in spatial correlation with the associated group of one or more primary content portions; and

(iii) if the determination is that that insufficient space exists, (1) identifying, in the document space, a secondary content portion that has a lower priority than the tertiary content portion, (2) removing the identified secondary content portion from the document space, and (3) repeating from (c)(i).

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting the document for viewing by a user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein outputting the document for viewing by a user comprises outputting the document on presentation means selected from the group consisting of (i) a computer display screen and (ii) paper.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising carrying out (a), (b), and (c) respectively for each of a plurality of unique sets of primary, secondary, and tertiary content portions, thereby resulting in uniquely laying out respectively each of a plurality of documents.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

outputting each of the plurality of documents for user-viewing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the document represents a telecommunication service invoice.

7. A computerized method of dynamically laying out a document in a document space defined in computer memory, to facilitate subsequent output of the document for viewing by a user, the method comprising, in order:

(1) a computer positioning one or more primary content portions in the document space;

(2) for each of one or more secondary content portions that is associated respectively with a given primary content portion thereby positioned in the document space and that has an associated priority, the computer positioning the secondary content portion in the document space in spatial correlation with the associated primary content portion;

(3) for each of one or more tertiary content portions that is associated respectively with a group of one or more primary content portions and that has an associated priority, the computer positioning the tertiary content portion in the document space in spatial correlation with the associated group of one or more primary content portions, wherein positioning the tertiary content portion in the document space in spatial correlation with the associated group of one or more primary content portions comprises;

(a) making a determination of whether sufficient space exists in the document space to position the tertiary content portion in spatial correlation with the associated group of one or more primary content portions,

(b) if the determination is that sufficient space exists, then positioning the tertiary content portion in spatial correlation with the associated group of one or more primary content portions, and

(c) if the determination is that that insufficient space exists, (i) identifying, in the document space, a given secondary content portion that has a lower priority than the tertiary content portion, (ii) removing the given secondary content portion from the document space, and (iii) then repeating from (a).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying the given secondary content portion that has a lower priority than the given tertiary content portion comprises:

identifying a plurality of secondary content portions that each have a lower priority than the given tertiary content portion; and

selecting as the given secondary content portion a secondary content portion of the identified plurality that has a lowest priority of the identified plurality of secondary content portions,

and wherein the method further comprises outputting the document for viewing by a user.

9. A computerized method of dynamically laying out a document in a document space defined in computer memory, to facilitate subsequent output of the document for viewing by a user, the method comprising, in order, the steps of:

(a) a computer positioning one or more primary content portions in the document space, wherein the document space defines one or more document regions, and wherein each of the one or more primary content portions is thereby positioned in a region of the one or more regions;

(b) for one or more secondary content portions each associated respectively with a given primary content portion positioned in a region of the document space and each having an associated priority, the computer carrying out the following functions with respect to each secondary content portion taken in priority order;

(i) positioning the secondary content portion in the region in a manner that spatially correlates the secondary content portion with the associated primary content portion, if space in the region permits, and

(ii) if space in the region does not permit, then discontinuing positioning of the secondary content portion;

(c) for each of one or more tertiary content portions that is associated with a given one of the one or more regions and that has an associated priority, the computer carrying out functions comprising;

(i) making a determination of whether space in the given region permits positioning the tertiary content portion in the given region,

(ii) if the determination is that space in the region permits, then positioning the tertiary content portion anywhere in the given region and

(iii) if the determination is that space in the region does not permit, then identifying, in the given region, a given secondary content portion with a priority lower than the tertiary content portion, removing the given secondary content portion, and repeating from step (c)(i).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein positioning the secondary content portion in the region in a manner that spatially correlates the secondary content portion with the associated primary content portion comprises:

positioning the secondary content portion in the region in a position adjacent to the associated primary content portion, and positioning in the region an arrow that points from the secondary content portion to the associated primary content portion,

whereby the arrow in the output document provides a visual indication of the association between the secondary content portion and the associated primary content portion.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

for each of the one or more tertiary content portions, if space in the region does not permit positioning the tertiary content portion anywhere in the region, then;

identifying a plurality of secondary content portions already positioned in the region and each having a priority lower than the tertiary content portion; and

selecting as the given secondary content portion a secondary content portion of the identified plurality that has the lowest priority of the identified plurality of secondary content portions.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

dynamically generating or customizing at least one of the one or more secondary content portions based on at least one of the one or more primary content portions.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

outputting the document for viewing by a user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein outputting the document for viewing by a user comprises outputting the document on presentation means selected from the group consisting of (i) a computer display screen and (ii) paper.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising carrying out (a), (b), and (c) respectively for each of a plurality of unique sets of primary, secondary, and tertiary content portions, thereby resulting in uniquely laying out respectively each of a plurality of documents.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

outputting each of the plurality of documents for user-viewing.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the document represents a telecommunication service invoice.

18. A computerized method of generating invoices for telecommunication service, comprising, respectively for each of a plurality of service accounts, in order:

(a) a computer virtually positioning primary invoice data in a document space defined in computer memory;

(b) the computer identifying secondary invoice data associated with the virtually-positioned primary invoice data;

(c) the computer making a first determination of whether space permits to virtually position the identified secondary invoice data in the document space in a manner that spatially correlates the secondary invoice data with the associated primary invoice data, and (i) if the first determination is yes, then virtually positioning the identified secondary invoice data in the document space in the manner that spatially correlates the secondary invoice data with the associated primary invoice data, but (ii) if the first determination is no, then declining to position the identified secondary invoice data in the document space;

(d) the computer identifying tertiary invoice data associated with the virtually-positioned primary invoice data;

(e) the computer making a second determination of whether space permits to virtually position the identified tertiary invoice data in the document space, and (i) if the second determination is yes, then virtually positioning the identified tertiary invoice data in the document space, but (ii) if the second determination is no, then identifying a lower priority piece of secondary invoice data that has already been positioned in the document space, removing the lower priority piece of secondary invoice data from the document space, and repeating step e; and

(f) the computer outputting an invoice corresponding to the document space, for viewing by a user.