Visualizing content positioning within a document using layers

• US 8,321,783 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Dupuis-Latour, Dimitri, Frisch, Pierre JY, Jouaux, Francois M., Drieu, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): STORK, KYLE R
• Application Number:
  US12/241,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20100083096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 715/234, 715/243, 715/254, 715/255, 715/766, 715/231
• US Class Current: 715/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing

Abstract

It can be difficult to predict what the layout of a document will be if the document contains several content elements, some of which are associated with different positioning schemes. In one embodiment, elements are shown in different layers based on their positioning schemes. For example, a first layer includes elements that are associated with non-overlapping positioning schemes, and a second layer includes elements that are associated with overlapping positioning schemes. When the document is viewed from above, the layers “collapse” onto each other, and the document appears to have a conventional (two-dimensional) page rendering. However, when the document is viewed from an angle, the layers appear separately in three-dimensional space, similar to an exploded view. The separate layers reveal the positioning schemes of the various elements and the layout interactions between those elements. This visualization technique helps a user understand how various elements are positioned within the document.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a document, the document comprising logically nested elements, wherein a first element and a second element are logically nested within a third parent element, such that the first element and the second element are sibling content elements, and wherein a fourth element is logically nested within the second element, and wherein the first element is positioned on a page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme, the method comprising:

displaying the first element in a first two-dimensional layer;

responsive to the second element being positioned on the page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme;

displaying the second element in the first two-dimensional layer;

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in the first two-dimensional layer; and

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in a second two-dimensional laver, wherein the first layer and the second layer are displayed separate from each other in three-dimensional space; and

responsive to the second element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme;

displaying the second element in a second two-dimensional layer;

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in the second two-dimensional layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are displayed separate from each other in three-dimensional space; and

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in a third two-dimensional layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer and the third layer are displayed separate from each other in three-dimensional space.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising visually indicating, in the first layer, a first area that corresponds to a second area occupied by the second element in the second layer responsive to the second element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein visually indicating the first area comprises displaying a shape that occupies the first area.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the shape appears shaded.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the shape looks like the second element but with a different opacity.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising visually indicating a correspondence between the first area and the second element.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein visually indicating the correspondence between the first area and the second element comprises displaying a line connecting the first area and the second element.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein visually indicating the correspondence between the first area and the second element comprises visually indicating the first area when the second element is selected.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein visually indicating the correspondence between the first area and the second element comprises visually indicating the second element when the first area is selected.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein visually indicating the correspondence between the first area and the second element comprises visually indicating the first area when a cursor hovers within the second element.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein visually indicating the correspondence between the first area and the second element comprises visually indicating the second element when a cursor hovers within the first area.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying additional elements in additional two-dimensional layers, wherein all of the two-dimensional layers are displayed separate from each other in three-dimensional space.

12. A computer program product for displaying a document, the document comprising logically nested elements, wherein a first element and a second element are logically nested within a third parent element, such that the first element and the second element are sibling content elements, and wherein a fourth element is logically nested within the second element, and wherein the first element is positioned on a page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

displaying the first element in a first two-dimensional layer;

responsive to the second element being positioned on the page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme;

displaying the second element in the first two-dimensional layer;

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in the first two-dimensional layer; and

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in a second two-dimensional layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are displayed separate from each other three-dimensional space; and

responsive to the second element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme;

displaying the second element in a second two-dimensional layer;

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in the second two-dimensional layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are displayed separate from each other three-dimensional space; and

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in a third two-dimensional layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer and the third layer are displayed separate from each other in three-dimensional space.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises visually indicating, in the first layer, a first area that corresponds to a second area occupied by the second element in the second layer responsive to the second element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein visually indicating the first area comprises displaying a shape that occupies the first area.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises visually indicating a correspondence between the first area and the second element.

13. A system for displaying a document, the document comprising logically nested elements, wherein a first element and a second element are logically nested within a third parent element, such that the first element and the second element are sibling content elements, and wherein a fourth element is logically nested within the second element, and wherein the first element is positioned on a page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme, the system comprising:

a processor configured to perform a method, the method comprising;

displaying the first element in a first two-dimensional layer;

responsive to the second element being positioned on the page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme;

displaying the second element in the first two-dimensional layer;

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in the first two-dimensional layer; and

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in a second two-dimensional layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are displayed separate from each other in three-dimensional space; and

responsive to the second element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme;

displaying the second element in a second two-dimensional layer;

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to a non-overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in the second two-dimensional layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are displayed separate from each other in three-dimensional space; and

responsive to the fourth element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme, displaying the fourth element in a third two-dimensional layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer and the third layer are displayed separate from each other in three-dimensional space.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises visually indicating, in the first layer, a first area that corresponds to a second area occupied by the second element in the second layer responsive to the second element being positioned on the page according to an overlapping positioning scheme.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein visually indicating the first area comprises displaying a shape that occupies the first area.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises visually indicating a correspondence between the first area and the second element.