Visualizing content positioning within a document using layers
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
-
Citations
20 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14)
-
-
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. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
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. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
Specification