Method, computer and program for making out seat layout

• US 9,087,177 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: P&W Solutions Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: P&W Solutions Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Omiya, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): BASOM, BLAINE T
• Application Number:
  US12/306,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,947 Days
• Field of Search: 715/765, 715/839, 715/762, 434/72, 434/79
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/12 Symbolic schematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/18 Network design, e.g. design based on topological or interconnect aspects of utility systems, piping, heating ventilation air conditioning [HVAC] or cabling circuit design at the physical level G06F30/39; network planning tools for wireless communication networks H04W16/18

Abstract

The present invention has the objective of providing a method for reducing trouble in creating a seating layout by a method other than with templates. The computer 1 accepts a designating operation on position coordinates forming a base point in the prescribed display area from a user, accepts a designating operation of a direction of generating the seating symbol data from position coordinates as the base point in the prescribed display area, determines a position for displaying the seating symbol data in the prescribed display area, based on the base point and the direction, generates seating symbol data comprising position data representing the position determined, adds to the combination of the seating symbol data composing the seating layout data, and stores thereof in the memory 120, and displays the seating symbol data in the display unit 150 based on position data included in the generated seating symbol data.

Claims

1. A method of a computer creating a two-dimensional seating layout, the computer including a memory for storing seating layout data to include a combination of a plurality of seating symbol data displayed at prescribed positions in a prescribed display area of a display unit, the method comprising:

accepting from a user of the computer an operation for designating two-dimensional position coordinates to form a base point in the prescribed display area;

providing a user interface having a direction symbol configured to simultaneously point in a plurality of directions and configured to be continuously displayed at a predetermined position on the display unit, where the directions correspond to directions in a plane for generating seating symbol data;

accepting from the user, via the direction symbol, an operation for designating a direction of generating the seating symbol data with respect to the position coordinates as the base point in the prescribed display area;

determining a position for displaying a seating symbol in the prescribed display area, based on the position coordinates as the base point and the direction of generating the seating symbol data;

generating seating symbol data comprising position data representing the position determined, and storing the generated seating symbol data in the memory in addition to the combination of the plurality of seating symbol data included in the seating layout data;

displaying the seating symbol in the prescribed display area in the display unit based on the position data included in the generated seating symbol data;

storing in the memory the display position of the seating symbol data generated as position coordinates, the display position stored as a next base point which is used as a subsequent base point subsequent to a base point previously used without the user designating the next base point;

accepting, from the user, a further operation for designating a direction of generating seating symbol data without the user designating the next base point via the user interface having the direction symbol which is displayed at the predetermined position on the display unit;

determining a position for displaying the seating symbol in the prescribed display area, based on the position coordinates of the next base point and the direction of generating the seating symbol data;

generating seating symbol data comprising position data representing the position determined, and storing the generated seating symbol data in the memory in addition to the combination of the plurality of seating symbol data included in the seating layout data; and

displaying the seating symbol in the display unit in the prescribed display area based on the position data included in the generated seating symbol data,

wherein another seating symbol is displayed adjacent to a seating symbol in the direction indicated by the direction symbol, when designated position coordinates to form a base point are accepted from a user pointing to the seating symbol.

2. The method described in claim 1, further comprising:

accepting from the user an operation for selecting one or a plurality of seating symbol data to which numbers are to be assigned, from the combination of the plurality of seating symbol data;

accepting from the user an operation for instructing numbers to be used for numbering;

determining the numbers and storing thereof in the memory based on prescribed numbering rules relating to respective position coordinates in the prescribed display area in relation to the seating symbol data that has been selected through the operation performed by the user; and

displaying the determined numbers in the display unit.

3. The method described in claim 2, further comprising, accepting from the user an operation for assigning priority relating to x-coordinates and y-coordinates constituting the position coordinates and an operation for designating of ascending or descending order applied to numbering of the position coordinates.

4. The method described in claim 1, further comprising:

accepting from the user an operation for starting numbering of the seating symbol data in a selected order;

accepting an operation for selecting the seating symbol data to be numbered; and

numbering the selected seating symbol data incrementally in sequence.

5. The method described in claim 1, further comprising:

accepting an operation for selecting a plurality of seating symbol data from the user;

accepting an operation for storing a template; and

storing relative position coordinates of each of the plurality of seating symbol data selected in the operation, as new template data in the memory.

6. The method described in claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises an icon.

7. The method described in claim 1, wherein the direction symbol is an arrow icon.

8. The method described in claim 1, wherein, when in a consecutive generation mode, the method further comprising accepting input of a plurality of times of continuous operation via the user interface from a user;

and

generating consecutively, a plurality of pieces of seating symbols in accordance with the plurality of times of continuous operation.

9. A computer for creating a two-dimensional seating layout, the computer comprising:

a memory for storing seating layout data to include a combination of a plurality of seating symbol data displayed at prescribed positions in a prescribed display area of a display unit;

a position unit for accepting from a user of the computer an operation for designating two-dimensional position coordinates to form a base point in the prescribed display area;

a user interface having a direction symbol configured to simultaneously point in a plurality of directions and configured to be continuously displayed at a predetermined position on the display unit, where the directions correspond to directions in a plane for generating seating symbol data and configured to receive a designation of a direction of generating the seating symbol data with respect to the position coordinates as the base point in the prescribed display area;

a unit for determining a position for displaying a seating symbol in the prescribed display area, based on the position coordinates as the base point and the direction of generating the seating symbol data,

a unit for generating seating symbol data comprising position data representing the position determined, and storing the generated seating symbol data in the memory in addition to the combination of the plurality of seating symbol data included in the seating layout data;

a display unit for displaying the seating symbol in the prescribed display area in the display unit based on the position data included in the generated seating symbol data;

a memory unit for storing in the memory the display position of the seating symbol data generated as position coordinates, the display position stored as a next base point which is used as a subsequent base point subsequent to a base point previously used without the user designating the next base point;

a unit for accepting, from the user, a further operation for designating a direction of generating seating symbol data without the user designating the next base point via the user interface having the direction symbol which is displayed at the predetermined position on the display unit;

a unit for determining a position for displaying the seating symbol in the prescribed display area, based on the position coordinates of the next base point and the direction of generating the seating symbol data;

a unit for generating seating symbol data comprising position data representing the position determined, and storing the generated seating symbol data in the memory in addition to the combination of the plurality of seating symbol data included in the seating layout data; and

the display unit displaying the seating symbol in the prescribed display area based on the position data included in the generated seating symbol data,

wherein when the position unit accepts a selection of one seating symbol indicated by the user pointing, as position coordinates forming a base point, the display unit displays another seating symbol adjacent to the one seating symbol in the direction indicated by the direction symbol.

10. The computer described in claim 9, wherein the user interface having a direction symbol is configured to allow the user to perform a plurality of times of continuous operation and wherein, when in a consecutive generation mode, the unit accepting, from the user, a further operation for designating a direction of generating seating symbol data without the user designating the next base point via the user interface having the direction symbol which is displayed at the predetermined position on the display unit, accepts the plurality of times of continuous operation,

the unit for determining a position for displaying the seating symbol in the prescribed display area, determines positions for display of a plurality of pieces of seating symbols for the plurality of times of continuous operation, one position for each of the plurality of pieces of seating symbols, and

the unit for generating seating symbol data, generates the plurality of pieces of seating symbols consecutively, comprising respective position data representing the position determined.

11. A non-transitory storage device storing a machine-readable program for creating a two-dimensional seating layout in a computer that includes a memory for storing seating layout data to include a combination of a plurality of seating symbol data displayed at prescribed positions in a prescribed display area of a display unit, the non-transitory storage device including instructions for causing the computer to execute a method comprising:

accepting from a user of the computer an operation for designating two-dimensional position coordinates to form a base point in the prescribed display area;

providing a user interface having a direction symbol configured to simultaneously point in a plurality of directions and configured to be continuously displayed at a predetermined position on the display unit, where the directions correspond to directions in a plane for generating seating symbol data;

accepting from the user, via the direction symbol, an operation for designating a direction of generating the seating symbol data with respect to the position coordinates as the base point in the prescribed display area;

determining a position for displaying a seating symbol in the prescribed display area, based on the position coordinates as the base point and the direction of generating the seating symbol data;

generating seating symbol data comprising position data representing the position determined, and storing the generated seating symbol data in the memory in addition to the combination of the plurality seating symbol data included in the seating layout data;

displaying the seating symbol in the prescribed display area in the display unit based on the position data included in the generated seating symbol data;

storing in the memory the display position of the seating symbol data generated as position coordinates, the display position stored as a next base point which is used as a subsequent base point subsequent to a base point previously used without the user designating the next base point;

accepting, from the user, a further operation for designating a direction of generating seating symbol data without the user designating the next base point via the user interface having the direction symbol which is displayed at the predetermined position on the display unit;

determining a position for displaying the seating symbol in the prescribed display area, based on the position coordinates of the next base point and the direction of generating the seating symbol data;

generating seating symbol data comprising position data representing the position determined, and storing the generated seating symbol data in the memory in addition to the combination of the plurality of seating symbol data included in the seating layout data; and

displaying the seating symbol in the display unit in the prescribed display area based on the position data included in the generated seating symbol data,

wherein another seating symbol is displayed adjacent to a seating symbol in the direction indicated by the displayed direction symbol, when designated position coordinates to form a base point are accepted from a user pointing to the seating symbol.

12. The non-transitory storage device described in claim 11, wherein the machine-readable program includes instructions for causing the computer to execute a consecutive generation mode,

wherein when in the consecutive generation mode, the method further comprising accepting input of a plurality of times of continuous operation via the user interface from a user;

and

generating consecutively, a plurality of pieces of seating symbols in accordance with the plurality of times of continuous operation.