Method and apparatus for optimized bulk constraint removal with accumulation

• US 9,535,721 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ammon, Peter C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NABI, REZA U
• Application Number:
  US13/919,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20140372917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 715/765
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method and apparatus of a device that removes constraints in solving a mathematical programming problem is described. The device identifies a plurality of constraints for bulk removal by postponing execution of constraint removal requests. The device further sorts the plurality of constraints based on a set of criteria to put the plurality of constraints in a sorted order. To sort the plurality of constraints based on the set of criteria, the device determines, for each identified constraint, the number of equations containing the constraint in the mathematical programming problem. The device further sorts the plurality of constraints based on the number of equations determined for each constraint. The device performs bulk constraint removal on the plurality of constraints based on the sorted order.

Claims

1. A method of removing constraints in optimizing layout of a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a display device, the method comprising:

accumulating a plurality of constraint removal requests based upon a change of the GUI, until an occurrence of an event;

in response to the occurrence of the event, identifying a plurality of constraints, each having a marker, for bulk removal from a constraint collection based on a change of the GUI, wherein a constraint in the constraint collection constrains at least one of a size or a position of a user interface element of the GUI, the constraint collection defining a layout of elements of the GUI on the display device;

sorting the plurality of constraints in an order based on a count of occurrences of each marker, or for each marker, a count of equations having the marker in an optimization layout of the GUI, to put the plurality of constraints in a sorted order;

performing bulk constraint removal on the plurality of constraints based on the sorted order, lowest count first; and

displaying the GUI with an updated layout on the display device according to the updated constraint collection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the plurality of constraints for bulk removal comprises:

accumulating constraint removal requests by postponing execution of the constraint removal requests until receiving one of a query solution request, a constraint addition request, or a constraint modification request; and

identifying constraints corresponding to the accumulated constraint removal requests for bulk removal when one of a query solution request, a constraint addition request, and a constraint modification request is received.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the accumulating of the constraint removal requests comprises:

receiving a constraint removal request based on the change of the GUI;

determining whether the received constraint removal request satisfies a set of accumulation criteria; and

accumulating the received constraint removal request by postponing the execution of the received constraint removal request when the constraint removal request satisfies the set of accumulation criteria.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the set of accumulation criteria comprises the constraint corresponding to the constraint removal request appearing in more than a pre-defined number of equations in a mathematical programming problem that represents the layout of the GUI.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether a number of the accumulated constraint removal requests has reached a capacity threshold; and

identifying constraints corresponding to the accumulated constraint removal requests for bulk removal when the number of the accumulated constraint removal requests has reached the capacity threshold.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether a number of the accumulated constraint removal requests against a total number of constraints in the constraint collection has reached a ratio threshold; and

reconstructing equations in a mathematical programming problem from constraints that are not being removed when the number of the accumulated constraint removal requests against the total number of constraints in the constraint collection has reached the ratio threshold, the mathematical programming problem representing the layout of the GUI.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the accumulated constraint removal requests contain all constraints in the constraint collection; and

re-initializing a mathematical programming problem as having no constraint when the accumulated constraint removal requests contain all constraints in the constraint collection.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifying of the constraints for bulk removal comprises:

receiving a constraint addition request;

determining whether a constraint corresponding to the received constraint addition request is involved in an accumulated constraint removal request; and

removing an accumulated constraint removal request from accumulation when the constraint corresponding to the received constraint addition request is involved in the accumulated constraint removal request.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

marking a constraint for which a removal request is received, with a marker variable;

accumulating constraint removal requests by postponing execution of the constraint removal requests until the marker variable appears in more than a pre-defined number of equations in a mathematical programming problem that optimizes the layout of the GUI displayed on the display device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises one of:

the number of accumulated remove constraint requests exceeds a threshold value;

receiving of a solve layout optimization request;

receiving of an add constraint request;

or

receiving of a modify constraint request.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium programmed with executable instructions, that when executed by a processing system, performs a method of removing constraints in optimizing layout of a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a display device, the method comprising:

accumulating a plurality of constraint removal requests based upon a change of the GUI, until an occurrence of an event;

in response to the occurrence of the event, identifying a plurality of constraints, each having a marker, for bulk removal from a constraint collection based on a change of the GUI, wherein a constraint in the constraint collection constrains at least one of a size or a position of a user interface element of the GUI, the constraint collection defining a layout of elements of the GUI on the display device;

sorting the plurality of constraints in an order based on a count of occurrences of each marker, or for each marker, a count of equations having the marker in an optimization layout of the GUI, to put the plurality of constraints in a sorted order;

performing bulk constraint removal on the plurality of constraints based on the sorted order, lowest count first; and

displaying the GUI with an updated layout on the display device according to the updated constraint collection.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein the identifying of the plurality of constraints for bulk removal comprises:

accumulating constraint removal requests by postponing execution of the constraint removal requests until receiving one of a query solution request, a constraint addition request, or a constraint modification request; and

identifying constraints corresponding to the accumulated constraint removal requests for bulk removal when one of a query solution request, a constraint addition request, and a constraint modification request is received.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the accumulating of the constraint removal requests comprises:

receiving a constraint removal request based on the change of the GUI;

determining whether the received constraint removal request satisfies a set of accumulation criteria; and

accumulating the received constraint removal request by postponing the execution of the received constraint removal request when the constraint removal request satisfies the set of accumulation criteria.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein the set of accumulation criteria comprises the constraint corresponding to the constraint removal request appearing in more than a pre-defined number of equations in a mathematical programming problem that represents the layout of the GUI.

15. The medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether a number of the accumulated constraint removal requests has reached a capacity threshold; and

identifying constraints corresponding to the accumulated constraint removal requests for bulk removal when the number of the accumulated constraint removal requests has reached the capacity threshold.

16. The medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether a number of the accumulated constraint removal requests against a total number of constraints in the constraint collection has reached a ratio threshold; and

reconstructing equations in a mathematical programming problem from constraints that are not being removed when the number of the accumulated constraint removal requests against the total number of constraints in the constraint collection has reached the ratio threshold, the mathematical programming problem representing the layout of the GUI.

17. The medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the accumulated constraint removal requests contain all constraints in the constraint collection; and

re-initializing a mathematical programming problem as having no constraint when the accumulated constraint removal requests contain all constraints in the constraint collection.

18. The medium of claim 12, wherein the identifying of the constraints for bulk removal comprises:

receiving a constraint addition request;

determining whether a constraint corresponding to the received constraint addition request is involved in an accumulated constraint removal request; and

removing an accumulated constraint removal request from accumulation when the constraint corresponding to the received constraint addition request is involved in the accumulated constraint removal request.

19. An electronic device comprising a processing system coupled to a memory programmed with executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, performs a method of removing constraints in optimizing layout of a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a display device, the method comprising:

accumulating a plurality of constraint removal requests based upon a change of the GUI, until an occurrence of an event;

in response to the occurrence of the event, identifying a plurality of constraints, each having a marker, for bulk removal from a constraint collection based on a change of the GUI, wherein a constraint in the constraint collection constrains at least one of a size or a position of a user interface element of the GUI, the constraint collection defining a layout of elements of the GUI on the display device, the layout including at least one of size or position of the elements of the GUI on the display;

sorting the plurality of constraints in an order based on a count of occurrences of each marker, or for each marker, a count of equations having the marker in an optimization layout of the GUI, to put the plurality of constraints in a sorted order;

performing bulk constraint removal on the plurality of constraints based on the sorted order, lowest count first; and

displaying the GUI with an updated layout on the display device according to the updated constraint collection.

20. The device claim 19, wherein the identifying of the plurality of constraints for bulk removal comprises:

accumulating constraint removal requests by postponing execution of the constraint removal requests until receiving one of a query solution request, a constraint addition request, or a constraint modification request; and

identifying constraints corresponding to the accumulated constraint removal requests for bulk removal when one of a query solution request, a constraint addition request, and a constraint modification request is received.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the accumulating of the constraint removal requests comprises:

receiving a constraint removal request based on the change of the GUI;

determining whether the received constraint removal request satisfies a set of accumulation criteria; and

accumulating the received constraint removal request by postponing the execution of the received constraint removal request when the constraint removal request satisfies the set of accumulation criteria.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the set of accumulation criteria comprises the constraint corresponding to the constraint removal request appearing in more than a pre-defined number of equations in a mathematical programming problem that represents the layout of the GUI.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether a number of the accumulated constraint removal requests has reached a capacity threshold; and

identifying constraints corresponding to the accumulated constraint removal requests for bulk removal when the number of the accumulated constraint removal requests has reached the capacity threshold.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether a number of the accumulated constraint removal requests against a total number of constraints in the constraint collection has reached a ratio threshold; and

reconstructing equations in a mathematical programming problem from constraints that are not being removed when the number of the accumulated constraint removal requests against the total number of constraints in the constraint collection has reached the ratio threshold, the mathematical programming problem representing the layout of the GUI.

25. The device of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the accumulated constraint removal requests contain all constraints in the constraint collection; and

re-initializing a mathematical programming problem as having no constraint when the accumulated constraint removal requests contain all constraints in the constraint collection.

26. The device of claim 20, wherein the identifying of the constraints for bulk removal comprises:

receiving a constraint addition request;

determining whether a constraint corresponding to the received constraint addition request is involved in an accumulated constraint removal request; and

removing an accumulated constraint removal request from accumulation when the constraint corresponding to the received constraint addition request is involved in the accumulated constraint removal request.