interesting patent

[Gordon]

Dear Revolutionaries

I have glanced over this patent at the USPTO's web
site. The original filing seems to date back to
November 1999 and the 74 claims describe a flexible
document layout system that outwardly resembles the
kind of sequential, nested, vertical and horizontal
layout controls of the kind used by the GTK graphics
interface. In addition to altering the geometry of the
components on the page, there are dependent claims
that also allow for alteration of the form and
contents of each component.

As examples of the scope of the patent, claims 1 & 8
are interesting - I have reproduced them below.

NB: I am NOT an attorney NOR am I a patent agent so
all opinions expressed herein are utterly worthless
and are for entertainment purposes only (Yikes! I
sound like one of those Psychic Hotlines -
1-800-YOUR-DESTINY)

Best

Gordon


Here is claim 1:
1. A computerized method of laying out a document
containing a combination of text and shape elements,
said method comprising:

providing a user interface with controls for enabling
a user to:

place a sequence box, which has a sequencing axis, in
the document;

cause one or more shape elements to be located in the
sequence box;

cause a shape element, including one in the sequence
box having at least one text or shape element as
contents, to have a minimize property in at least one
dimension; and

cause a shape element, including one in the sequence
box, to have a maximize property in at least one
dimension; and

performing an automatic layout process in which
elements of the document are laid out onto a
2-dimensional area in which each such element is given
a precise position and size, including:

arranging shape elements, if any, placed within the
sequence box in a sequence along the sequence box's
sequencing axis;

minimizing the size given to any shape element which
has the minimize property in a given dimension,
including any shape element within the sequence box,
by making the element as small as its contents, if
any, will allow in the given dimension, over a given
length range; and

maximizing the size given to any shape element which
has the maximize property in a given dimension by
making the element expand to encompass space available
in the given dimension, over a given length range,
said maximizing including, if the maximized shape
element is within the sequence box, expanding it to
encompass space available within the sequence box.

Here is the dependent claim 8:
8. A method as in claim 1 wherein:

said interface is a WYSIWYG graphical user interface
which allows a user to select the placement of said
sequence box and the shape elements within it,
including allowing a user to use a pointing device to
create, position and size said shape elements; and

said layout process is performed interactively in
response to changes made to the document by the user
with said graphical user interface, to enable the user
to see a screen display of the layout of the document
showing any changes the user has just made to the
document.

--- Meitnik at aol.com wrote:

> U.S. Patent Awarded for Pageflex's Flexible Template
> Technology
> 
> CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)----Pageflex
> (NASDAQ:BITS) 
> (www.pageflex.com), the leading provider of variable
> data publishing and Web-to-print 
> technology, today announced that the U.S. Patent and
> Trademark Office has awarded a 
> patent for Pageflex's flexible template technology. 
> 
>  Pageflex template technology enables a document
> layout to "flex," 
> accommodating variable content within sophisticated
> designer-specified guidelines. The 
> Pageflex XML-based composition engine handles page
> content (text and images) 
> separate from page form (layout). When the length or
> size of custom content is 
> different than the size of the box the content is
> flowing into, the box can 
> expand in either the horizontal or vertical
> direction (or both), to accommodate 
> the content. Designer-specified rules determine the
> maximum and minimum 
> dimensions, as well as behavior of the surrounding
> elements on the page. The result 
> is the ability to define sophisticated templates
> that accommodate a wide range 
> of variable content by flexing the page layout.
> Pageflex's U.S. patent 
> includes all of these capabilities as well as
> additional claims for related 
> capabilities. 
> 
>  "Pageflex solutions are founded on our unique
> flexible template technology," 
> said Anna Chagnon, Pageflex CEO. "Receiving this
> patent is an important 
> milestone as we accelerate on our growth plan,
> ensuring protection for our 
> innovations that help our customers compete
> successfully." 
> _______________________________________________
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> use-revolution at lists.runrev.com
>
http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
> 


=====
:::::::::: Gordon Webster ::::::::::