Eric C Mohr

US Patent:

6826727, Nov 30, 2004

Filed:

Nov 24, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/449688

Inventors:

Eric Mohr - Watertown MA
Paul B. Trevithick - Boston MA
Costas Kitsos - Natick MA
David E. Hollingsworth - Malden MA
Stephanie L. Houde - Cambridge MA
Jeffrey L. Caruso - Carlisle MA

Assignee:

Bitstream Inc. - Cambridge MA

International Classification:

G06F 1721

US Classification:

715517, 382180, 715514

Abstract:

A computerized system lays out document templates represented as a tree of text and shape elements, including variable elements. The user can define a shape element to have a maximize or minimize property in one or more dimensions. The layout makes the minimized dimensions of a shape as small as its contents will allow; and makes the maximized dimensions expand as much as available space allows. Such maximization or minimization can be performed within a horizontal or vertical sequence box. Variable values mapped into variable shape elements can include sub-trees of text and/or shape elements, including shape elements which have the maximize or minimize property, and elements which are themselves variable elements. An anchor point can be fixed at a selected point on a shape, causing the anchor point to remain fixed as the rest of the shape expands or contract. Variable Image elements can maintain the aspect ratios of images mapped into them as those images are scaled.