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. --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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." > _______________________________________________ > use-revolution mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution > ===== :::::::::: Gordon Webster :::::::::: _______________________________________________ use-revolution mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution