US 10,121,270 B2Granted

Flexible image layout

AssigneeFacebook, Inc.

InventorsChristopher Serge Benjamin Chedeau, Brian K. Dewey

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Abstract

Particular embodiments of a computing device determine unoccupied positions in a display grid, wherein the grid corresponds to specifications for a displayable region of a screen associated with a computing device. A plurality of image elements are identified as candidates for placement within the grid. Then, while at least one unoccupied position and at least one candidate image element remain, one of the candidate image elements is matched to a set of the unoccupied positions, and the positions in the matched set are designated as occupied by the matched image element. Matching may be based on a pattern of positions, which is determined using the size and the shape of the image element and a size of a position in the grid. Layout information is then provided to render the image elements in accordance with placement of each matched image element at the designated positions in the grid.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

by a computing device, determining, for each of a plurality of image elements, a pattern of positions based on a size and shape of the image element and a size of a position in a display grid, wherein the grid corresponds to specifications for a displayable region of a screen associated with the computing device, and wherein positions in the grid are identified by coordinates specifying a location along a vertical axis and a location along the horizontal axis, wherein the pattern of positions for each image element is a set of contiguous grid positions;
by the computing device, determining unoccupied positions in the display grid;
by the computing device, identifying a plurality of image elements that are candidates for placement within the grid;
while at least one of the unoccupied positions and at least one of the candidate image elements exist:
by the computing device, matching one of the candidate image elements to a set of the unoccupied positions based on the pattern of positions for the candidate image element, wherein the matched candidate image element is selected for matching based on a ranking of the candidate image element and based on one or more placement rules that establish an order for filling positions in the display grid using the ranked candidate images based on a directional path of placement with respect to a starting point in the display grid;
and
by the computing device, designating the positions in the set as occupied by the matched image element;
and
by the computing device, providing layout information to render the image elements in accordance with placement of each matched image element at the designated positions in the grid.

6 more elements

A computing device comprising:

one or more processors;
and
a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:
determine, for each of a plurality of image elements, a pattern of positions based on a size and shape of the image element and a size of a position in a display grid, wherein the grid corresponds to specifications for a displayable region of a screen associated with the computing device, and wherein positions in the grid are identified by coordinates specifying a location along a vertical axis and a location along the horizontal axis, wherein the pattern of positions for each image element is a set of contiguous grid positions;
determine unoccupied positions in the display grid;
identify a plurality of image elements that are candidates for placement within the grid;
while at least one of the unoccupied positions and at least one of the candidate image elements exist:
match one of the candidate image elements to a set of the unoccupied positions based on the pattern of positions for the candidate image element, wherein the matched candidate image element is selected for matching based on a ranking of the candidate image element and based on one or more placement rules that establish an order for filling positions in the display grid using the ranked candidate images based on a directional path of placement with respect to a starting point in the display grid;
and
designate the positions in the set as occupied by the matched image element;
and
provide layout information to render the image elements in accordance with placement of each matched image element at the designated positions in the grid.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.