Method and apparatus for automatically positioning images within a region

A method of automatically positioning one image within a region of one or more other images, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) computing a net force exerted on said one image by all of said other images, wherein the net force exerted on said one image is the total of forces exerted on that image, and wherein any said force exerted on said one image by any one of said other images is a function of the distance between the said one image and the said any one of the said other images, a first image characteristic of said one image and a second image characteristic of said any one of the said other images;
• and
• (b) moving said one image a distance, which is a function of the net force acting on the said one image, in the direction of the net force.

Apparatus for automatically positioning a plurality of images within a region, the apparatus comprising:

• means for computing a net force exerted on each said image by all other said images, wherein the net force exerted on each said image is the total of forces exerted on that image, and wherein any said force exerted on any one said image by any other said image is a function of the distance between the said any one image and the said any other image, a first image characteristic of said any one image and a second image characteristic of said any other image;
• and
• means for moving each said image a distance, which is a function of the net force acting on the image, in the direction of the net force.

Apparatus for automatically positioning one image within a region of one or more other images, the apparatus comprising:

• means for computing a net force exerted on said one image by all of said other images, wherein the net force exerted on said one image is the total of forces exerted on that image, and wherein any said force exerted on said one image by any one of said other images is a function of the distance between the said one image and the said any one of the said other images, a first image characteristic of said one image and a second image characteristic of said any one of the said other images;
• and
• means for moving said one image a distance, which is a function of the net force acting on the said one image, in the direction of the net force.

A computer readable medium comprising a computer program for automatically positioning a plurality of images within a region, the computer program comprising:

• code for computing a net force exerted on each said image by all other said images, wherein the net force exerted on each said image is the total of forces exerted on that image, and wherein any said force exerted on any one said image by any other said image is a function of the distance between the said any one image and the said any other image, a first image characteristic of said any one image and a second image characteristic of said any other image;
• and
• code for moving each said image a distance, which is a function of the net force acting on the image, in the direction of the net force.

A computer readable medium comprising a computer program for automatically positioning one image within a region of one or more other images, the computer program comprising:

• code for computing a net force exerted on said one image by all of said other images, wherein the net force exerted on said one image is the total of forces exerted on that image, and wherein any said force exerted on said one image by any one of said other images is a function of the distance between the said one image and the said any one of the said other images, a first image characteristic of said one image and a second image characteristic of said any one of the said other images;
• and
• code for moving said one image a distance, which is a function of the net force acting on the said one image, in the direction of the net force.