Abstract: Systems and methods for layout of graphic objects such as photographic images and graphical elements, for electronic display, print or other output. In accordance with an embodiment, a graphic layout logic automatically arranges the graphic objects within a target area, including determining a best combination of rows and/or columns of objects. Optional controls can also be provided to allow manual or user control of, e.g., overlapping, cropping, offsetting, or rotation of the graphic objects or images, for aesthetic design or other reasons. Examples of the types of graphic objects that can be arranged or laid out in this manner include digital photographs, text, clipart, graphical images, illustrations, software user interfaces, graphic elements such as icons, buttons, menus and whitespace, user interface windows, digital video or media streams, and other image media.

Abstract: Techniques are described for dynamically placing graphical elements into theme layouts on a graphical user interface. A rendering engine reads a set of theme metadata and graphics metadata. The theme metadata defines a layout of the page and the regions into which the graphic elements will be placed. The theme metadata can further include tags to define categories or conceptual purposes for the regions and design changes that can be applied to graphics in that region. The graphics metadata defines a list of graphic files to be included in the layout, tags to define a category or conceptual purpose for each element and optional tags to override the design changes that are indicated in the theme metadata. The rendering engine combines and matches the theme metadata to the graphics metadata and places the graphic elements into the theme layout according to the matching.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for maintaining the aspect ratio of an image in the form of a graphic element or a photograph on a printed product in a theme collage. The aspect ratio of each image in the theme collage is maintained independent of any aspect ratio or resolution of the theme collage. Other methods provide for maintaining the resolution of a graphic element on a printed product in a theme collage using any desired combination of bitmap or vector based graphic data and alpha data when rendering the graphic element. An exemplary system may include one or more modules for determining the size of an image on a page while maintaining an aspect ratio of the image, displaying the image, receiving graphic data for the image, receiving alpha-transparency data for the image, and changing the image appearance according to a rendering parameter.

Abstract: Systems and methods for layout of graphic objects such as photographic images and graphical elements, for electronic display, print or other output. In accordance with an embodiment, a graphic layout logic automatically arranges the graphic objects within a target area, including determining a best combination of rows and/or columns of objects. Optional controls can also be provided to allow manual or user control of, e.g., overlapping, cropping, offsetting, or rotation of the graphic objects or images, for aesthetic design or other reasons. Examples of the types of graphic objects that can be arranged or laid out in this manner include digital photographs, text, clipart, graphical images, illustrations, software user interfaces, graphic elements such as icons, buttons, menus and whitespace, user interface windows, digital video or media streams, and other image media.

Abstract: Techniques are described for dynamically placing graphical elements into theme layouts on a graphical user interface. A rendering engine reads a set of theme metadata and graphics metadata. The theme metadata defines a layout of the page and the regions into which the graphic elements will be placed. The theme metadata can further include tags to define categories or conceptual purposes for the regions and design changes that can be applied to graphics in that region. The graphics metadata defines a list of graphic files to be included in the layout, tags to define a category or conceptual purpose for each element and optional tags to override the design changes that are indicated in the theme metadata. The rendering engine combines and matches the theme metadata to the graphics metadata and places the graphic elements into the theme layout according to the matching.

Abstract: A method and system for the dynamic interactive display of digital images, comprising client and server applications working together over the Internet or over other similar modes of digital data transmission to collect, store, select, present, distribute and manage information for digital images, including photographs, pictures, videos, movies and other forms of digital media. The present invention achieves these functions through user-friendly dynamic interactive graphical user interfaces that are readily accessible over the Internet from a wide variety of devices used for digital communication.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authoring, ordering and producing various products are described. A method of ordering a product comprises: receiving a request for a product type, identifying product specification data associated with the product type, presenting one or more options for products characterized by the product specification data, receiving a request for one or more of the presented options, and transmitting product order data associated with the request to a server. A method of producing an ordered product comprises: receiving product order data associated with the authored product, identifying print output data associated with the authored product, generating one or more tables of contents, each table of contents defining one or more components of the authored product, and printing the product components defined by the tables of contents.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for maintaining the aspect ratio of an image in the form of a graphic element or a photograph on a printed product in a theme collage. The aspect ratio of each image in the theme collage is maintained independent of any aspect ratio or resolution of the theme collage. Other methods provide for maintaining the resolution of a graphic element on a printed product in a theme collage using any desired combination of bitmap or vector based graphic data and alpha data when rendering the graphic element. An exemplary system may include one or more modules for determining the size of an image on a page while maintaining an aspect ratio of the image, displaying the image, receiving graphic data for the image, receiving alpha-transparency data for the image, and changing the image appearance according to a rendering parameter.