| US 7,571,381 B2 | ||
| Layout method, program, and device | ||
| Shingo Iwasaki, Yokohama (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Nov. 23, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/286,781. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2004-340805 (JP), filed on Nov. 25, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0112330 A1, May 25, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G06F 17/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 715—244 [715/253] | 9 Claims |

| 1. A method, performed by a layout apparatus having a processor, of laying out a plurality of contents on a layout area divided
into a plurality of divided areas in accordance with sizes of rectangle areas where the contents are set, the method comprising:
a first arranging step, preformed by the processor, of enlarging, in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction by one
divided area, each of the rectangle areas where the plurality of contents are set, and arranging the enlarged rectangle areas
on the divided areas;
a first moving step, preformed by the processor, of moving one of the enlarged rectangle areas by one divided area to remove
an overlap with another one of the enlarged rectangle areas in a case where the one of the enlarged rectangle areas overlaps
with the another one of the enlarged rectangle areas;
a second moving step, preformed by the processor, of moving, by one divided area, the enlarged rectangle areas moved in the
first moving step, in accordance with weight information allocated to the divided areas; and
a second arranging step, preformed by the processor, of reducing, in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction,
each of the enlarged rectangle areas moved in the first and second moving steps in accordance with an aspect ratio of each
of the rectangle areas before enlarging and arranging the reduced rectangle areas to remove gaps which are made between the
reduced rectangle areas by reducing the rectangle areas.
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