Patent · US Active

Visual component/clause merging

US8018471B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
20References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 15, 2006
Grant dateSep 13, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 18, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q10/06
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that merge components on a design surface. The system receives input from a user to add components or clauses to a design surface and analyzes the components to determine if some of the components can be merged. If the system identifies components that can be merged, then the system merges the identified components to reduce the number of components present on the design surface. The system determines that some components can be merged if the components meet the same criteria, such as having components that are equivalent and that have the same number of incoming paths or the same number of outgoing paths. The system provides a visual indicator on the design surface to indicate that components are being merged. The system provides an undo feature to allow the user to undo the component merging when desired.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.