Interactive connector routing between obstacles
US8482565B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 15, 2009 |
| Grant date | Jul 9, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 12, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T11/206
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An interactive connector routing system and method for creating a connector between two shapes in a digital canvas or workspace that is based on a shortest path. The system and method avoid the use of a tangent visibility graph when possible to minimize computation time. When the graph is used, it is built one portion during pointing device events. Source and target ports are set and it is determined whether a valid simple path can be created between these ports. If no simple path exists, then the system and method build an extended tangent visibility graph during pointing devices events. Building the extended tangent visibility graph includes an iterative process that enlarges an active rectangle until it contains the necessary obstacles and shapes to generate the shortest valid path for the connector. The system and method also use finishing techniques to clean up and smooth the connector path.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.