Presentation software enables the production of slides to assist in presenting information.
To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced.
Description
Slides in presentation software may rely on users to make many time consuming manual layout adjustments such as moving text blocks on a page, making size adjustments, or formatting illustrations. These steps may be repeated to adjust a presentation slide for different screen sizes such as a mobile phone, TV, or tablet. Disclosed herein are Semantic Slide Autolayouts that automatically handle time-consuming layout task for users to enable the users to focus on the meaning of the presentation and the information they are trying to convey.
When designing slides using presentation software, the user often has an intent for what type of information a slide is to communicate, but does not possess the design skills to create an effective slide from scratch. Examples of such intents can include:
The creation of specific template slides for each of these example intents (i.e. title slides, text-focused slides, asset-focused slides) is a brittle solution to this problem. For one thing, these templates do not adjust as the user adds additional content (e.g., additional assets or longer versions of text). For example, a template may accommodate space for a single asset but have no provisions for multiple assets to be added, requiring manual re-layout of the slide, which may result in sub-optimal results. In addition, templates are typically not flexible to different types of content and do not adjust to changes in asset aspect ratio, text length, etc.
Another way to approach this problem may be through suggested layouts that analyze the content on a slide and then suggest a series of possible layouts to accommodate the content. These solutions require the user to choose from an extensive list, and do not include any way to indicate the user's communication intent for the slide.
Embodiments disclosed herein allow the user to express an intent for communication of a slide. For example, the user may be presented a choice from three options: “Show”, “Tell” or “Intro”, and from this information automatically layout the slide in an effective manner. Embodiments disclosed herein produce a great-looking and fully usable slide by default, which can also be further customized in ways that are not brittle. This customization can continue to accommodate changing content, including changes in various asset aspect ratios, changes in text lengths, and changes in numbers of assets.
Systems and methods according to some embodiments of the disclosure may include at least some of the following features:
A slide to layout in presentation software includes a combination that can include text and one or more assets such as an image. The semantic autolayout solution determines the best layout for these combinations of content as follows:
Reference may be made herein to the term “slide” or “presentation slide.” These terms herein refer to a visual layout of presentation elements (e.g., text and/or other digital assets) to be displayed during a slideshow presentation. It will be understood that a slideshow presentation may include one or more presentation slides. Slides and slideshows may be created, edited, and/or displayed using a slideshow presentation software program.
Referring to
In some embodiments the presentation slide 202 is created 102 with a default layout. For example, the presentation slide 202 includes a text field 204 and an asset field 206 arranged according to the default layout. It should be understood that although
The text field 204 is configured to receive text to be displayed in the presentation slide 202. For example, the text field 204 may be configured to receive text identifying a title of a slideshow including the presentation slide 202, a title of the presentation slide 202, a caption for an item (e.g., an image) in the asset field 206, presentation text, or any other text to be displayed by the presentation slide 202. The asset field 206 is configured to receive one or more digital assets to be displayed in the presentation slide 202. By way of non-limiting example, the digital assets may include an image, a flowchart, a graph, a video, a diagram, a chart, other digital assets, or combinations thereof.
Referring to
Referring to
The method 100 also includes automatically determining 108 the intent of the user to emphasize the text field 204 or the asset field 206 within the presentation slide 202 based on the analysis 106. For example, in
In some embodiments, the slideshow presentation software program may determine 108 that the user intended to emphasize the text field 204 or the asset field 206 based on which of the text field 204 or the asset field 206 the user added content to first. For example, if the user added the digital asset to the asset field 206 before the user added text to the text field 204, it may be determined 108 that the user intended to emphasize the asset field.
If the slideshow presentation software program determines 108 the intent of the user was to emphasize the asset field 206, the method 100 may include selecting 110 an asset emphasis autolayout, which may occur in the example provided in
Referring to
Responsive to selecting 110 the asset emphasis autolayout or selecting 112 the text emphasis autolayout, the method 100 includes further analyzing 114 which autolayout to use. In some embodiments, further analyzing 114 includes automatically selecting a flexible template layout from a plurality of predetermined flexible template layouts based on properties of the text, the digital assets, or both. As used herein, the term “flexible template layout” indicates that, although the flexible template layout may impose rules about the arrangement, size, margins, spacing, or other properties of elements displayed within the presentation slide, these rules are flexible (e.g., the size, arrangement, and other properties of the flexible template layout may be automatically modified to fit the text or digital assets received by the user for the presentation slide 202). By way of non-limiting example, a flexible template layout may be automatically selected if the length of the text in the text field 204 and the size and/or shape of the digital assets in the asset field match those of the selected template layout, subject to the determined 108 emphasis. In some embodiments, selecting a template layout includes prioritizing at least a portion of the plurality of predetermined template layouts based on features of the text in the text field 204 or the one or more digital assets in the asset field 206. In some embodiments, prioritizing at least a portion of the plurality of predetermined layouts comprises prioritizing those of the plurality of predetermined layouts that offset the text field 204 vertically from the asset field 206 (e.g., as a caption for the asset field 206) if the one or more digital assets include an image having a landscape orientation. In some embodiments, prioritizing at least a portion of the plurality of predetermined layouts comprises prioritizing those of the plurality of predetermined layouts that offset the text field 204 horizontally from the asset field 206 if the one or more digital assets include an image having a portrait orientation. In some embodiments, prioritizing at least a portion of the plurality of predetermined layouts comprises prioritizing those of the plurality of predetermined layouts that size the text field 204 appropriately to fit the text provided by the user.
In some embodiments, further analyzing 114 includes automatically rearranging placement of the text field and the asset field within the presentation slide based on properties of the text, the one or more digital assets, or both. By way of non-limiting example, the text field 204 may be automatically placed under or over the asset field 206 if the one or more digital assets include an image having a landscape orientation. Also by way of non-limiting example, the text field 204 may be placed beside (e.g., to the left or right of) the asset field 206 if the one or more digital assets include an image having a portrait orientation. In some embodiments, further analyzing 114 includes automatically resizing the text field 204, the text within the text field 204, the asset field 206, the assets within the asset field 206, or combinations thereof, based on properties of the text field. For example, the text field 204, the asset field 206, or both may be resized to fit the text and/or assets provided thereto.
Referring to
If the user makes further edits (e.g., adds, deletes, or modifies text from the text field 204 and/or digital assets from the asset field 206) to the presentation slide 202 after providing 116 the initial automatic layout, the slideshow presentation software program may repeat operations 104-106 to further modify the initial automatic layout based on the edits. By way of non-limiting example, if the user increases a size of an image in the asset field 206, the text field 204 may be automatically decreased in size to accommodate an increase in size of the asset field 206.
Referring to
Referring to
Responsive to a selection 120, 122, 124 resulting from an override 118 (e.g., using the override option 802), the method 100 includes customizing 126 the presentation slide 202 responsive to user-received manual customizations to the text in the text field 204, the assets in the asset field 206, or both. For example, the slideshow presentation software program may be configured to enable the user to manually rearrange the presentation slide 202 while automatically maintaining predetermined spacing, margins, alignment, or combinations thereof. By way of non-limiting example, the slideshow presentation software program may enable the user to change a positions of the text field 204 and/or the asset field 206, change a size or an orientation of an asset in the asset field 206, change a position of the text within the text field 204, change the size, font, or ratio of the text or asset in the text field 204 and/or asset field 206, other changes, or combinations thereof. Again, predetermined spacing, margins, alignments, and other properties may be automatically maintained.
Even if the slideshow presentation software program has correctly deduced the user's semantic intent, further customization of the layout is also possible in a way that continues to leverage automatic layout methods to ensure that layouts are effective and good looking. For example, if the user wants to change the order of text and asset on the slide from the asset being on the left of the text to the asset being on the right, the user can indicate this through drag and drop or choosing a layout direction option from a popover menu. However, the slideshow presentation software program still creates the final layout, ensuring that content is lined up, proportioned correctly and allowing the user to avoid having to manually layout items on the slide, which the user may not have the skill to make look professional.
The method 100 further includes providing 128 a final layout of the presentation slide 202. The final layout may include automatic adjustments made by the slideshow presentation software program, manual adjustments/customizations made by the user, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the slideshow presentation software program may be capable of adapting the presentation slide 202 for display on digital displays of different shapes, sizes, orientations, and/or resolutions. For example, if the presentation slide 202 is created and designed to be presented on a large landscape-oriented electronic display, the presentation slide 202 may not present as well electronic displays of other sizes or orientations. By way of non-limiting example, the entire presentation slide 202 may be shrunk to a fraction of the size of a large portrait-oriented electronic display to display the presentation slide 202 across the electronic display, wasting available and potentially useful display area. Also by way of non-limiting example, the text of the presentation slide 202 may be too small to read if viewed on a small, landscape orientation electronic display. Accordingly, the slideshow presentation software program may be configured to resize and/or rearrange content of the presentation slide 202 if presented on an electronic display that is different from the electronic display for which it was originally designed. This may be accomplished using template autolayout slides.
When the slideshow presentation software program displays a presentation slide associated with one of the semantic intent categories, the slideshow presentation software program may select one of the template autolayout slides 1000 based on the semantic intent category and the size/orientation category that best corresponds to a detected or user-indicated screen that is in use. In this way, the slideshow presentation software program may present each presentation slide of a slideshow presentation on the electronic display in a manner that is appropriate for the semantic intent of each slide and for the size and orientation of the electronic display.
The one or more data storage devices 1104 include computer-readable instructions 1106 stored thereon. The computer-readable instructions 1106 implement functions of the slideshow presentation software program. As a result, the computer-readable instructions 1106 may be configured to instruct the one or more processors 1102 to perform operations and functions discussed herein. By way of non-limiting example, the computer-readable instructions 1106 may be configured to instruct the one or more processors 1102 to perform at least a portion of the method 100 of
The computing device 1100 also includes one or more input devices 1110 configured to receive user inputs for use in the slideshow presentation software program. For example, the one or more input devices 1110 may include a keyboard, a mouse, a keypad, a trackpad, a touch-screen sensor, a microphone, a button or buttons, a motion sensor, a camera, other input devices, or combinations thereof.
The method 1200 includes storing 1202 computer-readable instructions 1106 of a slideshow presentation software program on the one or more data storage devices 1304 of the one or more software distribution devices 1302. As discussed above, the computer-readable instructions 1106 are instructions for a slideshow presentation software program, according to embodiments disclosed herein. The computer-readable instructions 1106 are configured to instruct the one or more processors 1102 of the computing device 1100 to display a GUI 200 of the autolayout slideshow editor on an electronic display 1108 (
The method 1200 also includes transmitting 1204 the computer-readable instructions 1106 to the computing device 1100. When the computing device 1100 receives and stores the computer-readable instructions 1106 on the one or more data storage devices 1104 for execution by the one or more processors 1102, the computing device 1100 is transformed into an autolayout slideshow editor according to embodiments disclosed herein.
In some embodiments, the one or more software distribution devices 1302 include one or more software distribution servers configured to distribute the computer-readable instructions 1106 over one or more networks (e.g., the internet) to the computing device 1100. By way of non-limiting example, the one or more software distribution devices 1302 may include a server of a software store such as an application store, or “app store.” Also by way of non-limiting example, the one or more software distribution devices 1302 may include a mobile application store.
In some embodiments, the one or more software distribution devices 1302 include a portable device capable of storing the computer-readable instructions 1106 and itself being distributed (e.g., shipped) to a location of the computing device 1100. By way of non-limiting example, the one or more software distribution devices 1302 may include a computer-readable disc (e.g., a digital versatile disc (DVD), a compact disc (CD), a magnetic disc, a Flash drive, other portable data storage device, or combinations thereof) configured to interface directly with the computing device 1100 (e.g., by plugging into the computing device 1100 or communicating with the computing device 1100 via a personal area network (PAN) such as Bluetooth) to transmit 1204 the computer-readable instructions 1106 to the computing device 1100.
It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/585,372, filed Nov. 13, 2017, and titled “SEMANTIC SLIDE AUTOLAYOUTS,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2018/001426 | 11/13/2018 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2019/092506 | 5/16/2019 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20200242298 A1 | Jul 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62585372 | Nov 2017 | US |