Patent ID: 6903751

Claim:
A graphical input and display system for creating and manipulating an electronic image, comprising: user input means for manipulating elements of the electronic image; image input means for entering the electronic image onto a display means; a processor, connected for receiving requests for image editing operations and for accessing a memory structure; program memory means comprising: user interaction module for entering new, unrestricted image material or selecting and modifying existing image material to form primary image objects; grouping module for creating visible image elements and maintaining an unrestricted, arbitrary grouping structure, and setting a priority and ordering for composite objects, wherein said priority ordering includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of rearrangement based on algorithms that determine smallest-to-largest spatial extent, measures of perceptual salience, and the context of selection criteria recently exercised by the user; data output module for presenting a view of the graphical image; and data memory means comprising: data input data structure; and data output data structure.