Patent ID: 8847986

Claim:
A method of solving a set of page layout constraints by a computer, the method comprising: receiving a set of page layout constraints for one or more pages, each constraint including an upper bound; dividing a set of page layout constraints for one or more pages into groups, wherein each of the page layout constraints of the set is a member of only one of the groups; transforming each constraint of each of the groups into a resource constraint including a scale variable; and solving each of the groups using a resource allocation algorithm configured to: a) set a first set of constraints to all constraints of the group, b) determine the largest scale variable value that can be assigned to transform constraints of the first set that causes the upper bound to not be exceeded by all members of the first set, c) determine a second set of constraints wherein the determined largest scale variable value cannot be replaced by a larger scale variable value without exceeding the upper bound; d) in the second set, replace the scale variable by the determined largest scale variable value; e) remove the second set of constraints from the first set of constraints; and f) iteratively carry out steps (b)-(e) until the first set of constraints is empty.