Patent Document ID: 8056013
Application ID: 11128543

Base Claim:
1. A machine-implemented method of arranging a set of graphic assemblies within an area, comprising: establishing a candidate tree having at least one node and at least one leaf, wherein each node corresponds to a respective partition of the area, each leaf defines a relative position of a different respective one of the graphic assemblies in the area, and at least one of the graphic assemblies is a multi-element graphic assembly that comprises a respective group of multiple discrete graphic elements arranged in one of multiple possible relative positional arrangements within the area; determining if the candidate tree is a feasible candidate tree; and in response to a determination that the candidate tree is a feasible candidate tree, arranging the set of graphic assemblies within the area in accordance with the candidate tree.

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Claim 4:
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing a candidate tree associated with the set of graphic assemblies comprises: associating a first graphic assembly with a tree structure to form a candidate tree; modifying the candidate tree to form at least one alternate candidate tree by associating a subsequent graphic assembly with at least one available location in the candidate tree; computing scores for each alternate candidate tree with the subsequent graphic assembly in each available location on the candidate tree; selecting the alternate candidate tree having a best score; designating the alternate candidate tree to be the candidate tree; repeating modifying, computing, selecting and designating for all remaining graphic assemblies.