Importance

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Abstract

The present invention provides an expert system for suggesting and providing graphic design selections based on a user's desired result. The invention provides a plurality of descriptors to define the characteristics of an output page or document. A user can 'scale' or 'weight' the descriptors, as desired. The present invention utilizes the weighted descriptors to select a number of solutions from a predefined database of possible solutions. The 'fit' of each database solution to the user criteria is determined via an intelligent search. Initially, solutions that do not satisfy rejection constraints are identified and eliminated. These rejection constraints are binary constraints and may be the result of output device limitation, intended audience, environment of use, availability of color, etc. The elimination of solutions that do not meet the rejection constraints reduces the population of possible solutions, simplifying further researches and analysis. The solution process then compares a vector generated by the user scaled descriptors to vectors that define the possible solutions based on the same descriptors. A plurality of levels of closeness of fit are described. A user can 'step through' all solutions within a particular range of fit.

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First Claim