Method and system for wiring a picture frame and generating templates to hang picture frames in various layouts

Abstract

Disclosed here are methods, devices, paradigms and structures for wiring a picture frame, and for generating user defined templates for hanging picture frames wired using the device in various layouts. A template may be generated on a flexible material, such as a paper. The template includes a manifestation of picture frames in a particular layout. The dimensions of the manifestation of the picture frames are substantially the same as actual picture frames for which the template is generated. The template also includes a marker in the manifestation of each of the picture frames that indicates a position for placing a fastener on the wall to hang the picture frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a computer system associated with an entity and from a client device, a request for generating a template for hanging a plurality of picture frames on a mounting surface, the request including dimensions of at least some of the picture frames;   determining, by the computer system, whether the request includes instructions for (i) selecting the template from a set of predefined templates, or (ii) generating a user-customized template;   responsive to a determination that request includes instructions for selecting the template,
 presenting, by the computer system and to the client device, the set of predefined templates, wherein each of set of the predefined templates has a different arrangement of the picture frames, wherein the arrangement includes a manifestation of a given number of the picture frames, dimensions of manifestation of each of the picture frames being proportional to the dimensions of the corresponding picture frame, 
 receiving, by the computer system, a user selection of a predefined template from the set of predefined templates, and 
 storing the user selection as the template in a database; and 
   responsive to a determination that request includes instructions for generating the user-customized template,
 presenting, by the computer system and to the client device, a user interface for generating the user-customized template, the generating including (a) creating a new arrangement of the picture frames or (b) editing any of the set of predefined templates to create the new arrangement, and 
 storing the user-customized template as the template in the database. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 retrieving, by the computer system and in response to the request, the template from the database; and 
 generating, by the computer system, the template on a flexible material for use by the user, wherein the dimensions of the manifestation of each of the picture frames in the template are substantially the same as the dimensions of the corresponding picture frame. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible material includes a paper. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dimensions of the at least some of the picture frames include a length and a height of the corresponding picture frame. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the manifestation of each of the picture frames includes a marker for placement of a fastener, the marker indicating the placement of the fastener for hanging the corresponding picture frame on the mounting surface, the marker placed at a particular distance from a top edge of the manifestation of the corresponding picture frame, the particular distance corresponds to a first distance between the top edge of the corresponding picture frame and an apex of a loop formed by a hanging wire attached to the back of the corresponding picture frame. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the request includes the first distance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first distance is defined by a provider of the picture frames. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the entity generating the template for hanging the picture frames and the provider of the picture frames are same entities. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the request does not include the first distance. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the entity generating the template for hanging the picture frames and the provider of the picture frames are different entities. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 identifying, by the entity, the provider of the picture frames based on information associated with the picture frames, the information included in the request; and 
 determining, by the entity, the first distance based on the provider. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first distance is a distance between a spring-loaded peg and a wall member of a wiring device used to attached the hanging wire to the picture frames. 
     
     
         13 . A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions, comprising:
 instructions for receiving, at a computer system associated with an entity and from a client device, a request for generating a template for hanging a plurality of picture frames on a mounting surface, the request including dimensions of at least some of the picture frames;   instructions for generating, at the client device, a user interface for generating a user-customized template by a user, the user interface including multiple tools that provide a library of manifestations of the picture frames and for arranging the picture frames in a user-specified layout;   instructions for generating the user-customized template based on instructions received from the user regarding the user-specified layout; and   instructions for storing the user-customized template in the database.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions for receiving the request include:
 instructions for receiving a digital image of a layout of a set of picture frames from the client device.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions for generating the user-customized template include:
 instructions for converting the digital image to a specified template, and   instructions for receiving customization instructions from the client device to customize the specified template for generating the user-customized template.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions for receiving customization instructions include:
 instructions for receiving at least one of a change in arrangement of the set of picture frames, a change in size of at least one picture frame from the set of picture frames or a change in shape of at least one picture frame from the set of picture frames.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13  further comprising:
 instructions for retrieving, in response to the request, the user-customized template from the database; and 
 instructions for generating the user-customized template on a flexible material for use by the user, wherein the dimensions of the manifestation of each of the picture frames in the user-customized template are the same as the dimensions of the corresponding picture frame. 
 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the user-customized template includes a manifestation of a set of picture frames arranged in the user-specified layout, the manifestation of each of the set of picture frames includes a marker for placement of a fastener that is used for hanging the corresponding picture frame on a mounting surface, the marker placed at a particular distance from a top edge of the manifestation of the corresponding picture frame, the particular distance corresponding to a first distance between the top edge of the corresponding picture frame and an apex of a loop formed by a hanging wire attached to the back of the corresponding picture frame. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the first distance is a distance between a spring-loaded peg and a wall member of a wiring device used to attach the hanging wire to the picture frames.
 determine whether the request includes instructions for (i) selecting the template from a set of predefined templates, or (ii) generating a user-customized template;   responsive to a determination that request includes instructions for selecting the template,   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   a receiving unit that is configured to receive, from a client device, a request for generating a first template for hanging a plurality of picture frames on a mounting surface, the request including dimensions of at least some of the picture frames;   a template determination unit that is configured to:
 present, to the client device, a set of predefined templates, wherein each of set of the predefined templates has a different arrangement of the picture frames, wherein an arrangement includes a manifestation of a set of picture frames, dimensions of manifestation of each of the set of picture frames being proportional to the dimensions of the corresponding picture frame, and 
 receive a user selection of one of the set of predefined templates as the first template; 
   a template customization unit that is configured to present, to the client device, a user interface for generating the user-customized template, the generating including (a) creating a new arrangement of the picture frames or (b) editing any of the set of predefined templates to create the new arrangement; and   a template generation unit that is configured to generate at least one of the first template or the user-customized template on a flexible material.