Method and system for consistent identification of numbered elements in multiple layered views captured from a 3D model

• US 10,140,760 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rowan Tels Corp.
• Original Assignee: TurboPatent, Inc.
• Inventors: Mirho, Charles A
• Primary Examiner(s): Broome, Said
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cofino, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US15/429,127
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/40 Hidden part removal
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2004 Aligning objects, relative positioning of parts

Abstract

A method for consistent identification of numbered elements in multi-layered views captured from a 3D model may include generating a three dimensional (3D) model in a 3D model viewer displayed through a machine display through operation of a 3D modeler, configuring a feature mapper with a model feature definition to define at least one subregion of the 3D model as a model feature; mapping the model feature to a feature identifier in a mapping; generating an edge wireframe projection of a model view of the 3D model; determining visible sub-regions associated with model features in the edge wireframe projection; applying the edge wireframe projection to a background layer of a technical drawing; and rendering the feature identifier with a lead line originating from visible sub-regions on a defined feature foreground layer of the technical drawing.

Claims

1. The method comprises:

generating a three dimensional (3D) model in a 3D model viewer displayed through a machine display through operation of a 3D modeler configured by a 3D model control from a user interface controller, wherein generating the 3D model in the 3D model viewer comprises retrieving the 3D model from a controlled memory data structure through operation of the 3D modeler configured by the 3D model control on a first cloud;

configuring a feature mapper with a model feature definition from the user interface controller to define at least one sub-region of the 3D model as a model feature;

mapping the model feature to a feature identifier in a mapping table through operation of the feature mapper controlled by the model feature definition;

generating an edge wireframe projection of a model view of the 3D model through operation of an output controller configured by an export control received through the user interface controller;

determining visible sub-regions associated with model features in the edge wireframe projection through a projection view filter configured with a hidden line removal algorithm;

applying the edge wireframe projection to a background layer of a technical drawing displayed through the machine display through operation of a technical drawings viewer, wherein applying the edge wireframe projection to the background layer of the technical drawing comprises configuring the technical drawings viewer on a second cloud to receive a visible features list and the edge wireframe projection from the first cloud; and

rendering the feature identifier with a lead line originating from at least one visible sub-region corresponding to an associated model feature in the visible features list on a defined feature foreground layer of the technical drawing through operation of the technical drawings viewer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlled memory data structure comprises a cloud storage controlled memory data structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the visible sub-regions associated with the model features in the edge wireframe projection through the projection view filter configured with the hidden line removal algorithm comprises:

determining projected two dimensional boundaries for the model view through projection calculations performed by the projection view filter;

filtering out the model features in the mapping table associated with sub-regions outside of the projected two dimensional boundaries generating a first pass feature list;

identifying the model features of the first pass feature list with projected sub-regions surrounded by projected edge lines of the 3D model;

determining orthogonal distances to projection plane of sub-regions associated with the projected sub-regions and of edge lines associated with the projected edge lines surrounding the projected sub-regions; and

filtering out the model features from the first pass feature list associated with the projected sub-regions with the orthogonal distances to the projection plane, greater than the projected edge lines surrounding them generating the visible features list.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

generate a three dimensional (3D) model in a 3D model viewer displayed through a machine display through operation of a 3D modeler configured by a 3D model control from a user interface controller, wherein generating the 3D model in the 3D model viewer comprises retrieving the 3D model from a controlled memory data structure through operation of the 3D modeler configured by the 3D model control on a first cloud;

configure a feature mapper with a model feature definition from the user interface controller to define at least one sub-region of the 3D model as a model feature;

map the model feature to a feature identifier in a mapping table through operation of the feature mapper controlled by the model feature definition;

generate an edge wireframe projection of a model view of the 3D model through operation of an output controller configured by an export control received through the user interface controller;

determine visible sub-regions associated with model features in the edge wireframe projection through a projection view filter configured with a hidden line removal algorithm;

apply the edge wireframe projection to a background layer of a technical drawing displayed through the machine display through operation of a technical drawings viewer wherein applying the edge wireframe projection to the background layer of the technical drawing comprises configuring the technical drawings viewer on a second cloud to receive a visible features list and the edge wireframe projection from the first cloud; and

render the feature identifier with a lead line originating from at least one visible sub-region corresponding to an associated model feature in the visible features list on a defined feature foreground layer of the technical drawing through operation of the technical drawings viewer.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the controlled memory data structure comprises a cloud storage controlled memory data structure.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein determining the visible sub-regions associated with the model features in the edge wireframe projection through the projection view filter configured with the hidden line removal algorithm comprises:

determine projected two dimensional boundaries for the model view through projection calculations performed by the projection view filter;

filter out the model features in the mapping table associated with sub-regions outside of the projected two dimensional boundaries generating a first pass feature list;

identify the model features of the first pass feature list with projected sub-regions surrounded by projected edge lines of the 3D model;

determine orthogonal distances to projection plane of sub-regions associated with the projected sub-regions and of edge lines associated with the projected edge lines surrounding the projected sub-regions; and

filter out the model features from the first pass feature list associated with the projected sub-regions with the orthogonal distances to the projection plane, greater than the projected edge lines surrounding them generating the visible features list.

7. A computing apparatus, the computing apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the apparatus to;

generate a three dimensional (3D) model in a 3D model viewer displayed through a machine display through operation of a 3D modeler configured by a 3D model control from a user interface controller, wherein generating the 3D model in the 3D model viewer comprises retrieving the 3D model from a controlled memory data structure through operation of the 3D modeler configured by the 3D model control on a first cloud;

configure a feature mapper with a model feature definition from the user interface controller to define at least one sub-region of the 3D model as a model feature;

map the model feature to a feature identifier in a mapping table through operation of the feature mapper controlled by the model feature definition;

generate an edge wireframe projection of a model view of the 3D model through operation of an output controller configured by an export control received through the user interface controller;

determine visible sub-regions associated with model features in the edge wireframe projection through a projection view filter configured with a hidden line removal algorithm;

apply the edge wireframe projection to a background layer of a technical drawing displayed through the machine display through operation of a technical drawings viewer wherein applying the edge wireframe projection to the background layer of the technical drawing comprises configuring the technical drawings viewer on a second cloud to receive a visible features list and the edge wireframe projection from the first cloud; and

render the feature identifier with a lead line originating from at least one visible sub-region corresponding to an associated model feature in the visible features list on a defined feature foreground layer of the technical drawing through operation of the technical drawings viewer.

8. The computing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controlled memory data structure comprises a cloud storage controlled memory data structure.

9. The computing apparatus of claim 7, wherein determining the visible sub-regions associated with the model features in the edge wireframe projection through the projection view filter configured with the hidden line removal algorithm comprises:

determine projected two dimensional boundaries for the model view through projection calculations performed by the projection view filter;

filter out the model features in the mapping table associated with sub-regions outside of the projected two dimensional boundaries generating a first pass feature list;

identify the model features of the first pass feature list with projected sub-regions surrounded by projected edge lines of the 3D model;

determine orthogonal distances to projection plane of sub-regions associated with the projected sub-regions and of edge lines associated with the projected edge lines surrounding the projected sub-regions; and

filter out the model features from the first pass feature list associated with the projected sub-regions with the orthogonal distances to the projection plane, greater than the projected edge lines surrounding them generating the visible features list.