Automatically resolving boundaries within an architectural design environment

• US 10,289,758 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Armstrong Word Industries Incorporated, Armstrong World Industries Incorporated, Dirtt Environmental Solutions
• Original Assignee: Dirtt Environmental Solutions
• Inventors: Loberg, Barrie Arnold
• Primary Examiner(s): Roni, Syed A
• Application Number:
  US14/891,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20160085885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4097 characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM G05B19/4093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35003 Kad kam knowledge aided design, knowledge aided manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35023 Constraint based modeling, keep relationships between elements
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35028 Adapt design as function of manufacturing merits, features, for manufacturing, DFM
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35031 Redesign, use former design
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35051 Data exchange between cad systems, cad and cam
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35134 3-D cad-cam
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/04 Constraint-based CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/20 Configuration CAD, e.g. designing by assembling or positioning modules selected from libraries of predesigned modules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2119/18 Manufacturability analysis or optimisation for manufacturability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A computer system can automatically resolve anomalies within an architectural design by receiving a digital architectural design comprising a first furniture sub-component, a second furniture sub-component, and a third furniture sub-component. The system can then identify one or more joints between the various furniture sub-components. After identifying the joints, the system can include identifying an anomaly at the intersection of the joints. The anomaly can be created when the joints fail to create a proper corner. The system can then automatically resolve the anomaly by changing the type of at least one of the joints within the digital architectural design.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method being performed in a computerized environment comprising a computer system that receives user design input for automatically resolving joint anomalies within digital joints of an architectural design, wherein such digital joints are representative of physical joints manufacturable in a millwork facility, the method comprising:

receiving a digital architectural design comprising a first furniture sub-component, a second furniture sub-component, and a third furniture sub-component;

identifying, with a computer processor, an arrangement of three mutually interconnected sub-components the arrangement including a first joint between the first furniture sub-component and the second furniture sub-component, a second joint between the second furniture sub-component and the third furniture sub-component, a third joint between the third furniture sub-component and the first furniture sub-component, wherein the received digital architectural design includes a particular type of joint corresponding to each of the first joint, the second joint, and the third joint;

identifying an anomaly at an intersection of the first joint, the second joint, and the third joint, wherein the anomaly is created when the first joint, the second joint, and the third joint fail to create a proper corner;

automatically resolving the anomaly by changing a shape or orientation of at least one of the first joint, the second joint, or the third joint within the digital architectural design to create an updated digital architectural design;

storing the updated digital architectural design in a file format acceptable to a millwork facility; and

sending rendering instructions to a display device for visually displaying the resolved anomaly.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first furniture sub-component, the second furniture sub-component, and the third furniture sub-component is associated with a respective independently executable software object.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

accessing the independently executable software object that is associated with the second furniture sub-component;

determining one or more types of joints that are compatible with the second furniture sub-component; and

changing the type of the second joint to one of the one or more types of compatible joints.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

accessing the independently executable software object that is associated with the third furniture sub-component;

determining one or more types of joints that are compatible with the third furniture sub-component; and

changing the type of the third joint to one of the one or more types of compatible joints.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining that the first joint is preferred; and

automatically resolving the anomaly by changing the particular type of at least one of the second joint or the third joint.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein determining that the first joint is preferred comprises receiving an indication from a user that the first joint is preferred.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein determining that the first joint is preferred further comprises determining that the first joint was created before the second joint and the third joint.

8. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein determining that the first joint is preferred further comprises determining that the first joint was created after the second joint and the third joint.

9. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein determining that the first joint is preferred further comprises:

identifying one or more additional joints within the architectural design;

determining a joint type associated with each of the one or more additional joints; and

determining that the first joint is the same type of joint as the one or more additional joints.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

generating a computer numerical code file that corresponds with the architectural design, including the changed first, second, or third joint.

11. A computer implemented method being performed in a computer-based system comprising one or more processors for receiving and processing user design input for automatically resolving joint anomalies within digital joints of an architectural design, wherein such digital joints are representative of physical joints manufacturable in a millwork facility, the method comprising:

analyzing, with a computer processor, digital architectural design input received from a user, the digital architectural design input comprising an arrangement of three mutually interconnected furniture sub-components the arrangement including a first furniture sub-component, a second furniture sub-component, and a third furniture sub-component, wherein the first furniture sub-component, the second furniture sub-component, and the third furniture sub-component are each associated with one or more independently executable software objects;

identifying a first joint between the first furniture sub-component and the second furniture sub-component, a second joint between the second furniture sub-component and the third furniture sub-component, a third joint between the third furniture sub-component and the first furniture sub-component, wherein the received digital architectural design includes a particular type of joint corresponding to each of the first joint, the second joint, and the third joint;

identifying an anomaly at an intersection of the first joint, the second joint, and the third joint, wherein the anomaly is created when the first joint, the second joint, and the third joint fail to create a proper corner;

determining one or more joint specifications that are compatible with the architectural design from information retrieved from the one or more independently executable software objects;

creating an updated digital architectural design with an automatic resolution of the anomaly by changing the particular type of at least one of the first joint, the second joint, or the third joint to comprise a revised joint that conforms with the one or more joint specifications; and

storing the updated digital architectural design in a file format acceptable to a millwork facility.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

determining that the first joint is preferred; and

automatically resolving the anomaly by changing the particular type of at least one of the second joint or the third joint.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein determining that the first joint is preferred comprises receiving an indication from a user that the first joint is preferred.

14. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein determining that the first joint is preferred further comprises determining that the first joint was created before the second joint and the third joint.

15. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein determining that the first joint is preferred further comprises determining that the first joint was created after the second joint and the third joint.

16. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein determining that the first joint is preferred further comprises:

identifying one or more additional joints within the architectural design;

determining a joint type associated with each of the one or more additional joints; and

determining that the particular type of the first joint is the same particular type of joint as the one or more additional joints.

17. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

identifying one or more additional joints within the architectural design;

determining the type of joint associated with each of the one or more additional joints; and

automatically resolving the anomaly by changing the type of at least one of the first joint, the second joint, or the third joint to comprise a revised joint that matches one of the determined type of joints.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the one or more additional joints within the architectural design are joints adjacent to the first joint, the second joint, or the third joint.

19. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the one or more additional joints within the architectural design are joints framing a same furniture sub-component as the first joint, the second joint, or the third joint.

20. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors

a hardware storage device having stored thereon computer executable instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the computer system to automatically resolve joint anomalies within digital joints of an architectural design, wherein such digital joints are representative of physical joints manufacturable in a millwork facility, the computer-executable instructions further including instructions to cause the computer system to perform the following;

receive a digital architectural design comprising an arrangement of three mutually interconnected furniture sub-components the arrangement including a first furniture sub-component, a second furniture sub-component, and a third furniture sub-component;

identify a first joint between the first furniture sub-component and the second furniture sub-component, a second joint between the second furniture sub-component and the third furniture sub-component, a third joint between the third furniture sub-component and the first furniture sub-component, wherein the received digital architectural design includes a particular type of joint corresponding to each of the first joint, the second joint, and the third joint;

identify an anomaly at an intersection of the first joint, the second joint, and the third joint, wherein the anomaly is created when the first joint, the second joint, and the third joint fail to create a proper corner; and

automatically resolve the anomaly by changing the particular type of at least one of the first joint, the second joint, or the third joint within the digital architectural design to create an updated digital architectural design;

storing the updated digital architectural design in a file format acceptable to a millwork facility; and

sending rendering instructions to a display device for visually displaying the corrected anomaly.