Computer aided modeling

• US 10,417,819 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tekla Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tekla Corporation
• Inventors: Suomi, Jukka, Rousu, Ville, Manninen, Jarmo, Villa, Petteri, Wessman, Ragnar
• Primary Examiner(s): Chad, Aniss
• Application Number:
  US13/915,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20130328872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,289 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

To facilitate modeling a virtual object type is introduced. The virtual object type is a generic modeling aid by means of which one or more virtual objects, each representing a three-dimensional determined volume within a model, may be created, the virtual object being usable for modeling one or more physical objects representing one or more articles that will or may exist in the real world.

Claims

1. A computerized modeling method, comprising:

providing, by an object modeling and managing unit in a computing device, a modeling application with different physical object types, wherein each physical object type does not define a three-dimensional structure but includes a first set of parameters for defining a physical object that represents a three-dimensional structure, the first set of parameters including parameters for the physical object'"'"'s type of object, dimensions of its three-dimensional structure, its location in a model, and its association to one or more virtual objects in a model, the different physical object types including a first set of physical object types for modeling concrete structures including beams, columns, and walls, and a second set of physical object types for modeling reinforcement bars to be included into one or more of the concrete structures;

providing, by the object modeling and managing unit, the modeling application with a virtual object type that is a generic modeling aid to assist with modeling more than one physical object, the virtual object type does not define a three-dimensional structure but includes a second set of parameters for defining a virtual object that represents a three-dimensional object, the second set of parameters including parameters for the virtual object'"'"'s dimensions of its three-dimensional structure, its location in the model and its association to one or more physical objects in the model;

creating, by the object modeling and managing unit for storing in one or more data storages, a virtual object using the virtual object type by defining the parameters for its location in the model and the dimensions of its three-dimensional shape;

creating, by the object modeling and managing unit for storing in one or more data storages, more than one physical object to generate the model by using one of the first or second set of physical object types, and by linking to the parameters of the virtual object, each physical object being one of the first or second sets of physical object types and being a separate object from the virtual object, wherein one real-world article can be modeled only by one physical object;

generating, by the object modeling and managing unit for storing in the one or more data storages, the model comprising the more than one physical object created by linking to the virtual object without requiring its own set of definitions; and

outputting, by the object modeling and managing unit, the model stored in the one or more data storages to a user interface for displaying to a user, the model comprising the more than one physical object linked to the virtual object.

2. A computerized modeling method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

associating the more than one physical object with the one or more virtual objects; and

storing the one or more virtual objects and the more than one physical object with their definitions to the model.

3. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that a first virtual object overlaps with a second virtual object;

searching for adjacent physical objects created by means of the overlapping two first and second virtual objects; and

checking for each found adjacent physical object, whether or not combining of them is possible;

if possible, combining the adjacent physical objects to a combined physical object; and

associating the combined physical object to both virtual objects.

4. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, further comprising adding or updating a connection between a first physical object associated with a first virtual object and a second physical object associated with a second virtual object in response to a user input indicating a connection.

5. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, wherein the geometry of the virtual object depends on at least one of the following two definitions comprising at least one definition of another virtual object and at least one definition of another physical object, and the virtual object is associated with each object on which the geometry of the virtual object depends.

6. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, further comprising changing, in response to a change in the geometry of the virtual object, associated objects correspondingly.

7. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, further comprising using the virtual object to create a model of a first physical object of the first set of physical object types that is to be included into a second physical object of the second set of physical object types.

8. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, wherein the more than one physical object includes a reinforcement.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor including an object modeling and managing unit in a computing device; and

at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor including the object modeling and managing unit, cause the apparatus to;

provide a modeling application with different physical object types, wherein each physical object type does not define a three-dimensional structure but includes a first set of parameters for defining a physical object that represents a three-dimensional structure, the first set of parameters including parameters for the physical object'"'"'s type of object, dimensions of its three-dimensional structure, its location in a model, and its association to one or more virtual objects in a model, the different physical object types including a first set of physical object types for modeling concrete structures including beams, columns, and walls, and a second set of physical object types for modeling reinforcement bars to be included into one or more of the concrete structures;

provide the modeling application with a virtual object type that is a generic modeling aid to assist with modeling more than one physical object, the virtual object type does not define a three-dimensional structure but includes a second set of parameters for defining a virtual object that represents a three-dimensional object, the second set of parameters including parameters for the virtual object'"'"'s dimensions of its three-dimensional structure, its location in the model and its association to one or more physical objects in the model;

create, during the execution of the modeling application, a virtual object using the virtual object type by defining the parameters for its location in the model and the dimensions of its three-dimensional shape;

create more than one physical object to generate the model by using one of the first or second set of physical object types, and by linking to the parameters of the virtual object, each physical object being one of the first or second sets of physical object types and being a separate object from the virtual object, wherein one real-world article can be modeled only by one physical object;

generate the model comprising the more than one physical object created by linking to the virtual object without requiring its own set of definitions;

associate the more than one physical object with the virtual object;

store the virtual object and the more than one physical object with their definitions to a model; and

output the model stored in the one or more data storages to a user interface for displaying to a user, the model comprising the more than one physical object linked to the virtual object.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to associate the virtual object with each object on which the geometry of the virtual object depends, the geometry of the virtual object depending on at least one of the following two definitions comprising at least one definition of another virtual object and at least one definition of another physical object.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions executable by a computer such that execution of said instructions by the computer will cause the computer to:

provide, by an object modeling and managing unit in a computing device, a modeling application with different physical object types, wherein each physical object type does not define a three-dimensional structure but includes a first set of parameters for defining a physical object that represents a three-dimensional structure, the first set of parameters including parameters for the physical object'"'"'s type of object, dimensions of its three-dimensional structure, its location in a model, and its association to one or more virtual objects in a model, the different physical object types including a first set of physical object types for modeling concrete structures including beams, columns, and walls, and a second set of physical object types for modeling reinforcement bars to be included into one or more of the concrete structures;

provide, by the object modeling and managing unit, the modeling application with a virtual object type that is a generic modeling aid to assist with modeling more than one physical object, the virtual object type does not define a three-dimensional structure but includes a second set of parameters for defining a virtual object that represents a three-dimensional object, the second set of parameters including parameters for the virtual object'"'"'s dimensions of its three-dimensional structure, its location in the model and its association to one or more physical objects in the model;

create, by the object modeling and managing unit for storing in one or more data storages, a virtual object using the virtual object type by defining the parameters for its location in the model and the dimensions of its three-dimensional shape;

create, by the object modeling and managing unit for storing in one or more data storages, more than one physical object to generate the model by using one of the first or second set of physical object types, and by linking to the parameters of the virtual object, each physical object being one of the first or second sets of physical object types and being a separate object from the virtual object, wherein one real-world article can be modeled only by one physical object;

generate, by the object modeling and managing unit for storing in the one or more data storages, the model comprising the more than one physical object created by linking to the virtual object without requiring its own set of definitions; and

output, by the object modeling and managing unit, the model stored in the one or more data storages to a user interface for displaying to a user, the model comprising the more than one physical object linked to the virtual object.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to:

associate the more than one physical object with the one or more virtual objects; and

store the one or more virtual objects and the more than one physical object with their definitions to the model.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to:

detect that the virtual object overlaps with another virtual object;

search for adjacent physical objects created by means of the overlapping two virtual objects; and

check for each found adjacent physical object, whether or not combining of them is possible;

if possible, combine the adjacent physical objects to a combined physical object; and

associating the combined physical object to both virtual objects.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to add or update a connection between a first physical object associated with a first virtual object and a second physical object associated with a second virtual object in response to a user input indicating a connection.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to associate the virtual object with each object on which the geometry of the virtual object depends, the geometry of the virtual object depending on at least one of the following two definitions comprising at least one definition of another virtual object and at least one definition of another physical object.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to change, in response to a change in the geometry of the virtual object, associated objects correspondingly.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to use the virtual object to create a model of a first physical object of the first set of physical object types that is to be included into a second physical object of the second set of physical object types.