Distributed system and method for computer aided multi-component system design
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for enabling the design of a multi-component system, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a menu of component types;
b) providing, for each of said component types, a menu of specific component objects, said specific component objects including design guideline properties;
c) selecting a component type;
d) selecting a specific component object;
e) displaying an image of said selected specific component object;
f) selecting spatial properties of said image of said selected specific component object;
g) providing data corresponding to a system design area;
h) placing said image, with the selected spatial properties, of said selected specific component object on said system design area;
i) moving said image of said selected specific component object to a desired position in said system design area;
j) establishing, if at least one other image of a specific component object is present in said system design area, a relationship between said image of said selected specific component object and one other image of a specific component object, said relationship incorporating said design guideline properties;
k) repeating steps c) through j) until a design of the multi-component system is completed.
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Abstract
The system and methods of this invention provide specific component design objects that include design guideline properties. The system and methods of this invention also provide means for storing the completed design information upon completion of the design. One embodiment of the method and system of this invention is a distributed method and system utilizing the World Wide Web.
35 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for enabling the design of a multi-component system, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a menu of component types;
b) providing, for each of said component types, a menu of specific component objects, said specific component objects including design guideline properties;
c) selecting a component type;
d) selecting a specific component object;
e) displaying an image of said selected specific component object;
f) selecting spatial properties of said image of said selected specific component object;
g) providing data corresponding to a system design area;
h) placing said image, with the selected spatial properties, of said selected specific component object on said system design area;
i) moving said image of said selected specific component object to a desired position in said system design area;
j) establishing, if at least one other image of a specific component object is present in said system design area, a relationship between said image of said selected specific component object and one other image of a specific component object, said relationship incorporating said design guideline properties;
k) repeating steps c) through j) until a design of the multi-component system is completed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21)
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15. A system for enabling the design of a multi-component product, said system comprising:
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means for providing a menu of component types;
means for providing, for each of said component types, a menu of specific component objects, said specific component objects including design guideline properties;
means for receiving user input;
means for selecting a component type;
means for selecting a specific component object;
means for displaying an image of said selected specific component object;
means for selecting an orientation of said image of said selected specific component object;
means for providing data corresponding to a system design area;
means for placing, in the selected orientation said image of said selected specific component object on said system design area;
means for moving said image of said selected specific component object to a desired position in said system design area;
means for establishing, if at least one other image of a selected specific component object is present in said system design area, a relationship between said image of said selected specific component object and one other image of a specific component object, said relationship incorporating said design guideline properties.
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20. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one server computer including;
an interface for communicating over a network, a multi-component system design generating module including specific component objects, said specific component objects including design guidelines;
a database storing user identifying data, design identifying data, multi-component system design data including a plurality of identifiers of specific component objects, a location in said system design area for each one of a plurality of specific component objects, said plurality of identifiers of specific component objects corresponding to said plurality of specific component objects.
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22. A computer readable product comprising:
a computer usable medium having computer readable data embodied therein, said data including;
user identifying data, design identifying data, multi-element system design data including;
a plurality of identifiers of specific component objects, a location in a system design area of each one of a plurality of specific component objects, said plurality of specific component objects corresponding to said plurality of identifiers of specific component objects. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A memory for storing data for access by a process executed by a processor, said memory comprising:
a structure for describing a design of a multi-component system, said structure comprising;
user identifying data, design identifying data, multi-component system design data including;
an identifier for each one of a plurality of specific component objects, a location in a system design area of each one of said plurality of specific component objects, data corresponding to said system design area, wherein the location of said specific component objects in said system design area conforms to design guideline properties corresponding to each one of said plurality of specific component objects.
Specification