Method and apparatus for automatically displaying and manipulating identifiers of a mechanical design

• US 20030122849A1
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Bogan, William E., Gill, David L., Lozon, Kanan
• Granted Patent: US 6,950,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/004 Annotating, labelling

Abstract

Computer instructions that operate to determine if one or more geometry pieces of a mechanical design are within a view boundary and automatically generate and order one or more identifiers corresponding to the geometry pieces within the view boundary, when executed, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the computer instructions are part of a mechanical design software application. In one embodiment, the mechanical design software application including the computer instructions are embodied in a distribution storage medium.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining if one or more geometry pieces of a mechanical design are within a view boundary; and

automatically generating and ordering one or more identifiers corresponding to the geometry pieces within the view boundary.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically generating and ordering of identifiers comprises:

determining if the geometry pieces within the view boundary are solid geometry pieces; and

automatically calculating one or more centriods corresponding to the solid geometry pieces within the view boundary.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said generating and ordering further comprises generating one or more leaders emanating from the centroids.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically generating and ordering comprises placing each identifier at a location along said view boundary closest to its corresponding geometry piece.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically generating and ordering comprises placing identifiers at equidistant around the view boundary.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically generating and ordering comprises:

determining if the geometry pieces are identical;

grouping identifiers of said identical geometry pieces; and

stacking said grouped identifiers in common rows and columns around the view boundary.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically generating and ordering of identifiers comprises automatically facilitating a user in manipulating identifiers around the view boundary.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said automatically generating and ordering of identifiers further comprises:

determining if a user has dragged and dropped an identifier to a different position around the view boundary; and

reordering other identifiers to complement the dragged and dropped identifier.

9. A storage medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions that are machine executable, wherein when executed, the executing instructions operate to determine if one or more geometry pieces of a mechanical design are within a view boundary and automatically generate and order one or more identifiers corresponding to the geometry pieces within the view boundary.

10. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the executing instructions operate to determine if the geometry pieces within the view boundary are solid geometry pieces and automatically calculate one or more centroids corresponding to the solid geometry pieces within the view boundary.

11. The storage medium of claim 10, wherein the executing instructions further operate to generate one or more leaders emanating from the centroids.

12. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the executing instructions operate to place each identifier at a location along said view boundary closest to its corresponding geometry piece.

13. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the executing instructions operate to place identifiers at equidistant around the view boundary.

14. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the executing instructions operate to determine if the geometry pieces are identical, group identifiers of said identical geometry pieces, and stacking said grouped identifiers in common rows and columns around the view boundary.

15. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the executing instructions operate to automatically facilitate a user in manipulating identifiers around the view boundary.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the executing instructions further operate to determine if a user has dragged and dropped an identifier to a different position around the view boundary and reorder other identifiers to complement the dragged and dropped identifier.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions that are machine executable, wherein when executed, the executing instructions operate to determine if one or more geometry pieces of a mechanical design are within a view boundary and automatically generate and order one or more identifiers corresponding to the geometry pieces within the view boundary; and

a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the instructions.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the executing instructions operate to determine if the geometry pieces within the view boundary are solid geometry pieces and automatically calculate one or more centroids corresponding to the solid geometry pieces within the view boundary.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the executing instructions further operate to generate one or more leaders emanating from the centroids.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the executing instructions operate to place each identifier at a location along said view boundary closest to its corresponding geometry piece.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the executing instructions operate to place identifiers at equidistant around the view boundary.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the executing instructions operate to determine if the geometry pieces are identical, group identifiers of said identical geometry pieces, and stacking said grouped identifiers in common rows and columns around the view boundary.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the executing instructions operate to automatically facilitate a user in manipulating identifiers around the view boundary.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the executing instructions further operate to determine if a user has dragged and dropped an identifier to a different position around the view boundary and reorder other identifiers to complement the dragged and dropped identifier.