Capturing a user's intent in design software

• US 20060041842A1
• Filed: 08/16/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Armstrong Word Industries Incorporated, Armstrong World Industries Incorporated, Dirtt Environmental Solutions
• Original Assignee: ICE Edge Business Solutions Ltd.
• Inventors: Loberg, Barrie Arnold
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• 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: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• 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 2210/04 Architectural design, interior design
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/61 Scene description
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2016 Rotation, translation, scaling

Abstract

A software program for use in designing interior and exterior spaces receives user input that is associated with one or more attributes. Subsequent user input, having other attributes, is resolved in light of the first input attributes to create a real-world depiction of design choices in real-time. For example, design choices that conflict with prior design choices are resolved (or modified as necessary) to ensure that each of the prior and present user input choices are represented in an appropriate way. The resolution by the design software is also used to create an accurate parts (and/or price) list so that when the user has completed the design of an exterior or interior space, the design can be submitted directly as an order to be fulfilled. Generally, continual resolution ensures that the user'"'"'s design intent is captured in an accurate and efficient way in a user interface.

Claims

1. In a computerized environment in which a user interface of a design program is used to design one or more interior or exterior spaces, a method of representing user input through the user interface in an accurate and efficient manner in real-time, comprising the acts of:

receiving an initial user input regarding an initial design choice to be displayed through a user interface, the initial user input having one or more initial attributes;

receiving a subsequent user input regarding a subsequent design choice, the subsequent user input having one or more subsequent attributes that conflict with the one or more initial attributes, such that one or more of the initial user input and the subsequent user input are automatically displayed in a modified form or automatically hidden from view;

receiving a different user input that changes at least one of the one or more initial or subsequent attributes; and

automatically displaying the initial and subsequent user input as originally received.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more initial attributes include at least one initial static attribute and at least one initial dynamic attribute, and the one or more subsequent attributes include at least one subsequent static attribute and at least one subsequent dynamic attribute.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein a static attribute relates to a fixed property of a material including a composition or color of the material, and wherein a dynamic attribute relates to a variable property of the material, including the position, shape, height, length, width, or corresponding accessories used with the material.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising automatically determining a solution for the conflict between the one or more initial attributes and the one or more subsequent attributes before receiving the different user input.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein automatically determining a solution comprises changing a dynamic attribute for the subsequent user input or the initial user input based on one or more of a static attribute of the initial input and a static attribute of the subsequent input.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising displaying the solution for the conflict before receiving the different user input, such that the different user input is based at least in part on the displayed solution.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

identifying one or more prior attributes of a prior user input; and

identifying whether the determined solution for the conflict results in another conflict with any of the one or more prior attributes.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising automatically generating a parts list based on each of the one or more initial attributes and the one or more subsequent attributes before receiving the different user input.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising automatically generating an updated parts list based on the different user input that changes the at least one of the one or more initial or subsequent attributes.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the different user input is received through a parts list interface.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the automatically generated parts list further comprises one or more automatically generated prices corresponding to the one or more initial attributes and the one or more subsequent attributes.

12. In a computerized environment in which a user interface of a design program is used to design one or more interior or exterior spaces, a method of representing user input through the user interface in an accurate and efficient manner in real-time, comprising the following:

an act of receiving an initial user input regarding an initial design choice to be displayed through a user interface, the initial user input having one or more initial attributes;

an act of receiving a subsequent user input regarding a subsequent design choice, the subsequent user input having one or more subsequent attributes that conflict with the one or more initial attributes, such that one or more of the initial user input and the subsequent user input are automatically displayed in a modified form or automatically hidden from view; and

a step for automatically resolving the representation of the initial user input and the subsequent user input based on at least one of the one or more initial attributes, the one or more subsequent attributes, and any additional user input, such that at least the initial user input and the subsequent user input are represented through a user interface accurately in real-time.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the step for automatically resolving the representation of the initial user input and the subsequent user input comprises the acts of:

receiving a different user input that changes at least one of the one or more initial or subsequent attributes; and

automatically displaying the initial and subsequent user input as originally received.

14. In a computerized environment in which a user interface of a design program is used to design one or more interior or exterior spaces, a method of generating an accurate parts list in real-time based on continual user input through the user interface, comprising the acts of:

receiving an initial user input relating to the positioning of an initial material in a design space, the initial material having one or more initial static attributes;

receiving a subsequent user input relating to the positioning of a subsequent material in the design space, the subsequent material having one or more subsequent static attributes;

determining one or more possible dynamic attributes of the initial material and the subsequent material based on the any of the initial and subsequent static attributes and on the positioning of the initial and subsequent material; and

displaying a parts list interface that reflects the one or more static attributes and the determined one or more possible dynamic attributes of the initial and subsequent material.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising receiving a different user input through the parts list interface that changes the initial or subsequent material, such that the corresponding one or more initial or subsequent static attributes have changed.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising automatically determining one or more other possible dynamic attributes based at least in part on the different user input.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising displaying an updated form of the parts list based at least in part on the automatically determined one or more other possible dynamic attributes.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising displaying a design space that reflects the one or more initial and subsequent static attributes and the determined one or more dynamic attributes of the initial and subsequent material.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising displaying an updated design space that reflects an update to the determined one or more dynamic attributes of the initial and subsequent material based on input received by the user through the parts list interface.

20. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising sending one or more of the parts list and a representation of the design space electronically over a network to a fulfillment service.

21. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein displaying a parts list interface further comprises displaying one or more prices that correspond to the one or more static attributes and the determined one or more possible dynamic attributes of the initial and subsequent material.

22. In a computerized environment in which a user interface of a design program is used to design one or more interior or exterior spaces, a computer program product having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause one or more processors in the computerized environment to perform a a method of representing user input through the user interface in an accurate and efficient manner in real-time, comprising the following:

receiving an initial user input regarding an initial design choice to be displayed through a user interface, the initial user input having one or more initial attributes;

receiving a subsequent user input regarding a subsequent design choice, the subsequent user input having one or more subsequent attributes that conflict with the one or more initial attributes, such that one or more of the initial user input and the subsequent user input are automatically displayed in a modified form or automatically hidden from view;

receiving a different user input that changes at least one of the one or more initial or subsequent attributes;

automatically displaying the initial and subsequent user input as originally received.