Constraint-based method of designing a route for a transport element

• US 20060212276A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Drumheller, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,647,211 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/04 Constraint-based CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/06 Multi-objective optimisation, e.g. Pareto optimisation using simulated annealing [SA], ant colony algorithms or genetic algorithms [GA]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2113/14 Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/18 Network design, e.g. design based on topological or interconnect aspects of utility systems, piping, heating ventilation air conditioning [HVAC] or cabling circuit design at the physical level G06F30/39; network planning tools for wireless communication networks H04W16/18
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor

Abstract

An improved method for designing the route of a transport element, such as a tube, is provided. The method preferably designs the route automatically and, by utilizing constraint objects in the design of the route, as opposed to during a post design check, ensures that the resulting route complies with the various constraint objects. In addition, the method of the present invention may establish an overall cost function to evaluate a plurality of feasible routes of the transport element that each comply with the constraint objects such that a preferred or optimal route may be designed. Constraints may be based upon the routing of the transport element in relation to another transport element, an additional constraint, or a relaxed constraint.

Claims

1. A method of designing a route for a second transport element at least partially based upon the route for a first transport element, the method comprising:

establishing at least one constraint that limits possible routes for the second transport element, wherein establishing the at least one constraint comprises establishing at least one inequality constraint which limits the possible routes for the second transport element without fixing the position of any portion of the second transport element, wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing at least one constraint object based upon the route for the first transport element;

establishing an overall cost function for evaluating the possible routes for the second transport element; and

automatically defining the route for the second transport element in accordance with the at least one constraint and pursuant to the overall cost function, wherein automatically defining the route for the second transport element comprises defining the route for the second transport element to include straight segments that are non-orthogonal relative to one another.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the route for the first transport element is designed prior to the design of the route for the second transport element, thereby the route for the first transport element defines a route for an existing transport element.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of nodes defines the route for the first transport element, and wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing spherical stay-out zones at the nodes of the route for the first transport element.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing at least two sleeves surrounding portions of the route for the first transport element, wherein a spherical stay-out zone is positioned at a node between the two sleeves.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing at least one sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the route for the first transport element.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein at least one sleeve has an associated stay-out zone defining a stay-away direction.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein establishing at least one sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the route for the first transport element further comprises establishing at least one stay-in sleeve that is parallel and concentric to a straight-line portion of the route for the first transport element, and wherein at least one stay-out zone comprises a parabolic sheet positioned at the longitudinal center of its associated stay-out sleeve, wherein the middle of the axis of the linear vertex of the parabolic sheet intersects the centerline of its associated stay-out sleeve.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein establishing at least one sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the route for the first transport element further comprises establishing at least one stay-out sleeve that is parallel and concentric to a straight-line portion of the route for the first transport element.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein at least one stay-out zone comprises a parabolic sheet positioned at the longitudinal center of its associated stay-out sleeve, wherein the middle of the axis of the linear vertex of the parabolic sheet intersects the side of its associated stay-out sleeve.

10. A method according to claim 2, wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing a routing gutter providing a stand-off from the first transport element and configured for defining the route for the second transport element quasi-parallel to the route for the first transport element.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein establishing a routing gutter defines a shape with a partial circumferential sleeve about the first transport element and sides commending at the longitudinal edges of the partial circumferential sleeve and extending away from the first transport element.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically defining at least a portion of the route for the first transport element contemporaneous with the step of automatically defining the route for the second transport element.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising defining a route for a meta-tube through which the routes for at least the first and second transport elements pass, and wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing at least one multiple transport element cross-sectional arrangement constraint within the meta-tube for preventing braiding of the routes for transport elements which pass through the meta-tube.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing at least one constraint object based upon background structure.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishing the at least one constraint comprises establishing at least one constraint object selected by a designer and capable of being independent of background structure.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing at least one intrinsic constraint dependent upon the second transport element itself and independent of background structure.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishing the at least one constraint comprises defining a preferred value and a cost for variances from the preferred value, and wherein establishing the overall cost function comprises establishing the overall cost function so as to incorporate the cost of variances.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishing the overall cost function comprises defining the overall cost function pursuant to at least one predefined design characteristic.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein automatically defining the route comprises automatically defining a plurality of nodes along the route.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing at least one hardpoint constraint defining a location of a hardpoint through which the transport element must pass.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein establishing at least one hardpoint constraint comprises establishing at least one adjustable hardpoint constraint defining a region within which a hardpoint is located and through which the transport element must pass.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein automatically defining the route comprises automatically defining the location of the hardpoint within the at least one adjustable hardpoint constraint.

23. A method of designing a route for a transport element comprising:

establishing at least one constraint object that limits possible routes for the transport element, wherein establishing the at least one constraint object comprises establishing at least one inequality constraint which limits the possible routes for the transport element without fixing the position of any portion of the transport element, wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing at least one additional constraint selected from the group of an additional constraint object and a cost function;

establishing an overall cost function for evaluating the possible routes for the transport element; and

automatically defining the route for the transport element in accordance with the at least one constraint object and pursuant to the overall cost function, wherein automatically defining the route comprises defining the route for the transport element to include straight segments that are non-orthogonal relative to one another.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein establishing at least one additional constraint comprises establishing at least one of an upper and a lower number-of-nodes limit.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein establishing at least one of an upper and a lower number-of-nodes limit comprises setting a limit on how many nodes should be positioned between any two adjacent targets.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein at least one of the upper and lower number-of-nodes limits relates to the number of nodes from a previous routing solution

27. A method according to claim 23, wherein establishing at least one additional constraint comprises partitioning possible routes for the transport element.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein partitioning possible routes for the transport element comprises limiting the length of a portion of the route.

29. A method according to claim 27, wherein partitioning possible routes for the transport element comprises limiting the number of targets in a portion of the route.

30. A method according to claim 23, wherein establishing at least one additional constraint comprises establishing a simulation-of-gravity constraint.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein establishing a simulation-of-gravity constraint comprises positioning an a simulation-of-gravity directional icon.

32. A method according to claim 23, wherein establishing at least one additional constraint comprises establishing a segment-length-based constraint.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein establishing a segment-length-based constraint comprises imposing a preference for equal segment lengths.

34. A method according to claim 32, wherein establishing a segment-length-based constraint comprises imposing a preference for reducing the sum of the squares of segment lengths.

35. A method according to claim 23, wherein establishing at least one additional constraint comprises establishing a planarity constraint for at least a portion of the route for the transport element.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein establishing a planarity constraint for at least a portion of the route for the transport element comprises establishing an equality constraint for normalized vectors that form the axes of nodes in the portion of the route subject to the planarity constraint.

37. A method of designing a route for a transport element between a pair of endpoints comprising:

establishing at least a first constraint object that limits possible routes for the transport element;

attempting to automatically define the route for the transport element in accordance with at least the first constraint object;

determining that a route satisfying at least the first constraint object is infeasible;

relaxing at least the first constraint object, whereby at least the first constraint object is replaced by a cost function, thereby defining at least a first cost function;

automatically defining the route for the transport element in accordance with at least the first cost function; and

providing an indication for the route of the variance between at least the first constraint object and at least the first cost function of the automatically defined route.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the step of relaxing at least the first constraint object comprises the step of relaxing all constraint objects to be replaced by cost functions, and the step of providing an indication for the route of the variance between at least the first constraint object and at least the first cost function of the automatically defined route comprises providing an indication for the route of the variance between all of the constraint objects and all of the corresponding cost functions of the automatically defined route.

39. A method according to claim 37, wherein the step of providing an indication for the route of the variance between at least the first constraint object and at least the first cost function of the automatically defined route comprises visually displaying the variance between at least the first constraint object and at least the first cost function of the automatically defined route.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein the step of visually displaying the variance between at least the first constraint object and at least the first cost function of the automatically defined route comprises visually displaying the magnitude of variance between at least the first constraint object and at least the first cost function of the automatically defined route.