Sketching Three-Dimensional(3D) Physical Simulations

• US 20090079734A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: McDaniel, Richard Gary
• Granted Patent: US 9,030,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 3D [Three Dimensional] animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]

Abstract

A system for creating physical simulations using hand-sketched three-dimensional (3D) objects, including: a memory device for storing a program; a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to enable: 3D objects to be hand-sketched and assigned physical descriptions; and behavior of the physical descriptions to be simulated in a physics environment.

Claims

1. A system for creating physical simulations using hand-sketched three-dimensional (3D) objects, comprising:

a memory device for storing a program;

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to enable;

3D objects to be hand-sketched and assigned physical descriptions; and

behavior of the physical descriptions to be simulated in a physics environment.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an electronic sketching device on which the 3D objects are hand-sketched.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the electronic sketching device comprises a graphics tablet and a stylus.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the electronic sketching device comprises a display and a stylus.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a graphical user interface through which the physical descriptions are assigned.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display on which the behavior of the physical descriptions is simulated.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the physics environment is a multi-body physics environment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein more than one 3D object is hand-sketched at a time.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical descriptions comprise body objects and constraints connected to the body objects.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a body object'"'"'s physical movement is assigned to be moving or stationary.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein a body object'"'"'s physical properties are assignable.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the physical descriptions further comprise forces or torques acting on the body objects.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the physical descriptions further comprise behavior objects that create and delete objects from the simulation.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

operate in a drawing mode in which the 3D objects are hand-sketched and assigned physical descriptions, and a run mode in which the behavior of the physical descriptions is simulated.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

enable the 3D objects to be clicked and dragged prior to and during the simulation.

16. A method for creating a physical simulation using a hand-sketched three-dimensional (3D) object, comprising:

hand-sketching a 3D object;

assigning a physical description to the 3D object; and

activating the 3D object so that a behavior of its physical description is simulated in a physics environment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the physics environment is a multi-body physics environment.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for creating physical simulations using hand-sketched three-dimensional (3D) objects, the computer program logic comprising:

program code that enables;

3D objects to be hand-sketched and assigned physical descriptions; and

behavior of the physical descriptions to be simulated in a physics environment.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the physics environment is a multi-body physics environment.