Methods and apparatuses for comparing CAD drawings

• US 20090148050A1
• Filed: 05/01/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auto PREP LLC
• Original Assignee: M.E.P. Cad, Incorporated
• Inventors: Schaeffer, Phillip M., Reghetti, Joseph P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,368,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/08 Bandwidth reduction

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses/systems, and software for comparing two drawings to create a compare drawing that includes options for highlighting added and deleted graphic objects, as well as unchanged graphic objects, and comparing one drawing to many or many drawings to many drawings, whether or not the drawings are similar. The invention includes a filtered zoom feature that enables the user to zoom in on a filtered set of graphic objects and to continue to zoom in until a single graphic object is depicted. Detailed information from selected graphic objects can be captured and placed in a list for generating schedule changes, bill of materials, and for other purposes. The invention further includes the ability to detect and report any variances between the drawings, including area differences between drawings depicting physical objects.

Claims

1. A method for generating a compare drawing comparing a first drawing to a second drawing, the first drawing and the second drawing each including a plurality of graphic objects having one or more graphic object types, comprising the steps of:

converting the plurality of graphic objects in the first drawing to a first set of text;

storing the first set of text in a memory;

converting the plurality of graphic objects in the second drawing to a second set of text;

storing the first set of text in the memory;

comparing the second set of text to the second set of text by graphic object types;

storing a result of the comparing step in the memory; and

generating the compare drawing based on the result stored in the memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the first drawing includes the steps of:

placing a set of data corresponding to the first drawing in an editor that reads each of the plurality of graphic objects and a set of properties corresponding to each of the plurality of graphic objects;

converting each of the plurality of graphic objects and the set of properties to the first set of text;

placing the first set of text in an array; and

losslessly compressing the first set of text from the array.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the second drawing includes the steps of:

placing a set of data corresponding to the second drawing in the editor that reads each of the plurality of graphic objects and a set of properties corresponding to each of the plurality of graphic objects;

converting each of the plurality of graphic objects and the set of properties to the second set of text;

placing the second set of text in the array; and

losslessly compressing the second set of text from the array.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of comparing includes the steps of:

opening first text data from the memory for a first graphic object type among the one or more graphic object types from the first set of text;

placing the first text data in a first array;

opening second text data from the memory for the first graphic object type from the second set of text;

placing the second text data in a second array;

comparing the first text in the first array with the second text in the second array to generate a set of compare drawing data for the first graphic object type; and

repeating each step in the step of comparing for each graphic object type among the one or more graphic object types to create a plurality of sets of compare drawing data for each of the graphic object types; and

wherein the step of storing a result includes the step of storing the plurality of sets in the memory.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of storing a result further includes the step of storing a layer structure for the first drawing and a layer structure for the second drawing with the result.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of storing a result further includes the step of storing one or more external references, blocks or objects for the first drawing and the second drawing with the result.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of storing a result further includes the step of storing a set of user information for the first drawing and the second drawing with the result.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the set of user information includes a date, a time, a workstation used to create the first drawing and/or the second drawing, and other data specific to a user of the first drawing and/or the second drawing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the first drawing, further comprising the step of initially comparing the first drawing to the second drawing to determine if the first drawing and the second drawing are similar.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of warning a user if the first drawing and the second drawing are dissimilar.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first drawing is a set of one or more first drawings, wherein the second drawing is a set of one or more second drawings, wherein prior to the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the first drawing, further comprising the step of initially comparing the set of one or more first drawings to the set of one or more second drawings to determine if any of the first drawings are similar to any of the second drawings.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of warning a user if any of the first drawings and any of the second drawings are dissimilar.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an identification of the first drawing and the second drawing from a user; and

receiving a set of option selections by the user for use in the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the first drawing and the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the second drawing.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of option selections includes a determination as to whether layers in the first drawing and the second should be turned on.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of option selections includes a determination as to whether frozen layers in the first drawing and the second should be thawed.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of option selections includes a determination as to whether locked layers in the first drawing and the second should be unlocked.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of option selections includes a determination as to whether external references in the first drawing and the second should be ignored.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of option selections includes a determination as to whether blocks in the first drawing and the second should be exploded.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of option selections includes a determination as to whether proxy objects in the first drawing and the second should be ignored.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of option selections includes a determination as to whether solids in the first drawing and the second should be ignored.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of option selections includes a determination as to whether one or more specified objects in the first drawing and the second should be ignored.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving one or more instructions from a user on how to display the compare drawing; and

displaying the compare drawing on a display according to the one or more instructions.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to highlight one or more graphic objects in the compare drawing that were deleted or removed from the first drawing.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to highlight one or more graphic objects in the compare drawing that were added or revised from the first drawing.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to highlight one or more graphic objects in the compare drawing that were unchanged from the first drawing.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to place one or more graphic objects that were unchanged from the first drawing in a background of the compare drawing when displayed.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to place one or more graphic objects that were deleted from, removed from, added to or revised from the first drawing in a background of the compare drawing when displayed.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to hide one or more graphic objects in the compare drawing when displayed that were deleted from, removed from, added to or revised from the first drawing.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to hide one or more graphic objects in the compare drawing when displayed that were deleted from, removed from, added to or revised from the first drawing.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to isolate and only display in the compare drawing one or more graphic objects in the compare drawing that were deleted from, removed from, added to or revised from the first drawing.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to isolate and only display in the compare drawing one or more layers-containing one or more graphic objects in the compare drawing that were added to or revised from the first drawing.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to either have displayed, hide or add revision clouds to the compare drawing.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to zoom in on a filtered set of graphic objects.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of receiving one or more instructions includes the step of providing the user with a list of graphic objects that can be located in the compare drawing, and wherein the filtered set of graphic objects is selected by the user from the list of graphic objects.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to further zoom in on a single graphic object with the filtered set of graphic objects.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

capturing a set of detailed information about the one or more graphic objects within the filtered set of graphic objects; and

placing the set of detailed information into a schedule, a bill, or a document.

37. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to capture a set of detailed information about the one or more graphic objects within the filtered set of graphic objects and place the set of detailed information into a schedule, a bill, or a document.

38. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to detect and report a variance between the first drawing and the second drawing in the compare drawing when displayed.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the first drawing and the second drawing are for a building, and wherein the variance reports a square footage difference between the first drawing and the second drawing.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the square footage difference is for the building as a whole.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the square footage difference is for a floor of the building.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the square footage difference is for a room of the building.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the square footage difference is for a subsection of the building.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the variance reports a difference between external references attached to or inserted in the first drawing and the second drawing.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein the variance reports a difference between a status of one or more layers in the first drawing and the second drawing.

46. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of permitting a user to preview one or more changes reflected in the compare drawing from the first drawing before accepting the compare drawing.

47. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of permitting a user to preview one or more changes reflected in the compare drawing from the first drawing before exporting the compare drawing to a different format.

48. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending the compare drawing to a third party.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising the step of including a note regarding the compare drawing with the compare drawing before sending the compare drawing to the third party.

50. The method of claim 48, further comprising the step of including a set of detailed information with the compare drawing that will enable the third party to perform a task associated with the compare drawing before sending the compare drawing to the third party.

51. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving an assignment of the compare drawing from a user that assigns the compare drawing to a specific directory for assignment or sharing with a third party.

52. The method of claim 1, wherein the first drawing is a single drawing, wherein the second drawing is a set of one or more second drawings, and wherein the step of generating the compare drawing includes generating a plurality of compare drawings that compare the single drawing to each of the one or more second drawings.

53. The method of claim 1, wherein the first drawing is a set of one or more first drawings, wherein the second drawing is a set of one or more second drawings, and wherein the step of generating the compare drawing includes generating a plurality of compare drawings that compare each first drawing in the set of one or more first drawings to a similar second drawing in the set of one or more second drawings.

54. A method for generating a compare drawing comparing a first drawing to a second drawing, the first drawing and the second drawing each including a plurality of graphic objects having one or more graphic object types, comprising the steps of:

converting the first drawing into a simplified version of the first drawing and the second drawing into a simplified version of the second drawing;

converting the plurality of graphic objects in the simplified first drawing to a first set of text;

storing the first set of text in a memory;

converting the plurality of graphic objects in the simplified second drawing to a second set of text;

storing the first set of text in the memory;

comparing the first set of text to the second set of text by graphic object types;

storing a result of the comparing step in the memory; and

generating the compare drawing based on the result stored in the memory.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the first drawing includes one or more layers, and wherein the step of converting the first drawing and the second drawing comprise the steps of:

(a) converting one or more external references referenced by the first drawing that can be converted into one or more blocks into the one or more blocks, inserting the one or more blocks into the first drawing, and deleting the one or more external references that cannot be converted into the one or more blocks;

(b) expanding one or more graphic objects and one or more attributes within one or more desired blocks into the first drawing, deleting one or more undesired blocks from the first drawing, and deleting one or more invisible text or one or more unnecessary text included within the one or more attributes of the desired blocks;

(c) expanding one or more desired graphic objects into the first drawing and deleting one or more undesired graphic objects from the first drawing;

(d) converting one or more externally created graphic objects into blocks for processing in accordance with step (b) or by treating the one or more externally created graphic objects as a group of graphic objects and processing the group of graphic objects in accordance with step (c); and

moving a set of desired graphic objects in the one or more layers into a smaller subset of layers, deleting a set of undesired graphic objects in the one or more layers, and deleting one or more empty layers within the one or more layers after viewing the empty layers, whereby the first drawing becomes the simplified version of the first drawing.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the second drawing includes one or more layers, and wherein the step of converting the first drawing and the second drawing comprise the steps of:

(a) converting one or more external references referenced by the second drawing that can be converted into one or more blocks into the one or more blocks, inserting the one or more blocks into the second drawing, and deleting the one or more external references that cannot be converted into the one or more blocks;

(b) expanding one or more graphic objects and one or more attributes within one or more desired blocks into the second drawing, deleting one or more undesired blocks from the second drawing, and deleting one or more invisible text or one or more unnecessary text included within the one or more attributes of the desired blocks;

(c) expanding one or more desired graphic objects into the second drawing and deleting one or more undesired graphic objects from the second drawing;

(d) converting one or more externally created graphic objects into blocks for processing in accordance with step (b) or by treating the one or more externally created graphic objects as a group of graphic objects and processing the group of graphic objects in accordance with step (c); and

moving a set of desired graphic objects in the one or more layers into a smaller subset of layers, deleting a set of undesired graphic objects in the one or more layers, and deleting one or more empty layers within the one or more layers after viewing the empty layers, whereby the second drawing becomes the simplified version of the second drawing.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the simplified first drawing includes the steps of:

placing a set of data corresponding to the simplified first drawing in an editor that reads each of the plurality of graphic objects and a set of properties corresponding to each of the plurality of graphic objects;

converting each of the plurality of graphic objects and the set of properties to the first set of text;

placing the first set of text in an array; and

losslessly compressing the first set of text from the array.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the simplified second drawing includes the steps of:

placing a set of data corresponding to the simplified second drawing in the editor that reads each of the plurality of graphic objects and a set of properties corresponding to each of the plurality of graphic objects;

converting each of the plurality of graphic objects and the set of properties to the second set of text;

placing the second set of text in the array; and

losslessly compressing the second set of text from the array.

59. The method of claim 54, wherein the step of comparing includes the steps of:

opening first text data from the memory for a first graphic object type among the one or more graphic object types from the first set of text;

placing the first text data in a first array;

opening second text data from the memory for the first graphic object type from the second set of text;

placing the second text data in a second array;

comparing the first text in the first array with the second text in the second array to generate a set of compare drawing data for the first graphic object type; and

repeating each step in the step of comparing for each graphic object type among the one or more graphic object types to create a plurality of sets of compare drawing data for each of the graphic object types; and

wherein the step of storing a result includes the step of storing the plurality of sets in the memory.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the step of storing a result further includes the step of storing a layer structure for the simplified first drawing and a layer structure for the simplified second drawing with the result.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein the step of storing a result further includes the step of storing one or more external references, blocks or objects for the simplified first drawing and the simplified second drawing with the result.

62. The method of claim 59, wherein the step of storing a result further includes the step of storing a set of user information for the simplified first drawing and the simplified second drawing with the result.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the set of user information includes a date, a time, a workstation used to create the simplified first drawing and/or the simplified second drawing, and other data specific to a user of the simplified first drawing and/or the simplified second drawing.

64. The method of claim 54, wherein prior to the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the simplified first drawing, further comprising the step of initially comparing the simplified first drawing to the simplified second drawing to determine if the simplified first drawing and the simplified second drawing are similar.

65. The method of claim 64, further comprising the step of warning a user if the simplified first drawing and the simplified second drawing are dissimilar.

66. The method of claim 54, wherein the simplified first drawing is a set of one or more simplified first drawings, wherein the simplified second drawing is a set of one or more simplified second drawings, wherein prior to the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the simplified first drawing, further comprising the step of initially comparing the set of one or more simplified first drawings to the set of one or more simplified second drawings to determine if any of the simplified first drawings are similar to any of the simplified second drawings.

67. The method of claim 66, further comprising the step of warning a user if any of the simplified first drawings and any of the simplified second drawings are dissimilar.

68. The method of claim 54, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an identification of the simplified first drawing and the simplified second drawing from a user; and

receiving a set of option selections by the user for use in the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the simplified first drawing and the step of converting the plurality of graphic objects in the simplified second drawing.

69. The method of claim 54, further comprising the step of:

receiving one or more instructions from a user on how to display the compare drawing; and

displaying the compare drawing on a display according to the one or more instructions.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to zoom in on a filtered set of graphic objects.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the step of receiving one or more instructions includes the step of providing the user with a list of graphic objects that can be located in the compare drawing, and wherein the filtered set of graphic objects is selected by the user from the list of graphic objects.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to further zoom in on a single graphic object with the filtered set of graphic objects.

73. The method of claim 70, further comprising the steps of:

capturing a set of detailed information about the one or more graphic objects within the filtered set of graphic objects; and

placing the set of detailed information into a schedule, a bill, or a document.

74. The method of claim 69, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to capture a set of detailed information about the one or more graphic objects within the filtered set of graphic objects and place the set of detailed information into a schedule, a bill, or a document.

75. The method of claim 69, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to detect and report a variance between the simplified first drawing and the simplified second drawing in the compare drawing when displayed.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein the simplified first drawing and the simplified second drawing are for a building, and wherein the variance reports a square footage difference between the simplified first drawing and the simplified second drawing.

77. The method of claim 54, further comprising the step of permitting a user to preview one or more changes reflected in the compare drawing from the simplified first drawing before accepting or exporting the compare drawing.

78. The method of claim 54, further comprising the step of sending the compare drawing to a third party.

79. The method of claim 78, further comprising the step of including a note regarding the compare drawing with the compare drawing before sending the compare drawing to the third party.

80. The method of claim 78, further comprising the step of including a set of detailed information with the compare drawing that will enable the third party to perform a task associated with the compare drawing before sending the compare drawing to the third party.

81. The method of claim 54, further comprising the step of receiving an assignment of the compare drawing from a user that assigns the compare drawing to a specific directory for assignment or sharing with a third party.

82. The method of claim 54, wherein the simplified first drawing is a single drawing, wherein the simplified second drawing is a set of one or more simplified second drawings, and wherein the step of generating the compare drawing includes generating a plurality of compare drawings that compare the single drawing to each of the one or more simplified second drawings.

83. The method of claim 54, wherein the simplified first drawing is a set of one or more simplified first drawings, wherein the simplified second drawing is a set of one or more simplified second drawings, and wherein the step of generating the compare drawing includes generating a plurality of compare drawings that compare each simplified first drawing in the set of one or more simplified first drawings to a similar simplified second drawing in the set of one or more simplified second drawings.