SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DESIGNING A BUILDING

• US 20110191069A1
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tripod Components Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tripod Components Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Bailey, Russell Gregory, Madsen, Tyge, Southwell, Nick Thomas
• Application Number:
  US13/002,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20110191069A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/1
• 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

Abstract

An automated method and system generates a specification or construction of a building based upon a floor plan, and using modular elements selected from a predetermined set of modular element types. Computer-readable input data representative of a user-generated floor plan is received, which is made up of modular elements arranged in accordance with a regular grid. The input data is processed to produce computer-readable specification data which includes a specification for construction of a building from the modular elements, in accordance with the floor plan. At least one output file is generated, which includes information for use in construction of a building in accordance with the building specification data. The invention enables the design of modular building structures, which can be deployed relatively rapidly and cheaply, by users having no particular skills in building design and/or structural engineering. The system and method are therefore particularly useful for meeting building deployment requirements in remote areas, and in circumstances such as military operations or response to natural disasters.

Claims

1. An automated method of generating a specification for construction of a building from modular elements selected from a predetermined set of modular element types, the method including the steps of:

receiving computer-readable input data representative of a user-generated floor plan which comprises a plurality of said modular elements arranged in accordance with a regular grid;

processing the input data to produce computer-readable building specification data which includes a specification for construction of a building from said modular elements, in accordance with the floor plan; and

generating at least one output file including information for use in construction of a building in accordance with the building specification data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing the input data to produce computer-readable building specification data includes verifying that the input data represents a floor plan of an enclosed building structure and/or identifying enclosed areas of the floor plan.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying enclosed areas includes one or more steps of:

scanning the regular grid to identify a location of an initial modular wall element, and

commencing at said initial modular wall element, traversing a perimeter of adjacent modular wall elements in order to identify an enclosed area.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein traversing a perimeter includes following one or more possible paths in the event that a junction of multiple modular wall elements is encountered.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing the input data to produce computer-readable building specification data further includes generating a specification for construction of a roof of the building based upon the floor plan represented by the input data.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein generation of the roof construction specification includes determining heights and locations of roof lines, including roof ridges, roof hips and/or roof valleys.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein generation of the roof construction specification includes one or more steps of:

scanning the regular grid to identify a location of an initial roof element, and

commencing at said initial roof element, traversing a sequence of adjacent roof elements located at the same height as the initial roof element.

8. The method of claim 7 which determines roof lines including:

a plurality of roof hips defined by diagonal lines of increasing height extending from an external corner of the building;

zero or more roof ridges defined by unenclosed paths of constant height; and

zero or more roof valleys defined by diagonal lines of increasing height extending from an internal corner of the building.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein generating a specification for construction of a roof further includes generating a specification for construction of a roof support structure.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein generating the roof support structure specification includes determining placement of a plurality of first supporting members located along lateral and transverse lines running parallel to lines of the regular grid, and arranged in a horizontal configuration.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein generating the roof support structure specification includes determining placement of a plurality of second supporting members located along lines of increasing height between a perimeter of the roof and a corresponding nearest roof line.

12. The method of claim 11 which further includes determining placement of a plurality of the second supporting members located along lines of increasing height between a roof valley and a corresponding nearest roof ridge or roof hip.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein generating the roof support structure specification includes determining placement of a plurality of third supporting members located within the roof, and extending from node points positioned on first supporting members located along lateral and transverse lines running parallel to lines of the regular grid.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing the input data further includes determining the location, type and characteristics of all joins required for construction of the building.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the output files generated by the automated method include one or more of:

a parts list including all components and modular elements required for construction of the building;

a bill of costs, including prices of all components and modular elements required for construction of the building; and

instructions for construction of the building.

16. The method of claim 1 which includes a further step of verifying that the building construction meets relevant design criteria, such as structural strength criteria.

21. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, which when executed cause a computer to execute a method according to claim 1.

17. A computer-implemented system for generating a specification for construction of a building from modular elements selected from a predetermined set of modular element types, the system including:

one or more processors;

at least one input interface operatively associated with the processor(s);

at least one output interface operatively associated with the processor(s); and

at least one storage medium containing program instructions for execution by the processor(s), said program instructions causing the processor(s) to execute the steps of;

receiving, via said at least one input interface, computer-readable input data representative of a user-generated floor plan which comprises a plurality of said modular elements arranged in accordance with a regular grid;

processing the input data to produce computer-readable building specification data which includes a specification for construction of a building from said modular elements in accordance with the floor plan; and

generating at said at least one output interface, at least one output file including information for use in construction of a building in accordance with the building specification data.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the input and output interfaces include at least one network interface connecting the one or more processors to a data network, wherein input data and output files are transmitted between the system and an end-user via the data network.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the data network is the Internet, and the system provides a web-based building design service.

20. A computer-implemented system or apparatus for generating a specification for construction of a building from modular elements selected from a predetermined set of modular element types, the system or apparatus including:

means for receiving computer-readable input data representative of a user-generated floor plan which comprises a plurality of said modular elements arranged in accordance with a regular grid;

means for processing the input data to produce computer-readable building specification data which includes a specification for construction of a building from said modular elements in accordance with the floor plan; and

means for generating at least one output file including information for use in construction of a building in accordance with the building specification data.