Automatically Creating and Modifying Furniture Layouts in Design Software

• US 20130212513A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Armstrong Word Industries Incorporated, Armstrong World Industries Incorporated, Dirtt Environmental Solutions
• Original Assignee: Dirtt Environmental Solutions
• Inventors: Loberg, Barrie A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,519,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/04 Constraint-based CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/12 Symbolic schematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/20 Configuration CAD, e.g. designing by assembling or positioning modules selected from libraries of predesigned modules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/12 characterised by design entry means specially adapted for CAD, e.g. graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for 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 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: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/04 Architectural design, interior design
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2021 Shape modification

Abstract

A software application can capture product parameters and attributes in order to allow a non-expert user to create an accurate and complete furniture system layout in a design space. To enable accurate layouts, the software application can automatically apply all applicable components, connectors, rules, attributes, codes, and behaviors to each component/design element in the design space. The intelligent, object-oriented software can automatically recognize required changes effected by a user-driven change, and automatically resolve the layout design by constraining vertical placement of components or automatically generating interconnections between components.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a computer-implemented method for automatically configuring a design space by using product parameters and attributes to replicate a given product based on a user'"'"'s gesture for indicating placement, and then automatically populating the design space with all required connectors and bracketing to support the indicated placement of the given product, the computer-implemented method of the system comprising:

storing in a database a plurality of different product components to be used in designing an interior workspace, each product component being defined by (i) associated parameters that define each type of component, and (ii) attributes that are defined by rules, characteristics and behaviors of each component and any associated hardware for connecting or providing structural support for each type of component;

inputting at a graphical user interface (GUI) of the system a design space and identifying within the design space a first product component that is to be placed within an indicated region of the design space defined by a starting and an end point;

a system processor thereafter retrieving from the database the identified first product component and automatically replicating the first product component in a manner that fits the first product component to the indicated region of the design space, including automatically populating the indicated region of the design space with any required hardware for connecting or providing structural support to the replicated product components required to fit the first product component within the indicated region of the design space; and

the system processor also generating a fully compatible three-dimension view of the design space and wherein any changes to one view provide a continuously resolved solution to every other view.

2. In a computer system, a computer-implemented method for automatically configuring a design space in a first two-dimensional view by using product parameters and attributes to replicate a given product based on a user'"'"'s gesture for indicating placement, and then automatically populating the two-dimensional and a related three-dimensional design space with all required connectors and bracketing to support the indicated placement of the given product, the computer-implemented method of the system comprising:

(a) storing in a database a plurality of different product components to be used in designing an interior workspace, each product component being defined by (i) associated parameters that define each type of component, and (ii) attributes that are defined by rules, characteristics and behaviors of each component and any associated hardware for connecting or providing structural support for each type of component;

(b) inputting at a graphical user interface (GUI) of the system a two-dimensional design space and identifying within the two-dimensional design space a first product component that is to be placed within an indicated region of the design space defined by a starting and an end point;

(c) a system processor thereafter retrieving from the database the identified first product component and automatically replicating the first product component in a manner that fits the first product component to the indicated region of the two-dimensional design space, including automatically populating the indicated region of the two-dimensional design space with any required hardware for connecting or providing structural support to the replicated product components required to fit the first product component within the indicated region of the design space; and

(d) the system processor automatically constraining the vertical position of the first product component and generating a three-dimensional view that is fully consistent with the two-dimensional view, including automatically populating the corresponding indicated region in the three-dimensional design space with any required hardware for connecting or providing structural support to the replicated product components required to fit the first product component within the indicated region of the design space.

3. A computer system for automatically configuring a design space by using product parameters and attributes to replicate a given product based on a user'"'"'s gesture for indicating placement, and then automatically populating the design space with all required connectors and bracketing to support the indicated placement of the given product, the computer system comprising:

a database for storing a plurality of different product components to be used in designing an interior workspace, each product component being defined by (i) associated parameters that define each type of component, and (ii) attributes that are defined by rules, characteristics and behaviors of each component and any associated hardware for connecting or providing structural support for each type of component;

a graphical user interface (GUI) of the system for inputting a design space and identifying within the design space a first product component that is to be placed within an indicated region of the design space defined by a starting and an end point; and

a system processor programmed to

retrieve from the database the identified first product component and automatically replicate the first product component in a manner that fits the first product component to the indicated region of the design space, including automatically populating the indicated region of the design space with any required hardware for connecting or providing structural support to the replicated product components required to fit the first product component within the indicated region of the design space; and

generate a fully compatible three-dimension view of the design space and wherein any changes to one view provide a continuously resolved solution to every other view.

4. A computer system for automatically configuring a design space in a first two-dimensional view by using product parameters and attributes to replicate a given product based on a user'"'"'s gesture for indicating placement, and then automatically populating the two-dimensional and a related three-dimensional design space with all required connectors and bracketing to support the indicated placement of the given product, the computer system comprising:

a database for storing a plurality of different product components to be used in designing an interior workspace, each product component being defined by (i) associated parameters that define each type of component, and (ii) attributes that are defined by rules, characteristics and behaviors of each component and any associated hardware for connecting or providing structural support for each type of component;

a graphical user interface (GUI) for inputting to the system a two-dimensional design space and identifying within the two-dimensional design space a first product component that is to be placed within an indicated region of the design space defined by a starting and an end point;

a system processor programmed to

retrieve from the database the identified first product component and automatically replicate the first product component in a manner that fits the first product component to the indicated region of the two-dimensional design space, including automatically populating the indicated region of the two-dimensional design space with any required hardware for connecting or providing structural support to the replicated product components required to fit the first product component within the indicated region of the design space;

automatically constrain the vertical position of the first product component and generate a three-dimensional view that is fully consistent with the two-dimensional view, including automatically populating the corresponding indicated region in the three-dimensional design space with any required hardware for connecting or providing structural support to the replicated product components required to fit the first product component within the indicated region of the design space.