COMPUTER AIDED MODELING

• US 20130328872A1
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tekla Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tekla Corporation
• Inventors: Suomi, Jukka, Rousu, Ville, Wessman, Ragnar, Manninen, Jarmo, Villa, Petteri
• Granted Patent: US 10,417,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/420
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

To facilitate modeling a virtual object type is introduced. The virtual object type is a generic modeling aid by means of which one or more virtual objects, each representing a three-dimensional determined volume within a model, may be created, the virtual object being usable for modeling one or more physical objects representing one or more articles that will or may exist in the real world.

Claims

1. A computerized modeling method, comprising:

providing a modeling application with different specific physical object types and a virtual object type that is a generic modeling aid having parameters for defining at least a three-dimensional volume and its location in a model; and

using the virtual object type to create one or more virtual objects, each representing a three-dimensional determined volume within a model, a virtual object being usable for modeling one or more physical objects by corresponding specific physical object types, the difference between the one or more virtual objects and the one or more physical objects being that the one or more physical objects represent one or more articles that may or will exist in the real world, whereas none of the one or more virtual objects does not represent such an article.

2. A computerized modeling method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

creating a virtual object by determining a three-dimensional volume and a location for the virtual object in a model;

creating at least one physical object by means of the virtual object and a corresponding specific physical object type;

associating the at least one physical object with the virtual object; and

storing the virtual object and the at least one physical object with their definitions to the model.

3. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting creation of at least one physical object;

determining a three-dimensional volume based on the at least one physical object so that the at least one physical object will be within the three-dimensional volume;

creating a virtual object by using the three-dimensional volume and the location of the at least one physical object as definitions for the virtual object;

associating the at least one physical object with the virtual object; and

storing the virtual object and the at least one physical object with their definitions to a model.

4. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the virtual object overlaps with another virtual object;

searching for adjacent enough physical objects created by means of the overlapping two virtual objects; and

checking for each found adjacent enough physical object, whether or not combining of them is possible;

if possible, combining the adjacent enough physical objects to a combined physical object; and

associating the combined physical object to both virtual objects.

5. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, further comprising adding or updating a connection between a first physical object associated with a first virtual object and a second physical object associated with a second virtual object in response to a user input indicating a connection.

6. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, wherein the geometry of the virtual object depends on at least one of the following two definitions comprising at least one definition of another virtual object and at least one definition of another physical object, and the virtual object is associated with each object on which the geometry of the virtual object depends.

7. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, further comprising changing, in response to a change in the geometry of the virtual object, associated objects correspondingly.

8. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, further comprising using the virtual object to create a model of a first physical object of a first physical object type that is to be included into a second physical object of a second physical object type.

9. A computerized modeling method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one physical object is a reinforcement.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to

execute a modeling application that comprises different specific physical object types, each physical object type having parameters for defining a physical object and its location in a model, the physical object representing an article that may or will exist in real world, and a virtual object type that is a generic modeling aid having parameters for defining at least a three-dimensional volume and its location in the model; and

use, during the execution of the modeling application, the virtual object type to create one or more virtual objects, each representing a three-dimensional determined volume within the model;

use, during the execution of the modeling application, at least one of the one or more virtual objects for modeling one or more physical objects by corresponding specific physical object types;

associate the at least one physical object with the virtual object; and

store the virtual object and the at least one physical object with their definitions to the model.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

detect creation of at least one physical object;

determine a three-dimensional volume based on the at least one physical object so that the at least one physical object will be within the three-dimensional volume;

create a virtual object by using the three-dimensional volume and the location of the at least one physical object as definitions for the virtual object;

associate the at least one physical object with the virtual object; and

store the virtual object and the at least one physical object with their definitions to a model.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to associate the virtual object with each object on which the geometry of the virtual object depends, the geometry of the virtual object depending on at least one of the following two definitions comprising at least one definition of another virtual object and at least one definition of another physical object.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions executable by a computer such that execution of said instructions by the computer will cause the computer to:

provide a modeling application with different specific physical object types and a virtual object type that is a generic modeling aid having parameters for defining at least a three-dimensional volume and its location in a model; and

use the virtual object type to create one or more virtual objects, each representing a three-dimensional determined volume within a model, a virtual object being usable for modeling one or more physical objects by corresponding specific physical object types, the difference between the one or more virtual objects and the one or more physical objects being that the one or more physical objects represent one or more articles that may or will exist in the real world, whereas none of the one or more virtual objects does not represent such an article.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 13 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to:

create a virtual object by determining a three-dimensional volume and a location for the virtual object in a model;

create at least one physical object by means of the virtual object and a corresponding specific physical object type;

associate the at least one physical object with the virtual object; and

store the virtual object and the at least one physical object with their definitions to the model.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 13 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to:

detect creation of at least one physical object;

determine a three-dimensional volume based on the at least one physical object so that the at least one physical object will be within the three-dimensional volume;

create a virtual object by using the three-dimensional volume and the location of the at least one physical object as definitions for the virtual object;

associate the at least one physical object with the virtual object; and

store the virtual object and the at least one physical object with their definitions to a model.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 13 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to:

detect that the virtual object overlaps with another virtual object;

search for adjacent enough physical objects created by means of the overlapping two virtual objects; and

check for each found adjacent enough physical object, whether or not combining of them is possible;

if possible, combine the adjacent enough physical objects to a combined physical object; and

associating the combined physical object to both virtual objects.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 13 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to add or update a connection between a first physical object associated with a first virtual object and a second physical object associated with a second virtual object in response to a user input indicating a connection.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 13 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to associate the virtual object with each object on which the geometry of the virtual object depends, the geometry of the virtual object depending on at least one of the following two definitions comprising at least one definition of another virtual object and at least one definition of another physical object.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 13 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to change, in response to a change in the geometry of the virtual object, associated objects correspondingly.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 13 and having further computer-readable instructions which will further cause the computer to use the virtual object to create a model of a first physical object of a first physical object type that is to be included into a second physical object of a second physical object type.