Method and apparatus for aiding of designing process

• US 5,576,965 A
• Filed: 04/12/1993
• Issued: 11/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ishida, Atsuhiro, Arino, Shoji, Tonosaki, Yoko, Katsuta, Katsuyoshi, Haga, Noriyuki, Akasaka, Shingo, Arai, Yoshinao, Ogawa, Tomoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Envall, Jr., Roy N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): OAKES, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US08/045,129
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 364/468, 364/578, 364/191, 364/478, 364/401, 395/919, 395/925
• US Class Current: 700/97
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/04 Constraint-based CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales

Abstract

In a design aiding method, a design aiding apparatus having the method, or a design aiding system possessing a plurality of such design aiding apparatuses for use in a field of computer software to facilitate a design process, there is determined, for a product having many variations of attributes and values thereof, an appropriate design procedure according to a state of design in a process of determining the attribute values of the product satisfying a request of a client. At occurrence of, for example, conflict during the design, the design procedure is guided for the user to obtain a design plan conforming to the request.

Claims

1. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model;

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

control panel display means for displaying, for the user to select an inference execution processing pattern, an inference mode selection menu capable of selecting a first inference mode for sequential selection or a second inference mode for candidate retaining, wherein;

the first mode is operative, when a plurality of combinations of attributes which can be selected appear during the inference, for sequentially displaying attribute value selecting combinations, thereby requesting the user to select a desired one of the combinations, and

the second mode is operative, when the inference is continued while the combinations are retained as candidate values in values ranges of the respective attribute values of the attribute model, for displaying after the inference is finished the candidate values in difference colors in the attribute value menu of the attribute value input and display screen.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further including:

design strategy control means; and

menu display means disposed in the control panel display means for displaying a request pattern number selection menu capable of selecting a variety of design requests from the user, wherein

the design strategy control means includes means for accessing data of importance for each of the attributes and each of the constraints registered for each request pattern to obtain an importance of each of the attributes and each of the constraints associated with a request pattern number, for setting the importance to the attributes and the constraints, and for determining an execution sequence of constraint propagation according to the set importance, thereby creating appropriate design procedures conforming to a variety of requests from the user.

3. A design aiding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control panel means includes a menu for selection of storage/non-storage of design history information and display/non-display of an inference execution trace, thereby enabling the user to select a case where the state of inference execution is desired to be confirmed or a case where the state is not desired to be confirmed.

4. A design aiding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control panel means includes a menu for selection of display/non-display of a graphic menu to guide an input of attribute values, thereby enabling the user to select a case where the user is a beginner and necessitates guidance of the input of attribute values or a case where the user is an expert and the guidance is unnecessitated.

5. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

confirmation means for the input of a request specification by the user and the confirmation of a design specification of a product determined by an inference, including;

attribute value input and display means for displaying, when a user inputs a request specification, a list of attribute name fields and attribute value fields, and being responsive to a selection of one of the attribute values by the user for displaying values which can be selected for the attribute value in a menu with characters or graphic images, thereby guiding the input of attribute values, and displaying attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an inference operation or computation,

wherein the attribute value input and display screen includes means, for the user to confirm reasons for decision of attribute values, for judging to determine whether the value set to each of the attribute values of the attribute model is a value input by the user, a default value, or a value set through an inference and for displaying the respective values in different colors,

execution command menu display means for displaying a command menu to initiate execution of an inference, and

design plan display means for generating contour data of a design object model according to attribute values resultant from the execution of the inference and displaying a design plan.

6. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

confirmation means for the input of a request specification by the user and the confirmation of a design specification of a product determined by an inference, including;

attribute value input and display means for displaying, when a user inputs a request specification, a list of attribute name fields and attribute value fields, and being responsive to a selection of one of the attribute values by the user for displaying values which can be selected for the attribute value in a menu with characters or graphic images, thereby guiding the input of attribute values, and displaying attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an inference operation or computation, wherein the attribute value input and display means includes;

means for classifying the attributes for each of the constituent elements of the design object model and for displaying results of classification as header items in a list, and

means, operative when the user selects one of the header items, for displaying attribute name fields and attribute value fields only in a range of the selected header item in a list on the attribute value input and display screen, thereby helping the user to detect attributes to be input even when the number of attributes is increased,

execution command menu display means for displaying a command menu to initiate execution of an inference, and

design plan display means for generating contour data of a design object model according to attribute values resultant from the execution of the inference and displaying a design plan.

7. A design aiding apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the header item list menu includes means for displaying header items in different colors discriminatingly between a case where the attribute values are completely decided in the range of each of the header items and a case where at least one of the attribute values are not decided, thereby helping the user easily judge whether the design is being executed or the attribute values are completely decided.

8. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

confirmation means for the input of a request specification by the user and the confirmation of a design specification of a product determined by an inference, including;

attribute value input and display means for displaying, when a user inputs a request specification, a list of attribute name fields and attribute value fields, and being responsive to a selection of one of the attribute values by the user for displaying values which can be selected for the attribute value in a menu with characters or graphic images, thereby guiding the input of attribute values, and displaying attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an inference operation or computation,

wherein the attribute value input and display means includes means for displaying a range of values in an inequality in the form of a menu when the attribute value is indicated to have an attribute of numeric value,

execution command menu display means for displaying a command menu to initiate execution of an inference, and

design plan display means for generating contour data of a design object model according to attribute values resultant from the execution of the inference and displaying a design plan.

9. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting included;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

confirmation means for the input of a request specification by the user and the confirmation of a design specification of a product determined by an inference, including;

attribute value input and display means for displaying, when a user inputs a request specification, a list of attribute name fields and attribute value fields, and being responsive to a selection of one of the attribute values by the user for displaying values which can be selected for the attribute value in a menu with characters or graphic images, thereby guiding the input of attribute values, and displaying attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an inference operation or computation,

wherein the attribute value input and display means includes;

means for displaying an attribute value lock/unlock setting field for locking or unlocking the attribute value for each of the attributes of the attribute model, and

means responsive to the user clicking on the lock/unlock field of an attribute related to an attribute value for which the user requests, in the request specification, rejection of a change of the value during an inference, for setting the attribute value to a locked state, thereby changing attribute values other than those locked in an execution of a design operation, while keeping the locked values unchanged,

execution command menu display means for displaying a command menu to initiate execution of an inference, and

design plan display means for generating contour data of a design object model according to attribute values resultant from the execution of the inference and displaying a design plan.

10. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to-the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

confirmation means for the input of a request specification by the user and the confirmation of a design specification of a product determined by an inference, including;

attribute value input and display means for displaying, when a user inputs a request specification, a list of attribute name fields and attribute value fields, and being responsive to a selection of one of the attribute values by the user for displaying values which can be selected for the attribute value in a menu with characters or graphic images, thereby guiding the input of attribute values, and displaying attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an inference operation or computation, wherein the attribute value input and display means includes means in an attribute lock/unlock setting field, operative when the attribute lock/unlock setting field of the locked attribute value is clicked again, for restoring the locked state thereof to an unlocked state, thereby facilitating cancellation of the lock request,

execution command menu display means for displaying a command menu to initiate execution of an inference, and

design plan display means for generating contour data of a design object model according to attribute values resultant from the execution of the inference and displaying a design plan.

11. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

confirmation means for the input of a request specification by the user and the confirmation of a design specification of a product determined by an inference, said confirmation means includes;

attribute value input and display means for displaying, when a user inputs a request specification, a list of attribute name fields and attribute value fields, and being responsive to a selection of one of the attribute values by the user for displaying values which can be selected for the attribute value in a menu with characters or graphic images, thereby guiding the input of attribute values, and displaying attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an inference operation or computation, design plan display means for generating contour data of a design object model according to attribute values resultant from the execution of the inference and displaying a design plan

execution command menu display means for displaying a command menu to initiate execution of an inference,

wherein the execution command menu display screen for displaying therein a command menu to initiate execution of an inference includes;

means for displaying a procedure guide command menu, operative at an occurrence of a conflict during a design, for indicating a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints, thereby executing a function to guide a procedure of generating a substitutional design plan,

means for displaying a check diagram display command menu to display a design plan according to attribute values determined after the execution of the inference,

means for displaying a control panel command menu to call and to represent a control panel screen in which an inference mode is set, and

means for displaying a system end command menu.

12. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain a selection of one of the attribute values by the user for displaying values which can be selected for the attribute value in a menu with characters or graphic images, thereby guiding the input of attribute values, and displaying attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an inference operation or computation, wherein the attribute value input and display means includes, to facilitate the user to confirm the contents of attributes to be input, contour data retrieval and display means and dimension line display means,

the contour data retrieval and display means being responsive to an input of an attribute value related to a basic structure representing a contour pattern of the design object model for retrieving, with the input attribute value set as a retrieval key, not-scale contour data beforehand registered for each contour pattern, thereby displaying the contour data,

the dimension line display means being responsive to a click of an attribute name field in the attribute value input and display screen for judging whether correspondence exists between the respective attributes of the attribute model and dimensions of the contour of the design object model and for displaying the dimension lines discriminatingly in different shapes and colors in a not-scale drawing,

execution command menu display means for displaying a command menu to initiate execution of an inference, and

design plan display means for generating contour data of a design object model according to attribute values resultant from the execution of the inference and displaying a design plan.

13. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

confirmation means for the input of a request specification by the user and the confirmation of a design specification of a product determined by an inference, including;

attribute value input and display means for displaying, when a user inputs a request specification, a list of attribute name fields and attribute value fields, and being responsive to a selection of one of the attribute values by the user for displaying values which can be selected for the attribute value in a menu with characters or graphic images, thereby guiding the input of attribute values, and displaying attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an inference operation or computation,

execution command menu display means for displaying a command menu to initiate execution of an inference, and

design plan display means for generating contour data of a design object model according to attribute values resultant from the execution of the inference and displaying a design plan; and

means for simultaneously displaying one of an attribute value input and display screen, an-attribute value input not-scale drawing screen and a design plan display screen, with an inference execution and procedure guide command menu, wherein;

the contents of attribute values input by the user can be compared with a design plan generated according to the input attribute values to help the user evaluate the design plan, and

a procedure guidance selection menu can be immediately selected, in a case where a problem is present, to achieve an operation of countermeasure.

14. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan; and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

confirmation means for the input of a request specification by the user and the confirmation of a design specification of a product determined by an inference, including;

attribute value input and display means for displaying, when a user inputs a request specification, a list of attribute name fields and attribute value fields, and being responsive to a selection of one of the attribute values by the user for displaying values which can be selected for the attribute value in a menu with characters or graphic images, thereby guiding the input of attribute values, and displaying attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an inference operation or computation,

execution command menu display means for displaying a command menu to initiate execution of an inference, and

design plan display means for generating contour data of a design object model according to attribute values resultant from the execution of the inference and displaying a design plan;

means, operative after the design object model change function automatically changes, at an occurrence of a change or a conflict of attributes in a creation of a design plan according to the input attribute values or at an intermediate point of design, the attributes of a design object model and constraint knowledge to be used for creation of a design plan to prepare a set of attributes and a set of constraints necessary for a structure of product, for displaying a list of attribute name fields and attribute value fields which have undergone change; and

means responsive to a selection of one of the attribute value fields by the user for displaying in a character or graphic menu values which can be selected for the attribute value after the change.

15. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model,

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation, and

(d) means for displaying a new/registered item data selection screen capable of selecting a system operation for a case in which a user desires to create a design plan for a new item and a case in which a user desires to modify a design plan of an existing item;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan; and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints; and

said apparatus further comprising;

confirmation means for the input of a request specification by the user and the confirmation of a design specification of a product determined by an inference, said confirmation means includes;

attribute value input and display means for displaying, when a user inputs a request specification, a list of attribute name fields and attribute value fields, and being responsive to a selection of one of the attribute values by the user for displaying values which can be selected for the attribute value in a menu with characters or graphic images, thereby guiding the input of attribute values, and displaying attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an inference operation or computation,

execution command menu display means for displaying a command menu to initiate execution of an inference, and

design plan display means for generating contour data of a design object model according to attribute values resultant from the execution of the inference and displaying a design plan.

16. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan; and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model representing design specification items of a product, constraints representing relational rules between attributes, and knowledge data of product structure defining a set of attributes and a set of constraints which are required according to the product structure;

design strategy knowledge storage means in which a plurality of weight data items are registered to each of the attributes and each of the constraints for each request pattern of the client;

means for providing countermeasure know-how for use in a case in which a conflict occurs between attributes during a design;

model change means, operative when the user inputs an attribute value for a product structure in the input request specification, for changing an active state of each of the attribute set and the constraint set to be used for creation of a design plan in the attributes and the constraints of the design object model storage means according to the product structure, thereby coping with a change of the structure;

design strategy control means for reading, according to a request pattern number of client input by the user, weight data from the design strategy knowledge and assigning the weight data to the respective attributes and constraints;

activation possible constraint extracting means for extracting, according to attributes for which values are already set in the attribute model and the constraint knowledge, constraints which can be activated;

activation constraint judge means for judging to determine, according to the weight data assigned to the respective constraints and attributes, a constraint which has a higher importance among plural executable constraints thus extracted and which is to be preferentially executed, thereby generating design procedures conforming to a variety of request of a client; and

procedure guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during a design, for giving advice for creation of a substitutional design plan to solve the conflict according to the countermeasure associated with a method of changing attribute values of the product structure, a method of changing request input attribute values, or a method of mitigating constraints, thereby presenting appropriate know-how advice according to the state of design and computing a design solution at a high speed.

17. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model; and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

means responsive to an input of an attribute value related to a basic structure representing a contour pattern of the design object model for retrieving, for the user to confirm the contents of attributes to be input, contour data of a not-scale drawing registered for each contour pattern with the input attribute value set as a retrieval key;

means for displaying the retrieved not-scale drawing; and

attribute value input not-scale drawing display means responsive to a click of an attribute name field of the attribute value input means by the user for judging to determine correspondences between the respective attribute values of the design object model and dimensions of the contour of the design object model and displaying dimension lines with different shapes and in different colors.

18. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model, and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints;

said apparatus further comprising;

not-scale drawing data registration means in which, to facilitate construction of not-scale drawing data, there are registered not-scale drawing data, correspondences between the not-scale drawing data and attribute names, and retrieval conditions of not scale drawings.

19. An apparatus for aiding a process for producing a design solution, wherein, on the basis of design knowledge including an attribute model representing a design specification of a product expressed by a group of a plurality of attributes and values of said attributes and constraints declaratively expressing relational rules among said attributes, attribute value is inferred from an input of a required specification from a user to satisfy the constraint, said apparatus comprising:

means for changing over between a group of a plurality of attributes and constraints necessary for an inference in accordance with a change of structure of a product;

means for obtaining a design solution by tracing a constraint network defined by said group of attributes and constraints, for producing a process for determining unknown attribute values in response to various requests from a customer, and for inferring attribute values successively in accordance with said process; and

means for repeatedly starting said changing-over means in accordance with a selection by the user, such that, when a conflict arises in said inferring of attribute values, an advice about a change of the indicated product structure, an input attribute value and a relieving of the constraints is provided as a countermeasure for resolving the conflict;

wherein said means for changing over includes;

(a) design object model storage means for storing therein an attribute model in which a design specification of a product is represented in the form of a set of attributes and values thereof and constraints representing relational rules between respective attributes,

(b) input guide means for guiding an input of attribute values when the user inputs a request specification and setting the input values to the attribute model, and

(c) design plan display means for displaying a design plan according to attribute values set to the attribute model as a result of an input operation, an inference operation or a computation;

wherein said means for obtaining a design solution includes;

(a) constraint propagation executing order decision means for detecting, based on attributes for which values are already set in said attribute model and said constraints, executable constraints according to values set to said attribute values, and

(b) local constraint propagation means for accessing said design object model storage means to obtain therefrom constraints determined for execution by said design procedure guiding section, for executing the obtained constraints, and for setting calculated attribute values to the attribute model, and

wherein said means for repeatedly starting includes;

(a) input guide means, operative when a conflict occurs between attributes during designing of a method of changing attribute values or mitigating constraints according to a setting state of attribute values in said attribute model, thereby creating a substitutional design plan, and

(b) conflict detecting means for detecting a conflict between the attribute values according to the constraints; and

said apparatus further comprising constraint control, including;

constraint condition mitigating means, operative when the values already determined for attributes including input values do not satisfy constraint conditions, for enabling the designer to specify mitigation of the constraint conditions, and

a constraint mitigation level storage section for storing, when storing a design solution or an intermediate result of design, a mitigation level of each of the constraint conditions used to attain the design plan or the intermediate result of design.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein there is provided means, operating in place of the operation of an designer to input attribute values, for automatically setting attribute values in accordance with another design system.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein there is provided means, operating in place of operation of a designer to specify a constraint and a mitigation level for mitigation, for automatically determining the constraint and the mitigation level.

22. An apparatus according to claim 19, further including a design purpose storage section for storing therein, together with the mitigation level of each of the constraints, a design purpose for the mitigation of the constraint.