Method and sysetm for design and drafting

• US 5,655,095 A
• Filed: 08/16/1996
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Auto-Dimensions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Adra Systems, Inc. (Softech Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wells, Stuart, LoNegro, Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US08/699,118
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 395/964, 395/349
• US Class Current: 715/825
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/012 Dimensioning, tolerancing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/964 CAD or CAM, e.g. interactive design tools

Abstract

A dimension indicator is automatically created to define the size of a geometric object or the spatial relationship between two geometric objects for a user of a computer-aided design and drafting system by the data processing steps of displaying one or more geometric objects; determining the geometry of one or more of the displayed objects; choosing one of a plurality of possible dimension indicators for the object(s) based on the determination in the previous step; displaying an image of the chosen dimension indicator until a placement location is selected for the chosen dimension indicator; and then displaying the dimension indicator in the vicinity of the placement location.

Claims

1. A method for automatically choosing and then displaying a dimension indicator type for indicating the size of a geometric object for a user of a computer-aided design and drafting system, comprising the following steps which are performed automatically by the computer-aided design and drafting system:

(a) identifying one of a plurality of possible geometries as the geometry of a displayed geometric object;

(b) choosing one of a plurality of possible dimension indicator types for the object based on the identification in step (a);

(c) displaying an image of the chosen dimension indicator until a placement location is selected for the chosen dimension indicator; and

(d) displaying the chosen dimension indicator type in the vicinity of the placement location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of possible geometries includes a circle, an arc, a line, and a spline.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a diameter indicator, a radius indicator, and a length indicator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a diameter indicator, a radius indicator, and a length indicator.

5. A method for automatically choosing and then displaying a dimension indicator type for indicating a spatial relationship between two geometric objects for a user of a computer-aided design and drafting system, comprising the following steps which are performed automatically by the computer-aided design and drafting system:

(a) identifying one of a plurality of possible geometries as the geometry of a first displayed geometric object;

(b) identifying the geometry of a second displayed geometric object;

(c) choosing one of a plurality of possible dimension indicator types for the first and second objects based on the identifications in steps (a) and (b);

(d) displaying an image of the chosen dimension indicator until a placement location is selected for the chosen dimension indicator; and

(e) displaying the chosen dimension indicator type in the vicinity of the placement location.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the plurality of possible geometries includes a line and a point.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a linear separation distance indicator and an angular separation indicator.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a linear separation distance indicator and an angular separation indicator.