Parts selection apparatus and parts selection system with CAD function

• US 6,289,254 B1
• Filed: 01/21/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sawada, Hideki, Sato, Katsuya, Muramatsu, Yumi, Kochiya, Hiroshi, Hayashi, Kimiyoshi, Shimizu, Munenori, Kato, Motoaki, Iyoda, Tadatsugu, Ichiki, Takanobu, Nakagawa, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CABRERA, ZOILA E
• Application Number:
  US09/010,308
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 700/96, 700/182, 700/97, 700/98, 700/99, 700/104, 700/106
• US Class Current: 700/96
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/12 Symbolic schematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]

Abstract

Since a plurality of electric CAD systems (CAD) 1 generate circuit diagram data with different data structures, input interface (IF) software (SOFT) implements processing for extracting predetermined item data used in parts selection SOFT from each CAD, and processing for adding data obtained by the parts selection SOFT to each CAD. The parts selection SOFT implements selection of parts, output of slips, and the like on the basis of the predetermined item data. Output IF-SOFT converts information associated with the selected parts output from the parts selection SOFT into a different data format used in the subsequent process, and outputs the converted information.

Claims

1. A parts selection apparatus for selecting parts that make up a product from database means which registers information associated with a plurality of parts, characterized by comprising:

information extraction means for extracting information of a predetermined item from external information and generating selection information to be processed by said parts selection apparatus;

parts selection means for selecting, from said database means, a part in accordance with the selection information generated by said information extraction means, and writing the selection result in the selection information;

information output means for outputting the selection information in which the selection result is written by said parts selection means; and

in that a plurality of pairs of information extraction means and information output means equivalent to said information extraction means and said information output means are arranged in correspondence with external information generated in different software formats, and can be selected in accordance with the software format of the external information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said information output means outputs the selection information in which the selection result is written by said parts selection means to the external information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said information extraction means comprises:

related information extraction means for extracting reference symbols assigned to individual parts and their related information included in the external information;

description format conversion means for converting a description format unique to the external information to a description format to be processed by said parts selection apparatus; and

selection information edit means having a function of generating new selection information on the basis of information converted by said description format conversion means and a function of matching the new selection information generated by the function and existing selection information.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said information output means comprises:

selection information extraction means for extracting information corresponding to the information of the predetermined item in the selection information;

description format inverse conversion means for inversely converting the information extracted by said selection information extraction means into a description format unique to the external information; and

inversely converted information output means for outputting the inversely converted information obtained by said description format inverse conversion means to the external information.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said information extraction means comprises:

related information extraction means for extracting reference symbols assigned to individual parts and their related information included in the external information;

description format conversion means for converting a description format unique to the external information to a description format to be processed by said parts selection apparatus; and

selection information edit means having a function of generating new selection information on the basis of information converted by said description format conversion means and a function of matching the new selection information generated by the function and existing selection information.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that said information extraction means further comprises mismatching information output means for detecting mismatching between the new selection information and the existing selection information, and outputting the mismatching information to the external information and/or the selection information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that said information extraction means further comprises mismatching information output means for detecting mismatching between the new selection information and the existing selection information, and outputting the mismatching information to the selection information.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that when said parts selection means selects a part in accordance with the selection information generated by said information extraction means and obtains a plurality of parts as selection candidates, said parts selection means selects a part with higher priority in accordance with a priority order registered in advance.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said parts selection means comprises:

search condition extraction means for extracting a search condition in accordance with information corresponding to the information of the predetermined item in the selection information;

search condition generation means for generating a search condition based on an external input;

search condition changing means for adding and/or changing a search condition based on an external input; and

database search means for searching said database means in accordance with the search condition obtained by one of said search condition extraction means, search condition generation means, and said search condition changing means.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said parts selection means further comprises:

display means for displaying search results of said database search means as parts of selection candidates; and

parts determination means for selecting one of the parts of the selection candidates displayed by said display means.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that said parts determination means selects one of the parts of the selection candidates displayed by said display means in accordance with an external input.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized by further comprising database selection means for, when a plurality of database means equivalent to said database means are arranged, selecting one of said database means.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said information output means comprises:

selection information extraction means for extracting information corresponding to the information of the predetermined item in the selection information of the predetermined item in the selection information;

description format inverse conversion means for inversely converting the information extracted by said selection information extraction means into a description format unique to the external information; and

inversely converted information output means for outputting the inversely converted information obtained by said description format inverse conversion means to the external information.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising:

drawing information generation means for generating drawing information on the basis of the selection information; and

drawing output means for outputting the drawing information output from said drawing information generation means, and in that a plurality of drawing output means equivalent to said drawing output means are arranged, and are selected in correspondence with a target output method.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized by further comprising:

drawing information extraction means for extracting information required for said drawing information generation means from the external information, and in that a plurality of drawing information extraction means equivalent to said drawing information extraction means are arranged in correspondence with a plurality of pieces of external information generated in different formats, and are selected in correspondence with input external information.

16. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said database means registers in advance at least a number of a part and information required for selecting that part, and said parts selection means writes at least the number of the part as the selection result using the reference symbol extracted by said information extraction means as a key.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the information required for selecting the part includes a rated value, maker, and maker model name.

18. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said database means registers in advance at least a rated value, maker, and maker model name of the part;

and

said parts selection means writes at least information associated with the rated value, maker and maker model name of the part as the selection result using the reference symbol extracted by said information extraction means as a key.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said parts selection apparatus is a parts selection apparatus for selecting parts that make up a printed circuit board;

and

printed circuit board design information generation means for generating printed circuit board design information on the basis of the selection information;

the interface means for interfacing the information generated by said printed circuit board design information generation means to an external printed circuit board design apparatus; and

a plurality of interface means equivalent to said interface means are arranged in correspondence with external printed circuit board design apparatuses that process information in different formats, and are selected in accordance with a target external printed circuit board design apparatus.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said parts selection apparatus is a parts selection apparatus for selecting parts that make up a printed circuit board, said apparatus further comprises:

printed circuit board information extraction means for extracting printed circuit board design information from the external information; and

a plurality of printed circuit board information extraction means are arranged in correspondence with a plurality of pieces of external information generated in different formats, and are selected in accordance with input external information.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising:

external factor storage means for storing a plurality of combinations of said information extraction means and/or information output means selected in advance in accordance with a format of the external information and an external factor; and

execution means for executing in turn said information extraction means and/or said information output means stored in the combination information selected from the plurality of pieces of combination information stored in said external factor storage means.

22. A parts selection system which comprises design means for designing a product, and parts selection means for selecting parts that make up the product from database means which registers information associated with a plurality of parts, characterized in that said parts selection means comprises:

information extraction means for extracting information of a predetermined item from design information generated by said design means;

generating selecting information to be processed by said parts selection apparatus;

parts selection means for selecting, from said database means, a part in accordance with the selection information generated by said information extraction means, and writing the selection result in the selection information;

information output means for outputting the selection information in which the selection result is written by said parts selection means; and

a plurality of pairs of information extraction means and information output means equivalent to said information extraction means are arranged in correspondence with the design information generated in different software formats, and can be selected in accordance with design means of the design information.

23. The system according to claim 22, characterized in that said information output means outputs the selection information in which the selection result is written by said parts selection means to the design information.

24. The system according to claim 23, characterized in that said information extraction means comprises:

related information extraction means for extracting reference symbols assigned to individual parts and their related information included in the design information;

description format conversion means for converting a description format unique to the design information to a description format to be processed by said parts selection apparatus; and

selection information edit means having a function of generating new selection information on the basis of information converted by said description format conversion means and a function of matching the new selection information generated by the function and existing selection information.

25. The system according to claim 22, characterized in that said information extraction means comprises:

related information extraction means for extracting reference symbols assigned to individual parts and their related information included in the design information;

description format conversion means for converting a description format unique to the design information to a description format to be processed by said parts selection apparatus; and

selection information edit means having a function of generating new selection information on the basis of information converted by said description format conversion means and a function of matching the new selection information generated by the function and existing selection information.

26. The system according to claim 25, characterized in that said database means registered in advance at least a rated value, a maker model name of the part;

and

said parts selection means writes at least information associated with the rated value, maker, and maker model name of the part as the selection result using the reference symbol extracted by said information extraction means as a key.

27. The system according to claim 25, characterized in that said database means registers in advance at least a number of a part and information required for selecting that part, and

said parts selection means writes at least the number of the part as the selection result using the reference symbol extracted by said information extraction means as a key.

28. The system according to claim 27, characterized in that the information required for selecting the part includes a rated value, maker, and maker model name.

29. The system according to claim 22, characterized in that when said parts selection means selects a part in accordance with the selection information generated by said information extraction means and obtains a plurality of parts as selection candidates, said parts selection means selects a part with higher priority in accordance with a priority order registered in advance.