Reusable design model and apparatus

• US 6,385,563 B1
• Filed: 11/10/1998
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Vora, Rahul, Zundel, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, HUGH M
• Application Number:
  US09/189,425
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 703/6
• US Class Current: 703/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

A reusable model of a three-dimensional object is created on a computer system. The reusable model includes model objects and internal constraints on the model objects. The internal constraints maintain the structure of the reusable model with respect to the three-dimensional object. The reusable model can have inputs that accept directed and non-directed external constraints with models using the reusable model. The inputs define the direct methods for modifying the structure of the reusable model. The reusable model can have outputs that have directed constraints with models using the reusable model. The outputs provide a direct method for using the structure of the reusable model to modify the structure of the model using the reusable model. Nondirected constraints may be associated between the model using the reusable model and the reusable model to position the reusable model in the model.

Claims

1. A method of providing a reusable model of a three-dimensional object for use in modeling three-dimensional objects comprising the following steps:

selecting a set of model objects defining a structure of the reusable model, the set of model objects allowing a first set of external nondirected constraints, including a perpendicular constraint, a parallel constraint, an adjacency constraint, a plane to plane distance constraint, a line to line distance constraint, a point to plain distance constraint, a linear equation constraint, and a concentric constraint, which define a relationship to be solved by a solver program to position the reusable model in a model using the reusable model;

establishing a set of internal constraints to maintain the structure of the reusable model;

receiving a set of inputs for allowing a first set of external directed constraints, including a transformer constraint, a solver constraint, a chronological constraint, a copier constraint, a feature constraint, a component constraint, and a sketch plan constraint, which define a relationship to be solved by the solver program to position and define the structure of the reusable model in a model using the reusable model, and a second external nondirected constraint to be used as an input to the reusable model that defines a relationship to be solved by the solver program that positions and defines the structure of the reusable model and a structure of the model using the reusable model; and

generating a set of outputs for providing outputs that includes a point, a line and a plane, to a second external directed constraint associated with the reusable model that defines a relationship to be solved by the solver program to define the structure of the model using the reusable model based on the structure of the reusable model.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first external nondirected constraint defines a relationship to be solved by a solver program to position the reusable model in a model using the reusable model.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of internal constraints includes directed and nondirected constraints that define relationships to be solved by a solver program to maintain the coherency of the reusable model with respect to the three-dimensional object.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the internal constraints include geometric constraints between the model objects of the reusable model.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the internal constraints define parameters to mathematical formulae that define the structure of the reusable model.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one input of the set of inputs has a predefined set of acceptable values and the reusable model for causing a solver program to signal an error when satisfying either the first external directed constraint or the second external nondirected constraint would require setting the at least one input to a value not in the predefined set of acceptable values.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a default value is provided for at least one of the inputs, the default value defining the structure of the reusable model until it is constrained in a model using the reusable model.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the reusable model is of a steel I-beam and the set of inputs includes a length input, a height input and a bending moment capacity input.

9. A computer-aided design system for creating reusable design components for use in modeling three-dimensional objects, the system comprising:

a computer processor connected to a memory storage with a modeling application for defining a set of model objects that define the structure of a reusable design component, the set of model objects allowing a first set of external nondirected constraints to be associated with the reusable design component, including a transformer constraint, a solver constraint, a chronological constraint, a copier constraint, a feature constraint, a component constraint, and a sketch plan constraint, which define a relationship to be solved by the solver program to position the reusable model in a model using the reusable model, and wherein the computer processor is directed by the modeling application;

to define a set of internal constraints to maintain the structure of the reusable design component;

to define a set of inputs for allowing a first set of external directed constraints, including a transformer constraint, a solver constraint, a chronological constraint, a copier constraint, a feature constraint, a component constraint, and a sketch plan constraint, which define a relationship to be solved by the solver program to position and define the of the reusable model in a model using the reusable model, and a second external nondirected constraint to be used as an input to the reusable design component that defines a relationship to be solved by the solver program that positions and defines the structure of the reusable model and a structure of the model using the reusable model; and

to define a set of outputs for providing outputs to a second external directed constraint associated with the reusable design component that defines a relationship to be solved by the solver program to define the structure of the model using the reusable model based on the structure of the reusable model.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the system includes a means for defining a two-dimensional image of the reusable design component with a set of predefined inputs.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the system includes a means for defining a set of predefined values for at least one input of the set of inputs.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the system includes a means for defining a default value for at least one input of the set of inputs.