Texture generating apparatus for dynamic interference checking

• US 6,882,347 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Williams, Ian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Razavi, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOOD JOHNSON, MOTILEWA
• Application Number:
  US09/727,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20020063720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 345/582, 706/919
• US Class Current: 345/582
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2012 Colour editing, changing, or manipulating; Use of colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2024 Style variation

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus, system, and method for performing interference checking of the design in a project, component or part thereof to a designer, engineer, team of designers, or a team of engineers. In one embodiment, the present invention is comprised of a texture generating apparatus adapted to provide proximity analysis of objects in a design by dynamically generating a texture visually indicative of the spatial relationship between the modeled objects. In this embodiment, the texture generating apparatus is further comprised of a processing element. The processing element is adapted to perform the calculations of the interference check. The texture generating apparatus is further comprising a texture generating element. The texture generating element is adapted to provide the texture on which the interference check is based. The texture generating apparatus is further comprised a rendering element. The rendering element is adapted to provide the rendering of the texture onto the object in a design.

Claims

1. A texture generating apparatus, configured in a CAD (computer aided design) adapted computer graphic system, adapted to provide proximity analysis of objects in a design by generating, manipulating and applying a texture visually indicating the spatial relationship between the modeled objects, the texture generating apparatus comprising:

a) a processing portion adapted to perform calculations of the proximity analysis;

b) a texture coordinates generator portion coupled to said processing portion adapted to provide coordinates relating the texture to be rendered onto the objects in a the design; and

c) a rendering portion coupled to said texture coordinates generator adapted to provide renderability of the texture onto the objects in a the design, and

wherein the texture generator is adapted to provide a gradation corresponding to the spatial relationship of the component of a design and a defined plane based on said calculations.

2. A texture generating apparatus, configured in a CAD (computer aided design) adapted computer graphic system, adapted to provide proximity analysis of objects in a design by generating, manipulating and applying a texture visually indicating the spatial relationship between the modeled objects, the texture generating apparatus comprising:

a) a processing portion adapted to perform calculations of the proximity analysis;

b) a texture coordinates generator portion coupled to said processing portion adapted to provide coordinates relating the texture to be rendered onto the objects in a the design; and

c) a rendering portion coupled to said texture coordinates generator adapted to provide renderability of the texture onto the objects in a the design, and

wherein the rendering portion is adapted to render the texture onto the first object such that the gradation indicates the spatial relationship of the first object and the second object as reflected in said calculations.

3. A texture generating apparatus, configured in a CAD (computer aided design) adapted computer graphic system, adapted to provide proximity analysis of objects in a design by generating, manipulating and applying a texture visually indicating the spatial relationship between the modeled objects, the texture generating apparatus comprising:

a) a processing portion adapted to perform calculations of the proximity analysis;

b) a texture coordinates generator portion coupled to said processing portion adapted to provide coordinates relating the texture to be rendered onto the objects in a the design; and

c) a rendering portion coupled to said texture coordinates generator adapted to provide renderability of the texture onto the objects in a the design, and

wherein the texture generator is further adapted to enable a user to reposition the first object such that the texture and the gradation thereof rendered upon the first object is reflective of the altered spatial relationship between the first object and the second object during and following the repositioning as reflected in said calculations.

4. A texture generating apparatus, configured in a CAD (computer aided design) adapted computer graphic system, adapted to provide proximity analysis of objects in a design by generating, manipulating and applying a texture visually indicating the spatial relationship between the modeled objects, the texture generating apparatus comprising:

a) a processing portion adapted to perform calculations of the proximity analysis;

b) a texture coordinates generator portion coupled to said processing portion adapted to provide coordinates relating the texture to be rendered onto the objects in a the design; and

c) a rendering portion coupled to said texture coordinates generator adapted to provide renderability of the texture onto the objects in a the design, and

wherein the texture generator is further adapted to generate a renderable texture so as to enable a user to apply the texture having a gradation on a per frame basis upon the objects in a design.

5. A texture generating apparatus, configured in a CAD (computer aided design) adapted computer graphic system, adapted to provide proximity analysis of objects in a design by generating, manipulating and applying a texture visually indicating the spatial relationship between the modeled objects, the texture generating apparatus comprising:

a) a processing portion adapted to perform calculations of the proximity analysis;

b) a texture coordinates generator portion coupled to said processing portion adapted to provide coordinates relating the texture to be rendered onto the objects in a the design; and

c) a rendering portion coupled to said texture coordinates generator adapted to provide renderability of the texture onto the objects in a the design, and

wherein the texture generator is further adapted to generate a renderable texture so as to enable a user to dynamically apply an alternative texture having a gradation on a per frame basis during repositioning of the first object relative to the second object.

6. In a CAD (computer aided design) system for performing proximity analysis of objects in a design, a method for visually indicating the spatial relationship between modeled objects, comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a proximity value characterizing a spatial relationship between a first object and a second object;

(b) generating a texture having a gradation corresponding to the proximity value, the generating performed by a texture generator coupled to receive the proximity value;

(c) rendering the texture onto the first object such that the gradation indicates the spatial relationship of the first object and the second object;

(d) displaying the first object and the second object using a display such that the texture and the gradation rendered onto the first object visually indicates the spatial relationship between the first object and the second object; and

(e) repositioning the first object such that the texture and the gradation thereof rendered upon the fist object is reflective of the altered spatial relationship between the first object and the second object during and following the repositioning.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the gradation is used to implement visual contours on the first object corresponding to a distance from the second object.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the gradation is used to implement visual colors on the first object corresponding to a distance from the second object.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the first object is a component of a design and the second object is a defined plane.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the first object is a defined plane and the second object is a component of a design.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the plane is a defined boundary for the component with respect to the design.