Generating cad independent interactive physical description remodeling, building construction plan database profile

• US 6,922,701 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intentionize LLC
• Original Assignee: Newerhome Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Mahovlic, Steven R., Ananian, John A., Duggan, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US09/632,383
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-205, 707/501.1, 707511-514, 700235-236, 700 97- 98, 700/182, 703 1- 6, 345/440, 345/173, 345/866, 345/964, 345/629, 345/418, 702155-156, 702/152, 705 1- 10, 705/400, 705 37- 38, 52/73, 522/26, 52268-272, 52/80, 706/919, 706/923
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• 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: Y10S 706/923 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method for generating an interactive profile of a structure, such as a building, employing an interactive profile system that preferably utilizes an Internet web browser to interface with a user. The interactive profile system includes an application engine embodied in a computer program that is preferably based within a server. A plan set, usually in a CAD format, is received into the interactive profile system, typically submitted by the user or client. The building can be any structure, such as a home, office or warehouse, and can also include the property that the structure occupies. The plan set is converted to a profile data set by the profiling engine. In compliance with an enhanced data protocol, which is a specific format for organizing the profile data set in a standardized array. The profiling engine parses, or extracts, the profile data set to develop and link a plurality of potentially interrelated building. The profiling engine performs a systematic enhancement of the plan set, building upon the elemental physical descriptions of the plan set. Each element of the physical description is functionally analyzed for relational attributes and then expanded and tagged. The user directs a profile query to the application engine of the interactive profile system. The profile query is relatable to the enhanced profile and more specifically relatable to at least one of the plurality of interrelated elements of the building. Typical profile requests can include proposed or actual changes to the building, requests for material listings, and project assessments.

Claims

1. A system for generating a post-CAD interactive profile of a building for use in building and remodeling projects, the system comprising:

a CAD-independent profiling engine executable on a remotely accessible server linked to a computer network, the profiling engine being configured (a) to receive a plan set representing a physical description of the building at a point in time, (b) to create a post-CAD electronic profile of the building based on the elemental plan data, and (c) to store the post-CAD electronic profile in a profile database associated with the CAD-independent profiling engine;

a user-accessible management application executable on a user computing device linked to the computer network, the management application being configured (a) to store asset data for the building in an asset profile database, the asset data including at least some data relating to component parts added to the building post-construction, which were not included in the pre-profiled plan set, (b) to enable a user to assign user-assigned asset properties to the component parts represented in the asset profile database, to thereby modify the asset data over time, and (c) to communicate the asset data, including the user-assigned properties over the computer network;

an application engine executable on a remotely accessible server linked to a computer network, the application engine being configured (a) to receive the asset data from the management application, and to store the asset data with the user-assigned properties in the post-CAD building profile stored in the enhanced profile database, and (b) to make the post-CAD profile accessible to remote query via a computer network; and

a build-to-order application executed on a third-party computer linked to the CAD-independent application engine via a computer network, the build-to-order application being configured, in response to an authorized query for a preliminary estimate of a building project, (a) to access the post-CAD profile of the building via the CAD-independent application engine over a computer network, and (b) to generate a preliminary estimate for the project based on the post-CAD profile of the building, wherein the preliminary estimate includes a preferred list of products for the component parts of the building.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the preliminary estimate includes a cost estimate.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a regulatory database, wherein the application engine is configured (a) to identify the building code applicable to the building profiled, and (b) to determine the compatibility of each product in the preferred list with the applicable building code.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a furnishings database, wherein the application engine is configured to select furnishings from the furnishings database that are compatible with the building based on the post-CAD profile, and to include information on the selected furnishings in the preliminary estimate.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a builder/contractor database, wherein the application engine is configured to obtain a price quotation from at from the builder/contractor database, and include the price quotation in the preliminary estimate.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a materials database containing information on type, price, and supply of materials, wherein the application engine is configured to (a) select appropriate type of materials for the building project based on the post-CAD electronic profile of the building, (b) obtain price and supply information for materials, and (c) include type, price, and supply information for materials in the preliminary estimate.

7. A method for providing a post-CAD electronic profile of a building for use in construction and remodeling projects, the method comprising:

creating a post-CAD electronic profile of a building, including a three-dimensional representation of the building and its component parts, the post-CAD electronic profile being created based on a plan set of the building, processed by a CAD-independent profile generating engine;

storing the post-CAD electronic profile in a database associated with a remotely accessible server, the server being linked to a computer network and configured to execute an application engine configured to communicate with the database and modify the stored post-CAD profile;

receiving asset data input at a management application accessed by an authorized user via a user computer device, at least a portion of which asset data represents one or more post-construction component parts added to the building after initial construction of the features shown in the pre-profiled plan set;

communicating the asset data input from the management application to an application engine on the remotely accessible server;

updating the post-CAD electronic profile of the building to include the asset data input from the authorized user;

receiving a request from an authorized user for a preliminary estimate for a project, based on the CAD-independent profile of the building, the request being received at a build-to-order application executed on a third-party server linked to a computer network; and

in response to the request from the authorized user, generating a preliminary estimate for the project, based on the updated post-CAD electronic profile including the post-construction component parts.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the preliminary estimate includes a cost estimate based on parameters in the post-CAD electronic profile.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the preliminary estimate includes a list of recommended products based on parameters in the post-CAD electronic profile.