Method for aiding space design using network, system therefor, and server computer of the system

• US 7,246,044 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works Ltd (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukushima, Ryuji, Nishimori, Yasunori, Aoi, Katsuyuki, Tsuda, Yasushi, Imamura, Kayo, Nakanishi, Hiroyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah; Kamini
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAY, HERNG DER
• Application Number:
  US09/949,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 703/1, 703/21, 345/588, 705/1
• US Class Current: 703/1
• 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: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/04 Architectural design, interior design

Abstract

Provided is an environment which enables a user to implement 3D space design on a computer accessible to a server computer via a network. The server computer includes a layout design program which is operable on a screen activated by a browser of the client computer to enable the user to implement space design of a layout in the terms of a 2D image, an object database which stores object data used for layout design for retrieval and extraction, and a 3D display program which is operable on the browser screen of the client computer to display the designed space in the terms of a 3D image. The client computer is equipped with the browser capable of executing programs of the layout design program and the 3D display program. Upon receiving the layout design program and the 3D display program from the server computer via the network, the programs of the layout design program and the 3D display program are executable on the browser screen.

Claims

1. A method for aiding design of a building on a computer accessible to a server computer via a network, the server computer storing a layout design program operable on a screen activated by a browser of a first client computer to enable a user to implement design of a layout of a building by creating a room and adding fixtures to the room, the layout being represented in 2D, an object database storing fixture data used in the layout design for retrieval and extraction, and a 3D display program operable on the browser screen of the first client computer to display the designed building in 3D, the method comprising:

transmitting data relating to a designed layout of a building from a second client computer to the server computer;

storing the supplied data relating to a designed layout of a building in an information provider database;

accessing the server computer with the browser of the first client computer;

transmitting the layout design program and the 3D display program to the browser of the first client computer from the server computer via the network;

transmitting the stored data relating to a designed layout of a building to the first client computer; and

transmitting fixture data stored in the object database from the server computer via the network in response to a request from the layout design program when it is active on the browser screen of the first client computer,

wherein the 3D display program is configured to allow a user to modify a part of the designed building itself while the building is displayed in 3D, and

the layout design program enables the user to define a room by changing a tone of selected squares defined by grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, and to add fixtures and other rooms outside of the room, or enables the user to draw an outline of a room with reference to grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, the layout design program superimposing a layout of an upper floor over a layout of a lower floor in 2D when a layout of the upper floor is being designed.

2. A method for aiding design of a building according to claim 1, wherein the server computer stores an interior simulation program that displays images of an interior of the designed building, and the method further comprises transmitting the interior simulation program to the first client computer, the interior simulation program being configured to display an image rendering area on the browser screen which alternately displays 2D images and 3D images of the designed building and displays a mark on a 2D image of the designed building which illustrates a viewpoint of a 3D image displayed in the image rendering area.

3. A system for aiding design of a building with a computer, the system comprising a server computer, and a client computer accessible to the server computer via a network, wherein the server computer stores:

a layout design program which is operable on a screen activated by a browser of the client computer to enable a user to implement design of a layout of the building by creating a room and adding fixtures to the room, the layout being represented in 2D, the layout design program enabling the user to define a room by changing a tone of selected squares defined by grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, and to add fixtures and other rooms outside of the room, or enabling the user to draw an outline of a room with reference to grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, the layout design program superimposing a layout of an upper floor over a layout of a lower floor in 2D when a layout of the upper floor is being designed,

an object database which stores fixture data used in layout design for retrieval and extraction,

a 3D display program which is operable on the browser screen of the client computer to display the designed building in 3D, the 3D display program being configured to allow a user to modify a part of the designed building itself while the building is displayed in 3D, and

an information provider database configured to store data relating to a designed layout of a building supplied from a first client computer, and to provide a second client computer with the stored data, wherein

the server computer is configured to transmit the layout design program, the fixture data stored in the object database, and the 3D display program to the client computer in response to a request from the client computer via the network;

the client computer is provided with a browser capable of activating the layout design program and the 3D display program, and is configured to activate the layout design program and the 3D display program on the browser screen upon receiving the layout design program and the 3D display program from the server computer via the network; and

the layout design program is configured to request and obtain the fixture data from the object database of the server computer via the network during activation of the layout design program on the browser screen of the client computer for utilization in layout design.

4. A system for aiding design of a building according to claim 3, wherein the server computer stores an interior simulation program that displays images of an interior of the designed building, and transmits the interior simulation program to the client computer, the interior simulation program being configured to display an image rendering area on the browser screen which alternately displays 2D images and 3D images of the designed building and displays a mark on a 2D image of the designed building which illustrates a viewpoint of a 3D image displayed in the image rendering area.

5. A server computer for use in a design aiding system which aids a design of a building on a client computer accessible to the server computer via a network, wherein the server computer stores:

a layout design program which is operable on a screen activated by a browser of the client computer to enable the client computer to implement design of a layout of the building by creating a room and adding fixtures to the room in 2D, the layout design program enabling a user to define a room by changing a tone of selected squares defined by grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, and to add fixtures and other rooms outside of the room, or enabling the user to draw an outline of a room with reference to grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, the layout design program superimposing a layout of an upper floor over a layout of a lower floor in 2D when a layout of the upper floor is being designed,

an object database which stores fixture data used in layout design for retrieval and extraction,

a 3D display program which is operable on the browser screen of the client computer to display the designed building in 3D, the 3D display program being configured to allow a user to modify a part of the designed building itself while the building is displayed in 3D; and

an information provider database configured to store data relating to a designed layout of a building supplied from a first client computer, and to provide a second client computer with the stored data,

wherein the server computer is configured to transmit the layout design program, the fixture data stored in the object database, and the 3D display program to the client computer in response to a request from the client computer via the network; and

the layout design program is configured to request and obtain data from the object database of the server computer via the network during activation of the browser of the client computer for utilization in layout design.

6. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the 3D display program transforms 2D images of a designed layout into 3D images for 3D image display.

7. The server computer according to claim 6, wherein the 3D display program displays a designed space in 3D after the layout design is completed by the layout design program.

8. The server computer according to claim 7, wherein the 3D display program transforms 2D images of a designed layout into 3D images for 3D image display after the layout design is completed by the layout design program.

9. The server computer according to claim 6, wherein the 3D display program transforms 2D images of a designed layout into 3D images for 3D image display each time a fixture is added to a room.

10. The server computer according to claim 9, wherein the 3D display program displays 3D images each time a fixture is added to a room.

11. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the layout design program enables the user to revise the layout of the building in 3D, and display the layout of the building in 2D.

12. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the layout design program automatically links stairs between a lower floor and a middle floor, and between a middle floor and an upper floor, when the middle floor is designed to include stairs between the lower floor and the middle floor, and the middle floor and the upper floor.

13. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the layout design program stores layout data of the designed building in a predetermined storage region of either of the client computer and the server computer.

14. The server computer according to claim 13, wherein the layout design program reads the layout data of the designed building from a predetermined storage region of either the client computer and the server computer to allow revision of the layout data.

15. The server computer according to claim 14, wherein the layout design program reads the layout data from the predetermined storage region, and displays the layout of the building based upon the read-out data and revisions to the layout.

16. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the server computer stores an interior simulator program which enables the user to implement interior simulation by jointly displaying an interior of a designed room and interior-related objects, including interior commodities including furniture, and is configured to transmit the interior simulator program to the client computer via the network upon receiving a request from the client computer, and

the interior simulator program is configured to obtain interior-related object data representing interior-related objects via the network from an interior-related object database which stores the interior-related object data for retrieval and extraction during activation of the browser of the client computer so as to enable the user to implement the interior simulation.

17. The server computer according to claim 16, wherein the interior simulator program specifies a position of the interior related object relative to the designed room, along with information which specifies interior-related objects selected in the interior simulation, and stores the position along with the interior-related information in a predetermined storage region of either of the client computer and the server computer.

18. The server computer according to claim 16, wherein the interior-related object database includes a commodity database which stores data relating to the interior commodities including furniture created by a dealer selling the interior commodities.

19. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the layout design program sets a site where the building to be designed by the layout design program is to be built such that the layout of the building is designed in relation to the site.

20. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the layout design program obtains frame information relating to a frame of a building constructed according to a skeleton-infill technique from a frame information database which stores the frame information, including information relating to a pillar, a beam, and plumbing, to implement layout design within constraints accompanied by the layout design based on the obtained frame information.

21. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the information provider database includes a land information database which is configured to enable the first client computer to register information relating to a site based on which the layout design is implemented, the site being an area within which a building is authorized to be built according to a construction regulation, along with information relating to land to be sold by a user of the first client computer and to provide the second client computer with land information along with the site information, the user of the first client computer including a seller of the land or an agency dealing with sales of the land, and the second client computer being a prospective purchaser who plans to purchase the land.

22. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the information provider database includes a design information database which is configured to receive registration of information relating to a plurality of layouts designed with the first client computer, and to provide the second client computer with the plurality of layout information, the first client computer being used by a plurality of designers, and the second client computer being used by a customer who plans to place order to build a building.

23. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the information provider database includes a rental housing information database which is configured to receive registration of information relating to a layout of a rental housing and to enable the second client computer to browse the layout information of the rental housing, the first client computer being provided for a lender of the rental housing, and the second client computer being provided for a prospective lessee of the rental housing.

24. The server computer according to claim 23, wherein the rental housing information database is configured to enable the first client computer to register information relating to a rental housing along with the layout information of the rental housing.

25. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein the server computer includes a contractor administration database for discriminating whether the user reached an agreement to allow utilization of the system, and is configured to restrict utilization of the object data from the object database by the user in the case where it is judged that the user has not reached the agreement.

26. A server computer for use in a design aiding system according to claim 5, wherein the server computer stores an interior simulation program that displays images of an interior of the designed building, and transmits the interior simulation program to the client computer, the interior simulation program being configured to display an image rendering area on the browser screen which alternately displays 2D images and 3D images of the designed building and displays a mark on a 2D image of the designed building which illustrates a viewpoint of a 3D image displayed in the image rendering area.

27. A system for aiding design of a layout of a building with a computer, the system comprising a server computer, and a client computer accessible to the server computer via a network, wherein the server computer stores:

an object database which is operable on a screen activated by a browser of the client computer and stores fixture data used in layout design for retrieval and extraction in association with an operation of a layout design program which enables a user to implement design of a layout of the building by creating a room and adding fixtures to the room in 2D;

a 3D display program which is operable on the browser screen of the client computer to display the designed layout in 3D, the 3D display program being configured to allow a user to modify a part of the designed building itself while the building is displayed in 3D; and

an information provider database configured to store data relating to a designed layout of a building supplied from a first client computer, and to provide a second client computer with the stored data,

wherein the server computer is configured to transmit the fixture data stored in the object database and the 3D display program to the client computer in response to a request from the client computer via the network;

the client computer is provided with a layout design program and a browser capable of activating the layout design program and the 3D display program, and is configured to activate the 3D display program on the browser screen upon receiving the 3D display program from the server computer via the network; and

the layout design program obtains the fixture data from the object database of the server computer via the network during activation of the browser of the client computer for utilization in the layout design, the layout design program enabling the user to define a room by changing a tone of selected squares defined by grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, and to add fixtures and other rooms outside of the room, or enabling the user to draw an outline of a room with reference to grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, the layout design program superimposing a layout of an upper floor over a layout of a lower floor in 2D when a layout of the upper floor is being designed.

28. A system for aiding design of a layout of a building, the system comprising a server computer, and a client computer accessible to the server computer via a network, wherein the server computer stores:

a layout design program which is operable on a screen activated by a browser of the client computer to enable a user to implement design of a layout of a building by creating a room and adding fixtures to the room in 2D, the layout design program enabling the user to define a room by changing a tone of selected squares defined by grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, and to add fixtures and other rooms outside of the room, or enabling the user to draw an outline of a room with reference to grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, the layout design program superimposing a layout of an upper floor over a layout of a lower floor in 2D when a layout of the upper floor is being designed;

an object database which stores fixture data used in layout design for retrieval and extraction; and

an information provider database configured to store data relating to a designed layout of a building supplied from a first client computer, and to provide a second client computer with the stored data,

wherein the server computer is configured to transmit the layout design program and the fixture data stored in the object database to the client computer in response to a request from the client computer via the network;

the client computer is provided with a browser capable of activating the layout design program, equipped with a 3D display program which is operable on the browser screen of the client computer to display the designed space in 3D, and is configured to activate the layout design program on the browser screen upon receiving the layout design program via the network from the server computer, the 3D display program being configured to allow a user to modify a part of the designed building itself while the building is displayed in 3D; and

the layout design program obtains the fixture data from the object database via the network during activation of the layout design program on the browser screen of the client computer for utilization in layout design.

29. A system for aiding design of a layout of a building, the system comprising a server computer, and a client computer accessible to the server computer via a network, wherein the server computer stores:

a layout design program which is operable on a screen activated by a browser of the client computer to enable a user to implement design of a layout of a building by creating a room and adding fixtures to the room in 2D, the layout design program enabling the user to define a room by changing a tone of selected squares defined by grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, and to add fixtures and other rooms outside of the room, or enabling the user to draw an outline of a room with reference to grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, the layout design program superimposing a layout of an upper floor over a layout of a lower floor in 2D when a layout of the upper floor is being designed;

a 3D display program which is operable on the browser screen of the client computer to display the designed space in 3D, the 3D display program being configured to allow the user to modify a part of the designed building itself while the building is displayed in 3D; and

an information provider database configured to store data relating to a designed layout of a building supplied from a first client computer, and to provide a second client computer with the stored data,

the server computer is configured to transmit the layout design program and the 3D display program to the client computer in response to a request from the client computer via the network;

the client computer is provided with a browser capable of activating the layout design program and the 3D display program, equipped with an object database which stores fixture data used in layout design for retrieval and extraction, and is configured to activate the layout design program and the 3D display program on the browser screen upon receiving the layout design program and the 3D display program via the network from the server computer; and

the layout design program obtains the fixture data from the object database during activation of the layout design program on the browser screen of the client computer for utilization in layout design.