On demand identifier and geometry piece association in computer aided design (CAD) environment

• US 7,620,904 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: McCarty, Anthony L., Davis, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Basom; Blaine T.
• Application Number:
  US10/177,819
• Time in Patent Office: 2,706 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769, 715/964, 715/805, 715/711, 715/799, 715/823, 715/860, 715/764, 700/182, 703/1, 345/676
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/20 Configuration CAD, e.g. designing by assembling or positioning modules selected from libraries of predesigned modules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/15 Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/964 CAD or CAM, e.g. interactive design tools

Abstract

The invention includes computer instructions that operate to receive an indication of an association between an identifier and a geometry piece of a mechanical design. The association is stored in response to the received indication. The instructions further operate to determine if at least one of the identifier and the geometry piece is selected. Upon determining that at least one of the identifier and the geometry piece is selected, the instructions operate to automatically generate and display a leader between the geometry piece and the identifier to visually denote the association between the identifier and the geometry piece. As a result, an improved way of generating and maintaining associations between identifiers and geometry pieces of a mechanical design, including automatic modification of leader termination on the mechanical design, is facilitated.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

displaying a visual representation of a geometry piece in a computer aided design (CAD) environment;

displaying a visual representation of an identifier, the identifier having been associated with the geometry piece in the CAD environment;

while the geometry piece and the associated identifier are simultaneously displayed, receiving a user input selecting or deselecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier;

in response to the user input, determining if the user input is for selecting or deselecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier, and if a visual indication of an association is present between the geometry piece and the associated identifier;

if it is determined that the received user input is for selecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier and that no visual indication of an association is present between the geometry piece and the associated identifier, displaying a leader connecting the geometry piece and the associated identifier in response to the received user input; and

if it is determined that the received user input is for deselecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier and that a visual indication of an association is present between the geometry piece and the associated identifier, undisplaying a leader connecting the geometry piece and the associated identifier in response to the received user input while the geometry piece and the associated identifier remain simultaneously displayed.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second user input moving one of the identifier and the geometry piece to a new location in the CAD environment; and

continually generating and displaying a modified leader connecting the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece during the move.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where receiving the user input selecting or deselecting one of the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece comprises:

determining whether a location specified by the user input is within a predetermined proximity to at least one of the identifier and the geometry piece.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where:

the leader is one of a line, a curve, an arrow, a polygon, or a three-dimensional graphical object.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where the leader connecting the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece represents a closest approach between the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where the leader connecting the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece represents a closest approach between the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece that avoids obscuring a second geometry piece or identifier present in the CAD environment.

7. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

displaying a visual representation of a geometry piece in a computer aided design (CAD) environment;

displaying a visual representation of an identifier, the identifier having been associated with the geometry piece in the CAD environment;

while the geometry piece and the associated identifier are simultaneously displayed, receiving a user input selecting or deselecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier;

in response to the user input, determining if the user input is for selecting or deselecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier, and if a visual indication of an association is present between the geometry piece and the associated identifier;

if it is determined that the received user input is for selecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier and that no visual indication of an association is present between the geometry piece and the associated identifier, displaying a leader connecting the geometry piece and the associated identifier in response to the received user input; and

if it is determined that the received user input is for deselecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier and that a visual indication of an association is present between the geometry piece and the associated identifier, undisplaying a leader connecting the geometry piece and the associated identifier in response to the received user input while the geometry piece and the associated identifier remain simultaneously displayed.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a second user input moving one of the identifier and the geometry piece to a new location in the CAD environment; and

continually generating and displaying a modified leader connecting the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece during the move.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, where receiving the user input selecting or deselecting one of the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece comprises:

determining whether a location specified by the user input is within a predetermined proximity to at least one of the identifier and the geometry piece.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, where:

the leader is one of a line, a curve, an arrow, a polygon, or a three-dimensional graphical object.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, where the leader connecting the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece represents a closest approach between the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, where the leader connecting the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece represents a closest approach between the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece that avoids obscuring a second geometry piece or identifier present in the CAD environment.

13. A system, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including;

instructions for displaying a visual representation of a geometry piece in a computer aided design environment;

instructions for displaying a visual representation of an identifier, the identifier having been associated with the geometry piece in the CAD environment;

instructions for while the geometry piece and the associated identifier are simultaneously displayed, receiving a user input selecting or deselecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier;

instructions for, in response to the user input, determining if the user input is for selecting or deselecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier, and if a visual indication of an association is present between the geometry piece and the associated identifier;

instructions for, if it is determined that the received user input is for selecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier and that no visual indication of an association is present between the geometry piece and the associated identifier, displaying a leader connecting the geometry piece and the associated identifier in response to the received user input; and

instructions for, if it is determined that the received user input is for deselecting one of the geometry piece and the associated identifier and that a visual indication of an association is present between the geometry piece and the associated identifier, undisplaying a leader connecting the geometry piece and the associated identifier in response to the received user input while the geometry piece and the associated identifier remain simultaneously displayed.

14. The system of claim 13, where the one or more programs further includes:

instructions for receiving a second user input moving one of the identifier and the geometry piece to a new location in the CAD environment; and

instructions for continually generating and displaying a modified leader connecting the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece during the move.

15. The system of claim 13, where receiving the user input selecting or deselecting one of the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece comprises:

determining whether a location specified by the user input is within a predetermined proximity to at least one of the identifier and the geometry piece.

16. The system of claim 13, where:

the leader is one of a line, a curve, an arrow, a polygon, or a three-dimensional graphical object.

17. The system of claim 13, where the leader connecting the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece represents a closest approach between the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece.

18. The system of claim 13, where the leader connecting the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece represents a closest approach between the displayed identifier and the displayed geometry piece that avoids obscuring a second geometry piece or identifier present in the CAD environment.