Vehicle planning support system

• US 7,881,860 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Hirashima, Isao, Nakaso, Masayuki, Kodaira, Masanori, Yoshiyuki, Takashi, Kishino, Kouji, Fushimi, Akira, Takemura, Jun, Ioka, Tadashi, Tamitani, Ken, Nagamitsu, Hirokuni, Miura, Takahiro, Noma, Kouji, Takashi, Yoshinori, Yamamoto, Teruhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/337,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 703/2, 703 7- 8, 345/156, 345/420, 345/646, 345/419, 345/629, 345/418, 345/422, 345/423, 345/428, 345/955, 345/473, 706/11.45
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/15 Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design

Abstract

The present invention is a vehicle planning support system (1) for displaying vehicle models (84, 92, etc.) on a screen to support vehicle planning, and comprises specification value input screen display means (36) for displaying specification value input screens for inputting specification values including dimensions and angles in the vehicle model; 3D morphing screen display means (58) for displaying vehicle models as deformable three-dimensionally shaped 3D vehicle models based on specification values input on the specification value screen using the 3D morphing screen; 2D morphing screen display means (56) for displaying vehicle models as deformable two-dimensionally shaped 2D vehicle models based on specification values input on the specification value screen using the 2D morphing screen.

Claims

1. A vehicle planning support system for supporting vehicle planning by displaying vehicle models on a screen, comprising:

specification value input screen display means for displaying a specification value input screen for an input of specification values including dimensions and angles in said vehicle model;

vehicle model data generating means for generating vehicle model data based on the specification values input on said specification value input screen and rule data correlating between determined specification of the vehicle model for maintaining compatibility of shapes and arrangements of predetermined parts of the vehicle model;

3D morphing screen display means for displaying said vehicle model as a deformable 3D-shaped 3D vehicle model based on the vehicle model data generated by the vehicle model generating means using a 3D morphing screen, and

2D morphing screen display means for displaying said vehicle model as a deformable 2D-shaped 2D vehicle model based on the vehicle model data generated by the vehicle model generating means using a 2D morphing screen,

wherein when a predetermined specification value of the vehicle model is changed on said 2D morphing screen or said 3D morphing screen, said 3D morphing screen displays means or said 2D morphing screen displays means change a correlated-specification value based on the rule data and display the 3D vehicle model or the 2D vehicle model so as to deform shapes and/or to change arrangements of parts thereof in relation to said changed predetermined specification value and said changed correlated-specification value,

wherein said vehicle model includes a plurality of models and said rule data includes a master-slave relationship data which determines master-slave relationships between said plurality of models,

by said master-slave relationship data, when a specification value of an upper level model is changed in said 2D morphing screen or said 3D morphing screen, specification value associated with those changed specification values of a lower level model is also changed in tandem therewith, and

when a specification value of a lower level model is changed in said 2D morphing screen or said 3D morphing screen, a specification value of an upper level model is not changed in tandem therewith.

2. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 1, wherein said 2D morphing screen display means displays said specification values on said 2D morphing screen, and when a displayed specification value is changed, said 2D vehicle model is deformed and displayed based on the changed specification value.

3. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 2, wherein said 2D morphing screen display means temporarily records said changed specification values, and,

by a predetermined command, said 3D morphing screen display means deforms and displays said 3D vehicle model all together based on all of said temporarily stored changed specification values.

4. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 1, wherein when a predetermined point on said 2D vehicle model is dragged, said 2D morphing screen display means causes said 2D vehicle model to deform and display in accordance with that dragging, and automatically calculates the changed specification values corresponding to the that deformed portion.

5. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 1, wherein said specification value input screen display means comprises specification value data generating means for generating specification value data including specification values input on said specification value input screen, and

said 2D morphing screen display means displays said vehicle model as a deformable 2D vehicle model based on said specification value data and, furthermore, causes said changed specification value to be reflected in said specification value data when said specification value is changed on said 2D morphing screen.

6. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 5, wherein by a predetermined command the 3D morphing screen display means deforms and displays said 3D vehicle model all together based on the specification value data reflecting said changed specification value.

7. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 1, wherein said 2D morphing screen display means displays said 2D vehicle model as a side view display, a plan view display, and/or a front view display.

8. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 1, wherein said 2D morphing screen display means displays a benchmark vehicle image superimposed on said 2D vehicle model at a predetermined reference position.

9. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 1, further comprising simulation screen display means for displaying a simulation vehicle of said vehicle model on a simulation screen which is a virtual space;

wherein said 2D morphing screen display means displays said 2D morphing screen together with said simulation screen; and

when said 2D vehicle model is deformed on said 2D morphing screen, said simulation screen display means displays in simulation a vehicle reflecting that deformation.

10. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 9, wherein said simulation screen display means superimposes and displays in simulation said simulation vehicle both before and after being deformed.

11. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 9, wherein said simulation screen display means arrays and displays in simulation a simulation vehicle both before and after being deformed.

12. A vehicle planning support system for supporting vehicle planning by displaying vehicle models on a screen, comprising:

specification value input screen display means for displaying a specification value input screen for an input of specification values including dimensions and angles in said vehicle model;

vehicle model data generating means for generating vehicle model data based on the specification values input on said specification value input screen and rule data correlating between determined specification of the vehicle model for maintaining compatibility of shapes and arrangements of predetermined parts of the vehicle model;

3D morphing screen display means for displaying said vehicle model as a deformable 3D-shaped 3D vehicle model based on the vehicle model data generated by the vehicle model generating means using a 3D morphing screen, and

2D morphing screen display means for displaying said vehicle model as a deformable 2D-shaped 2D vehicle model based on the vehicle model data generated by the vehicle model generating means using a 2D morphing screen,

wherein when a predetermined specification value of the vehicle model is changed on said 2D morphing screen or said 3D morphing screen, said 3D morphing screen displays means or said 2D morphing screen displays means change a correlated-specification value based on the rule data and display the 3D vehicle model or the 2D vehicle model so as to deform shapes and/or to change arrangements of parts thereof in relation to said changed predetermined specification value and said changed correlated-specification value,

wherein said specification value input screen display means comprises specification value data generating means for generating specification value data including specification values input on said specification value input screen, and

said 2D morphing screen display means displays said vehicle model as a deformable 2D vehicle model based on said specification value data and, furthermore, causes said changed specification value to be reflected in said specification value data when said specification value is changed on said 2D morphing screen, and

wherein said 2D morphing screen is moved to 3D morphing screen with retaining said changed specification value of the vehicle model on said 2D morphing screen being reflected in the specification value data, and said 3D morphing screen is moved to said 2D morphing screen.

13. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 12, wherein said 2D morphing screen display means displays said specification values on said 2D morphing screen, and when a displayed specification value is changed, said 2D vehicle model is deformed and displayed based on the changed specification value.

14. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 13, wherein said 2D morphing screen display means temporarily records said changed specification values, and,

by a predetermined command, said 3D morphing screen display means deforms and displays said 3D vehicle model all together based on all of said temporarily stored changed specification values.

15. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 12, wherein when a predetermined point on said 2D vehicle model is dragged, said 2D morphing screen display means causes said 2D vehicle model to deform and display in accordance with that dragging, and automatically calculates the changed specification values corresponding to the that deformed portion.

16. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 12, wherein by a predetermined command the 3D morphing screen display means deforms and displays said 3D vehicle model all together based on the specification value data reflecting said changed specification value.

17. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 12, wherein said 2D morphing screen display means displays said 2D vehicle model as a side view display, a plan view display, and/or a front view display.

18. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 12, wherein said 2D morphing screen display means displays a benchmark vehicle image superimposed on said 2D vehicle model at a predetermined reference position.

19. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 12, further comprising simulation screen display means for displaying a simulation vehicle of said vehicle model on a simulation screen which is a virtual space;

wherein said 2D morphing screen display means displays said 2D morphing screen together with said simulation screen; and

when said 2D vehicle model is deformed on said 2D morphing screen, said simulation screen display means displays in simulation a vehicle reflecting that deformation.

20. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 19, wherein said simulation screen display means superimposes and displays in simulation said simulation vehicle both before and after being deformed.

21. The vehicle planning support system according to claim 19, wherein said simulation screen display means arrays and displays in simulation a simulation vehicle both before and after being deformed.