Computer-aided modeling

• US 8,041,744 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tekla Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tekla Corporation
• Inventors: Partanen, Jukka, Alho, Pertti, Wessman, Ragnar, Rousu, Ville, Suomi, Jukka, Heikkonen, Teemu
• Primary Examiner(s): REYES, MARIELA D
• Assistant Examiner(s): REYES, MARIELA D
• Application Number:
  US11/165,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20060004841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: 707/791, 707/793, 707/796
• US Class Current: 707/796
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/08 Probabilistic or stochastic CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]

Abstract

In a modeling method and system, a model is created by using parametric basic elements and parameterized complementary elements, each having special parameters; such that a complementary object to be created with a parameterized complementary element is directly or indirectly, at least via one of its parameter values, associated with at least one basic object created with a basic element.

Claims

1. A modeling method, wherein a model comprises objects created by different types of elements, said method comprising the steps of:

providing elements of different geometry, each element having individual parameters, wherein a geometry of a corresponding object is defined based on the individual parameters of each element,

each element being one of at least two types of elements, the at least two types of elements comprising a elements of first type and elements of a second type,

an element of the first type being a parametric element used to create an independent object which may exist alone or be associated with one or more other objects,

an element of the second type being a parameterized element used only to create a non-independent object after an object created by means of an element of the first type has been created, and has to have in its individual parameters at least one parameter via whose value an object created by the means of the element of the second type is to be associated directly or indirectly with an object created by an element of the first type, and at least one element of the second type is provided with information indicating that an object created by means of the provided at least one element of the second type is to be a part of an object created by means of an element of the first type;

creating a first object to a model by selecting at least one element of the first type and providing parameter values to the selected element,

creating a preliminary geometry for an object to be modeled by means of the first object;

adding to the model, at least once, a second object created by means of an element that is one of the at least one element of the second type provided with the information, the second object being associated with the first object; and

generating the geometry of the object to be modeled by adding, to the preliminary geometry, the geometry of the second object so that the geometry of the second object is incorporated into the preliminary geometry.

2. The modeling method of claim 1, further comprising:

deleting the second object; and

generating the geometry of the object without the geometry of the deleted second object.

3. The modeling method of claim 1, further comprising changing, in response to a change in the parameter value of the first object, a parameter value-dependent parameter value of the second object correspondingly.

4. The modeling method of claim 1, further comprising, when the further object is created by means of an element of the second type, changing, in response to a change in the parameter value of the first object, the further object correspondingly.

5. The modeling method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving definitions for an element of the second type from a modeler, and transferring the element with the definitions to a memory to be provided for modeling.

6. The modeling method of claim 1, wherein the modeling method is top-down modeling.

7. A non-transitory computer readable memory storing a computer program, wherein execution of said program cause the computer to:

provide, via a user interface, a user of the computer with elements of different geometry, each element having individual parameters based on parameters at least a geometry of a corresponding object is defined,

each element being one of at least two types of elements, the at least two types of elements comprising a first type and a second type,

the first type being a parametric element that used to create an independent object which may exist alone or be associated with one or more other objects,

the second type being a parameterized element used only to create a non-independent object after an object created by means of an element of the first type has been created, and has to have in its individual parameters at least one parameter via whose value an object created by the means of the element of the second type is to be associated directly or indirectly with an object created by means of an element of the first type, and at least one element of the second type is provided with information indicating that an object created by means of the provided at least one element of the second type is to be part of an object created by means of an element of the first type;

create a preliminary geometry for an object to be modeled by means of the first object;

allow creation of a further object to a model by means of an element of the second type only in response to an object created by means of an element of the first type already existing in the model; and

generate, in response to the further object being created by means of an element that is one of the at least one element of the second type provided with the information and associated with the first object, the geometry of the object to be modeled by adding to the preliminary geometry, the geometry of the further object so that the geometry of the second object is incorporated into the preliminary geometry.

8. The computer readable memory of claim 7, wherein execution of said program further cause the computer to change, in response to a change in the parameter value of an object created by means of an element of the first type with which the further object is associated via a parameter value, the further object correspondingly.

9. The computer readable memory of claim 7, wherein execution of said program further cause the computer to generate a geometry of an object to be modeled by combining a geometry of an object created by means of an element of the first type with a geometry of the further object.

10. A computer system for computer aided modeling in which a model comprises objects created by means of elements, the computer system comprising:

a memory storing elements of different geometry, each element having individual parameters based on which at least a geometry of a corresponding object is defined,

each element being one of at least two types of elements, i) a first type being a parametric element used to create an independent object which may exist alone or be associated with one or more other objects, and ii) a second type being a parameterized element used only to create a non-independent object after an object created by means of an element of the first type has been created, and has to have in its individual parameters at least one parameter via whose value an object created by the means of the element of the second type is to be associated directly or indirectly with an object created by an element of the first type, at least one element of the second type being provided with information indicating that an object created by means of the provided at least one element of the second type is to be a part of an object created by means of an element of the first type; and

a computer processor configured to generate a model in such a manner that only if the model contains at least one first object created by means of an element of the first type, a further object may be created to the model by means of an element of the second type, and to identify when the further object is to be a part o the first object, in response to the identification, to update a geometry of the first object with a geometry of the further object so that the updated geometry incorporates the geometry of the further object.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further arranged to update the further object in response to a change in the first object with which the further object is associated.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further arranged to update the further object in response to a change in the first object.

13. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising a user interface, via which a modeler is able to define elements of the second type, wherein the processor is configured to store elements defined by the modeler to the memory.

14. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising a user interface, via which interface a modeler is able to provide parameter values to elements of the first and second type to create and update a model, and to define only elements of the second type to be stored by the processor to the memory, wherein the elements of the first type are predefined and pre-programmed to a modeling program used for modeling the model.