Method for designing a customized work area

• US 8,065,623 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Krueger International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Krueger International Incorporated
• Inventors: Bohlman, Jeffrey G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine; Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US11/751,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20070276635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 715719-726, 715/730, 715/757, 715/764, 715/767, 715/744, 715/745, 715/762, 715/763, 715/768, 715/781, 715/788, 715/848, 715/849, 715/961, 715/964, 348/14.05, 348/159, 348/211.12
• US Class Current: 715/768
• 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: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/04 Architectural design, interior design
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2012 Colour editing, changing, or manipulating; Use of colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2016 Rotation, translation, scaling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2021 Shape modification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/961 Operator interface with visual structure or function dictated by intended use
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/964 CAD or CAM, e.g. interactive design tools

Abstract

A system for designing a work area enables a user to initially specify a particular item to be designed into the work area from a number of different items contained in the system. The system utilizes stored information concerning the item to graphically display the selected item to the individual. Once the item has been selected, the system enables the individual to incorporate the item into the work area, along with other items. The system indicates the item on a display using a “ghost image”. The dimensions of the item can be varied from preselected dimensions and other components can be interconnected or positioned in the work area. The system can provide feedback to the user regarding what components can be added at any particular location. The system determines the proper style, width, height, options, position, and rotation for the item and any interconnected components to create a valid design.

Claims

1. A method of designing a workspace on a computer screen, comprising the steps of:

depicting a predetermined area on the computer screen representative of the workspace and including one or more existing objects;

selecting one of a plurality of objects from a menu of objects for positioning in the predetermined area and providing the same as a selected object;

moving a cursor to a user desired location on the computer screen, wherein the selected object is associated with the cursor;

validating that the selected object may be positioned in the predetermined area with the one or more existing objects already positioned in the predetermined area;

generating a ghost image of the selected object on the computer screen at the user desired location only after validating that the selected object may be positioned at the user desired location;

automatically adjusting one or more physical parameters of the selected object based upon the one or more existing objects already positioned in the predetermined area; and

placing the selected object having the adjusted parameters in the predetermined area on the computer screen when the validating step determines that the selected object may be positioned in the predetermined area.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of objects are various types of office furniture components.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one of the plurality of objects is selected from the group including tackboards, markerboards, load bars, tool rails, pedestals, task lights, worksurfaces, countertops, support panels, support brackets, worksurface accessories, center drawers, keyboards, electrical components, outlets, jumpers, connectors, and feeds.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of determining a color graphic associated with the selected object and displaying the ghost image with the color graphic.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying design options for the selected object with the ghost image.

6. A non-transitory workspace design module stored on a computer readable medium and operative with a computer aided design program, the design module comprising:

a stored program representative of instructions to be executed by a central processing unit of a computer that causes the central processing unit to;

graphically depict a workspace on a computer screen;

display a menu of workspace furniture components available for the workspace;

associate a selected workspace furniture component with a cursor;

validate that the selected workspace furniture component may be positioned at a user defined location in the workspace with an existing workspace furniture component positioned in the workspace;

generate a ghost image for a selected workspace furniture component only after validation of the location;

display the ghost image on the computer screen at the location of the cursor;

automatically adjusting one or more physical parameters of the selected object based upon the one or more existing objects already positioned in the predetermined area; and

place the selected workspace furniture component having the adjusted parameters at the user defined location in the workspace based on a position of the ghost image on the computer screen and the validation of the user defined location.

7. The module of claim 6 wherein the furniture components include tackboards, markerboards, load bars, tool rails, pedestals, task lights, worksurfaces, countertops, support panels, support brackets, worksurface accessories, center drawers, keyboards, electrical components, outlets, jumpers, connectors, and feeds.

8. The module of claim 6 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to determine a color graphic associated with the selected workspace furniture component and display the ghost image with the color graphic.

9. The module of claim 6 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to display design options for the selected workspace furniture component with the ghost image.