Methods and apparatus for automated wiring diagram generation
First Claim
1. A method of automated diagram generation comprising executing on one or more digital data processors the steps of:
- A. inputting a description of(i) a plurality of entities;
(ii) connectivity relationships in which those entities participate with one another, wherein each entity includes one or more symbols representing ports that depict the termination of one or more connectivity relationships;
B. assigning a signal type classification to the symbols representing ports, said classification being used to determine compatibility between each port and other ports that share the same or compatible classification, said compatibility being determined by one or more ofi. electrical voltage,ii. ac/dc/rf &
frequency,iii. signal protocol, andiv. the application for which the connection is used;
C. assigning the entities to each of one or more groups of entities (“
groups”
);
D. assigning the entities to each of one or more columns, where each column has one or more lanes;
E. determining a candidate layout of columns for placement into one or more workspaces based on widths assigned to those columns;
F. assigning connectivity relationships of one or more entities in at least one column to each of one or more lanes based on the column(s) to which entities participating in those connectivity relationships are assigned, and assigning widths to at least one of the columns as a function of those lane assignments;
G. repeating at least one of steps (D), (E) and (F) until a said candidate layout has a placement of columns that fits into one or more workspaces;
H. outputting a representation of the candidate layout that fits into the workspaces, andI. assigning the symbols representing ports a directional classification selected from the group consisting of “
Input,”
“
Output,” and
“
Bidirectional”
.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides, in some aspects, a method of automated diagram generation that includes inputting a description of a plurality of entities and connectivity relationships in which those entities participate with one another; assigning the entities to each of one or more groups groups; assigning the entities to each of one or more columns, each of which has one or more lanes; determining a candidate layout of columns for placement into one or more workspaces based on widths assigned to those columns; assigning connectivity relationships of one or more entities in at least one column to each of one or more lanes based on the column(s) to which entities participating in those connectivity relationships are assigned; assigning widths to at least one of the columns as a function of those lane assignments; and outputting a representation of that candidate layout.
22 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A method of automated diagram generation comprising executing on one or more digital data processors the steps of:
-
A. inputting a description of (i) a plurality of entities; (ii) connectivity relationships in which those entities participate with one another, wherein each entity includes one or more symbols representing ports that depict the termination of one or more connectivity relationships; B. assigning a signal type classification to the symbols representing ports, said classification being used to determine compatibility between each port and other ports that share the same or compatible classification, said compatibility being determined by one or more of i. electrical voltage, ii. ac/dc/rf &
frequency,iii. signal protocol, and iv. the application for which the connection is used; C. assigning the entities to each of one or more groups of entities (“
groups”
);D. assigning the entities to each of one or more columns, where each column has one or more lanes; E. determining a candidate layout of columns for placement into one or more workspaces based on widths assigned to those columns; F. assigning connectivity relationships of one or more entities in at least one column to each of one or more lanes based on the column(s) to which entities participating in those connectivity relationships are assigned, and assigning widths to at least one of the columns as a function of those lane assignments; G. repeating at least one of steps (D), (E) and (F) until a said candidate layout has a placement of columns that fits into one or more workspaces; H. outputting a representation of the candidate layout that fits into the workspaces, and I. assigning the symbols representing ports a directional classification selected from the group consisting of “
Input,”
“
Output,” and
“
Bidirectional”
. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of automated diagram generation comprising executing on one or more digital data processors the steps of:
-
A. inputting a description of (i) a plurality of entities and (ii) connectivity relationships in which those entities participate with one another; B. assigning a signal type classification to the symbols representing ports, said classification being used to determine compatibility between each port and other ports that share the same or compatible classification, said compatibility being determined by one or more of; i. electrical voltage, ii. ac/dc/rf &
frequency,iii. signal protocol, and iv. the application for which the connection is used; C. assigning the entities to each of one or more groups of entities (“
groups”
), and assigning ranks to each of one or more pairings of entities within each of one or more groups, wherein the ranks are assigned as a function of a number of connectivity relationships in which the entities in each pairing jointly participate;D. assigning the entities to each of one or more columns, where each column has one or more lanes; E. determining a candidate layout of columns for placement into one or more workspaces based on widths assigned to those columns; F. assigning connectivity relationships of one or more entities in at least one column to each of one or more lanes based on the column(s) to which entities participating in those connectivity relationships are assigned, and assigning widths to at least one of the columns as a function of those lane assignments; G. repeating at least one of steps (D), (E) and (F) until a said candidate layout has a placement of columns that fits into one or more workspaces; H. outputting a representation of the candidate layout that fits into the workspaces; and I. assigning the symbols representing ports a directional classification selected from the group consisting of “
Input,”
“
Output,” and
“
Bidirectional”
. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of automated diagram generation comprising executing on one or more digital data processors the steps of:
-
A. inputting a description of (i) a plurality of entities and (ii) connectivity relationships in which those entities participate with one another; B. assigning a signal type classification to the symbols representing ports, said classification being used to determine compatibility between each port and other ports that share the same or compatible classification, said compatibility being determined by one or more of; i. electrical voltage, ii. ac/dc/rf &
frequency,iii. signal protocol, and iv. the application for which the connection is used; C. any of (i) defining and/or removing one or more entities and/or connectivity relationships, (ii) defining and/or removing one or more groups, (iii) defining and/or removing one or more ports that reflect termination of one or more connectivity relationships as a function of one or more rules; D. assigning the entities to each of one or more groups of entities (“
groups”
);E. assigning the entities to each of one or more columns, where each column has one or more lanes; F. determining a candidate layout of columns for placement into one or more workspaces based on widths assigned to those columns; G. assigning connectivity relationships of one or more entities in at least one column to each of one or more lanes based on the column(s) to which entities participating in those connectivity relationships are assigned, and assigning widths to at least one of the columns as a function of those lane assignments; H. repeating at least one of steps (E), (F) and (G) until a said candidate layout has a placement of columns that fits into one or more workspaces; I. outputting a representation of the candidate layout that fits into the workspaces; J. assigning the symbols representing ports a directional classification selected from the group consisting of “
Input,”
“
Output,” and
“
Bidirectional”
. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification