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Creating dynamic sets to automatically arrange dimension annotations

  • US 9,262,863 B2
  • Filed: 06/27/2014
  • Issued: 02/16/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for automatically placing a new dimension annotation of a computer-aided design model representing a real-world object, the method comprising:

  • having a computer-aided design model displayed on a computer screen in a manner supporting user interaction with the computer-aided design model, the computer aided design model being formed of one or more model entities and having associated with at least one of the one or more model entities one or more currently existing dimension annotations;

    in a processor, in response to user input annotating a model entity of said model by adding a new dimension annotation to the computer-aided design model, automatically determining at least one location for placement of the new dimension annotation on the computer screen based on dimension type of the model entity being annotated, wherein the new dimension annotation is an additional dimension annotation relative to the currently existing dimension annotations in the computer-aided design model, and the new dimension annotation corresponds to a dimension of the model entity such that the new dimension annotation is instructive of constructing the real-world object, and wherein the determining is free of user intervention and includes determining arrangement and probable locations of the new dimension annotation together with the currently existing dimension annotations by;

    (i) creating one or more dynamic sets of the currently existing dimension annotations, wherein currently existing dimension annotations of any one or combination of a similar proximity range, a same dimension type, and a same orientation belong to a same dynamic set; and

    (ii) sorting the currently existing dimension annotations in the same set and the new dimension annotation having any one or combination of the similar proximity range, the same dimension type, and the same orientation as the currently existing dimension annotations in the same dynamic set; and

    (iii) forming an arrangement of the currently existing dimension annotations in the same dynamic set and the new dimension annotation according to an order resulting from the sorting; and

    rendering on the computer screen one or more user-selectable screen displays of the currently existing dimension annotations and the new dimension annotation in the formed arrangement and at the determined probable locations.

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