Cad-Interfaced, Automated System for Assisting the Architectural Process

• US 20070288842A1
• Filed: 04/17/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oak Bay Design Group Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Visions Computer Imaging Systems Ltd.
• Inventors: Starr, Ivan, Williams, Charles, Lange, Susan, Averitt, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/210
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• 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: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing

Abstract

An automated system for assisting the architectural process on an open-network. The system includes a data entry means for user-selected project attributes, at least one catalog database from which the user-selected attribute is identified, a filter for providing a graphical user interface with filtered data associated with a user-selected attribute, at least one user database which stores a unique identifier of the user-selected attribute, automated selection means for incorporating data associated with the user-selected attribute into at least one document, and generation means for creating an architectural document, such as a Specification, Drawing, or Schedule. The system may include at least one remote attribute information storage means from which the user-selected attribute is identified. The system of the present invention may further include means for tracking the architectural process. The system may also include searching means for querying a user database or a group of user databases. The aspect created by the generation means may include Industry Foundation Class or XML tags for industry compatibility for searching.

Claims

1. A system operable to facilitate creating a plurality of aspects of an architectural contract document, said system comprising computer executable instructions operable to:

a) present a plurality of data fields, said plurality of data fields being premapped to one or more sets of defined data related to attributes of elements incorporatable into an architectural project;

b) create the plurality of aspects of the architectural contract document based at least in part on data specified in the plurality of data fields.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer executable instructions are further operable to present a CAD interface.