SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CREATING APPLICATION INTERFACES FOR FORMING AND SOLVING PROBLEMS IN A MODELING SYSTEM

• US 20140047407A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comsol AB
• Original Assignee: Comsol AB
• Inventors: Fontes, Eduardo, Langemyr, Lars, Danielsson, Erik, Littmarck, Victor, Littmarck, Svante, Malm, Nils, Sjdin, Bjrn, Smith, Daniel, Normark, Tomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/23 using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

An apparatus for generating an application data structure includes a physical computing system comprising processor(s), input device(s), display(s), and memor(ies). The memory includes executable instructions that cause a processor to perform the acts of embedding a multiphysics model data structure for a physical system in an application data structure. Application features are determined to add to the application data structure. First data is added representing a form feature for the application features for the model of the physical system. Second data is added representing at an action feature for the application features. The second data is associated with at least one modeling operation to define a sequence of operations for modeling the physical system. The application data structure is updated including the added first and second data and the associating defining the sequence of operations. The updated application data structure is stored on the memory device(s).

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating an application data structure, the apparatus comprising:

a physical computing system comprising one or more processors, one or more user input devices, a display device, and one or more memory devices, at least one of the one or more memory devices including executable instructions for generating an application data structure, the executable instructions causing at least one of the one or more processors to perform, upon execution, the acts of;

embedding a multiphysics model data structure for a physical system in an application data structure, said embedded multiphysics model data structure including at least one modeling operation for said physical system;

determining, via at least one of said one or more processors, one or more application features to add to said application data structure, said one or more application features associated with a model of said physical system;

adding, via at least one of said one or more input devices, first data representing at least one form feature for at least one of said one or more application features for said model of said physical system;

adding, via at least one of said one or more input devices, second data representing at least one action feature for at least one of said one or more application features for said model of said physical system;

associating said second data representing said at least one action feature with said least one modeling operation for said physical system to define a sequence of operations for modeling said physical system; and

updating said application data structure, said updated application data structure including said added first data, said added second data, and said associating defining said sequence of operations, said updated application data structure being stored on at least one of said one or more memory devices.

2. A method executed in a computer system with one or more physical computing devices configured to generate a modified application data structure to model a physical system, the method comprising the acts of:

embedding, via one or more physical computing devices, a multiphysics model data structure in an application data structure stored in one or more memory devices, said embedded multiphysics model data structure including at least one multiphysics modeling operation for said physical system being modeled;

determining, via at least one of said one or more physical computing devices, one or more application features to add to said application data structure, said one or more application features associated with said physical system;

acquiring, via at least one of said one or more physical computing devices, application data representing said one or more determined application features, said application data including form data representing at least one form feature and action data representing at least one action feature for modeling said physical system;

forming a modified application data structure including said acquired application data, said modified application data structure being stored on at least one of said one or more memory devices; and

associating said action data representing said at least one action feature with said least one modeling operation for said physical system defined in said embedded multiphysics model data structure, said association between said action data and said at least one modeling operation defines a sequence of operations for modeling said physical system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining of one or more application features includes one or more application feature selections received via one or more input devices associated with a graphical user interface displaying said application features.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said acquiring of application data includes application data received via one or more input devices associated with a graphical user interface displaying options for said application features, said options including form features and said action features.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said defined sequence of operations is configured to generate a geometry for said physical system.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said forming of said modified application data structure further includes said embedded multiphysics model data structure.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising the act of outputting said modified application structure as an input data structure configured to be received and executed in a multiphysics modeling system.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said application data representing said one or more application features further includes declaration data defining input declarations for said physical system being modeled, said declaration data including inputs of parameters to control settings for a physical component of said physical system of said model embedded in said multiphysics data structure.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said form data representing at least one form feature includes data defining an input form for collecting inputs of said parameters for said input declaration.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said form data representing at least one form feature further includes additional data defining an activation condition for collecting said inputs of said parameters.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein said application data representing said one or more application features includes data defining an output declaration for declaring results to be displayed following implementation of a simulation of a model embedded in said multiphysics data structure.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said form data representing said at least one form feature includes data defining an output form for displaying results declared in said output declaration.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said form data representing said at least one form feature further includes additional data defining an activation condition for outputting said output form.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising the act of representing said modified application data structure in an application tree.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein said application features include an input declaration, an output declaration, and an action feature for setting a frequency for a time harmonic electromagnetic field, executing a simulation, and displaying S-parameters.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein said embedded model data structure is for an acoustic simulation, and wherein said application features include an input declaration, an output declaration, and an action feature for receiving an input for updating a reference pressure, executing a simulation, and displaying a resulting wave propagation for an.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein said embedded model data structure is for a fluid flow simulation in a tank, and wherein said application features including an input declaration, an output declaration, and an action feature for receiving an inlet flow rate, executing a fluid flow simulation, and displaying an average flow rate at a pipe outlet.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein said embedded model data structure is for an electronic device, and wherein said application features include an input declaration, an output declaration, a form feature, an activation condition, and an action feature for determining a size of a heat sink and for maintaining a temperature below a given input value at a given input load.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein said application features include an input declaration, an output declaration, a form feature, an activation condition, and an action feature for receiving values of a parameterized plasma reactor, updating a geometry, and executing a simulation for determining a deposit thickness of semiconductor materials on a surface of a wafer.

20. A system for generating a modified application data structure, the system comprising:

one or more physical memory devices;

one or more display devices;

one or more user input devices; and

one or more processors configured to execute instructions stored on at least one of the one or more physical memory devices, the instructions causing at least one of the one or more processors to perform the acts comprising;

embedding, via one or more physical computing devices, a multiphysics model data structure in an application data structure stored in one or more memory devices, said embedded multiphysics model data structure including at least one multiphysics modeling operation for said physical system being modeled;

determining, via at least one of said one or more physical computing devices, one or more application features to add to said application data structure, said one or more application features associated with said physical system;

acquiring, via at least one of said one or more physical computing devices, application data representing said one or more determined application features, said application data including form data representing at least one form feature and action data representing at least one action feature for modeling said physical system;

forming a modified application data structure including said acquired application data, said modified application data structure being stored on at least one of said one or more memory devices; and

associating said action data representing said at least one action feature with said least one modeling operation for said physical system defined in said embedded multiphysics model data structure, said association between said action data and said at least one modeling operation defines a sequence of operations for modeling said physical system.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said acquiring of application data includes application data received via one or more input devices associated with a graphical user interface displaying options for said application features, said options including form features and said action features.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said defined sequence of operations is configured to generate a geometry for said physical system.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions cause at least one of said one or more processors to further perform the act of outputting said modified application structure as an input data structure configured to be received and executed in a multiphysics modeling system.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein said application data representing said one or more application features further includes declaration data defining input declarations for said physical system being modeled, said declaration data including inputs of parameters to control settings for a physical component of said physical system of said model embedded in said multiphysics data structure.

25. A method executed in a computer system including one or more processors configured to generate an application model data structure to model a physical system, the method comprising the acts of:

determining, via one or more processors, a plurality of applications for modeling one or more physical systems, said plurality of applications defined by application data stored in one or more application data structures;

displaying in one or more graphical user interfaces a list of said plurality of applications;

receiving a first input indicative of a selection of at least one of said plurality of applications;

determining, via at least one of said one or more processors, one or more application features for said selection of at least one of said plurality of applications, said one or more application features represented as application data defined in and retrieved from at least one of said one or more application data structures;

displaying in at least one of said one or more graphical user interfaces said determined application features;

receiving a second input indicative of a selection of at least one of said application features;

determining, via at least one of said one or more processors, one or more settings for said selection of at least one of said application features, said one or more settings including associated parameters for said modeling of said one or more physical systems;

displaying, via at least one of said one or more graphical user interfaces, edit fields including at least one of said one or more settings;

selecting at least one of said edit fields;

receiving, via one or more user input devices, edits to said one or more setting included in said selected at least one edit field;

generating, via at least one of said one or more processors, an application model data structure that includes said received edits to said at least one or more settings to said at least one or more application features retrieved from said one or more application data structures.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the acts of:

determining, via at least one of said one or more processors, a sequence of actions defined in said generated application model data structures; and

executing, via at least one of said one or more processors, said sequence of actions.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the act of calling a geometry subroutine as part of an action of executing a geometry sequence.