Method and apparatus for designing and editing a distribution system for a building
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of designing a distribution system for a building or a portion of a building having building elements, the distribution system having a plurality of distribution system elements including delivery components, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) storing, in digital form in first memory means, operational characteristics of at least one of the delivery components;
(b) storing, in digital form in second memory means, an operational requirement from which the distribution system can be evaluated;
(c) entering into a computer the location and dimensions of the building elements;
(d) designing a layout for the distribution system to comply with the operational requirement by using the operational characteristics and the location and dimensions of the building elements;
(e) displaying on a computer display the layout of the distribution system including the delivery components; and
(f) generating from the layout a hard copy detailing the distribution system.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for designing and editing a distribution system for a building is disclosed. Elements of such distribution systems and requirements of relevant standard, are stored in a computer'"'"'s memory. Building parameters are entered into a computer manually. The user identify the standard to be followed and the element to be optimized. The system divides the building into sections as appropriate to the user identified standard. The system then computes layout needed to comply with the selected standard. The layout is routed and sized to avoid building structural members, yet the elements of the layout are optimized for size and length. The apparatus prints out a hard copy of the design layout which can include an elements listing needed to complete the system. The design layout as well as the building parameters can be edited. The edited layout is checked for compliance with the identified standard as well as avoidance of building parameters.
67 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method of designing a distribution system for a building or a portion of a building having building elements, the distribution system having a plurality of distribution system elements including delivery components, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing, in digital form in first memory means, operational characteristics of at least one of the delivery components; (b) storing, in digital form in second memory means, an operational requirement from which the distribution system can be evaluated; (c) entering into a computer the location and dimensions of the building elements; (d) designing a layout for the distribution system to comply with the operational requirement by using the operational characteristics and the location and dimensions of the building elements; (e) displaying on a computer display the layout of the distribution system including the delivery components; and (f) generating from the layout a hard copy detailing the distribution system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for designing a distribution system having a plurality of distribution system elements including delivery components for a building or a portion of a building having building elements, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) a first memory location for storing operational characteristics of at least one of the delivery components; (b) a second memory location for storing at least one distribution system operational requirement; (c) means for entering the location and dimension of the building elements into a computer; (d) means for designing a layout for the distribution system which complies with the distribution system operational requirement by using the operational characteristics and the location and dimension of the building elements; (e) a computer display for displaying the layout of the distribution system including the delivery components; and (f) means for generating from the layout a hard copy detailing the distribution system. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 42)
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35. An article of manufacture having computer readable program means embodied therein for designing a distribution system having a plurality of distribution system elements including delivery components, the computer readable program in said article of manufacture comprising:
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(a) computer readable code means for causing the computer to store, in a first memory region, operational characteristics of at least one of the delivery components; (b) computer readable code means for causing the computer to store, in a second memory region, an operational requirement from which the distribution system can be evaluated; (c) computer readable code means for facilitating entry of the location and dimension of building elements; (d) computer readable code means for causing the computer to design a layout for the distribution system which complies with the operational requirement and using the operational characteristics and the location and dimension of the building elements; (e) computer readable code means for causing the computer to display the layout of the distribution system including the delivery components; and (f) computer readable code means for causing the computer to generate from the layout a hard copy detailing the distribution system.
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36. A method of designing a sprinkler system for a building or a portion of a building having building elements, the sprinkler system having a plurality of sprinkler heads, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing, in a first memory region, operational characteristics of the sprinkler heads; (b) storing, in a second memory region, an operational requirement from which the sprinkler system can be evaluated; (c) entering into a computer the location and dimension of the building elements; (d) designing a layout for the sprinkler system to comply with the operational requirement by using the operational characteristics and the location and dimension of the building elements; and (e) displaying the layout of the sprinkler system including the sprinkler heads. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A sprinkler system design for installing sprinkler heads within a building or a portion of a building, the sprinkler system design having a plurality of distribution system elements including the sprinkler heads, the sprinkler system design comprising:
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(a) a computer generated hard copy of a layout for the sprinkler system design, the computer generated hard copy depicting a number of sprinkler heads and locations of the sprinkler heads within the building, and the computer generated hard copy produced by; (i) storing, in a first memory region, operational characteristics of the sprinkler heads; (ii) storing, in a second memory region, an operational requirement from which the sprinkler system is evaluated; (iii) entering the location and dimension of building elements; (iv) designing the layout to determine the number of sprinkler heads and the location of the sprinkler heads and to comply with the operational requirement by using the operational characteristics and the location and dimension of the building elements; and (v) generating the hard copy of the layout; (b) an elements listing being printed out in the order the distribution system elements will be used to install the number of sprinkler heads in accordance with the layout; and (c) a hydraulic analysis produced by analyzing the number of sprinkler heads and the locations of the sprinkler heads.
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47. A sprinkler system for a building or a portion of a building, the sprinkler system having a plurality of distribution system elements including sprinkler heads, the sprinkler system comprising:
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(a) a computer generated hard copy of a layout for the sprinkler system, the layout depicting a number of sprinkler heads and locations of the sprinkler heads within the building, the computer generated hard copy produced by; (i) storing, in a first memory region, operational characteristics of the sprinkler heads; (ii) storing, in a second memory region, an operational requirement from which the sprinkler system is evaluated; (iii) entering the location and dimension of building elements; (iv) designing the layout for the sprinkler system to comply with the operational requirement by using the operational characteristics and the location and dimension of the building elements; and (v) generating from the layout the computer generated hard copy; (b) a hydraulic analysis produced by analyzing the number of sprinkler heads and the locations of the sprinkler heads; (c) an elements listing being printed out in the order the distribution system elements will be used to construct the sprinkler system with the number of sprinkler heads; and (d) the number of sprinkler heads mounted within the building at the locations specified by the computer generated hard copy of the sprinkler system.
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Specification