Systems and methods for creating application interfaces for forming and solving problems in a modeling system

• US 9,454,625 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comsol AB
• Original Assignee: Comsol AB
• Inventors: Danielsson, Erik, Fontes, Eduardo, Langemyr, Lars, Littmarck, Victor, Littmarck, Svante, Malm, Nils, Sjdin, Bjrn, Smith, Daniel, Normark, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Das, Chameli
• Application Number:
  US14/747,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20150293749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. A system configured to generate a customized application data structure for modeling physical systems, the system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more user input devices, optionally a display device, and one or more memory devices, wherein the one or more processors are adapted, during use, to

embed a pre-determined or selected multiphysics model data structure in an application data structure, wherein the multiphysics model data structure comprises a representation of one or more models of physical systems, each model of a physical system representing physical phenomena and/or physical processes, wherein the multiphysics model data structure comprises data representing at least one modeling operation determining how to model or simulate the one or more models of physical systems,

add data representing one or more application features to the application data structure, where each application feature comprises one or more of (i) first data representing at least one form feature, and/or (ii) second data representing at least one action feature,

wherein a form feature comprises data specifying input data and/or output data and/or presentation format of input and/or output data, and wherein an action feature comprises data specifying a sequence of operations to be carried out, when executing the application data structure, and

wherein at least one of the sequence of operations to be carried out comprises the at least one modeling operation, and wherein at least one of the sequence of operations to be carried out comprises an operation providing data for generating at least one geometry of at least a part of the one or more models of physical systems,

whereby a customized application data structure is generated providing, when executed, a customized modeling of the physical systems using the at least one modeling operation, the at least one geometry of at least a part of the one or more models of physical systems, and at least one of the one or more application features.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the customized application data structure is generated using at least one form feature.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is further adapted to model or simulate one or more physical systems by executing the customized application data structure, presenting output data and/or receiving input data from a user according to at least one form feature, and executing the at least one modeling operation using at least one generated geometry.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is further adapted to modify or update the application data structure according to one or more of:

presenting via a graphical user interface one or more pre-selected multiphysics model data structures to a user and adding data representing one or more user-selected and optionally user-modified multiphysics model data structures to the application data structure,

presenting via a graphical user interface one or more pre-selected application features to a user and adding data representing one or more user-selected and optionally user-modified application features to the application data structure, and

for at least one user-selected application feature, presenting via a graphical user interface one or more pre-selected form features and/or one or more action features, and adding data representing one or more user-selected and optionally user-modified form features and/or action features to the application data structure.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more application features further comprises data representing one or more of:

one or more of input declarations, each input declaration controlling inputs of parameters controlling settings for a physical component of at least one of the one or more models of physical systems,

one or more activation conditions, each activation condition specifying one or more logical conditions checking the value of an input declaration,

one or more output declarations, each output declaration specifying results to be displayed following simulation of the one or more models of physical systems,

one or more input forms controlling the displaying and collecting of inputs, and

one or more output forms controlling the displaying of results declared in an output declaration.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one form feature enables, when the application feature comprising the form feature is executed, receiving input from a user to modify and/or pre-select the sequence of operations.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one form feature enables, when the application feature comprising the form feature is executed, receiving input from a user to modify and/or pre-select the at least one geometry and/or the at least one modeling operation.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the geometries of the at least one geometry, each can be either zero dimensional, two dimensional, or three dimensional.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the least one modeling operation comprises one or more partial differential equations for solving coupled systems or representations.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein

application features comprise 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,

the embedded multiphysics model data structure is for an acoustic simulation, and wherein application features comprise 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,

the embedded multiphysics model data structure is for a fluid flow simulation in a tank, and wherein application features comprise 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,

the embedded multiphysics model data structure is for an electronic device, and wherein 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, and/or

application features comprise 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.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the application data structure is an initial application data structure that is used in generating the customized application data structure, the initial application data structure including at least one previously embedded application feature and/or at least one previously embedded multiphysics model data structure.

12. A method for generating a customized application data structure for modeling physical systems, the method comprising:

embedding a pre-determined or selected multiphysics model data structure in an application data structure, wherein the multiphysics model data structure comprises a representation of one or more models of physical systems, each model of a physical system representing physical phenomena and/or physical processes, wherein the multiphysics model data structure comprises data representing at least one modeling operation determining how to model or simulate the one or more models of physical systems;

adding data representing one or more application features to the application data structure, wherein each application feature comprises one or more of (i) first data representing at least one form feature, and/or (ii) second data representing at least one action feature,

wherein a form feature comprises data specifying input data and/or output data and/or presentation format of input and/or output data, and wherein an action feature comprises data specifying a sequence of operations to be carried out, when executing the application data structure,

wherein at least one of the sequence of operations to be carried out comprises the at least one modeling operation, and wherein at least one of the sequence of operations to be carried out comprises an operation providing data for generating at least one geometry of at least a part of the one or more models of physical systems; and

generating a customized application data structure from the embedding and adding operations, the customized application data structure providing, when executed, a customized modeling of the physical systems using the at least one modeling operation, the at least one geometry of at least a part of the one or more models of physical systems, and at least one of the one or more application features.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the customized application data structure is generated using at least one form feature.

14. The method according to claim 12, the method comprising modeling or simulating one or more physical systems by executing the customized application data structure, presenting output data and/or receiving input data from a user according to at least one form feature, and executing the at least one modeling operation using at least one generated geometry.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method is further adapted to modify or update the application data structure according to one or more of:

presenting via a graphical user interface one or more pre-selected multiphysics model data structures to a user and adding data representing one or more user-selected and optionally user-modified multiphysics model data structures to the application data structure,

presenting via a graphical user interface one or more pre-selected application features to a user and adding data representing one or more user-selected and optionally user-modified application features to the application data structure, and

for at least one user-selected application feature, presenting via a graphical user interface one or more pre-selected form features and/or one or more action features, and adding data representing one or more user-selected and optionally user-modified form features and/or action features to the application data structure.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least one form feature enables, when the application feature comprising the form feature is executed, receiving input from a user to modify and/or pre-select the sequence of operations.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least one form feature enables, when the application feature comprising the form feature is executed, receiving input from a user to modify and/or pre-select the at least one geometry and/or the at least one modeling operation.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the geometries of the at least one geometry, each can be either zero dimensional, two dimensional, or three dimensional.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the least one modeling operation comprises one or more partial differential equations for solving coupled systems or representations.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein

application features comprise 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,

the embedded multiphysics model data structure is for an acoustic simulation, and wherein application features comprise 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,

the embedded multiphysics model data structure is for a fluid flow simulation in a tank, and wherein application features comprise 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,

the embedded multiphysics model data structure is for an electronic device, and wherein 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, and/or

application features comprise 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.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein the application data structure is an initial application data structure that is used in generating the customized application data structure, the initial application data structure including at least one previously embedded application feature and/or at least one previously embedded multiphysics model data structure.