Space for materials selection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10324453-B2
Application number	US-201514951327-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Nov 25, 2014
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

A design application generates a spectrum of design options that meet certain design criteria. Each design option may potentially be composed of a different type of material. The design application filters the spectrum of design options for presentation in a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI illustrates different design options based on material of composition within a parallel axis plot that includes separate axes for different material attributes. The GUI also displays envelopes of design options for each different material or material type, where each envelope has a different color, pattern, opacity, or other visual attribute. A GUI engine dynamically updates the GUI to reflect constraints and other design criteria applied to the spectrum of design options.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to compare a plurality of design options, by performing the steps of:
generating a spectrum of design options, wherein each design option included in the spectrum satisfies at least one design criterion;
filtering the spectrum of design options to identify a first subset of design options associated with a first material type; and
generating a first envelope that represents the first subset of design options and indicates a first range of values on a first axis corresponding to a first attribute of the first material type and a second range of values on a second axis corresponding to a second attribute of the first material type.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a first opacity value for the first envelope based on at least one of the first range of values and the second range of values; and
adjusting the first envelope to be displayed with the first opacity value.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising:
filtering the spectrum of design options to identify a second subset of design options associated with a second material type; and
generating a second envelope that represents the second subset of design options and indicates a third range of values on the second axis corresponding to the first attribute of the first material type and a fourth range of values on the second axis corresponding to the second attribute of the first material type.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a second opacity value for a second envelope based on at least one of a third range of values and a fourth range of values; and
adjusting the second envelope to be displayed with the second opacity value.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a first band within the first envelope that includes design options associated with a first material having the first material type;
generating a second band within the first envelope that includes design options associated with a second material having the first material type; and
generating different opacity values for the first band and the second band.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a first range constraint for the first range of values; and
eliminating a first design option from the first subset of design options that is associated with a first material having a first value for the first material attribute of the first material type that falls outside of the first range constraint.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a first weight value for the first attribute of the first material type;
determining a first attribute value of the first material attribute for a first material associated with a first design option included in the first subset;
computing a first attribute score based on the first weight value and the first attribute value; and
identifying that the first design option satisfies at least one design criteria associated with the first material attribute based on the first attribute score.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising:
generating a window corresponding to the first design option; and
rendering a visual representation of the first design option in the window.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a first range constraint for the first range of values;
determining a second range constraint for the second range of values;
generating a limiting region based on the first range constraint and the second range constraint; and
eliminating a first design option from the first subset of design options that falls outside of the limiting region.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising generating a first fitness boundary that represents at least two material attribute value ranges that both satisfy the at least one design criterion.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising:
identifying a first material associated with a first design option included in the first subset of design options that resides inside the first fitness boundary and inside at least one other fitness boundary; and
identifying a second material associated with a second design option included in the first subset of design options that resides in one or fewer fitness boundaries;
ranking the first material above the second material in the first subset of design options.

12. A computer-implemented method for comparing a plurality of design options, the method comprising:
generating a spectrum of design options;
filtering the spectrum of design options to identify a first subset of design options associated with a first material type; and
generating a first envelope that represents the first subset of design options and indicates a first range of values on a first axis corresponding to a first attribute of the first material type and a second range of values on a second axis corresponding to a second attribute of the first material type.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:
generating a first opacity value for the first envelope based on at least one of the first range of values and the second range of values; and
adjusting the first envelope to be displayed with the first opacity value.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:
filtering the spectrum of design options to identify a second subset of design options associated with a second material type; and
generating a second envelope that represents the second subset of design options and indicates a third range of values on the second axis corresponding to the first attribute of the first material type and a fourth range of values on the second axis corresponding to the second attribute of the first material type.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:
generating a second opacity value for a second envelope based on at least one of a third range of values and a fourth range of values; and
adjusting the second envelope to be displayed with the second opacity value.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:
generating a first band within the first envelope that includes design options associated with a first material having the first material type;
generating a second band within the first envelope that includes design options associated with a second material having the first material type; and
generating different opacity values for the first band and the second band.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining a first range constraint for the first range of values; and
eliminating a first design option from the first subset of design options that is associated with a first material having a first value for the first attribute of the first material type that falls outside of the first range constraint.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining a first weight value for the first attribute of the first material type;
determining a first attribute value of the first material attribute for a first material associated with

Assignees

• Autodesk Inc

Inventors

• Bergin Michael
• Davis Mark Thomas
• Maleki Maryam

Classifications

• G05B19/4097 Primary

  characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM (G05B19/4093 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05B2219/35012

  Cad cam · CPC title

• Y02P80/40

  Minimising material used in manufacturing processes · CPC title

• G05B2219/49301

  Identify material to be used, select between several · CPC title

• G06F16/444

  Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces · CPC title