The invention notably relates to computer-implemented method for resizing an image I. The method comprises the steps of: - providing the image / to resize; - providing an image significance by computing a significance of each pixel in the image to resize; - extracting an original spatial domain of the significance image; - providing a transformation T .theta., parameterized as an interpolating spline by a set of control points, from .OMEGA. to a resized spatial domain .OMEGA.; - subdividing .OMEGA. into cells, each cell being defined by a subset of control points of the set; - computing, for each cell, a weighted average of the significance of the pixels in the cell, the weighted average being computed using the interpolating spline; - deforming the cells of .OMEGA. by displacing one or more control points of the cells having a lesser weighted average; - computing the transformation T .theta. over a spatial domain of the image / using the displaced one or more control points; and - computing a resized image J by applying the computed transformation T .theta. to the spatial domain of the image / to resize.
It is provided a computer-implemented method for designing a folded sheet object, comprising the steps of providing (S10) panels separated by bend lines, including at least four adjacent panels forming a cycle and separated by concurrent bend lines, with predetermined angles between successive bend lines; and determining (S20) a control law linking the angles between the adjacent panels of the cycle, as a function of the predetermined angles between successive bend lines. Such a method improves the design of a folded sheet object.
It is provided a computer-implemented method for designing a three-dimensional modeled object. The method comprises providing (S10) a boundary representation of the modeled object; determining (S20) a subset of the set of faces for which the faces are a copy one of another; forming (S30) a first group of faces within the subset that form a geometrical pattern; and associating (S40) to the first group of faces at least one second group of faces that are, for each face of the second group, adjacent to a respective face of the first group and that are, for each pair of faces of the second group, compliant with the rigid motion that transforms, one into the other, the respective faces of the first group to which the faces of the pair are adjacent. Such a method improves the design of a 3D modeled object.
It is provided a computer-implemented method for designing a three-dimensional modeled object. The method comprises providing (S10) geometrical elements that represent the modeled object and that include a set in which the geometrical elements are a copy one of another. The method also comprises defining (S20) a graph, determining (S30) maximal sub-graphs of the graph, and identifying (S40), within the determined sub-graphs, the set of connected components having the highest number of arcs and for which the rigid motions represented by the arcs all respect the identity criterion. Such a method improves the design of a 3D modeled object.
The invention is directed to a computer-implemented method for partitioning a three-dimensional scene into a plurality of zones, each zone being processed by a computing resource. The method comprises - providing a three-dimensional scene comprising one or more objects, each object generating a computing resource cost; - determining a set of locations in the three-dimensional scene; - filling each location with its maximum occupancy of objects that reaches the most expensive computing cost; - computing, for each location of the three-dimensional scene, the maximum computing cost density; and - grouping adjacent locations into one or more zones, each zone having a resulting computing cost density guarantying a real-time performance of the zone.
G06T 15/00 - 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
A63F 13/52 - Controlling the output signals based on the game progress involving aspects of the displayed game scene
A63F 13/80 - Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
G06F 9/06 - Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
6.
SIMULATION OF THE PHYSICAL BEHAVIOR OF AN OBJECT IN A 3D SCENE DIVIDED INTO A PLURALITY OF ZONES
Embodiments of the present invention provide functionality simulating the physical behavior of at least one object in a three dimensional (3D) scene that is divided into a number of zones. One such example embodiment provides at least a first zone and a second zone that are topologically adjacent. Each zone has its own computing resource. An object is provided located in one or both zones. The physical behavior of the object is simulated with the simulation being performed by the computing resource of each one of the first and second zones.
A computer-implemented method of designing a modeled assembly of at least one object in a computer-aided design system, the method comprising the steps of : - providing a set of icons, each icon being representative of a range of scales of size ; - determining the dimensions of a view (40) of said modeled assembly ; and - displaying continuously the icon representative of the range of scales of size corresponding to said dimensions.
G06F 30/12 - Geometric CAD characterised by design entry means specially adapted for CAD, e.g. graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for CAD
It is provided a computer-implemented method for designing a 3D modeled object. The method comprises providing (S10) a base mesh controlling a subdivision surface. The subdivision surface models the 3D modeled object. The method also comprises providing (S20) a polyline consisting of connected edges of the base mesh and defining (S30) a smooth portion of the polyline comprising an extremity of the polyline and a sharp portion of the polyline upstream the smooth portion. The method also comprises converting (S40) faces of the mesh adjacent to the polyline into parametric patches approximating the subdivision surface. The patches have a G0 connection across the sharp portion of the polyline, and the patches have a Gi connection across the smooth portion of the polyline, where i is an integer higher or equal to 1. Such a method improves the design of a 3D modeled object modeled by a subdivision surface.
Computer-implemented method for building a web corpus (WCD) comprising the steps of: - sending by a web crawler (WC) a query to a reference web crawl agent (RWCA), this query containing a least one identifier of a resource, - receiving by the web crawler (WC) a response from the reference web crawl agent (RWCA); - if this response does not contain the resource identified by the identifier, downloading by the web crawler (WC) the resource from the website (WS) corresponding to the identifier and adding the resource to the web corpus (WCD; and - if this response contains the resource identified by the identifier, adding the resource to the web corpus (WCD).
It is provided a computer-implemented method for creating a surface from a plurality of 3D curves. The method comprises providing (S10) a plurality of 3D curves, determining (S20) crossings between pairs of the curves, defining (S30) a base graph comprising nodes representing the crossings and arcs connecting pairs of nodes representing crossings that are neighbors, determining (S40), from the graph, a mesh comprising vertices defined by a 3D position and edges connecting pairs of the vertices, and fitting (S50) the mesh with a surface. Such a method makes the creation of a surface from a plurality of 3D curves easier.
It is provided a computer-implemented method for designing a modeled volume. The method comprises providing a set of dexels (S10) that represents the modeled volume, each dexel comprising a set of at least one segment representing the intersection between a line and the modeled volume, wherein the set of dexels is partitioned into groups of neighboring dexels, and wherein a memory space depending on the maximum number of segments comprised in each of the dexels of the group is allocated to each group; providing a sculpting operation (S20) on the modeled volume; and updating (S30) the set of dexels in response to the sculpting operation. Such a method improves the design of a modeled volume represented by a set of dexels.
G06F 15/80 - Architectures of general purpose stored program computers comprising an array of processing units with common control, e.g. single instruction multiple data processors
It is provided a computer-implemented method for designing a modeled volume. The method comprises providing (S10) a sculpting process on the modeled volume, initial lines, and an initial set of dexels that represents the modeled volume after going through the sculpting process and that is based on the initial lines; then providing (S20) new lines by refining the initial lines; and determining (S30) a new set of dexels that represents the modeled volume after going through the sculpting process and that is based on the new lines, wherein determining the new set of dexels comprises determining (S31) sets of at least one segment representing the intersection between each new line and the modeled volume before going through the sculpting process and then applying (S32) the sculpting process on the determined sets of at least one segment. The method improves designing a modeled volume represented by a set of dexels.
It is provided a computer-implemented method for simulating the machining of a workpiece with a cutting tool having a cutting part and a non-cutting part. The method comprises providing (S10) a modeled volume representing the workpiece and a trajectory of the cutting tool; determining (S20) a colliding sweep of the cutting tool, wherein the colliding sweep represents the volume swept by the non-cutting front of the cutting tool when the cutting tool follows the trajectory; testing (S30) a collision with the workpiece according to the determining (S20) step.s Such a method improves the simulation of the machining of a workpiece with a cutting tool.
A computer-implemented method of designing an assembly of objects in a system of computer-aided design, the method comprising the steps of : - providing (90) a three-dimensional geometrical modeled object comprising at least one three-dimensional geometrical element; - providing (91) a logical modeled object comprising at least one logical component; - associating (92) sets of at least one three-dimensional geometrical element with respective sets of at least one logical component; characterized in that the method further comprises a step of displaying (93) in a three-dimensional scene, a representation of a set of at least one logical component partially superimposed on the corresponding associated set of at least one three-dimensional geometrical element.
The invention discloses a computer-implemented process for selecting a manipulator of an object among a plurality of objects displayed in a graphical user interface, each object comprising at least one manipulator. The process comprises the steps of - providing (S 100) a set of manipulators, wherein each manipulator comprises at least one picking area and at least two picking areas of different manipulators of the set overlap; - receiving (S 150), upon a user interaction with the graphical user interface, an event applied on the said at least two overlapping picking areas; - triggering a set of filters (S 170) for selecting one manipulator of the set to be activated.
The invention is directed to a computer-implemented method for designing a three-dimensional modeled assembly of objects in a three-dimensional scene. Each object of the three-dimensional modeled assembly of objects is a 3D modeled object that represents a real- world physical object to be manufactured. The method has the step of positioning and orienting a predefined set of trihedrals in the three-dimensional scene, with each trihedral defining a position and an orientation. A set of objects is provided. Each object of the set of objects is attached to one corresponding trihedral of the predefined set of trihedrals. Each object is positioned and oriented according to the position and the orientation of the corresponding trihedral of the predefined set of trihedrals. The method allows positioning and orienting of objects with fewer computations and less time than some existing methods.
A computer-implemented method is provided for designing a three-dimensional modeled object. The method provides the steps of user-interacting with a screen and defining a stroke corresponding to the user-interacting. The method also provides the steps of discretizing the stroke into a set of points and projecting the set of points onto at least one support in a three-dimensional scene. Lastly, the three-dimensional modeled object is constructed from the projected set of points and the said at least one support.
A computer implemented method for designing a scene suitable for navigation, may comprise: positioning a plurality of objects of a respective type in the scene, wherein the objects are CAD three-dimensional modeled objects of at least two types; providing a database comprising for each type of object, at least one action, at least one triggering interface for launching the action, a function for computing at least one triggering zone, the function taking as arguments values of parameters of the objects in the scene, wherein reaching the triggering zone during navigation activates the triggering interface; and, for each respective object, instantiating triggering interfaces corresponding to the type of the respective object, and computing triggering zones by applying the function corresponding to the respective object, and adding to the scene the instantiated triggering interfaces and the computed triggering zones. Such a method provides an improved navigation solution in the field of CAD.
The invention is directed to a method for designing a modeled object within a session of CAD system interacting with a database. The method comprises: - detecting a designing operation performed by a user and applied to an initial modeled object within the session; - computing a signature from a set of properties of the initial modeled object and/or a set of properties of the session; - retrieving in the database modeled objects having the closest signatures to the signature of the initial modeled object within the session; - displaying representations of modeled objects retrieved; - selecting by the user a modeled object among the representations of modeled objects displayed; and - replacing the initial modeled object within the session by the modeled object selected.
A method is provided for designing a 3D modeled object comprising the steps of providing at least one surface defined by a field of points of the surface and a field of normal vectors normal to the surface; and watermarking the object by modifying the field of points while keeping the field of normal vectors as it is. Such a method provides a technique for tracing a 3D modeled object modeled at least by a field of points of a surface and a field of normal vectors normal to the surface.
The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for compressing numerical data comprising a structured set of floating point actual values. A floating point value is defined by a sign, an exponent and a mantissa. The method comprises computing a floating point predicted value related to a target actual value of the set. The computing includes performing operations on integers corresponding to the sign, to the exponent and/or to the mantissa of actual values of a subset of the set. The method also comprises storing a bit sequence representative of a difference between integers derived from the target actual value and the predicted value. Such a method is particularly efficient for reducing the storage size of a CAD file.
The invention provides a computer implemented method for designing a part. The method comprises a step of providing a surface and a base curve lying on the surface. The method also comprises a step of sampling the base curve into a list of base points. The method also comprises a step of determining a grid of points of perpendicular geodesic curves. The points of the grid each belong to a respective level. Each level of the grid corresponds to a respective geodesic distance to the base curve. Each perpendicular geodesic curve lies on the surface and departs perpendicularly from the base curve at a respective base point. The method then comprises a step of computing a plurality of parallel geodesic curves lying on the surface by using the grid of points. Each parallel geodesic curve corresponds to a respective level. A representation of the part is displayed according to the method. Such a method is efficient for the computation of a plurality of parallel geodesic curves in terms of computer resource and it saves time to the designer.
The invention provides a computer-implemented method intended for designing an assembly of a plurality of objects. The assembly is modeled by a directed acyclic modeling graph having nodes and arcs. Each node represents an object of the assembly. Each arc represents the use of an end node by an origin node. At least one are is uniquely identified by an identifier. The assembly is further modeled by at least one relation having at least one tuple containing a first chain of at least one identifier. The method comprises the step of determining at least one mapping between the first chain and a second chain of at least one identifier as well as the step of substituting at least one occurrence of the first chain in the tuple of the relation with the second chain. The invention provides this way a means to repair broken tuples automatically and thus to facilitate design.
The invention is directed to a computer-implemented method for displaying an object on a computer screen, the method comprising the steps of: - computing (S20) a first image; - displaying (S30) the first image; - repeating k times the following steps: - computing (S40) a n th transition image; - computing (S60) a n th merged image by merging the first image and the n th transition image, the first image and the n th transition image being weighted; and - displaying (S70) the n th merged image; wherein n ranges from 1 to k, n and k being positive integers.
G05B 19/4097 - Numerical control (NC), i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM
25.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DESIGNING AN ASSEMBLY OF OBJECTS IN A SYSTEM OF COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN
The invention is directed to a method for designing an assembly of objects in a system of computer-aided design, the method comprising: - selecting (20) a first object and a second object of the assembly, each of the first object and the second object having interface information; - computing (40) a set of relative positions between the first object and the second object of the assembly; - ranking (80) the relative positions of the set between the first object and the second object according to at least one criterion; and - providing (90) the best of the relative positions between the first object and the second object according to the ranking step.
G05B 19/4097 - Numerical control (NC), i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM
26.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING INFORMATION OF A STREAM OF INFORMATION
The invention is directed to a computer-implemented process for processing information related to entities and said entities being contained in a stream of information, the entities being stored in resource directories of a system, each resource directory containing entities and being annotated with a version number modified with the addition of at least one new entity. The process comprises the steps of: retrieving a stream of information from different information sources; processing segments of information from the stream of information in accordance with entities of said resource directories; storing the segments of information with an annotation indicating which version of said resource directories was used for processing said information segment; updating at least one of the said resource directories with at least one new entity and updating the version number of said at least one resource directory; and - reprocessing the stored segments of information containing the annotation indicating said segments of information were processed with a previous version of the at least one resource directory.
The invention relates to a computer implemented method for designing a part modeled by using: - a seed structure of a context-free grammar, - a set of rules of the grammar, - at least two design features, each design feature being defined by at least one rule of the set, - a priority order between the design features determined by the seed structure and the set of rules. The method comprises the steps of: - displaying a representation of the part in a graphical user interface according to the priority order, - modifying the priority order between said two design features by modifying the set of rules, - displaying a representation of the part according to the modified priority order.
A method and system provides a search interface that permits a user to interrogate a structured database, and includes retrieving database entries from one or more databases, flattening a plurality of database entries, indexing the plurality of flattened database entries to form a search engine index, and prompting the user to enter an input. The system continuously monitors the user input and each time an input is entered by the user, the system computes a set of non-null partial queries in response to the input entered by the user, associates a structured item to each non-null partial query, and allows the user to select one of the structured items. If the user selects one of the structured items, the system replaces the user input by the non-null partial query associated to the selected structured item. When the user validates the input, the system executes the input as a query. Finally, the system provides documents to the user corresponding to the executed query.
This invention is directed to a process, computer program and apparatus for displaying an assembly of objects of a product lifecycle management database. The method according to the invention aims at providing an access to the database, selecting (S20) the assembly of objects in the database, identifying a plurality of viewpoints (S60) on said assembly, retrieving (S80) from the database a set of objects of said assembly according to the plurality of identified viewpoints, computing a model (S100) of said assembly for all the retrieved objects of the set of objects, and displaying a view of the model (S110), any displayed views being computed locally starting from the objects retrieved at the retrieving step.
G06F 16/90 - Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor - Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types
The invention is directed to a process of updating a status of relation between objects in a system of computer-aided design, for subsequent analysis of status of relation, comprising: - identifying (21, 50): - a set of data of a group of objects, preferably a pair or objects; - a method of computation of relations between objects; and - an expected relation of executing the method identified using the set; - executing (23, 52) the method using the set of data to compute a relation; - comparing (36, 58) the expected relation with the computed relation; and - updating (36, 62, 64) a status of the expected relation based on a result of the comparing step.
The invention relates to the design of layouts for a room in which a user wishes to position elements figuring in a collection of catalogs. Prior art systems only allow incremental construction by making direct selections from one or more catalogs. The inventive system and procedure allow rapid, overall construction of several solutions satisfying a certain number of constraints determined by the room, the user or the distributor of the equipment to be positioned, as well as rules derived from experience in the field of the equipment concerned. The method is subdivided into the steps of spatial analysis, definition of layout templates, selection of candidates from the collection of catalogs and optimization of the positioning. The system permits simultaneous visualization in three dimensions of optimum solutions and the printing of two-dimensional assembly drawings. The procedure and the system are preferably applicable to kitchen layouts.
32.
A COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD OF DESIGN OF SURFACES DEFINED BY GUIDING CURVES
The invention relates to a method of design of ruled surfaces, comprising a step of accessing data defining guiding curves P(u) and Q(v) (S 110) and a cost function f(t, w) (S120). Given P(u) and Q(v), the unknown coupling is a parameterized curve s ~(t(s), w(s)). The method further comprises defining (S200) an objective function of the type J = J( f, t, w), involving both f(t, w) and coordinates t, w of the coupling curve. Then, optimizing the objective function J makes it possible to obtain the target coupling curve (S400). Finally, a ruled surface S(s,.lambda.) =.lambda.Q(w(s)) + (1- .lambda.)P(t(s)) is provided (S500), according to the guiding curves P(t(s)) and Q(w(s)), composed with the coordinates t, w of the coupling curve previously obtained. In addition, the objective function is further constrained at the optimization step (S200 - S400) such that arguments t, w of the cost function f(t, w) are regulated by a regulation function µ. The invention generalizes to any surface defined by guiding curves and further concerns a computerized system and a computer program product comprising means adapted for implementing the method of the invention.
G05B 19/4097 - Numerical control (NC), i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM
33.
METHOD OF COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN OF EDGES CONNECTING FACES OF A MODELED OBJECT
The invention is directed method of computer-aided design of edges connecting faces of a modeled object, the method comprising a step of: - determining (S100 - S130) a structure of subsets of faces and edges of specified convex or concave type, by iteratively disconnecting (~S120~) faces connected by edges of one type from a parent subset, whereby said parent subset is decomposed into child subsets comprising either: - a non-connected face; or - faces connected by edges of the other type, in which case edges of said one type are maintained in said child subset, wherein said one type of edges is further alternated at each iteration of disconnecting; and the method further comprising a step of: - processing (S140) the structure from a given parent subset for rounding or filleting the one or more edges connecting child subsets thereof, according to the type of edge as specified in said given parent subset. More generally, the present invention may further be directed to the design of implementation of two distinct technologies for processing features connecting elements a model, in place of design of edges connecting faces of a modelled object.
The invention is directed to a widget (10) of graphical user interface for navigating amongst related objects, wherein: - the widget is adapted for displaying first and second groups of objects within respective first and second visually linked display areas (12; 14); and - the widget is further adapted, upon user selection of a relation between an object of the second group and a third group of objects, for displaying objects of the third group in the second display area (14) and objects of the second group in the first display area (12). The invention also relates to a method for navigating amongst related objects, comprising a step of providing to a user a graphical user interface with such a widget (10). Finally the invention is directed to a computer program comprising code means for implementing the method and to a computer system comprising means for implementing the method.
The invention is directed to a computer program, a computer system and a method for navigating in a database of a computer system, the computer system comprising a graphical user interface, the method comprising steps of: - returning results (110a - g) from a query in a database; and - displaying in the graphical user interface (100) the results returned using several levels of progressive granularity, each of the results being associated with one of the levels, according to the query.
The invention is directed to a method for creating a parametric surface symmetric with respect to a given symmetry operation (20), comprising steps of: - identifying a mesh pattern (15a); - creating a base mesh (15s) from the mesh pattern, according to said symmetry operation, said base mesh being symmetric with respect to said symmetry operation; - subdividing the base mesh, at a given order, into a subdivided mesh defining elementary faces; and - forming the parametric surface (16s) according to said faces. The invention further concerns computer program product and systems implementing the method according to the invention.
The invention is directed to a computer program product, a computer system and a computer-implemented method for creating a parametric surface (16), comprising the steps of : - providing a base mesh (15) having a plurality of outer or inner vertices (24, 25, 101) with valence greater than two, said vertices defining faces and at least one of said vertices being an extraordinary vertex (25, 101) defined as being different from: - an outer vertex with valence two; - an outer vertex with valence three; or - a inner vertex with valence four (24), - converting faces of the base mesh into parametric elementary surfaces (103, 104, 105); - trimming at least one (105) of said parametric elementary surfaces located in the vicinity of said extraordinary vertex (101), according to: - at least two parametric elementary surfaces (103, 104) adjacent to said at least one parametric elementary surface (111); and - the base mesh (15); and - constructing at least one parametric elementary surface (123, 124), adjacent to said trimmed parametric elementary surface (102), wherein the resulting parametric elementary surfaces (102, 103, 104, 123, 124) form the parametric surface (16).
The method of collaborative work takes place between a first user working on a first object (1) on the basis of a visual representation of the first object displayed in an authoring environment of a first local computer; and a second user working in an authoring environment of a second local computer connected with the first computer via a computer network. The method comprising the steps of: a) selecting at the first computer one type among a plurality of types of data about the first object, each type of data comprising visual representation data about the first object; b) providing to the second computer data about the first object according to the selected type; c) displaying a visual representation of the first object in the authoring environment of the second computer.
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
The invention is directed to a process, an apparatus and a program for selecting an object in a PLM database containing modeled objects. The user is provided with a graphical user interface with a user-controlled pointer. The process comprises displaying (step 120) in the graphical user interface a view of a setof objects of the database. Said view is a non-associative view, that is, the graphical elements of said view are not partitioned according to the individual objects of the set, from the system standpoint. In this respect, the process may comprise, prior to the step of displaying, aggregating (step 110) representations of respective objects of the set of objects to form the displayed view. The view is thereby rendered more rapidly. Then, upon activation of the pointer by the user, it is determined the location (step 130) of the pointer in the view. Next, the process comprises searching the database and identifying to the user one object (241f) according to the determined location (steps 140 - 160). Use is for example made of bounding boxes, stored in the PLM database (step 100). Hence, the proposed solution allows a user to rapidly display a view of the set of objects while allowing for selecting an object in the view, for example through movement of a pointer such as a mouse. Such a solution is hence easy and intuitive.
The invention is directed to an apparatus, a computer program and a process for displaying objects of a PLM database, comprising steps of: - providing a PLM database containing modeled objects and a graphical user interface (100); - identifying (S200) a viewpoint on a view (110) of objects (21 - 24) to be rendered; and - rendering (S210 - 270) said view according to the viewpoint, wherein the step of rendering comprises: - determining (S210) a plurality of locations (32a - i) in the view; - searching the database and identifying therein modeled objects according to the determined locations, and - incrementally displaying (S220 - S270) in the graphical user interface the modeled objects identified so as to rendering said view.
The invention is directed to a process, an apparatus and a program for selecting objects in a PLM database containing modeled objects. The process comprises displaying (step 620) in a graphical user interface a view of a set of objectsof the database. Said view is a non-associative view, that is, the graphical elements of said view are not partitioned according to the individual objects of the set, from the system standpoint. In this respect, the process may comprise, prior to the step of displaying, aggregating (step 610) representations of respective objects of the set of objects to form the displayed view. The view is thereby rendered more rapidly. Then, upon definition (step 630) of a volume by the user, it is determined (steps 640 - 650) the objects intersecting said volume in the non-associative view. The process comprises searching the database and identifying to the user objects according to the intersection. Use is for example made of bounding boxes, stored in the PLM database (step 600). Hence, the proposed solution allows a user to rapidly display a view of the set of objects while allowing for selecting objects in the view, without the need for loading the complete and exact representations of all the objects of the view when the user is looking for particular objects to work on.
The invention is directed to a process for creating a parametric surface having a required geometrical continuity Gi, from a set of parametric elementary surfaces. Said process comprises a step of providing a set of parametric elementary surfaces, each elementary surface having edges, with vertices joining adjacent edges, each elementary surface having an internal continuity Cj at least equal to the required continuity Gi, the geometrical continuity between at least two elementary surfaces, across their common edge, being less than the required continuity Gi. Further, for each singular vertex, the process comprise steps of: defining a system of equations linking the parameters (including position coordinates of the usually called "control points") of the parametric elementary surfaces across ail edges joined to the vertex and enforcing the: required geometrical continuity across the joined edges; and solving the system of equations to obtain the parameters. Said singular vertex joins at least one edge across which the continuity between adjacent elementary surfaces is less than the required continuity Gi.
The invention is directed to a process for creating from a mesh an isotopologic set of parameterized surfaces. Said process comprises a step of providing a mesh having a plurality of vertices connected by edges, defining faces, the vertices comprising regular vertices of valence 4 and irregular vertices of valence different from 4. The mesh provided is for example a Catmull-Clark subdivided mesh. Said mesh further has a sharpness value. defined on at least one vertex or edge, with a default value, the sharpness being representative of the attractiveness of the vertex or edge on the surface modeled by the mesh. In other words, the sharpness measures the difference between the mesh as it stands at a given subdivision level and the initial mesh. The process further comprises providing at least three different types of parameterized surfaces; and - for a face with regular vertices and a default value of sharpness on vertices and edges of the face, applying a first type of parameterized surface; - for a face with regular vertices and at least one vertex or edge with a non- default value of sharpness, applying a second type of parameterized surface; and - for a face with at least one irregular vertex, applying a third type of parameterized surface.
For determining the behaviour of a system submitted to predetermined load and displacement boundary conditions with a degree of freedom relative to a local coordinate system released at one node of the system, a process uses finite element analysis. For a geometrically non-linear solution scheme, the process has a plurality of incremental steps. In each incremental step, one computes for a finite element of the system a displacement vector at the nodes of the finite element. This computation of the displacement vector is carried out by minimising the energy of the system when the system is submitted to the predetermined load and to a fraction of the predetermined displacement. For a geometrically linear solution scheme, the process is carried out in a single solving step. In this step one computes for a finite element of the system a displacement vector at the nodes of the finite element. The computation is carried out by minimising the energy of the system when the system is submitted to the predetermined load and to the predetermined displacement. The step of minimising is carried out, for a node having a released degree of freedom, in a local frame of reference. The released degree of freedom at the node is expressed along one axis of the local frame of reference. Using such hydrid reference frames makes it possible to express and to take into account in the global formulation the constraints for the non-released degrees of freedoms in a simple manner, without having to factorise constraints;
For determining the behaviour of a flexible system submitted to predetermined displacement boundary conditions, a process uses geometrically non-linear finite element analysis. The process has a plurality of incremental steps within a total Lagrangian formalism with co-rotational update. In each incremental step, one computes for a finite element of the flexible system a displacement vector, having translational and rotational components, at the nodes of the finite element. This computation of the displacement vector is carried out by minimising the energy of the flexible system when the system is submitted to a fraction of the predetermined displacement. For a given finite element, the co-rotational update is carried out by computing an updated elementary frame of reference, without considering the bending rotational components of the displacement vectors computed at the nodes of the finite element. This co-rotational update has the following advantage: in the updated elementary frame of reference, one of the axes is parallel to the line joining the nodes of the finite element. This property is maintained in each incremental step and makes all computations similar, hence simpler and easier.
The invention is directed to a method of computer-aided design of a modeled object (10) having several faces. The method comprises a step of identifying, for each of said faces of the object (10), at least another of said faces related to said face according to geometrical criteria. Faces are thereby marked as connected. This is part of the "topology preprocessing" needed for implementing subsequent steps of the method. The method also comprises a step of computing a plurality of points forming a tessellated representation of each of said faces. Based on this tessellation, the method characterizes critical regions by determining and storing data representative of an intersection between a three-dimensional geometrical figure (touching a given face) and a face related to said face, according to the identifying step above. The step of determining whether intersections occur is carried out for each point of the tessellated representation of a face and for each face of the object. Then, as part of a "frontier extraction" general step, the method computes frontiers (delimiting zones where surface recomputation would occur) between points according to their respectively stored data and determines zones according to the determined frontiers. Preferably, a progressive zone determination method is implemented; notably comprising detection of zones comprising fillet or round-like, step-like and wall-like sections, by calling a suitable coupling routine. Finally, surfaces (12, 14, 140, 142, 145, 148, 150) are recomputed according to the determined zones.
G06T 19/00 - Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
G05B 19/4097 - Numerical control (NC), i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM
47.
PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR RENDERING AN OBJECT IN A VIEW USING A PRODUCT LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT DATABASE
The invention proposes a process for rendering an object view using a PLM database. The database comprises modeled objects and relations between said modeled objects. Said modeled objects are associated to a set of values of attributes, whose values are stored in the database or computable based on relations involving said modeled objects. The process comprises displaying to the user a view of a set of modeled objects; receiving a selection by a user of an attribute; querying the database for a modeled object to be rendered; providing a value of the selected attribute, associated to said modeled object; and rendering said modeled object in the view according to the provided value of the attribute. It is also possible for the user to select a value of an attribute and the rendering will be carried out only on the object, whose values) matches with the selected value.
The invention proposes a method for interacting with a database having data related to modeled products and product parts. The method comprises (a) displaying a graphical user interface on a display of a computer. The graphical user interface is adapted to allow a user to access the database. The method also comprises: (b) providing within the graphical user interface a toolbar with at least one field suitable for displaying an argument. The toolbar is adapted for allowing a user to execute a function using said argument. The method further comprises the steps of: (c) querying the database; and (d) updating the argument displayed in the field, using a result of the querying step.
49.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GRAPHICALLY NAVIGATING AMONG STORED OBJECTS
The invention is directed to a product life cycle management (PLM) system, comprising a database storing objects, preferably 3D objects, and relations between said objects. The PLM system provides a graphical user interface suitable for displaying to a user a graphical representation of a hierarchy of stored objects. The graphical user interface is adapted, upon selection of a displayed object by a user, to display objects related to the selected object. At a given level in the hierarchy, displayed objects are distributed according to a respective weight. The weight of a displayed object depends on the number of its descendants in the hierarchy, which are displayed in said graphical representation. The invention makes it possible to navigate in a database of a PLM system, storing notably complex modeled objects through interrelated data. Thanks to the principle of the weight dependence discussed above, the solution further allows the user to comprehend its progression through the organized data as well as the relations between objects and this, in an easy and intuitive way.
A relational database contains a set of data and relations between the data of the set. The data may be representative of three dimensional modelled objects. For navigating in the database, the user selects (12) a first data and a first relation; the second data related to the first data according to the first relation are searched. Then, a three-dimensional representation of objects represented by the second data is displayed to the user. When the user selects (18) one of the displayed objects and a second relation, the second data representative of the selected object is identified. Then, third data related to the identified second data according to the second relation are found. A three-dimensional representation of objects represented by the third data is then displayed. The user may navigate in three-dimensional representations of the objects represented in the database, without any need to know and understand the structure of the database.
51.
A PROCESS FOR SELECTING AND HANDLING OBJECTS IN A COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN SYSTEM
Several elements are displayed on a computer display. The user is provided with a haptic device, for moving a cursor over the display. Distances between the cursor and the various elements are computed; the element with the smallest distance is highlighted on the display. When the user moves the haptic device, the identified element is changed, according to the distance between the cursor and the various elements. The user selects the identified element by actuating a select button. The invention makes it possible for the user to select one of the displayed elements, without having to move the cursor over the element to be selected. No prior knowledge of the shape of the elements is required for carrying out the selection process.
A curve is created in a computer-aided design system, based on a set of points inputted by the user. A polyline is computed and the curvature envelope along said polyline is computed to determine particular points (A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5) on thepolyline, which are extrema of curvature. Segmenting points (M0,1, M1,2, M2,3, M3,4, M4,5) are selected between pairs of particular points. A curve passing through the particular segmenting points is computed and is fitted to thepolyline. The process provides a curve that is well fitted to the set of points and does not require high skills from the user.
For computing a vector image of a view of a modelled object with removed hidden lines, a bitmap image of the modelled object, with removed hidden lines is first computed (22) in a graphic card. For each line of the modelled object, a raster of the line in the same view is computed (26). The pixels of the raster are compared (30) with corresponding pixels of the bitmap image, to determine whether there exists in the bitmap image pixels corresponding to the pixels of the raster. According to the results of the comparison, the visible parts of the line are determined (38).
A declarative system for designing parts or assemblies of parts is based on a history-based design system (40), which has a storage format with primitives and operations; a modeled object is defined in the history based design system by an ordered sequence of operations and primitives. The declarative system has several functional features, which may be selected (48) and instantiated by a end user by providing a set of specifications (46) to a end-user interface (44). An instantiated functional feature provides contributions (50), each contribution being an ordered sequence of operations and primitives of the history-based design system. Contributions (50) are received by a seed structure (52). The seed structure is defined in a context- free grammar. The seed structure orders operations and primitives of received contributions provides an ordered sequence (54) of operations and primitives to the history based system. An editor (56) makes it possible to edit the seed structure in the grammar.
A computer system allows client processes to access data through a server process. The server process contains an application and a motor. The motor receives requests in a first language from one of the client processes and issues responses in the first language to the client process. The motor communicates with the application in a second language distinct from the first language, the second language being an object-oriented language. In the second language, objects have properties and associated with events. The application instantiates objects, evaluates properties of instantiated objects based on data and reacts to events. The motor issues responses in the first language to the client process according to the objects instantiated by the application and to their properties; the motor also provides updated properties and events to the application in the second language according to requests received in the first language from the client process. Thus, all client processes may access the data contemporaneously and share the data. Since the second language is distinct from the first language, the application may be used for various types of client processes, without being adapted.
G06F 12/00 - Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
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