# US 10,372,290 B2 · Comparing 3D modeled objects > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,372,290 B2 - Document ID: US10372290B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/334,044 - Filed: 2016-10-25 - Published: 2017-04-27 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-25 - Assignees: Dassault Systemes - Applicants: Dassault Systemes - Inventors: Pierre Barras - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372290B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/04815: Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object - G06F 3/04845: for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour - G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - G06F 30/00: Computer-aided design [CAD] - G06F 30/12: characterised by design entry means specially adapted for CAD, e.g. graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for CAD - G06F 30/17: Mechanical parametric or variational design - G06T 7/0006: {using a design-rule based approach} - G06T 7/001: {using an image reference approach} - G06T 19/20: Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts - G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) - G06F 2119/18: Manufacturability analysis or optimisation for manufacturability - G06T 2200/24: involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs] - G06T 2207/30164: Workpiece; Machine component - G06T 2210/62: Semi-transparency - G06T 2219/2004: Aligning objects, relative positioning of parts - G06T 2219/2024: Style variation - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract The disclosure notably relates to a computer-implemented method for comparing a first 3D modeled object and a second 3D modeled object. The method comprises upon manipulation of a user-interaction tool that controls at least one non-uniform variation of the rendering of both the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object, updating the displaying of the first 3D object and the second 3D object. The user-interaction tool is configured to be manipulated via a predetermined set of at least one action, a repetition of each respective action of the set controlling a respective non-uniform variation of the rendering of both the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object. Such a method improves the comparison of a first 3D modeled object and a second 3D modeled object that each represent a part or an assembly of parts. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for comparing a first 3D modeled object and a second 3D modeled object that each represent a part or an assembly of parts, the first 3D modeled object including a first graphical representation and the second 3D modeled object including a second graphical representation, comprising: displaying the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object superposed in a same scene so that the first graphical representation is positioned at a location substantially confounded with a location of the second graphical representation in the scene; and upon manipulation of a user-interaction tool that controls at least one non-uniform variation of the rendering of both the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object, updating the displaying of the first 3D object and the second 3D object, the user-interaction tool being configured to be manipulated via a predetermined set of at least one action, a repetition of each respective action of the set controlling a respective non-uniform variation of the rendering of both the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object, the non-uniform variation being progressively performed with the repetition, wherein the user-interaction tool includes a slider, a graphical element representing the slider is displayed to the user, an activation action is performed prior to the respective moving action and the respective moving action is a move of the graphical representation of the slider in a respective direction, and/or the user-interaction tool includes a touch device and the respective moving action is a single touch moving action in a respective one of a predetermined pair of directions and/or a double touch moving action which is a respective one of a spreading gesture or a joining gesture, and wherein the respective moving action allows a user to browse through a continuum of rendering states which include at least three different rendering states, each of the at least three rendering states corresponding to a different relative visibility of the first 3D modeled object with respect to the second 3D modeled object displayed to the user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined set of at least one action comprises a first action and a second action, the variation controlled by a repetition of the first action being inverse to the variation controlled by a repetition of the second action. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first action and the second action each result from a pressure of a respective predetermined key, a scrolling in a respective direction and/or a respective moving action of a pointing device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first action increases visibility of the second 3D modeled object relative to the first 3D modeled object, and the second action thereby increases visibility of the first 3D modeled object relative to the second 3D modeled object, the first action and the second action thereby controlling relative visibility between the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object in a one-dimensional domain. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the first action increases the value of a predetermined rendering parameter for the first three-dimension object while decreasing the value of the predetermined rendering parameter for the second three-dimension object, and the second action increases the value of the predetermined rendering parameter for the second three-dimension object while decreasing the value of the predetermined rendering parameter for the first three-dimension object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined rendering parameter is transparency. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the one-dimensional domain comprises a first boundary sub-domain where the rendering of the first 3D modeled object is opaque and the rendering of the second 3D modeled object is invisible, and a second boundary sub-domain where the rendering of the second 3D modeled object is opaque and the rendering of the first 3D modeled object is invisible. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the one-dimensional domain further comprises a central sub-domain where the renderings of both the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object are opaque, the central sub-domain having optionally a non-zero length. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the one-dimensional domain further comprises a first intermediary sub-domain between the first boundary sub-domain and the central sub-domain, and a second intermediary sub-domain between the second sub-domain and the central sub-domain, the rendering of the first 3D modeled object is opaque and the rendering of the second 3D modeled object is transparent in the first intermediary sub-domain, and the rendering of the second 3D modeled object is opaque and the rendering of the first 3D modeled object is transparent in the second intermediary sub-domain. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein transparency varies continuously and monotonically in the first and second intermediary sub-domains. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the user-interaction tool is further configured to be manipulated via at least one other predetermined action that defines the first 3D modeled object as a portion of a first 3D assembly and the second 3D modeled object as a portion of a second 3D assembly, the other portion of the first 3D assembly and the other portion of the second 3D assembly being displayed throughout the method with a transparency higher than respectively the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer program comprising instructions for performing a computer-implemented method for comparing a first 3D modeled object and a second 3D modeled object that each represent a part or an assembly of parts, the first 3D modeled object including a first graphical representation and the second 3D modeled object including a second graphical representation, the method comprising: displaying the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object superposed in a same scene so that the first graphical representation is positioned at a location substantially confounded with a location of the second graphical representation in the scene; and upon manipulation of a user-interaction tool that controls at least one non-uniform variation of the rendering of both the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object, updating the displaying of the first 3D object and the second 3D object, the user-interaction tool being configured to be manipulated via a predetermined set of at least one action, a repetition of each respective action of the set controlling a respective non-uniform variation of the rendering of both the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object, the non-uniform variation being progressively performed with the repetition, wherein the user-interaction tool includes a slider, a graphical element representing the slider is displayed to the user, an activation action is performed prior to the respective moving action and the respective moving action is a move of the graphical representation of the slider in a respective direction, and/or the user-interaction tool includes a touch device and the respective moving action is a single touch moving action in a respective one of a predetermined pair of directions and/or a double touch moving action which is a respective one of a spreading gesture or a joining gesture, and wherein the respective moving action allows a user to browse through a continuum of rendering states which include at least three different rendering states, each of the at least three rendering states corresponding to a different relative visibility of the first 3D modeled object with respect to the second 3D modeled object displayed to the user. ### Claim 13 A system comprising: a processor coupled to a memory and to a user-interaction tool, the memory having stored thereon a computer program comprising instructions for comparing a first 3D modeled object and a second 3D modeled object that each represent a part or an assembly of parts, the first 3D modeled object including a first graphical representation and the second 3D modeled object including a second graphical representation, the instructions causing the processor to be configured to display the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object superposed in a same scene so that the first graphical representation is positioned at a location substantially confounded with a location of the second graphical representation in the scene, and upon manipulation of a user-interaction tool that controls at least one non-uniform variation of the rendering of both the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object, update the displaying of the first 3D object and the second 3D object, the user-interaction tool being configured to be manipulated via a predetermined set of at least one action, a repetition of each respective action of the set controlling a respective non-uniform variation of the rendering of both the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object, the non-uniform variation being progressively performed with the repetition, wherein the user-interaction tool includes a slider, a graphical element representing the slider is displayed to the user, an activation action is performed prior to the respective moving action and the respective moving action is a move of the graphical representation of the slider in a respective direction, and/or the user-interaction tool includes a touch device and the respective moving action is a single touch moving action in a respective one of a predetermined pair of directions and/or a double touch moving action which is a respective one of a spreading gesture or a joining gesture, and wherein the respective moving action allows a user to browse through a continuum of rendering states which include at least three different rendering states, each of the at least three rendering states corresponding to a different relative visibility of the first 3D modeled object with respect to the second 3D modeled object displayed to the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the non-uniform variation is progressively performed with the repetition increasing the relative visibility of one of the first 3D modeled object and the second 3D modeled object with respect to the second 3D modeled object or the first 3D modeled object respectively, thereby allowing the user to browse through the continuum of rendering states which include the at least three different rendering states.