# US 11,029,828 B2 · Object connection breaking system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,828 B2 - Document ID: US11029828B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/707,532 - Filed: 2015-05-08 - Published: 2016-11-10 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-08 - Assignees: Siemens Industry Software Inc. - Applicants: Siemens Industry Software Inc. - Inventors: Steven Robert Jankovich; Daren Rhoades - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029828B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/04845: for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - 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: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A system having a processor is provided that visually manipulates objects on a touch screen responsive to inputs through the touch screen. The processor may receive a selection of a first object while a second object remains unselected. Also the processor may be responsive to first motion inputs representative of the selected first object being moved with a first motion that does not have a predetermined motion characteristic, to maintain a connection between the first and second objects while changing the positions of the first object and at least a first portion of the second object. In addition, the processor may be responsive to second motion inputs representative of the selected first object being moved with a second motion that has the predetermined motion characteristic, to break the connection between the first and second objects. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for object connection breaking comprising: a display device; an input device; at least one processor configured to: cause the display device to display a plurality of connected objects, wherein the plurality of connected objects include two-dimensional (2D) computer-aided design (CAD) objects or three-dimensional (3D) CAD objects that are directly connected to and abut each other to form complex 2D or 3D structures, and wherein each connection includes at least one constraint that acts as a functional association between the connected objects so that object properties are inherited between the connected objects and causes motion of one object to affect the position, shape, or orientation of a connected object; receive at least one selection input through the input device representative of a selection of a first one of the connected objects while a second one of the connected objects remains unselected, wherein the second object has an initial shape at an initial position, and wherein the first object has an initial position; responsive to first motion inputs received through the input device representative of the selected first object being moved with a first motion that does not have a predetermined motion characteristic, maintain a connection between the first and second object while changing positions of the first object and the second object, such that the second object no longer has one of either the initial shape or the initial position of the second object, wherein the entire second object moves with movement of the first object prior to the connection between the first and second objects being broken so that the first object and second object together behave as a single complex structure; and responsive to second motion inputs received through the input device representative of the selected first object being moved with a second motion that has the predetermined motion characteristic, break the connection between the first and second objects, cause a current shape and position of the second object to correspond to the initial shape and position of the second object while the current position of the first object does not correspond to the initial position of the first object, and delete the at least one constraint. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to maintain the connection between the first and second objects responsive to a determination that the first motion does not have the first characteristic, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to break the connection between the first and second objects responsive to a determination that the second motion inputs are associated with movement of the selected first object and the second object and that the second motion has the predetermined motion characteristic. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined motion characteristic corresponds to a speed, an acceleration, a number of direction changes, an amount of time, a motion distance, or any combination thereof having at least one predetermined relationship with at least one predetermined threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one predetermined threshold represents a predetermined speed, and wherein the predetermined motion characteristic corresponds to a motion speed that reaches the predetermined speed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one predetermined threshold represents a predetermined number of direction changes in a predetermined amount of time, and wherein the predetermined motion characteristic corresponds to a motion with a number of direction changes that reaches the predetermined number of direction changes within the predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined motion characteristic corresponds to a continuous back and forth shaking motion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein a first portion of the second object is directly connected to the first object, wherein a second portion of the second object is indirectly connected to the first object through the first portion of the second object, and wherein responsive to the first and second motion inputs, the at least one processor is configured to change the first portion of the second object to maintain the connection between the first and second objects such that the second object changes in shape during the first and second motions of the first object. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to store in a memory object data representative of positions of the first and second objects when the first and second objects were connected, and wherein using the object data the at least one processor is configured to reconnect the first object to the second object responsive to third motion inputs through the input device representative of the selected first object being moved to a further position relative to the second object that is within a predetermined distance of corresponding to the position stored in the memory for when the first and second objects were connected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory, an application software component, and a touch screen comprised of the input device and the display device, wherein the application software component is comprised of instructions that when included in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to manipulate the connected objects outputted through the touch screen responsive to the first and second motion inputs through the touch screen, and wherein the application software component corresponds to a CAD software application that is operative to produce a CAD drawing based at least in part on the motion inputs through the touch screen. ### Claim 10 A method for object connection breaking comprising: through operation of at least one processor: causing a display device to display a plurality of connected objects, wherein the plurality of connected objects include two-dimensional (2D) computer-aided design (CAD) objects or three-dimensional (3D) CAD objects that are directly connected to and abut each other to form complex 2D or 3D structures, and wherein each connection includes at least one constraint that acts as a functional association between the connected objects so that object properties are inherited between the connected objects and causes motion of one object to affect the position, shape, or orientation of a connected object; receiving at least one selection input through an input device representative of selecting a first one of the connected objects while a second one of the connected objects remains unselected, wherein the second object has an initial shape at an initial position, and wherein the first object has an initial position; responsive to first motion inputs received through the input device representative of the selected first object being moved with a first motion that does not have a predetermined motion characteristic, maintaining a connection between the first and second object while changing positions of the first object and the second object displayed through the display device, such that the second object no longer has one of either the initial shape or the initial position of the second object, wherein the entire second object moves with movement of the first object prior to the connection between the first and second objects being broken so that the first object and second object together behave as a single complex structure; and responsive to second motion inputs received through the input device representative of the selected first object being moved with a second motion that has the predetermined motion characteristic, breaking the connection between the first and second objects, causing a current shape and position of the second object to correspond to the initial shape and position of the second object while the current position of the first object does not correspond to the initial position of the first object, and deleting the at least one constraint. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein maintaining the connection between the first and second objects is carried out responsive to determining that the first motion does not have the first characteristic, and wherein breaking the connection between the first and second objects is carried out responsive to determining that the second motion inputs are associated with movement of the selected first object and the second object and that the second motion has the predetermined motion characteristic. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined motion characteristic corresponds to a speed, an acceleration, a number of direction changes, an amount of time, a motion distance, or any combination thereof having at least one predetermined relationship with at least one predetermined threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one predetermined threshold represents a predetermined speed, and wherein the predetermined motion characteristic corresponds to a motion speed that reaches the predetermined speed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one predetermined threshold represents a predetermined number of direction changes in a predetermined amount of time, and wherein the predetermined motion characteristic corresponds to a motion with a number of direction changes that reaches the predetermined number of direction changes within the predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined motion characteristic corresponds to a continuous back and forth shaking motion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein a first portion of the second object is directly connected to the first object, wherein a second portion of the second object is indirectly connected to the first object through the first portion of the second object, and further comprising: responsive to the first and second motion inputs, through operation of the at least one processor, changing the first portion of the second object to maintain the connection between the first and second objects such that the second object changes in shape during the first and second motions of the first object. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising: through operation of the at least one processor, storing object data in a memory representative of positions of the first and second objects when the first and second objects were connected, through operation of the at least one processor, using the object data to reconnect the first object to the second object responsive to third motion inputs through the input device representative of the selected first object being moved to a further position relative to the second object that is within a predetermined distance of corresponding to the position stored in the memory for when the first and second objects were connected. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with executable instructions that when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method for object connection breaking comprising: causing a display device to display a plurality of connected objects, wherein the plurality of connected objects include two-dimensional (2D) computer-aided design (CAD) objects or three-dimensional (3D) CAD objects that are directly connected to and abut each other to form complex 2D or 3D structures, and wherein each connection includes at least one constraint that acts as a functional association between the connected objects so that object properties are inherited between the connected objects and causes motion of one object to affect the position, shape, or orientation of a connected object; receiving at least one selection input through an input device representative of selecting a first one of the connected objects while a second one of the connected objects remains unselected, and wherein the second object has an initial shape at an initial position, wherein the first object has an initial position; responsive to first motion inputs received through the input device representative of the selected first object being moved with a first motion that does not have a predetermined motion characteristic, maintaining a connection between the first and second object while changing positions of the first object and the second object displayed through the display device, such that the second object no longer has one of either the initial shape or the initial position of the second object, wherein the entire second object moves with movement of the first object prior to the connection between the first and second objects being broken so that the first object and second object together behave as a single complex structure; and responsive to second motion inputs received through the input device representative of the selected first object being moved with a second motion that has the predetermined motion characteristic, breaking the connection between the first and second objects, causing a current shape and position of the second object to correspond to the initial shape and position of the second object while the current position of the first object does not correspond to the initial position of the first object, and deleting the at least one constraint.