Natural language user interface for computer-aided design systems

A method for providing a natural language interface for a computer-aided design (CAD) system, the method performed by a computing device and comprising:

• automatedly receiving, via the computing device, a user voice input comprising a plurality of words;
• automatedly, via the computing device, parsing the user voice input;
• automatedly, via the computing device, determining a meaning for the parsed user voice input, the meaning including one or more words associated with an object and one or more words associated with a characteristic of the object;
• automatedly, via the computing device, retrieving from interrogating a CAD model at least an object model descriptor and at least a characteristic descriptor, using the determined meaning,
• wherein the object model descriptor comprises:
• at least a mathematical description of a three-dimensional object form of the object;
• and
• at least a first parametric instruction for manufacturing the object using the three-dimensional object form;
• and wherein the at least a characteristic descriptor refers to a second graphical model and the at least a characteristic descriptor comprises a modification to the mathematical description of the graphical model of the object;
• automatedly, via the computing device, generating at least a graphical model of the object using the at least an object model descriptor;
• determining, via the computing device, a mismatch between the at least a graphical model of the object and the second graphical model based upon a fit between the at least a graphical model of the object and the second graphical model;
• automatedly, via the computing device, prompting the user for missing information determined as a function of the determination of the mismatch between the at least a graphical model of the object and the second graphical model being below a predetermined threshold;
• automatedly, via the computing device, generating at least a modified graphical model of the object,
• wherein generating the at least a modified graphical model of the object comprises:
• modifying the at least a graphical model of the object, as a function of prompting the user for the missing information, based upon the fit between the at least a graphical model of the object and the second graphical model and the characteristic descriptor, the modifying the graphical model of the object further comprising modifying the graphical model of the object as a function of the modification to the mathematical description;
• and
• including the second object model into the modified graphical model of the object as function of the characteristic descriptor by adding at least a part of the second graphical model to a particular location of the first graphical model.