Generating PFS diagrams from engineering data
AssigneeBentley Systems, Incorporated
InventorYogesh Sajanikar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In example embodiments, a multi-stage PFS diagram generation technique is used to iteratively define the layout of a PFS diagram from a subset of engineering data in a 3D model of an industrial process. The multi-stage PFS diagram generation technique may repeatedly call an automatic layout generator, which each time solves for one unknown quality of the PFS diagram (e.g., relative positions of components in the PFS diagram, positions on components in the PFS diagram, sizes of the components in the PFS diagram). The PFS diagram may be adapted based on user preferences, for example to define the subset of engineering data, or to constrain aspects of its layout. Updated PFS diagrams may be generated by selecting different user preferences.
Claims19
A method for iteratively generating a process flow schema (PFS) diagram from engineering data, comprising:
- accessing, by an application executing on a computing device, a subset of engineering data in a three-dimensional (3D) model of an industrial process, the subset of engineering data describing a plurality of components of the industrial process;
- initially generating, by an automatic layout generator of the application, a layout of the PFS diagram by determining relative positions of components in the PFS diagram from the subset of engineering data, wherein the initially generating allows unconstrained connection positions on components and any spacing of connections;
- constraining connection positions on components in the PFS diagram;
- regenerating, by the automatic layout generator, the layout based on the constrained connection positions;
- changing sizes of the components in the PFS diagram to provide a minimum spacing of connections;
- further regenerating, by the automatic layout generator, the layout based on the changed sizes of the components that provide the minimum spacing of connections;
- rendering the PFS diagram based on the layout;
- and
- displaying the rendered PFS diagram in a user interface and/or storing the rendered PFS diagram to memory of the computing device.
A method for iteratively generating a process flow schema (PFS) diagram from engineering data, comprising:
- accessing, by an application executing on a computing device, a subset of engineering data in a three-dimensional (3D) model of an industrial process, the subset of engineering data describing a plurality of components of the industrial process;
- iteratively defining, by the application, a layout of a PFS diagram by solving one at a time for a plurality of unknown qualities of the PFS diagram, wherein the iteratively defining comprises:
- initially generating, by an automatic layout generator of the application, a layout of the PFS diagram by determining relative positions of components in the PFS diagram from the subset of engineering data, wherein the initially generating allows unconstrained connection positions on components and any spacing of connections,
- constraining connection positions on components in the PFS diagram,
- regenerating, by the automatic layout generator, the layout based on the constrained connection positions,
- changing sizes of the components in the PFS diagram to provide a minimum spacing of connections, and
- regenerating, by the automatic layout generator, the layout based on the changed sizes of the components that provide the minimum spacing of connections;
- rendering the PFS diagram based on the layout;
- and
- displaying the rendered PFS diagram in a user interface and/or storing the rendered PFS diagram to memory of the computing device.
A non-transitory electronic device readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed on one or more processors are operable to:
- access engineering data in a three-dimensional (3D) model of an industrial process, the engineering data describing a plurality of components of the industrial process;
- initially generate a layout of a PFS diagram by determining relative positions of components in the PFS diagram from the subset of engineering data, wherein the initial generation allows unconstrained connection positions on components and any spacing of connections;
- constrain connection positions on components in the PFS diagram;
- regenerate the layout based on the constrained connection positions;
- change sizes of the components in the PFS diagram to provide a minimum spacing of connections;
- further regenerate the layout based on the changed sizes of the components that provide the minimum spacing of connections;
- and
- render the PFS diagram based on the layout.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.