Method and system for applying constraints to chains of curves
AssigneeElectronic Data Systems Corporation
InventorsYu Jiang, Hongliu Zou, Sangeeta Gupta, Jack C.H. Chung
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Abstract
A method and system for applying constraints to a wireframe chain of curves for Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is disclosed, whereby a geometric constraint network can be expanded to include chains of curves as types of wireframe entities. As such, a chain of curves can be represented as one composite curve. As a result, a constraint solver can generate and/or maintain any constraint on a chain of curves, which enables the constraints to be solved while moving along the curves independently from the chain's geometry and topology changes.
Claims32
A method for applying a geometric constraint to a chain of curves, comprising the steps of:
- selecting a geometric constraint to be applied to said chain of curves;
- generating said chain of curves;
- selecting a second geometric entity to be constrained with said chain of curves;
- creating a composite curve from said generated chain of curves;
- and
- applying said geometric constraint to said second geometric entity and said composite curve.
A system for applying a geometric constraint to a chain of curves, comprising:
- a processing unit;
- a user interface, said user interface coupled to said processing unit;
- and
- a display, said display coupled to said processing unit and said user interface, said processing unit operable to:
- select a geometric constraint to be applied to said chain of curves;
- generate said chain of curves;
- select a second geometric entity to be applied to said chain of curves;
- create a composite curve from said generated chain of curves;
- and
- apply said geometric constraint to said second geometric entity and said composite curve.
Software for applying a geometric constraint to a chain of curves, the software being embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:
- select a geometric constraint to be applied to said chain of curves;
- generate said chain of curves;
- select a second geometric entity to be applied to said chain of curves;
- create a composite curve from said generated chain of curves;
- and
- apply said geometric constraint to said second geometric entity and said composite curve.
A system for applying a geometric constraint to a chain of curves, comprising:
- means for selecting a geometric constraint to be applied to said chain of curves;
- means for generating said chain of curves;
- means for selecting a second geometric entity to be applied to said chain of curves;
- means for creating a composite curve from said generated chain of curves;
- and
- means for applying said geometric constraint to said second geometric entity and said composite curve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.