Specification based routing of utility network systems
AssigneeAutodesk, Inc.
InventorsSami Ghantous, Bo Noren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention allow users to compose a computer-aided design (CAD) model of a utility network. As a user specifies the routing characteristics of the utility the network (i.e., the position, length, and direction of segments of the network), a CAD application automatically selects the network parts to include in the CAD model based on a routing specification. Thus, the process of composing CAD model of a network of a utility network is greatly simplified.
Claims23
A method for constructing a computer-aided design model (CAD) model of a utility network, comprising:
- providing a catalog of network elements, wherein each network element specifies a geometry of a component that may be included in the CAD model of the utility network;
- receiving a routing specification that defines which network elements should be used in the CAD model based on a selectable attribute of the network elements;
- providing an interface for specifying the routing characteristics of the utility network;
- and
- in response to a user specifying the routing characteristics of the utility network, inserting network elements from the catalog into the CAD model based on to the routing specification and the selectable attribute of the network elements.
A computer-readable medium storing instructions for causing a computing device to construct a computer-aided design model (CAD) model of a utility network, including the steps of:
- providing a catalog of network elements, wherein each network element specifies a geometry of a component that may be included in the CAD model of the utility network;
- receiving a routing specification that defines which network elements should be used in the CAD model based on a selectable attribute of the network elements;
- providing an interface for specifying the routing characteristics of the utility network;
- and
- in response to a user specifying the routing characteristics of the utility network, inserting network elements from the catalog into the CAD model based on to the routing specification and the selectable attribute of the network elements.
A computing device comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory configured to store an application that includes instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations for constructing a computer-aided design model (CAD) model of a utility network, including the steps of:
- providing a catalog of network elements, wherein each network element specifies a geometry of a component that may be included in the CAD model of the utility network;
- receiving a routing specification that defines which network elements should be used in the CAD model based on a selectable attribute of the network elements;
- providing an interface for specifying the routing characteristics of the utility network;
- and
- in response to a user specifying the routing characteristics of the utility network, inserting network elements from the catalog into the CAD model based on to the routing specification and the selectable attribute of the network elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.