Geometric Search Engine

A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, perform a method to provide search results associated with previously designed components having geometries that are similar to a geometry of a source component, the method comprising:

• obtaining a representation of the geometry of the source component;
• accessing a repository having a set of related representations for geometries of previously designed components;
• comparing the representation of the geometry of the source component to a representation of an exemplary geometry that is associated with the set of related representations;
• and
• generating a set of search results based upon the comparisons made to the representation of the exemplary geometry, wherein each search result includes information relating to a previously designed component having a geometry that is similar to the geometry of the source component according to a threshold of similarity.

A system to provide search results associated with previously designed components having geometries that are similar to a geometry of a source component, the system being programmed to:

• obtain a representation of the geometry of the source component;
• access a repository having a set of related representations for geometries of previously designed components;
• compare the representation of the geometry of the source component to a representation of an exemplary geometry that is associated with the set of related representations;
• and
• generate a set of search results based upon the comparisons made to the representation of the exemplary geometry, wherein each search result includes information relating to a previously designed component having a geometry that is similar to the geometry of the source component according to a threshold of similarity.

A system to provide information associated with a previously designed component having a geometry that is similar to a geometry of a source component, the system being programmed to:

• obtain a first set of coefficients for a non-invertible representation of the geometry of the source component;
• compare the first set of coefficients to a second set of coefficients for a non-invertible representation of the geometry of the previously designed component;
• and
• if the first set of coefficients matches the second set of coefficients according to a threshold of similarity, provide a search result associated with the previously designed component.

A system to provide search results associated with previously designed components having geometries that are similar to a geometry of a source component, the system comprising:

• means for obtaining a representation of the geometry of the source component;
• means for accessing a repository having a set of related representations for geometries of previously designed components;
• means for comparing the representation of the geometry of the source component to a representation of an exemplary geometry that is associated with the set of related representations;
• and
• means for generating a set of search results based upon the comparisons made to the representation of the exemplary geometry, wherein each search result includes information relating to a previously designed component having a geometry that is similar to the geometry of the source component according to a threshold of similarity.