Parameter based construction

An apparatus for facilitating construction of a building, the apparatus comprising:

• one or more computer processors;
• one or more tangible non-transitory computer readable storage media storing a computer executable software program for directing the one or more computer processors to execute a method comprising:
• receiving an input specification for the building, said input specification specifying pre-harmonisation modules required to provide the building, said pre-harmonisation modules defined by respective pre-harmonisation module specifications comprising respective geometric parameters and respective attributes;
• identifying which of the pre-harmonisation module specifications are stored in an electronically accessible database, said identified pre-harmonisation module specifications being referred to as first pre-harmonisation module specifications having associated geometric parameters and attributes which are stored in separate sections of the database;
• harmonising the module specifications in the first pre-harmonisation module specifications to form a set of parametrised and harmonised module specifications which specify harmonised modules which (a) substantially do not clash when they are used to provide the building, and (b) when assembled to form the building satisfy attribute criteria specified in the input specification;
• and
• providing the building using the harmonised module specification.

One or more tangible non-transitory computer readable storage media storing a computer executable software program for directing one or more computer processors to execute a method comprising:

• receiving an input specification for the building, said input specification specifying pre-harmonisation modules required to provide the building, said pre-harmonisation modules defined by respective pre-harmonisation module specifications comprising respective geometric parameters and respective attributes;
• identifying which of the pre-harmonisation module specifications are stored in an electronically accessible database, said identified pre-harmonisation module specifications being referred to as first pre-harmonisation module specifications having associated geometric parameters and attributes which are stored in separate sections of the database;
• harmonising the module specifications in the first pre-harmonisation module specifications to form a set of parametrised and harmonised module specifications which specify harmonised modules which (a) substantially do not clash when they are used to provide the building, and (b) when assembled to form the building satisfy attribute criteria specified in the input specification;
• and
• facilitating construction of the building using the harmonised module specification.

A data structure storing specification records each record specifying a pre-harmonisation module used for facilitating construction of a building, wherein:

• each record specifies one of a part specification, an assembly specification, a master-assembly specification, and a building specification;
• each record comprises respective geometric parameters and respective attributes for the stored specification;
• memory allocated to each record comprises a section for storing the geometric parameters of the record and a section for storing attributes for the record;
• and
• the geometric parameters and the attributes for each record are stored in the separate sections of the database to thereby reduce the computation time required for processing one or more specification records in the data structure to provide the building.

A computer implemented method of harmonised parameter based design of a building in facilitating construction of the building, the method comprising:

• receiving an input specification for the building, said input specification specifying pre-harmonisation modules required to provide the building, said pre-harmonisation modules defined by respective pre-harmonisation module specifications comprising respective geometric parameters and respective attributes;
• identifying which of the pre-harmonisation module specifications are stored in an electronically accessible database, said identified pre-harmonisation module specifications being referred to as first pre-harmonisation module specifications having associated geometric parameters and attributes which are stored in separate sections of the database;
• harmonising the module specifications in the first pre-harmonisation module specifications to form a set of parametrised and harmonised module specifications which specify harmonised modules which (a) substantially do not clash when they are used to provide the building, and (b) when assembled to form the building satisfy attribute criteria specified in the input specification;
• facilitating construction of the building using the harmonised module specification;
• and
• wherein prior to harmonizing the module specifications in the first Dre-harmonisation module specifications, the method comprises:
• generating pre-harmonisation module specifications which are not stored in the database, said generated module specifications being referred to as second pre-harmonisation module specifications;
• wherein the first pre-harmonisation module specifications together with the second pre-harmonisation module specifications form a set of pre-harmonisation module specifications;
• and
• wherein harmonizing the module specifications in the first Dre-harmonisation module specifications comprises harmonising the set of pre-harmonisation module specifications comprising the first pre-harmonisation specification modules together with the second pre-harmonisation module specifications.

A computer implemented method of harmonised parameter based design of a building in facilitating construction of the building, the method comprising:

• receiving an input specification for the building, said input specification specifying pre-harmonisation modules required to provide the building, said pre-harmonisation modules defined by respective pre-harmonisation module specifications comprising respective geometric parameters and respective attributes;
• identifying which of the pre-harmonisation module specifications are stored in an electronically accessible database, said identified pre-harmonisation module specifications being referred to as first pre-harmonisation module specifications having associated geometric parameters and attributes which are stored in separate sections of the database;
• harmonising the module specifications in the first pre-harmonisation module specifications to form a set of parametrised and harmonised module specifications which specify harmonised modules which (a) substantially do not clash when they are used to provide the building, and (b) when assembled to form the building satisfy attribute criteria specified in the input specification;
• facilitating construction of the building using the harmonised module specification;
• wherein prior to harmonising the module specifications in the first Dre-harmonisation module specifications, the method comprises:
• generating pre-harmonisation module specifications which are not stored in the database, said generated module specifications being referred to as second pre-harmonisation module specifications;
• wherein the first pre-harmonisation module specifications together with the second pre-harmonisation module specifications form a set of pre-harmonisation module specifications;
• and
• wherein harmonising the module specifications in the first Dre-harmonisation module specifications comprises harmonising the set of pre-harmonisation module specifications comprising the first pre-harmonisation specification modules together with the second pre-harmonisation module specifications;
• and wherein harmonising the module specifications in the first pre-harmonisation module specifications includes:
• determining if analysis of one or more of a post clash-detection part, a post clash-detection assembly, or a post clash-detection master-assembly specification in question is required in order to establish if the attributes of the post clash-detection part, the post clash-detection assembly, or the post clash-detection master-assembly specification in question satisfy the attribute criteria specified in the input specification;
• if analysis of said one or more of the post clash-detection part, the post clash-detection assembly, or the post clash-detection master-assembly specifications in question is required:
• assigning corresponding attributes to the one or more of the post clash-detection part, the post clash-detection assembly, or the post clash-detection master-assembly specifications in question;
• performing corresponding one or more analysis processes, maintaining the geometry and attributes of said one or more of the post clash-detection part, the post clash-detection assembly, or the post clash-detection master-assembly specifications in question in separate sections of the database throughout the course of the analysis;
• determining if the attributes of the post clash-detection part, the post clash-detection assembly, or the post clash-detection master-assembly specifications in question satisfy the attribute criteria specified in the input specification;
• if the attributes of the post clash-detection part, the post clash-detection assembly, or the post clash-detection master-assembly specifications in question do not satisfy the attribute criteria specified in the input specification, determining if the assigned corresponding attributes or the geometric parameters of the post clash-detection part, the post clash-detection assembly, or the post clash-detection master-assembly specifications in question need to be adjusted;
• if the geometric parameters are to be adjusted, adjusting the geometric parameters so that the attributes of the post clash-detection part, the post clash-detection assembly, or the post clash-detection master-assembly specifications in question satisfy the attribute criteria specified in the input specification;
• and
• if the attributes are to be adjusted, adjusting the attributes of the post clash-detection part, the post clash-detection assembly, or the post clash-detection master-assembly specifications in question so that the attributes of the first pre-harmonisation module specifications satisfy the attribute criteria specified in the input specification.