Graphical browser system for displaying and manipulating a computer model
AssigneeSolidWorks Corporation
InventorsJon K. Hirschtick, Stephen G. Krug, Robert P. Zuffante
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A graphical browser displays and manipulates a computer model by accessing data indicative of features and geometric characteristics of the model, presents graphical data indicative of features of the model, and allows a user to graphically manipulate features to provide corresponding changes to the model. The data may be accessed by interfacing to feature data and geometric data of the model. Different icons, indicative of different types of features of the model, may be displayed. The icons may be ordered and connected to indicate an order of creation of features of the model and/or presented in a way to indicate interdependency of features.
Claims43
A graphical browser, for displaying and manipulating a computer model generated by a computer aided design system, comprising:
- data accessing means, for accessing data indicative of features of the model and data indicative of geometric characteristics of the model, wherein the data indicative of features of the model corresponds to operations for constructing the model using computer-aided design software;
- model display means, coupled to said data accessing means, for displaying at least one image indicative of the geometric characteristics of the model;
- feature presentation means, coupled to said data accessing means, for presenting a graphical image indicative of features of the model;
- and
- feature manipulation means, coupled to said data accessing means and said feature presentation means, for allowing a user to graphically manipulate portions of said graphical image indicative of features of the model to provide corresponding changes to the data indicative of features of the model and to the data indicative of geometric characteristics of the model.
A computer-aided design system, for displaying and manipulating a computer model generated by a computer aided design system, comprising:
- model presentation means, for presenting, in a modeling portion of a computer screen, a first graphical image indicative of geometric data of the model corresponding to geometric characteristics thereof;
- feature presentation means, for presenting, in a graphical browser portion of the computer screen, a second graphical image indicative of feature data of the model corresponding to operations for constructing using computer-aided design software;
- first highlighting means, for highlighting a subset of the first graphical image in response to a user selecting a corresponding subset of the second graphical image;
- and
- second highlighting means, for highlighting a subset of the second graphical image in response to the user selecting a corresponding subset of the first graphical image.
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model generated by a computer aided design system, comprising the steps of:
- accessing data indicative of features of the model and data indicative of geometric characteristics of the model, wherein the data indicative of features of the model corresponds to operations for constructing the model using computer-aided design software;
- displaying at least one image indicative of the geometric characteristics of the model;
- presenting a graphical image indicative of features of the model;
- and
- allowing a user to graphically manipulate the graphical image indicative of the features of the model to cause corresponding changes to the data indicative of features and to the data indicative of geometric characteristics of the model.
A method for displaying and manipulating a computer model generated by a computer aided design system, comprising the steps of:
- presenting, in a modeling portion of a computer screen, a first graphical image indicative of geometric data of the model corresponding to geometric characteristics thereof;
- presenting, in a graphical browser portion of the computer screen, a second graphical image indicative of feature data of the model corresponding to operations for constructing the model using computer-aided design software;
- highlighting a subset of the first graphical image in response to a user selecting a corresponding subset of the second graphical image;
- and
- highlighting a subset of the second graphical image in response to the user selecting a corresponding subset of the first graphical image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.