Constraint-based method of designing a route for a transport element

A method of designing a route for a transport element comprising:

• establishing a plurality of constraints that limit possible routes for the transport element;
• in addition to establishing the plurality of constraints, establishing a relationship between at least two of the constraints that differs from the respective constraints;
• establishing a selection criterion for evaluating the possible routes for the transport element, wherein each route for the transport element is defined by a plurality of parameters, wherein establishing the selection criterion comprises:
• defining a preferred value for each parameter and a violation cost function
• defining a cost for variances from the preferred value;
• and defining the selection criterion to be based upon a weighted combination of the cost for variances from the preferred value for each parameter;
• automatically defining the route for the transport element such that the route separately satisfies the plurality of constraints and also satisfies the relationship between at least two of the constraints;
• and
• providing the route for the transport element pursuant to the selection criterion to a user.

A method of designing a route for a transport element between a pair of endpoints comprising:

• establishing at least one constraint that limits possible routes for the transport element;
• constructing an initial route for the transport element having at least one node and satisfying each constraint;
• establishing a trial route extending between the pair of endpoints;
• modifying the trial route by adding at least one node from the initial route to the trial route until a feasible route that extends between the pair ofendpoints satisfies each constraint is constructed;
• and
• providing the feasible route for the transport element to a user.

A method of designing a route for a transport element comprising:

• establishing at least one constraint that limits possible routes for the transport element, wherein establishing the at least one constraint comprises establishing at least one hard point constraint defining a location of a hard point through which the transport element must pass;
• establishing a minimum bend angle for the transport element;
• establishing a minimum straight segment length for each segment of the transport element;
• establishing a selection criterion for evaluating the possible routes for the transport element, wherein each route for the transport element is defined by a plurality of parameters, wherein establishing the selection criterion comprises:
• defining a preferred value for each parameter and a violation cost function defining a cost for variances from the preferred value;
• and
• defining the selection criterion to be based upon a weighted combination of the cost for variances from the preferred value for each parameter;
• automatically defining the route for the transport element in accordance with the at least one constraint including the at least one hard point, the minimum straight segment length and the minimum bend angle and further in accordance with the selection criterion, wherein automatically defining the route comprises automatically selecting at least one node of the route;
• and
• providing the route for the transport element to a user.

A method of designing a route for an additional transport element at least partially based upon the route of an actual transport element, the method comprising:

• defining a space through which the route of the additional transport element will extend based at least in part upon the route of the actual transport element, wherein the defined space is sized such that a plurality of candidate routes for the additional transport element extend therethrough;
• selecting the route of the additional transport element from among the plurality of candidate routes that each extend through the defined space such that the routes of both the actual transport element and the additional transport element coexist without interference therebetween;
• and
• providing the route of the additional transport element to a user.

A method of designing a route for a transport element comprising:

• establishing a selection criterion for evaluating possible routes for the transport element based upon at least one design characteristic of the route;
• individually weighting contributions to the selection criterion attributable to respective design characteristics;
• defining the route for the transport element in accordance with the weighted selection criterion;
• adjusting the respective weight of the contribution to the selection criterion of at least one design characteristic;
• redefining the route for the transport element in accordance with the reweighted selection criterion;
• and
• providing the route for the transport element to a user,
• wherein at least one of said defining and redefining steps comprises defining the route for the transport element to include segments that are non-orthogonal relative to one another.

A computer program product for designing a route for a transport element, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions embodied therein, the computer-readable instructions comprising:

• first computer-readable instructions capable of establishing at least one constraint that limits possible routes for the transport element, wherein said first computer-readable instructions are further capable of establishing at least one inequality constraint which limits the possible routes for the transport element without fixing a position of any portion of the transport element, and wherein said first computer-readable instructions are also capable of establishing at least one hard point constraint defining a location of a hard point through which the transport element must pass;
• second computer-readable instructions capable of establishing a selection criterion for evaluating the possible routes for the transport element, wherein each route for the transport element is defined by a plurality of parameters, wherein the second computer-readable instructions include instructions for:
• defining a preferred value for each parameter and a violation cost function defining a cost for variances from the preferred value;
• and
• defining the selection criterion to be based upon a weighted combination of the cost for variances from the preferred value for each parameter;
• third computer-readable instructions capable of automatically defining the route for the transport element in accordance with the at least one constraint and pursuant to the selection criterion, wherein said third computer-readable instructions are also capable of defining the route for the transport element to include straight segments that are non-orthogonal relative to one another;
• and
• fourth computer-readable instructions configured to output the route for the transport element.

An apparatus for designing a route for a transport element, the apparatus comprising a processing element capable of establishing at least one constraint including at least one inequality constraint which limits the possible routes for the transport element without fixing the position of any portion of the transport element, said processing element capable of establishing the at least one constraint to include at least one hard point constraint defining a location of a hard point through which the transport element must pass, said processing element also capable of establishing a selection criterion for evaluating the possible routes for the transport element, wherein each route for the transport element is defined by a plurality of parameters, and wherein said processing element is configured to establish the selection criterion by defining a preferred value for each parameter and a violation cost function defining a cost for variances from the preferred value and by defining the selection criterion to be based upon a weighted combination of the cost for variances from the preferred value for each parameter, and said processing element further capable of automatically defining the route for the transport element in accordance with the at least one constraint and pursuant to the selection criterion, said processing element capable of automatically defining the route so as to include straight segments that are non-orthogonal relative to one another, said processing element also configured to output the route for the transport element to a user.

A method of designing a route for a tube throughout an air vehicle comprising:

• establishing at least one constraint that limits possible routes for the tube, wherein establishing the at least one constraint comprises establishing at least one inequality constraint which limits the possible routes for the tube without fixing a position of any portion of the tube, wherein establishing the at least one constraint further comprises establishing at least one hard point constraint defining a location of a hard point through which the tube must pass;
• establishing a selection criterion for evaluating the possible routes for the tube, wherein each route for the tube is defined by a plurality of parameters, wherein establishing the selection criterion comprises:
• defining a preferred value for each parameter and a violation cost function defining a cost for variances from the preferred value;
• and
• defining the selection criterion to be based upon a weighted combination of the cost for variances from the preferred value for each parameter;
• automatically defining the route for the tube in accordance with the at least one constraint and pursuant to the selection criterion, wherein automatically defining the route comprises defining the route for the tube to include straight segments that are non-orthogonal relative to one another;
• and
• providing the route for the tube to a user.