Method and computer program product of computer aided design of a product comprising a set of constrained objects

A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, causes computer aided design of a product comprising a set of objects, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for:

• identifying constraints linking objects of said set of objects, each of said constraints being oriented from a first object to a second object so as to ensure, upon solving the constraints, that the first object is not moved provided that all other of said constraints are solved;
• if an impossibility of solving said constraints is detected, testing whether said constraints can be solved upon modifying one oriented constraint amongst said constraints;
• returning a suggestion for modifying said one oriented constraint including displaying the suggestion to a user;
• and
• modifying said one oriented constraint upon user action;
• wherein the step of modifying comprises transforming said one oriented constraint into a non-oriented constraint.

A computer system for computer aided design of a product comprising a set of objects, the computer system comprising:

• identifying means for identifying constraints linking objects of said set of objects, each of said constraints being oriented from a first object to a second object so as to ensure, upon solving the constraints, that the first object is not moved provided that all other of said constraints are solved;
• means for testing whether said constraints can be solved and if an impossibility of solving said constraints is detected, testing whether said constraints can be solved upon modifying one oriented constraint amongst said constraints;
• suggestion means for returning a suggestion for modifying said one oriented constraint including displaying the suggestion to a user;
• and
• modifying means for modifying said one oriented constraint upon user action;
• wherein the modifying comprises transforming said one oriented constraint into a non-oriented constraint.

A method of computer aided design of a product comprising a set of objects, said method comprising a step of:

• identifying constraints linking objects of said set of objects, each of said constraints being oriented from a first object to a second object so as to ensure, upon solving the constraints, that the first object is not moved provided that all other of said constraints are solved;
• if an impossibility of solving said constraints is detected, testing whether said constraints can be solved upon modifying one oriented constraint amongst said constraints;
• returning a suggestion for modifying said one oriented constraint including displaying the suggestion to a user;
• and
• modifying said one oriented constraint upon user action;
• wherein the modifying comprises inverting the orientation of said one of said constraints.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, causes computer aided design of a product comprising a set of objects, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for:

• identifying constraints linking objects of said set of objects, each of said constraints being oriented from a first object to a second object so as to ensure, upon solving the constraints, that the first object is not moved provided that all other of said constraints are solved;
• if an impossibility of solving said constraints is detected, testing whether said constraints can be solved upon modifying one oriented constraint amongst said constraints;
• returning a suggestion for modifying said one oriented constraint including displaying the suggestion to a user;
• and
• modifying said one oriented constraint upon user action;
• wherein the modifying comprises inverting the orientation of said one of said constraints.

A computer system for computer aided design of a product comprising a set of objects, the computer system comprising:

• identifying means for identifying constraints linking objects of said set of objects, each of said constraints being oriented from a first object to a second object so as to ensure, upon solving the constraints, that the first object is not moved provided that all other of said constraints are solved;
• means for testing whether said constraints can be solved and if an impossibility of solving said constraints is detected, testing whether said constraints can be solved upon modifying one oriented constraint amongst said constraints;
• suggestion means for returning a suggestion for modifying said one oriented constraint including displaying the suggestion to a user;
• and
• modifying means for modifying said one oriented constraint, upon user action;
• wherein the modifying means inverts the orientation of said one of said constraints.