Method and system for design and drafting

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of possible geometries includes a circle, an arc, a line, and a spline.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a diameter indicator, a radius indicator, and a length indicator.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) includes: accepting input from the user; and moving a cursor to the object in response to the input from the user.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein step (g) includes: accepting input from the user; and moving the image in response to the input from the user until the placement location is selected.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 further comprising, based on the placement location indicated in step (g): choosing one of a plurality of possible orientations, with respect to the object, for the chosen dimension indicator type.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 wherein step (h) includes displaying the chosen dimension indicator type in the chosen orientation.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a diameter indicator, a radius indicator, and a length indicator.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of possible geometries includes a line and a point.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a linear separation distance indicator and an angular separation indicator.

Claim 14

The method of claim 9 wherein step (d) includes: accepting input from the user; and moving a cursor to the first object in response to the input from the user.

Claim 15

The method of claim 10 wherein step (f) includes: allowing the user to select the second object; and identifying one of the plurality of possible geometries as the geometry of the second object.

Claim 16

The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of possible geometries includes a line and a point.

Claim 17

The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a linear separation distance indicator and an angular separation indicator.

Claim 18

The method of claim 13 wherein allowing the user to select the second object includes: accepting input from the user; and moving a cursor to the second object in response to the input from the user.

Claim 19

The method of claim 9 wherein step (h) includes: accepting input from the user; and moving the image in response to the input from the user until the placement location is selected.

Claim 20

The method of claim 9 further comprising, based on the placement location indicated in step (h): choosing one of a plurality of possible orientations, with respect to the first and second objects, for the chosen dimension indicator type.

Claim 21

The method of claim 18 wherein step (i) includes displaying the chosen dimension indicator type in the chosen orientation.

Claim 22

The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a linear separation distance indicator and an angular separation indicator.

Claim 23

A computer-aided design and drafting system, comprising: a computer having at least a memory and a processor; a display device coupled to the computer; a cursor controlling device, manipulated by a user and coupled to the computer, for generating signals indicative of desired movement on the display device; and programming means for operating the computer, comprising: (a) means for providing to the user on the display device a menu having options selectable by the user with the cursor controlling device; (b) means for entering into, upon the user selecting a particular one of the options, a mode in which dimension indicator types are automatically chosen for the user by the computer; (c) means for displaying at least one geometric object on the display device; (d) means for displaying a cursor on the display device, in response to the signals generated by the cursor controlling device, at the displayed object to indicate a selection of the displayed object; (e) means for identifying the geometry of a selected object from a plurality of possible geometries; (f) means for choosing, based on the identification made by the geometry identifying means, a dimension indicator type for the selected object from a plurality of possible dimension indicator types stored in the memory; (g) means for displaying an image of the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device, in response to the signals generated by the cursor controlling device, until a placement location is selected for the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device via the cursor controlling device; and (h) means for displaying, on the display device in the vicinity of the placement location, the chosen dimension indicator type and a numerical value associated with the chosen dimension indicator type and with the selected object, wherein the functions of at least the means (e), (f), (g), and (h) are performed automatically by the computer-aided design and drafting system.

Claim 24

A computer-aided design and drafting system, comprising: a computer having at least a memory and a processor; a display device coupled to the computer; a cursor controlling device, manipulated by a user and coupled to the computer, for generating signals indicative of desired movement on the display device; and programming means for operating the computer, comprising: (a) means for providing to the user on the display device a menu having options selectable by the user with the cursor controlling device; (b) means for entering into, upon the user selecting a particular one of the options, a mode in which dimension indicator types are automatically chosen for the user by the computer; (c) means for displaying at least one geometric object on the display device; (d) means for displaying a cursor on the display device, in response to the signals generated by the cursor controlling device, at the displayed object to indicate a selection of the displayed object; (e) means for identifying the geometry of a selected object from a plurality of possible geometries; (f) means for choosing, based on the identification made by the geometry identifying means, a dimension indicator type for the selected object from a plurality of possible dimension indicator types stored in the memory; (g) means for displaying an image of the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device, in response to the signals generated by the cursor controlling device, until a placement location is selected for the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device via the cursor controlling device; and (h) means for displaying, on the display device in the vicinity of the placement location, the chosen dimension indicator type and a numerical value associated with the chosen dimension indicator type and with the selected object, wherein the functions of at least the means (e), (f), (g), and (h) are performed automatically by the computer-aided design and drafting system.

Claim 25

The system of claim 21 wherein the plurality of possible geometries includes a circle, an arc, a line, and a spline.

Claim 26

The system of claim 22 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a diameter indicator, a radius indicator, and a length indicator.

Claim 27

The system of claim 21 wherein the image displaying means of the programming means also indicates an orientation, with respect to the object, for the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device.

Claim 28

The system of claim 24 wherein the dimension indicator type displaying means also displays the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device in the indicated orientation.

Claim 29

The method of claim 21 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a diameter indicator, a radius indicator, and a length indicator.

Claim 30

A computer-aided design and drafting system, comprising: a computer having at least a memory and a processor; a display device coupled to the computer; a cursor controlling device, manipulated by the user and coupled to the computer, for generating signals indicative of desired movement on the display device; and programming means for operating the computer, comprising: (a) means for providing to the user on the display device a menu having options selectable by the user with the cursor controlling device; (b) means for entering into, upon the user selecting a particular one of the options, a mode in which dimension indicator types are automatically chosen for the user by the computer; (c) means for displaying at least two geometric objects on the display device; (d) means for displaying a cursor on the display device, in response to the signals generated by the cursor controlling device, at a first one of the displayed objects and then at a second one of the displayed objects to indicate a selection of the first displayed object and a selection of the second displayed object; (e) means for identifying the geometry of a selected first object and a selected second object from a plurality of possible geometries; (f) means for choosing, based on the identifications made by the geometry identifying means, a dimension indicator type for the first and second objects from a plurality of possible dimension indicator types stored in the memory; (g) means for displaying an image of the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device, in response to the signals generated by the cursor controlling device, until a placement location is selected for the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device via the cursor controlling device; and (h) means for displaying, on the display device in the vicinity of the placement location, the chosen dimension indicator type and a numerical value associated with the chosen dimension indicator type and with at least one of the first and second objects, wherein the functions of at least the means (e), (f), (g), and (h) are performed automatically by the computer-aided design and drafting system.

Claim 31

A computer-aided design and drafting system, comprising: a computer having at least a memory and a processor; a display device coupled to the computer; a cursor controlling device, manipulated by the user and coupled to the computer, for generating signals indicative of desired movement on the display device; and programming means for operating the computer, comprising: (a) means for providing to the user on the display device a menu having options selectable by the user with the cursor controlling device; (b) means for entering into, upon the user selecting a particular one of the options, a mode in which dimension indicator types are automatically chosen for the user by the computer; (c) means for displaying at least two geometric objects on the display device; (d) means for displaying a cursor on the display device, in response to the signals generated by the cursor controlling device, at a first one of the displayed objects and then at a second one of the displayed objects to indicate a selection of the first displayed object and a selection of the second displayed object; (e) means for identifying the geometry of a selected first object and a selected second object from a plurality of possible geometries; (f) means for choosing, based on the identifications made by the geometry identifying means, a dimension indicator type for the first and second objects from a plurality of possible dimension indicator types stored in the memory; (g) means for displaying an image of the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device, in response to the signals generated by the cursor controlling device, until a placement location is selected for the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device via the cursor controlling device; and (h) means for displaying, on the display device in the vicinity of the placement location, the chosen dimension indicator type and a numerical value associated with the chosen dimension indicator type and with at least one of the first and second objects, wherein the functions of at least the means (e), (f), (g), and (h) are performed automatically by the computer-aided design and drafting system.

Claim 32

The system of claim 27 wherein the plurality of possible geometries includes a line and a point.

Claim 33

The system of claim 28 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a linear separation distance indicator and an angular separation indicator.

Claim 34

The system of claim 27 wherein the image displaying means of the programming means also indicates an orientation, with respect to the first and second objects, for the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device.

Claim 35

The system of claim 30 wherein the dimension indicator type displaying means also displays the chosen dimension indicator type on the display device in the indicated orientation.

Claim 36

The system of claim 27 wherein the plurality of possible dimension indicator types includes a linear separation distance indicator and an angular separation indicator.