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US5815154A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Graphical browser system for displaying and manipulating a computer model

Assignee: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corp
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Filing: 1995-12-20
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Granted: 1998-09-29
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Expires: 2015-12-20
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Abstract

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.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jon K. Hirschtick
  • 👤 Stephen G. Krug
  • 👤 Robert P. Zuffante

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 08:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06T; G06T17/00; G06T17/10; G06T19/00; G06T19/20; G06T2200/00; G06T2200/24; G06T2219/00; G06T2219/20; G06T2219/2004; G06T2219/2016; G06T2219/2021; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S706/00; Y10S706/902; Y10S706/919; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/961; Y10S715/964

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim 159 words
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.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 159 words
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.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 1, wherein said data accessing means includes an interface to feature data and geometric data of the model.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 1, wherein said feature presentation means includes means for presenting different icons indicative of different types of features of the model.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 30 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 3, wherein said feature presentation means further includes ordering and connecting the icons to indicate an order of creation of features of the model.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 4, wherein said feature presentation means further includes means for indicating interdependency of features.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 24 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 5, wherein said data accessing means includes an interface to feature data and geometric data of the model.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 6, wherein said feature manipulation means includes means for altering the ordering of the features of the model.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 7, wherein altering the ordering of the features of the model includes dragging and dropping graphical representations of features of the model.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 7, wherein altering the ordering of the features of the model includes cutting and pasting graphical representations of features of the model.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 24 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 4, wherein said feature manipulation means includes means for altering the ordering of the features of the model.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 28 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 10, wherein altering the ordering of the features of the model includes dragging and dropping graphical representations of features of the model.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 28 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 10, wherein altering the ordering of the features of the model includes cutting and pasting graphical representations of features of the model.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 1, wherein said feature manipulation means includes means for altering the ordering of the features of the model.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 28 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 13, wherein altering the ordering of the features of the model includes dragging and dropping graphical representations of features of the model.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 28 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 13, wherein altering the ordering of the features of the model includes cutting and pasting graphical representations of features of the model.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 22 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 1, wherein said data manipulation means includes means for selectively suppressing certain ones of the features.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 22 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 1, wherein said feature presentation means includes means for presenting various alignment features of the model.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 34 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 1, wherein said data manipulation means further includes means for rolling back the model to a particular feature, so that said particular feature, and subsequent features, are suppressed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 38 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 18, wherein said data manipulation means further comprises: means for stepping through each feature of the model, one at a time, to unsuppress each feature on the model, one at a time.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 135 words
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.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 135 words
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.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 20, wherein said feature presentation means includes means for presenting different icons indicative of different types of features of the model.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 30 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 21, wherein said feature presentation means further includes ordering and connecting the icons to indicate an order of creation of features of the model.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 20 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 22, wherein said feature presentation means further includes means for indicating interdependency of features.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 22 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 23, wherein said feature presentation means includes means for presenting various alignment features of the model.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 22 words
A graphical browser, according to claim 20, wherein said feature presentation means includes means for presenting various alignment features of the model.
Claim 28
Independent Claim 118 words
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.
Claim 29
Independent Claim 118 words
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.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 26, further comprising the step of: presenting different icons indicative of different types of features of the model.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 27, further comprising the step of: ordering and connecting the icons to indicate an order of creation of features of the model.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 28, further comprising the step of: indicating interdependency of features.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 29, further comprising the step of: interfacing to feature data and geometric data of the model.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 40 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 26, wherein the step of allowing the user to graphically manipulate the graphical data includes allowing the user to alter the ordering of the features of the model.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 31, wherein altering the ordering of the features of the model includes dragging and dropping graphical representations of features of the model.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 31, wherein altering the ordering of the features of the model includes cutting and pasting graphical representations of features of the model.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 26, wherein the step of allowing the user to graphically manipulate the graphical data includes selectively suppressing certain ones of the features.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 26, wherein the step of allowing the user to graphically manipulate the graphical data includes presenting various alignment features of the model.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 26, wherein the step of allowing the user to graphically manipulate the graphical data includes rolling back the model to a particular feature, so that said particular feature, and subsequent features, are suppressed.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 49 words
A method of displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 36, wherein the step of allowing the user to graphically manipulate the graphical data includes stepping through each feature of the model, one at a time, to unsuppress each feature on the model, one at a time.
Claim 41
Independent Claim 122 words
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.
Claim 42
Independent Claim 122 words
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.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method for displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 38, further comprising the step of: presenting different icons indicative of different types of features of the model.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method for displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 39, further comprising the step of: ordering and connecting the icons to indicate an order of creation of features of the model.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method for displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 40, further comprising the step of: indicating interdependency of features.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method for displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 41, further comprising the step of: presenting various alignment features of the model.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method for displaying and manipulating a computer model, according to claim 38, further comprising the step of: presenting various alignment features of the model.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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EP0528631A2 Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-09-28 2002-03-30 2002-09-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-09-28 2006-03-30 2006-09-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-09-28 2010-03-30 2010-09-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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