US6721769B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for a building database manipulator
Assignee: Extreme Networks Inc
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Filing: 2000-08-04
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Granted: 2004-04-13
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Expires: 2020-08-04
Abstract
Abstract A Building Databases Manipulator builds databases for a variety of physical environments including buildings, terrain, and other site parameters, by scanning in or rapidly tracing or editing data, and verifying that the data is formatted and sufficient for use in other engineering applications, and generating a set of formatted data which is transportable. Grouping objects in layers allows for simultaneous conversion of all objects in one layer to have certain predetermined attributes (e.g., converting objects to be made from glass versus cement; converting objects within a layer to have a uniform, smaller or larger, height or width dimension).
Inventors
- 👤 Theodore Rappaport
- 👤 Roger Skidmore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:59
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/10; G06F30/13; G06F16/00; G06F16/50; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/912; Y10S707/913; Y10S707/915; Y10S707/918; Y10S707/921; Y10S707/922; Y10S707/953; Y10S707/955; Y10S707/957; Y10S707/959; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99942; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99956
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A computer implemented method for manipulating data representing a physical environment in which an in-building or campus communications network is or will be deployed, comprising the steps of: (a) using a computer for creating and formatting one or more objects defining an environment in which an in-building or campus communications network is or will be deployed comprising at least one of floors, walls, partitions, buildings, building complexes or compounds, terrain, foliage or other sites or obstructions; (b) verifying, using a computer, the sufficiency of said one or more objects to ensure a useful definition of said environment and notifying a user of results of said verification of sufficiency; (c) generating a set of formatted data in a form transportable to and usable by a computer based engineering planning model or other application, said set of formatted data including at least one layer which includes grouped objects of said one or more objects; and (d) rendering a three-dimensional view of said environment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A computer implemented method for manipulating data representing a physical environment in which an in-building or campus communications network is or will be deployed, comprising the steps of: (a) using a computer for creating and formatting one or more objects defining an environment in which an in-building or campus communications network is or will be deployed comprising at least one of floors, walls, partitions, buildings, building complexes or compounds, terrain, foliage or other sites or obstructions; (b) verifying, using a computer, the sufficiency of said one or more objects to ensure a useful definition of said environment and notifying a user of results of said verification of sufficiency; (c) generating a set of formatted data in a form transportable to and usable by a computer based engineering planning model or other application, said set of formatted data including at least one layer which includes grouped objects of said one or more objects; and (d) rendering a three-dimensional view of said environment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as recited in claim 1 , said method further comprising at least one of the steps: (e) inputting existing data, vectors or drawing objects, said existing data, vectors or drawing objects either partially or fully describing said environment; and (f) removing extraneous drawing objects to simplify said definition of said environment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein said existing data is in the form of raster files, or in the form of vector files, wherein said raster files are selected from the group consisting of Windows Bitmaps (BMP), Joint Photographic Experts Group format (JPEG), Graphical Interchange Format (GIF), Tagged-Image File Format (TIFF), Targa format (TGA), PICT, and Postscript, and wherein said vector files are selected from the group consisting of AutoCAD (DWG), AutoDesk (DXF), AutoDesk (DWF) and Windows MetaFile (WMF).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said step of rendering a three-dimensional view may be performed at any time after at lease one of said one or more objects has been created.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 4 , wherein said rendering step includes the step of selecting a three-dimensional view of a selected perspective of said environment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein step (a) further comprises the step of adjusting partition colors, and physical and electrical descriptions of said partitions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said formatted data defines said environment and each said object is associated with at least one of the group consisting of a specific location in said environment, an attenuation factor, a color, a height, a surface roughness value, a reflectivity value, an electrical value, a mechanical value, and an aesthetic value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein step (b) automatically prompts a user to verify that each piece of necessary information to define said environment has been added to said definition of said environment before executing the verification of said each piece of necessary information, and if said user answers in the negative, prompts said user to enter missing information before proceeding.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said formatted data comprises at least one vectorized drawing of said environment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of simultaneously converting said grouped objects in said at least one layer to a selected category.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of simultaneously designating dimensions of said grouped objects in said at least one layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of adding measurements to said formatted data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of specifying or invoking a propagation model for performing predictions of performance.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of specifying or invoking a listing of communications equipment.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
159 words
An apparatus for manipulating data representing a physical environment in which an in-building or campus communications network is or will be deployed, comprising: computer implemented means for creating and formatting one or more objects defining an environment in which an in-building or campus communications network is or will be deployed comprising one or more of floors, walls, partitions, buildings, building complexes or compounds, terrain, foliage or other sites or obstructions; means for verifying, by a computer, the sufficiency of said one or more objects to ensure a useful definition of said environment and notifying a user of results of said verification of sufficiency; means for generating a set of formatted data in a form transportable to and usable by a computer based engineering planning model or other application, said set of formatted data including at least one layer which includes grouped objects of said one or more objects; and means for rendering a three dimensional view of said environment.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
159 words
An apparatus for manipulating data representing a physical environment in which an in-building or campus communications network is or will be deployed, comprising: computer implemented means for creating and formatting one or more objects defining an environment in which an in-building or campus communications network is or will be deployed comprising one or more of floors, walls, partitions, buildings, building complexes or compounds, terrain, foliage or other sites or obstructions; means for verifying, by a computer, the sufficiency of said one or more objects to ensure a useful definition of said environment and notifying a user of results of said verification of sufficiency; means for generating a set of formatted data in a form transportable to and usable by a computer based engineering planning model or other application, said set of formatted data including at least one layer which includes grouped objects of said one or more objects; and means for rendering a three dimensional view of said environment.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising means for removing extraneous drawing objects from said one or more objects.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising means for inputting existing raster data, vector data, vectors, drawings, or drawing objects which either partially or fully describe said environment.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a means for grouping a number of objects in said one or more objects into one layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a means for adjusting partition colors, physical properties, electrical properties, aesthetic properties, or spatial configurations.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a means for automatically prompting a user to enter information required to verify that there is sufficient information to generate said set of formatted data.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a means for scaling or designating dimensions of grouped objects in said at least one layer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein notifying performed by said means for verifying and notifying is performed in an automatic fashion without feedback being provided to the user.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein notifying performed by said means for verifying and notifying is performed by prompting the user and, when required to provide said useful definition, requires the user to correct any insufficiencies in response to an insufficiency notification.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said engineering planning model or other application is selected from the group consisting of wireless communication propagation models, measurement tools, component placement tools, optimization tools, bill of materials generating tools, and wireless prediction tools.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a means for adding measurements to said formatted data.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of scaling at least one part of said set of formatted data.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising means for scaling at least one part of said formatted data.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising means for specifying or invoking a propagation model for performing predictions of performance.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a means for specifying or invoking a listing of communications equipment.
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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) | 2007-04-13 | 2007-10-13 | 2008-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-04-13 | 2011-10-13 | 2012-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-04-13 | 2015-10-13 | 2016-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |