Methods and systems for managing synchronization of a plurality of information items of a computer-aided design data model
View Patent ↗The present disclosure features systems and methods for maintaining consistency of a CAD model across a plurality of homogenous or heterogeneous applications across one or more computing devices and used by one or more users. The systems include a common data model, comprising chapters of different information items to describe various aspects of the CAD model, and lightweight change instructions representative of modifications made by a user to a chapter of the CAD model. By utilizing a common data model and difference-based change instructions, a plurality of users may concurrently collaborate on the design of a CAD model, or a single user may utilize a plurality of applications of a CAD suite efficiently and with an enhanced user experience.
1. A method of managing synchronization in a computer-aided design system, comprising:
providing a first version of a shared CAD data model comprising a plurality of chapters corresponding to different respective characteristics of a virtual representation of an object, the plurality of chapters including a first chapter including geometry information corresponding to the virtual representation of the object, and a second chapter including graphics information corresponding to the virtual representation of the object, wherein, in the first version of the shared CAD data model, the geometry information of the first chapter and the graphics information of the second chapter are in respective first states;
providing a plurality of applications including (a) a first application executable to modify a first subset of the plurality of chapters and (b) a second application executable to modify a second subset of the plurality of chapters, the second subset being different from the first subset;
modifying, by a computer processor executing the first application, the geometry information of the first chapter of the shared CAD data model from a first state to a second state resulting in a second version of the shared CAD data model in which the geometry information of the first chapter is in a second state and the graphics information of the second chapter is in the first state, wherein the second state of the geometry information is contemporaneous with and incompatible with the first state of the graphics information within the second version of the shared CAD data model;
modifying, by a computer processor executing the first application, the geometry information of the first chapter of the second version of the shared CAD data model from the second state or a subsequent state to a third state; and
responsive to the modification of the geometry information from the second or subsequent state to the third state, modifying, by a computer processor executing the second application, the graphics information of the second chapter of the shared CAD data model from the first state to a second state, wherein
the first state of the graphics information is consistent with the first state of the geometry information and corresponds to a first state in a life cycle of the object, and
the second state of the graphics information is consistent with the third state of the geometry information and corresponds to a second state in the life cycle of the object.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second state of the geometry information is inconsistent with both the first and second states of the graphics information.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first application is a parametric CAD application to modify the geometry data based on a stored, ordered set of operations that modify geometric relationships between features of the object; and
the second application is a visualization application to display and allow manipulation of a visual representation of the object, the visual representation corresponding to the graphics information.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first application is a parametric CAD application to modify the geometry data based on a stored, ordered set of operations that modify geometric relationships between features of the object; and
the second application is a visualization application to display and allow manipulation of a visual representation of the object without performing any parametric regenerations, the visual representation corresponding to the graphics information.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first state in the life cycle of the object and the second state in the life cycle are different states selected from the group consisting of: design, prototyping, analysis, redesign, alpha or beta testing, component manufacturing, and assembling.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modification of the graphics information of the second chapter of the shared CAD data model from the first state to the second state is performed automatically.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third state of the geometry information corresponds to a line of equivalence set to signal that the graphics information should be modified, via execution of the second application, to the second state such that the graphics information is consistent with the geometry information.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the line of equivalence is defined in response to the model reaching a predetermined state selected from the group consisting of: design, prototyping, analysis, redesign, alpha or beta testing, component manufacturing, and assembling.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the line of equivalence is defined in response to a command received from a user of the first application or the second application.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the line of equivalence is defined automatically in response to a user saving at least one of the first chapter and the second chapter.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the line of equivalence is defined automatically in response to a user exiting at least one of the first application and the second application.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the line of equivalence is automatically defined as one of a set of periodically defined lines of equivalence.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chapters further includes an annotation chapter.
14. An apparatus for managing synchronization in a computer-aided design system, the apparatus comprising:
a memory for storing a code defining a set of instructions; and
a processor for executing the set of instructions,
wherein the code comprises a coordination module configured to:
modify graphics information of a second chapter of a shared CAD data model from a first state to a second state, wherein:
the first state of the graphics information is consistent with a first state of geometry information and corresponds to a first state in a life cycle of the object, and the second state of the graphics information is consistent with a third state of the geometry information and corresponds to a second state in the life cycle of the object;
and wherein:
a first application, executable to modify a first subset of a plurality of chapters corresponding to different respective characteristics of a virtual representation of the object, has modified the geometry information of the first chapter of a first version of the shared CAD data model from the first state to a second state resulting in a second version of the CAD data model in which the geometry information is in the second state and the graphics information is in the first state, wherein the second state of the geometry information is contemporaneous with and incompatible with a first state of the graphics information within the second version of the shared CAD data model, and the first application has modified the geometry information of the first chapter from the second state or a subsequent state to the third state, and
the coordination module is configured to modify the graphics information of the second chapter from the first state to the second state responsive to the modification of the geometry information from the second or subsequent state to the third state.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions configured to be executed by a processor, the instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement a method for managing synchronization in a computer-aided design system, the method comprising:
responsive to a modification of geometry information of a first chapter of a shared CAD data model from a second or subsequent state to a third state by a computer processor executing an application that is separate from the instructions, modifying graphics information of a second chapter of a shared CAD data model from a first state to a second state, wherein:
within a first version of the shared CAD data model, the first state of the graphics information is consistent with a first state of the geometry information and corresponds to a first state in a life cycle of the object, and
within a second version of the shared CAD data model, the second state of the geometry information is contemporaneous with and incompatible with the first state of the graphics information,
the second state of the graphics information is consistent with the third state of the geometry information and corresponds to a second state in the life cycle of the object,
the first chapter is part of a first subset of chapters of the shared CAD data model, and
the second chapter is part of a second subset of chapters of the shared CAD data model that differs from the first subset of chapters of the shared CAD data model and are modifiable by the application that is separate from the instructions.