WO2006105416A2

WO2006105416A2 - System and method to determine a simplified representation of a model

Info

Publication number: WO2006105416A2
Application number: PCT/US2006/011959
Authority: WO
Inventors: Timothy R. Anderson; Ronald T. Conerly; Aditya Gurushankar; Daniel C. Staples; Mallikarjuna Gandikota; Prasad Pringali
Original assignee: Ugs Corp.
Priority date: 2005-03-31
Filing date: 2006-03-31
Publication date: 2006-10-05
Also published as: JP5074379B2; US7646384B2; KR101263040B1; EP1864259A2; US20060250388A1; JP2008536213A; KR20070116839A; WO2006105416A3

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program for determining a simplified representation of an assembly model comprising the steps of saving a plurality of display states and configuration settings of an assembly model in a design representation; translating said design representation into a simplified representation by use of a visibility solution; and storing said simplified representation and said design representation in an assembly document and appropriate means and computer-readable instructions.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD TO DETERMINE A SIMPLIFIED REPRESENTATION OF A MODEL

Priority of Application

[Para 1 ] The present application claims priority of U.S. Provisional

Application Serial No. 60/666,973 filed March 31, 2005, which is incorporated

herein by reference.

Technical Field

[Para 2] This invention relates generally to computer graphics. More

specifically, the invention relates to a system and method of determining a

simplified representation of a CAD assembly.

Background

[Para 3] The computer has greatly affected essentially all forms of

information management, including computer aided design and drafting (CAD)

tools. Some simpler geometric modeling computer program products can only

model in two dimensions at a time, while more complex and powerful computer

program products provide three dimensional editing and visualization capabilities.

[Para 4] Three dimensional geometric modeling programs can generate a

complex high-level assembly that can comprise one or more constituent 3D solid

shapes. For example, a table assembly could comprise a solid shape for each leg

of the table, where each leg is an identical design placed relative to each other,

as well as a solid shape for a flat table top. Today, however, CAD

representations are becoming more and more complex; typically combining

numerous intricate 3D drawings to create a final product like an airplane, a car

or even a factory. Each level of abstraction requires various degree of

granularity, particularly when it comes to comparing manufacturing versus bill of

material information versus conceptual design. Likewise, when rendering a 3D

model in its entirety, a computer requires considerable resources from its central

processing unit (CPU) and/or random access memory (RAM), for example. In

the industry, it is common to spend hours to days of computing time to render a

highly complex structure.

[Para 5] The increased rendering time places a burden on computer

systems and organizations that desire rapid progression from design to

development. Therefore, when designing the 3D model of the high-level

structure, manufacturing entities have a need to reduce rendering times of each of the individual sub-assemblies that comprise the higher-level assembly while

maintaining the design integrity of the entire design concept.

[Para 6] Furthermore, users of CAD systems require various levels of

product structure where at one end there is a need for detailed design

information, and at the other end, a simplified representation is needed. That

being said, those users have to easily switch between simplified and design

representations throughout the product design process, while maintaining

constant product definition. Those same users want to balance the ability to

freely deliver to third parties a simplified representation of 3D models that does

not divulge potential intellectual property with sufficient detail to communicate

the product design.

[Para 7] There is a need for a solution that can efficiently and effectively

simplify the 3D representation of a designed product particularly at various levels

of design when various needs for detailed information is required. There is also

a need for a solution that can provide the ability for a user to deliver some level

of product detail to prospective customers and clients without unintentionally

divulging proprietary information.

Summary

[Para 8] To achieve the foregoing, and in accordance with the purpose of

the presently preferred embodiment as broadly described herein, the present

application provides a method to determine a simplified representation of an

assembly model comprising the steps of saving a plurality of display states and

configuration settings of an assembly model in a design representation;

translating said design representation into a simplified representation by use of a

visibility solution; and storing said simplified representation and said design

representation in an assembly document. The method, wherein the integrity of

the association of at least said simplified representation and said design

representation is maintained. The method, wherein said step of translating said

design representation into said simplified representation by use of said visibility

solution, further comprises the steps of rendering a model having a plurality of

parts with at least one color value encoded for an at least one corresponding

surface identity; distinguishing a plurality of exterior parts from a plurality of

interior parts based on said at least one corresponding surface identity; and

identifying a plurality of features in said model not copied into a composite

image. The method, further comprising the step of displaying said plurality of

parts from at least one orientation. The method, further comprising the step of

displaying said composite image comprised of said exterior parts and lacking

said plurality of features. The method, further comprising the step of preparing

said model to improve accuracy of a rendering operation. The method, further

comprising the step of implementing at least one filtering algorithm to adjust a

quality of analysis of said rendering. The method, further comprising the step of preparing said model to adjust accuracy of a rendering operation wherein said

accuracy is adjusted by tessellating said model. The method, wherein said step

of rendering operates to depict said model as a tessellated version of a

geometrical representation of a plurality of surfaces.

[Para 9] An advantage of the presently preferred embodiment is to provide

a computer-program product tangibly embodied in a machine readable medium

to perform a method to determine a simplified representation of an assembly

model, comprising instructions for saving a plurality of display states and

configuration settings of an assembly model in a design representation;

instructions for translating said design representation into a simplified

representation by use of a visibility solution; and instructions for storing said

simplified representation and said design representation in an assembly

document. The computer-program product, wherein the integrity of the

association of at least said simplified representation and said design

representation is maintained. The computer-program, wherein said instructions

for translating said design representation into said simplified representation by

use of said visibility solution, further comprises instructions for rendering a model

having a plurality of parts with at least one color value encoded for an at least

one corresponding surface identity; instructions for distinguishing a plurality of

exterior parts from a plurality of interior parts based on said at least one

corresponding surface identity; and instructions for identifying a plurality of

features in said model not copied into a composite image. The computer-

program product, further comprising the instructions for displaying said plurality

of parts from at least one orientation. The computer-program product, further comprising the instructions for displaying said composite image comprised of

said exterior parts and lacking said plurality of features. The computer-program

product, further comprising the instructions for preparing said model to improve

accuracy of a rendering operation. The computer-program product, further

comprising the instructions for implementing at least one filtering algorithm to

adjust a quality of analysis of said rendering. The computer-program product,

further comprising the instructions for preparing said model to adjust accuracy of

a rendering operation wherein said accuracy is adjusted by tessellating said

model. The computer-program product, wherein said instructions for rendering

operates to depict said model as a tessellated version of a geometrical

representation of a plurality of surfaces.

[Para 10] Another advantage of the presently preferred embodiment is to

provide a data processing system having at least a processor and accessible

memory to implement a method to determine a simplified representation of an

assembly model, comprising means for rendering a model having a plurality of

parts with at least one color value encoded for an at least one corresponding

surface identity; means for distinguishing a plurality of exterior parts from a

plurality of interior parts based on said at least one corresponding surface

identity; and means for identifying a plurality of features in said model not

copied into a composite image.

[Para 1 1 ] Still another advantage of the presently preferred embodiment is to

provide a simplified representation of an assembly model embodied on a

computer-readable medium on a computer in conjunction with an application,

the simplified representation comprising a reduced form of an assembly model derived from a designed form of said assembly model, having a plurality of

exterior faces, wherein said exterior faces consist of a plurality of components

from said design form; and said reduced form is associatively coupled with said

designed form, accessible from a common assembly document.

[Para 1 2] Other advantages of the presently preferred embodiment will be

set forth in part in the description and in the drawings that follow, and, in part

will be learned by practice of the invention.

[Para 1 3] The presently preferred embodiment will now be described with

reference made to the following Figures that form a part hereof. It is

understood that other embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made

without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[Para 14] A presently preferred embodiment will hereinafter be described in

conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like

elements, and:

[Para 1 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer environment in which the

presently preferred embodiment may be practiced;

[Para 1 6] FIG. 2 is an isometric representation of two gear reducer

assemblies;

[Para 1 7] FIG. 3, a logic flow diagram of the presently preferred

embodiment;

[Para 1 8] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a detailed logic flow diagram of the

visibility solution algorithm in the presently preferred embodiment;

[Para 1 9] FIG. 4 is a 3D assembly model in an axonometric orientation;

[Para 20] FIG. 5 is an axonometric orientation of a gear reducer assembly in

design representation;

[Para 21 ] FIG. 6 is an illustration of an orthogonal plane view of a shaft

extended through a hole;

[Para 22] FIG. 7 is a partial view of a gear box assembly having a hole;

[Para 23] FIG. 8 is a close-up view of a bolt;

[Para 24] FIG.9 is an axonometric orientation of the gear reducer assembly

in simplified representation;

[Para 25] FIG. 10 is a design representation of a CPU rack assembly and a

network communication machine; and [Para 26] FIG. 11 is a portion of a computer room with multiple network

communication machines.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[Para 27] The numerous innovative teachings of the present application will

be described with particular reference to the presently preferred embodiments.

It should be understood, however, that this class of embodiments provides only

a few examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings

herein. The presently preferred embodiment provides, among other things, a

system and method of determining a simplified representation of a CAD

assembly. Now therefore, in accordance with the presently preferred

embodiment, an operating system executes on a computer, such as a general-

purpose personal computer. Figure 1 and the following discussion are intended

to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in

which the presently preferred embodiment may be implemented. Although not

required, the presently preferred embodiment will be described in the general

context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being

executed by a personal computer. Generally program modules include routines,

programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular

tasks or implementation particular abstract data types, and the presently

preferred embodiment may be performed in any of a variety of known computing

environments.

[Para 28] With reference to Figure 1, an exemplary system for implementing

the presently preferred embodiment includes a general-purpose computing

device in the form of a computer 100, such as a desktop or laptop computer,

including a plurality of related peripheral devices (not depicted). The computer

100 includes a microprocessor 105 and a bus 110 employed to connect and enable communication between the microprocessor 105 and a plurality of

components of the computer 100 in accordance with known techniques. The

bus 110 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus

or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of

bus architectures. The computer 100 typically includes a user interface adapter

115, which connects the microprocessor 105 via the bus 110 to one or more

interface devices, such as a keyboard 120, mouse 125, and/or other interface

devices 130, which can be any user interface device, such as a touch sensitive

screen, digitized pen entry pad, etc. The bus 110 also connects a display device

135, such as an LCD screen or monitor, to the microprocessor 105 via a display

adapter 140. The bus 110 also connects the microprocessor 105 to a memory

145, which can include ROM, RAM, etc.

[Para 29] The computer 100 further includes a drive interface 150 that

couples at least one storage device 155 and/or at least one optical drive 160 to

the bus. The storage device 155 can include a hard disk drive, not shown, for

reading and writing to a disk, a magnetic disk drive, not shown, for reading from

or writing to a removable magnetic disk drive. Likewise the optical drive 160

can include an optical disk drive, not shown, for reading from or writing to a

removable optical disk such as a CD ROM or other optical media. The

aforementioned drives and associated computer-readable media provide non¬

volatile storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program

modules, and other data for the computer 100.

[Para 30] The computer 100 can communicate via a communications channel

165 with other computers or networks of computers. The computer 100 may be associated with such other computers in a local area network (LAN) or a wide

area network (WAN), or it can be a client in a client/server arrangement with

another computer, etc. Furthermore, the presently preferred embodiment may

also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are

performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a

communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program

modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. All

of these configurations, as well as the appropriate communications hardware and

software, are known in the art.

[Para 31 ] Software programming code that embodies the presently preferred

embodiment is typically stored in the memory 145 of the computer 100. In the

client/server arrangement, such software programming code may be stored with

memory associated with a server. The software programming code may also be

embodied on any of a variety of non-volatile data storage device, such as a hard-

drive, a diskette or a CD-ROM. The code may be distributed on such media, or

may be distributed to users from the memory of one computer system over a

network of some type to other computer systems for use by users of such other

systems. The techniques and methods for embodying software program code on

physical media and/or distributing software code via networks are well known

and will not be further discussed herein.

[Para 32] The present application describes an innovative simplified assembly

representation solution practiced on a 3D CAD software application, such as

SolidEdge® by UGS Corp., that enables a user, also referred to as a designer, to

create a simplified representation from a design representation of a 3D assembly model. For example referring to Figure 2, an isometric representation of two

gear reducer assemblies, a first gear reducer assembly 200 is in the simplified

representation and a second gear reducer assembly 205 is in design

representation where in practice the design representations of both gear reducer

assemblies are placed in a higher level assembly and positioned relative to a

mounting plate 210. That is, faces of the two gear reducer assemblies

(200,205) are used to constrain and position in the higher level assembly that

includes the mounting plate 210. Or put another way, the bottom faces of the

gear reducer assemblies (200,205) are constrained to the mounting plate, and a

plurality of bolt holes (not depicted) are axial aligned to position the two gear

reducer assemblies (200,205) onto the mounting plate 210. The user changes

the first gear reducer assembly 200 from design representation to simplified

representation, while keeping the second gear reducer assembly 205 in design

representation view.

[Para 33] Turning to Figure 3, a logic flow diagram of the presently

preferred embodiment, the 3D assembly model can be created natively on the

3D CAD software application, or the 3D assembly model can be designed and/or

constructed by other methods commonly known in the art of 3D assembly

design. (Step 300) Next, display states and configuration settings of the

design representation are stored (Step 305) for recall following a simplified

representation mode. Following the simplified representation mode (Step 310),

the previously stored display states and configuration settings are returned for

application. (Step 325) The simplified representation is associated with the

design representation by known means in the 3D CAD industry. (Step 330) By associating the simplified representation with the design representation, the

presently preferred embodiment maintains an integrity that at a minimum

maintains design intent and at a maximum rigidly constrains the model. Both

representations are stored in a CAD assembly document (Step 335), and the

software application displays results for further application. (Step 340)

[Para 34] Next, upon beginning the simplified representation mode, the 3D

assembly model is prepared for display (Step 315) prior to beginning a visibility

solution (Step 320) and if the 3D assembly model contains simplified geometry

from a prior simplified representation operation, then the simplified geometry is

displayed along with the other components of the 3D assembly model that have

not been simplified. Simplified geometry is a generic term to identify any

part/component that has been simplified pursuant to the methods and teachings

disclosed herein. Likewise, components not shown in the design representation

view do not participate during the simplified representation mode in the creation

of the simplified representation.

[Para 35] Further to preparing the 3D assembly model for display (Step 315),

the display color of the 3D assembly model is adjusted such that it is uniform

throughout and initially characterizes all faces to be simplified as interior. In the

simplified representation mode, the user can utilize the 3D software application

to show/hide parts, activate/inactivate parts, show parts as simplified/designed,

apply configurations, or change part styles using understood techniques. It is

understood that the term "parts" refers to any structural element of the 3D

assembly model, e.g., the face of a hex bolt is a "part" or the entire hex bolt

could be a "part" as identified by the user. [Para 36] Next the user identifies which parts and/or components on the 3D

assembly model the presently preferred embodiment will ignore in the creation

of the simplified representation by using a graphic slider to ignore small parts

based on a slider value, and if desirable can manually select parts to ignore. The

slider value can be adjusted to exclude a hole with a size of 0.05% of the area

containing the surface, for example. It is understood that the percentage size

could easily be more or less than 0.05%, depending on the design intent of the

user, and that 0.05% is an arbitrary value shown for demonstrative purposes

only. Parts and components the user identifies as "ignored" are not copied into

the resulting simplified assembly representation, and those same ignored parts

and components do not participate in a visibility solution to distinguish exterior

faces from interior faces. Likewise, "small" can be hard-coded into the

application disclosed such that the user cannot modify the definition of small as

compared to the surface area of the assembly and/or component.

[Para 37] Further to the teachings discussed, the user is able to manipulate a

quality of analysis by selecting to render each surface of the 3D assembly model

as a finely tessellated depiction of a geometric representation of each surface.

The granularity of tessellation can vary from fine to coarse, where coarse

tessellation forms larger polygons such as triangles, squares or hexagons, while

fine tessellation forms smaller polygons. Tessellating and re-tessellating the 3D

assembly model improves the quality of the analysis by ignoring interior faces

that would otherwise be considered visible.

[Para 38] Next, Figure 4 is a logic flow diagram of a visibility solution as

disclosed in greater detail. The visibility solution accepts as input the prepared 3D assembly model (Step 400). The disclosed preferred embodiment defaults

to providing 24 orientations involved in refining the simplified representation

mode where those orientations are orthogonal and/or axonometric. (Step 405)

The user can also define additional orientations by freely rotating the prepared

3D assembly model or using other means known in the 3D CAD industry and

commonly known by users of 3D design applications. (Step 410) The only

limit to the number of desired orientations is the amount of time needed to

process the orientations and accumulate the results of the visibility solution.

[Para 39] Next the visibility solution applies the selected orientation. (Step

415) The user can use further known techniques to manipulate the prepared

3D assembly model to improve the quality of the rendering, for example,

optimizing zoom scale to increase model coverage, optimize depth buffer

attributes, and adjust orientation to decrease the amount of viewed surface area.

The user can further adjust the quality of analysis by modifying the dimensions

for the rendering process to affect the accuracy of the rendering. For example, a

width and height of the 3D assembly model can be increased to improve

accuracy, or the width and height can be reduced to improve speed of the

visibility solution but reduce the accuracy of the rendering.

[Para 40] Next, the resulting rendered image of the 3D assembly model

displays information that is used to determine the identity of each visible surface

of each occurrence of each component in the 3D assembly model, where the

displayed information is identified as one color for exterior processed surfaces

and another color for interior surfaces. (Step 420) The presently preferred

embodiment employs the depth buffering feature of OpenGL to assign unique colors to differentiate the exterior surfaces from the interior surfaces. OpenGL is

an open source graphics library that defines a cross-language cross-platform API

for writing applications that produce 3D and 2D computer graphics. Depth

buffering is a technique to determine which primitives in a model are occluded

by other primitives such that as each pixel in a primitive is rasterized, its distance

from the eye-point (depth value) is compared with the values stored in the depth

buffer. Accordingly, if the pixel's depth value is less than the stored value, the

pixel's depth value is written to the depth buffer, and its color is written to the

color buffer.

[Para 41 ] Put another way, the depth buffering works by associating a depth,

or distance, from the view plane with each pixel on the window so that the

distance from the view pane is computed. With depth buffering enabled, before

each pixel is drawn, a comparison is done with the depth value already stored at

the pixel. If the new pixel is closer than what's there, the new pixel's color and

depth values replace those that are currently written into the pixel. If the new

pixel's depth is greater than what's currently there, the new pixel is obscured,

and the color and depth information for the incoming pixel is discarded. In an

alternative embodiment, the depth buffering could occur via hardware instead of

the CAD software as disclosed. It is understood that any comparable graphics

library may be used, provided a feature similar to depth buffering is available.

Likewise, a separate graphics library does not have to be used, but instead can

be integral into the CAD software. Following the depth buffering, the final

rendered image contains colored pixels that can be decoded and mapped back

from the surface rendered to that location in the 3D assembly model, as orientated, with color values encoded with each surface as identified. This

results in the software application providing graphical feedback to the user by

changing all processed faces identified as exterior of the various components to

a solid color

[Para 42] The quality of the rendering is further scrutinized and controlled by

applying a plurality of filtering algorithms to the resulting image that removes

rendering artifacts common with various rendering techniques. (Step 425)

One such rendering artifact is called a speckle. The visibility solution can ignore

these speckle anomalies by applying a common speckle removal tool, e.g., a

speckle removal filter. The speckle removal filter prevents speckles from

affecting surrounding areas in the rendered image, which decreases the number

of surfaces that comprise the final rendered image.

[Para 43] Following the application of filters to remove the rendering artifacts

(Step 425), the visibility solution extracts the rasterized surfaces (Step 430)

and merges the resulting surfaces (Step 435) with a plurality of visibility

solutions. (Step 440) If the user requires multiple orientations to distinguish

the external surfaces from the internal surfaces, then the visibility solution is not

complete (Step 445) and the visibility solution returns to selecting the next

orientation. (Step 405)

[Para 44] In creating the final simplified representation of the detailed

design, the user has the ability to identify insignificant components by rotating,

zooming in/out, etc., to inspect what the visibility solution algorithm identified as

interior/exterior and re-run the algorithm to select additional exterior faces from

that specific orientation. One of the benefits of the presently preferred embodiment is the components chosen to be excluded from the final simplified

representation, like the small bolts, still participate in the visibility solution.

[Para 45] Upon completion of the model-simplified mode the simplified

representation of the assembly is created where ignored parts will not have faces

copied, interior parts/faces will not be copied, view orientations specified by the

user to add more exterior faces are remembered for later reuse, exterior faces

are copied into the assembly associatively and with their corresponding original

part face style, and only the simplified geometry will be displayed with all

components hidden. Upon return, the 3D assembly model reverts to the design

representation and obscures the simplified geometry; after which the display

state and configuration settings previously stored are reapplied. (Step 450)

[Para 46] By way of example and not limitation, the user starts with Figure

5, an axonometric orientation of a gear reducer assembly in design

representation, and determines to create a simplified representation of a gear

reducer assembly 500 by initiating the presently preferred embodiment which

causes the gear reducer assembly to become one solid color with each part

initially identified as interior as illustrated in Figure 6, an illustration of an

orthogonal plane view of a shaft extended through a hole. Prior to initiating the

visibility solution, the user determines to ignore a small hole 700 and a plurality

of small bolts 705 as illustrated in Figure 7, a partial view of the gear reducer

assembly, that will not be included in the complete simplified representation.

The presently preferred embodiment allows the user the ability to determine

when to begin the visibility solution by displaying a process button. While

processing, the presently preferred embodiment also provides the user the ability to cancel and review or modify the visibility solution when appropriate.

[Para 47] Figure 8 is a close-up view of a bolt and shows the exterior faces

as white, and the interior faces in magenta, but illustrated in with a diagonal-

line. Following the rendering (Step 420) the user views a gear reducer

assembly, while the visibility solution resolved the exterior faces, it calculated a

bolt face 800 as being interior, when in fact the bolt face 800 is exterior to the

gear reducer assembly 500. Utilizing the 3D software application, the user then

selects the bolt face 800 as a member of the exterior faces that comprise the

gear reducer assembly 500 by use of a mouse click or other known selection

ability. Figure 9 illustrates an axonometric orientation of the gear reducer

assembly in simplified representation, the user excluded the small hole 700 and

the small bolts 705 that are not present as seen at 900 and 905, respectively.

[Para 48] With the aforementioned disclosed teachings in mind, Figure 10, a

_* design representation of a CPU rack assembly and a network communication

machine, and Figure 11, a portion of a computer room with multiple network

communication machines, the user utilizes the presently preferred embodiment

to place a CPU rack assembly into a top-level assembly like a network

communications system 1000. A design representation of the CPU rack

assembly 1005 is constrained within the network communications system 1000

via methods commonly understood in the art. Likewise the CPU rack assembly

can be shown with simplified parts, illustrated at 1010, and is then available for

use. The network communications system 1000 can then be multiplied and

placed in a higher-level assembly like in a computer room, generally shown at

1100. The simplified representation can occur in each sub-assembly, like the Simplified CPU rack assembly 1010, and as well as the top-level assembly, like

the network communications system 1000. All of the foregoing simplifications

benefit the higher-level assembly computer room 1100 in the manners previously

discussed.

[Para 49] The presently preferred embodiment may be implemented in digital

electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in

combinations thereof. An apparatus of the presently preferred embodiment may

be implemented in a computer program product tangibly embodied in a

machine-readable storage device for execution by a programmable processor;

and method steps of the presently preferred embodiment may be performed by

a programmable processor executing a program of instructions to perform

functions of the presently preferred embodiment by operating on input data and

generating output.

[Para 50] The presently preferred embodiment may advantageously be

implemented in one or more computer programs that are executable on a

programmable system including at least one programmable processor coupled to

receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a

data storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

The application program may be implemented in a high-level procedural or

object-oriented programming language, or in assembly or machine language if

desired; and in any case, the language may be a compiled or interpreted

language.

[Para 51 ] Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a

read-only memory and/or a random access memory. Storage devices suitable for tangibly embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of

nonvolatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory

devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks

such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-

ROM disks. Any of the foregoing may be supplemented by, or incorporated in,

specially-designed ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits).

[Para 52] A number of embodiments have been described. It will be

understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the

spirit and scope of the presently preferred embodiment, for example the

Direct3D library by Microsoft® could be used instead of the OpenGL library.

Likewise, following rendering, should poor silhouette edges occur, then those

edges can be further refined using various filtering schemes known in the art.

Therefore, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

We claim:

1. A method to determine a simplified representation of an assembly model

comprising the steps of:

saving a plurality of display states and configuration settings of an

assembly model in a design representation;

translating said design representation into a simplified representation by

use of a visibility solution; and

storing said simplified representation and said design representation in an

assembly document.

2. The method of Claim I₁ wherein the integrity of the association of at least

said simplified representation and said design representation is

maintained.

3. The method of Claim 1, wherein said step of translating said design

representation into said simplified representation by use of said

visibility solution, further comprises the steps of:

rendering a model having a plurality of parts with at least one color value

encoded for an at least one corresponding surface identity;

distinguishing a plurality of exterior parts from a plurality of interior parts

based on said at least one corresponding surface identity;

and

identifying a plurality of features in said model not copied into a

composite image.

4. The method of Claim 3, further comprising the step of displaying said

plurality of parts from at least one orientation.

5. The method of Claim 3, further comprising the step of displaying said

composite image comprised of said exterior parts and lacking said

plurality of features.

6. The method of Claim 3, further comprising the step of preparing said

model to improve accuracy of a rendering operation.

7. The method of Claim 3, further comprising the step of implementing at

least one filtering algorithm to adjust a quality of analysis of said

rendering.

8. The method of Claim 3, further comprising the step of preparing said

model to adjust accuracy of a rendering operation wherein said

accuracy is adjusted by tessellating said model.

9. The method of Claim 3, wherein said step of rendering operates to depict

said model as a tessellated version of a geometrical representation

of a plurality of surfaces.

10. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a machine readable

medium to perform a method to determine a simplified

representation of an assembly model, comprising:

instructions for saving a plurality of display states and configuration

settings of an assembly model in a design representation;

instructions for translating said design representation into a simplified

representation by use of a visibility solution; and

instructions for storing said simplified representation and said design

representation in an assembly document.

11. The computer-program product of Claim 10, wherein the integrity of the association of at least said simplified representation and said

design representation is maintained.

12. The computer-program product of Claim 10, wherein said instructions for

translating said design representation into said simplified

representation by use of said visibility solution, further comprises:

instructions for rendering a model having a plurality of parts with at least

one color value encoded for an at least one corresponding

surface identity;

instructions for distinguishing a plurality of exterior parts from a plurality

of interior parts based on said at least one corresponding

surface identity; and

instructions for identifying a plurality of features in said model not copied

into a composite image.

13. The computer-program product of Claim 10, further comprising the

instructions for displaying said plurality of parts from at least one

orientation.

14. The computer-program product of Claim 10, further comprising the

instructions for displaying said composite image comprised of said

exterior parts and lacking said plurality of features.

15. The computer-program product of Claim 10, further comprising the

instructions for preparing said model to improve accuracy of a

rendering operation.

16. The computer-program product of Claim 10, further comprising the

instructions for implementing at least one filtering algorithm to adjust a quality of analysis of said rendering.

17. The computer-program product of Claim 10, further comprising the

instructions for preparing said model to adjust accuracy of a

rendering operation wherein said accuracy is adjusted by

tessellating said model.

18. The computer-program product of Claim 10, wherein said instructions for

rendering operates to depict said model as a tessellated version of

a geometrical representation of a plurality of surfaces.

19. A data processing system having at least a processor and accessible

memory to implement a method to determine a simplified

representation of an assembly model, comprising:

means for rendering a model having a plurality of parts with at least one

color value encoded for an at least one corresponding

surface identity;

means for distinguishing a plurality of exterior parts from a plurality of

interior parts based on said at least one corresponding

surface identity; and

means for identifying a plurality of features in said model not copied into

a composite image.

20. A simplified representation of an assembly model embodied on a

computer-readable medium on a computer in conjunction with an

application, the simplified representation comprising:

a reduced form of an assembly model derived from a designed form of

said assembly model, having a plurality of exterior faces, wherein:

said exterior faces consist of a plurality of components from said

design form; and

said reduced form is associatively coupled with said designed

form, accessible from a common assembly

document.