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  Systems and methods for dimensioning cad drawingsRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Structural Design, Modeling, Simulation, And Emulation, Structural DesignThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060173657. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/589,758, filed on Jun. 9, 2000. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to computer software. In particular, this invention relates to an improvement in computer aided design (CAD) software. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] There are many types of computer aided design (CAD) software which assist in architectural design and drafting. Such software is widely used, as it considerably simplifies the task of drafting plans to scale with such annotations as are required for the needs of the user. [0004] One of the advantages of CAD software is a feature whereby an object can have dimension annotations associated with the object, including dimension lines, extension lines, symbols of termination (e.g. arrowheads, architectural ticks) and dimension text, created automatically. Thus, the dimension can be automatically created for an object as the object is drawn. This considerably simplifies the annotation of the drawing, which had previously had been a very time consuming process. [0005] Some CAD programs allow manual associative dimensioning, by which a dimension annotation can be manually associated with an object, and thereafter if the object is moved the dimension annotation adjusts automatically with the object. This also facilitates the annotation of drawings, however it requires that the user manually attach the dimension to the object in order for changes in the object to be reflected in the associated dimension annotation. Furthermore, if the object is broken, for example if another object is interposed in or superposed onto an intermediate point of the existing object, the associative dimensioning cannot accommodate the new object and new dimensions, so new dimension annotations corresponding to the new object must be manually added and new associations must be established between the existing dimension annotation and the remaining portions of the existing object. This is a time consuming process, particularly during the modification stages of CAD drafting. [0006] For example, adding a window to an existing wall in a CAD drawing requires that the window be inserted at the intended position, that the existing dimension annotations be deleted and that new extension lines, dimension lines, termination symbols and dimension text be created to reflect the new segmentation of the object and/or the addition of any new object (or the removal of an existing object). [0007] It would accordingly be advantageous if dimension annotations were created automatically as objects are created, and automatically associated with the objects as they are created. It would further be advantageous if dimension annotations would change automatically to accommodate any change to the existing objects, such as a new object inserted into a selected position relative to the existing objects or the deletion of an object from a group of objects. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing automatic adaptive dimensioning in a CAD software program. According to the invention, dimension annotations are created by the CAD program automatically as an object is drawn and automatically associated with the target object. Thereafter, changing the length of the target object automatically changes the associated dimension annotation, or alternatively, changing the associated dimension annotation automatically changes the length of the target object. Further, changing the dimension annotation associated with an adjacent object automatically changes the position of the target object. [0009] Moreover, when another object is inserted into an intermediate position of an existing object, the automatic adaptive dimensioning feature of the invention automatically creates dimension annotations corresponding to the position of the new object relative to the existing object; likewise, the new object can be automatically positioned in relation to the existing object by specifying interposition dimensions or segment lengths in the existing dimension annotations. Thereafter, any changes to the lengths or relative positions of the objects will automatically change the associated dimension annotations, and any changes made to the associated dimension annotations will automatically-change the lengths and/or relative positions of the objects. [0010] Incorporating the automatic adaptive dimensioning feature of the invention into a CAD program accordingly substantially decreases the production time of architectural drawings. The commensurate savings in labour, particularly in the input, documentation and modification stages of drawing preparation, provides a considerable advantage over conventional CAD drawing programs. [0011] These and other features of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows. [0012] The present invention thus provides a method of annotating a computer aided design drawing, comprising the steps of a. setting parameters of dimension annotations comprising one or more of dimension text, dimension lines, extension lines and termination symbols, b. creating a target object by selecting a length of the target object; and c. automatically generating dimension annotations corresponding to the target object, whereby the dimension annotations are associated with the target object such that in response to a modification of a length or relative position of the target object, the dimension annotations associated with the target object or the dimension annotation associated with at least one adjacent object, or both, are automatically adjusted to correspond to the modification of the length or relative position of the target object. [0013] The present invention further provides a computer program product for use with a computer, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for annotating a computer aided design drawing, said computer program product having computer readable program code means for setting parameters of dimension annotations comprising one or more of dimension text, dimension lines, extension lines and termination symbols, computer readable program code means for creating a target object by selecting a length of the target object; and computer readable program code means for automatically generating dimension annotations corresponding to the target object, whereby the dimension annotations are associated with the target object such that in response to a modification of a length or relative position of the target object, the dimension annotations associated with the target object or the dimension annotation associated with at least one adjacent object, or both, are automatically adjusted to correspond to the modification of the length or relative position of the target object. [0014] The present invention further provides a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for annotating a computer aided design drawing, said method steps comprising: a. setting parameters of dimension annotations comprising one or more of dimension text, dimension lines, extension lines and termination symbols, b. creating a target object by selecting a length of the target object; and c. automatically generating dimension annotations corresponding to the target object, whereby the dimension annotations are associated with the target object such that in response to a modification of a length or relative position of the target object, the dimension annotations associated with the target object or the dimension annotation associated with at least one adjacent object, or both, are automatically adjusted to correspond to the modification of the length or relative position of the target object. [0015] A further aspect of the invention includes the step of, in response to a modification of the dimension annotation associated with the target object or the dimension annotation associated with at least one adjacent object or both, automatically modifying a length or relative position of the target object to correspond to the modification of the dimension annotation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the invention, [0017] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of objects and associated dimension annotations in a conventional CAD drawing, [0018] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of an object and associated dimension annotations in a CAD drawing using the method of the invention, [0019] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the drawing of FIG. 2 after inserting a new object, Continue reading... 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