Patent ID: 7176942
Filing Date: 2007-02-13
Classification: G05B,G06F,G06T,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A computer system operation method for use in a system comprised of a plurality of workstations arranged in a peer-to-peer architecture, said method providing a means for allowing multiple users simultaneously to modify a model of an object at separate workstations, such that any modification made at any workstation is duplicated at each other workstation in the system, the method comprising: receiving at a first workstation input from a user specifying a modification of first data comprising a representation of a model of an object, said input comprising one or more constraints relating to cell information; upon receipt of the input specifying the modification and under control of the first workstation, translating said input into a model modification command specifying the portion of the first data to be modified, and the modification to be made; modifying said first data by said first workstation in accordance with said model modification command to effect a change in the model as represented by said first data; substantially concurrent with said modifying of said first data, automatically transmitting said model modification command via a network to other workstations in the system; automatically processing said model modification command at a second workstation upon receipt of said model modification command; and modifying second data comprising a representation of the model of the object, the second data being automatically modified by the second workstation in accordance with said model modification command to effect the change in the model represented by said second data, said change in the model represented by said second data being made substantially simultaneous with the change in the model represented by said first data; and wherein said method further comprises: a) selecting the first constraint of said input and identifying the components of the CAD system that must be accessed to find geometric cells meeting the requirements of the constraint; b) searching the cells of the model and retaining as a subset only the cells that meet the requirement of the first constraint of said input; c) selecting the next constraint of said input and identifying the components of the CAD system that must be accessed to find geometric cells meeting the requirements of said next constraint; d) searching the subset of cells and retaining in the subset only the cells that meet the requirement of said next constraint of said input; and e) repeating steps c) and d) for each of the remaining constraints in said input.