Abstract:
A CAD drawing generation and delivery system comprises a CAD module that produces CAD documents. A CAD automation module receives design specifications including a selection of system components, an arrangement of the components, and a dimension relating to at least one of the components, and selectively operates the CAD module to generate one of the CAD drawings based on the design specifications. A server delivers the CAD drawing to a user at a remote location via a distributed communications system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/623,152, filed on Oct. 28, 2004. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to the creation and distribution of computer aided design (CAD) drawings, and more particularly to a CAD document generation and delivery system for a distributed communications system.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Oftentimes, manufacturers sell one or more different components that are incorporated into device. Some of the components may require custom design for a particular application while other components may be off-the-shelf components. Through extensive experience, the manufacturer may have developed expertise designing the devices. The manufacturer may have developed design guidelines, formulas and/or other design parameters based on performance criteria. For example, a manufacturer may sell coupling devices that couple driving and driver shafts that require custom adapters, rigids, spacers and/or other custom coupling components. In addition to these designed components, the system may also include off the shelf components such as belts and fasteners.  
         [0004]     As can be appreciated, the need for design services typically increases the cost of the device. The manufacturer and/or the purchaser may need to hire engineers to design the device for the particular application and/or engage the services of outside design professionals. In addition, the requirement for custom design services may also slow down the design and manufacturing process. The customer may also require additional equipment such as workstations, computer aided design (CAD) software and/or other expensive equipment. The location of this equipment may not be readily accessible in the vicinity of the particular application.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     A CAD drawing generation and delivery system comprises a CAD module that produces CAD documents. A CAD automation module receives design specifications including a selection of system components, an arrangement of the components, and a dimension relating to at least one of the components, and selectively operates the CAD module to generate one of the CAD drawings based on the design specifications. A server delivers the CAD drawing to a user at a remote location via a distributed communications system.  
         [0006]     In other features, a selection and design module generates the design specifications based on data provided by the user over the distributed communications system. The selection and design module performs automatic selection of one or more system components based on the data provided by the user over the communications system. The selection and design module queries the user for values of predefined factors relating to operating conditions of the system.  
         [0007]     A method for generating and delivering CAD documents comprises generating user screens that solicit design specifications from a remote user; receiving the design specifications including a selection of system components, an arrangement of the components, and a dimension of at least one of the components; automatically operating a CAD module to generate a CAD document based on the design specifications; and delivering the CAD document to a user at a remote location via a distributed communications system.  
         [0008]     In other features, the method includes performing automatic selection of one or more system components based on the data provided by the user over the distributed communications system. The method includes obtaining design data from the user over the distributed communications system, wherein the design data includes operating conditions for components of the system. The method includes obtaining design data from the user over the distributed communications system, wherein the design data includes operating conditions for components of the system; automatically selecting system components based on the design data; and including a textual list of the system components in the CAD documents. The method includes identifying a plurality of appropriate system designs based on user input obtained over the distributed communications system; communicating the plurality of appropriate system designs to the user over the distributed communications system; and receiving a selection of exactly one appropriate system design from the user over the communications system.  
         [0009]     In still other features, the method includes communicating a plurality of options for one or more of supplementing and modifying the appropriate system design to the user over the distributed communications system; receiving selections exercising options to one or more of supplement and modify the appropriate system design from the user over the distributed communications system; and generating the design specifications based on the appropriate system design as one or more of supplemented and modified in accordance with the selections.  
         [0010]     A design system for designing devices remotely over a distributed communications system comprises a remote computer including a browser that communicates with the distributed communications system. A web server communicates with the browser over the distributed communications system. A database stores data. A computer aided design (CAD) module generates CAD documents. A design module communicates with the web server, the CAD module and the web server, outputs user interface screens to the remote computer for selecting the device and for specifying design parameters of the device, and generates a CAD specification file for the device based on data stored in the database and the selected design parameters. The CAD module automatically generates CAD documents based on the CAD specification file. At least one of the CAD documents is transmitted over the distributed communications system to the remote computer.  
         [0011]     In other features, the device includes first components that are designed based on the design parameters and second components that include off-the-shelf components. The CAD module comprises a CAD tool operable to produce a CAD drawing and a CAD automation module that receives design specifications including a selection of system components, an arrangement of the components, and dimensions of the components, and that selectively operates the CAD tool to generate a CAD drawing based on the design specifications.  
         [0012]     In yet other features, the design module includes a selection and design module that generates design specifications based on data provided by the user over the distributed communications system. The configurator tool performs automatic selection of one or more system components based on the data provided by the user over the distributed communications system.  
         [0013]     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a distributed computer aided design (CAD) document generation and delivery system according to the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a more detailed block diagram illustrating portions of the CAD document generation and delivery system according to the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating CAD document generation and delivery method according to the present invention; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is an entity relationship diagram illustrating provision of user interface components to users in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]     The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. For purposes of clarity, the same reference numbers will be used in the drawings to identify similar elements.  
         [0020]     As used herein, the term module refers to an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the described functionality. As used herein, the term CAD document refers to 2-D and/or 3-D CAD drawings and/or related documents. 2-D drawings in CAD systems typically refer to a view that can be dimensioned or detailed. 3-D CAD systems generate many document types including but not limited to models, parts, assemblies, drawings, etc.  
         [0021]     Turning now to  FIG. 1 , a CAD document generation and distribution system  10  according to the present invention for remotely generating CAD documents is shown. Computers  20 - 1 ,  20 - 2 , . . . and  20 -N (collectively referred to as computers  20 ) include browsers  22 - 1 ,  22 - 2 , . . . and  22 -N, respectively that manage communications between the computers  20  and other computers and servers connected to a distributed communications system (DCS)  26 . The computers  20 - 1 ,  20 - 2 , . . . and  20 -N need not have any local programs that are specific to the CAD document generation and delivery system of the present invention other than the browsers  22 - 1 ,  22 - 2 , . . . and  22 -N, respectively, (which are collectively referred to as browsers  22 ). The DCS  26  can include the Internet, an intranet, and extranet or any suitable other transmission medium, wired or wireless, that uses Internet Protocol, narrowcast, broadcast, and/or any two-way communications technique.  
         [0022]     The computers  20  communicate with a remote server  30  via the DCS  26 . The remote server  30 , in turn, communicates with a design module  34 , a CAD module  38  and a database  42 . As can be appreciated, the design module  34  generates user screens that are output to the browsers  22  of the computers  20 . The user interface screens are used to collect pertinent information from the remote user. Via the user selection screens, the expert module  42  collects information including but not limited to device type selection, application information, design parameters, arrangement information, performance parameters, modifications, etc. The design module  34  selectively accesses the database  42  for data that is required to populate the user selection screens. The design module  34  also incorporates design guidelines into an expert system to allow design verification and/or to limit selections to those that will meet the design specifications.  
         [0023]     Once the selection, validation and modification process is complete, the design module  34  generates a specification file that is output to the CAD module  38 . Upon receiving the specification file, the CAD module  38  generates CAD documents. Some or all of the CAD documents are transmitted to a respective one of the computers  20  via the web server  30  and the DCS  26 .  
         [0024]     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , the design module  34  according to some implementations of the present invention includes an input module  60  that outputs user interface screens to elicit user input. When completed by the user, the input module  60  also receives the user input including one or more design parameters and/or user selections. A selection and design module  62  generates the user interface screens that allow selection of a device type, specification of design parameters of device components, etc. as will be described further below. An output module  66  generates output  70  in one or more forms. For example, the output may include a bill of materials  70 A, an ASCII or DAT file  70 B, design data  70 C, a design specification file  70 D, and/or other CAD.  
         [0025]     In some embodiments, the design system  34  includes a validation module  64  that validates the design. The validation includes a determination of whether the selected parameters meet the performance specifications. If there are multiple configurations that will meet the performance specifications, the input module  60  prompts the user to select one of the configurations. If there are no acceptable results, the design is considered to be a non-acceptable interim result. The user is afforded the opportunity to alter the design for a further validation attempt. Thus, the validation includes generation of validation results indicating whether a design is valid. Successful operation results in a validated design, whether unique or non-unique. Accordingly, the output module  66  generates the design specification file  70  based the selected and validated design.  
         [0026]     Additional or alternative embodiments further include a manual design modification and configuration options module  68 , which allows the user to select options that can be added to the design, and/or to manually alter individual components of the design. Accordingly, the validated design can be supplemented and modified by user input selections and/or parameters. Where applicable, output module  66  generates the design specification file  70  based on the options exercised and/or modifications made by the user to the design, so that the design specification file  70 D reflects the modifications accordingly.  
         [0027]     The design specification file  70 D produced by the output module  66  is generated from active, current design data file  70 C, which can alternatively or additionally be saved as its own file. Other outputs  70  that can be produced by output module  66  include a bill of materials  70 A for all components of the designed coupling, an ASCII or .DAT file  70 B describing the designed coupling and/or other CAD documents. In some embodiments, the ASCII or .DAT file  70 B serves as a user readable record of the specification file  70 D. It can additionally or alternatively serve as a record of user defined data that references other files relating to the coupling design. The specification file  70 D may be in purely machine readable form, and especially formatted for automated input to a computer aided design tool  38  via a CAD automation module  80 .  
         [0028]     The CAD automation module  80  further includes software that feeds data from output  66  into CAD module  38  to produce a CAD drawing file  70 E. It should be readily understood that CAD automation module  80  can be viewed as part of the output module  66 , and the CAD drawing file  70 E thus produced can be viewed as part of the output  70 . It should be readily understood that a single document can alternatively or additionally be created that takes the form of a CAD drawing  70 E with one or more parts of the bill of material  70 A, design data  70 C, design specs  70 D, and user supplied data of file  70 B included in tables or other readouts of the drawing  70 E.  
         [0029]     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , the CAD document generation and delivery method according to the present invention begins with a device type selection based on user input parameters at step  90 . The device type can be selected based on a user-defined application. Alternatively or additionally, the device type can be selected based user input parameters such as performance specifications. If only one class of devices is available, this step can be omitted. Still other input values will be apparent.  
         [0030]     In step  92 , the user inputs and/or selects parameters specifying design parameters of the device or system. In step  94 , the design is validated. In step  96 , the user is allowed to supplement or alter the valid design. For example, after a valid design has been obtained in step  94 , the user is allowed to select one or more post design options in step  96 . Also, the user is permitted to manually modify one or more components of the design in step  98  by setting new values for component characteristics. If desired, the ability to set new values for a component can be constrained according to component modifiability.  
         [0031]     Once the user is satisfied with the design, the user can generate a specification file in step  100  based on the data obtained in steps  90 - 98 . The user can also generate a computer aided design (CAD) drawing file based on the specification file in step  102 . Steps  100  and  102  may also be performed immediately upon design completion. Various file formats may be provided for the user&#39;s convenience. The CAD documents can be delivered to the user over the DCS  26 . As a result, the user is able to obtain information for obtaining materials for creating the coupling along with a CAD document for doing so in a facilitated manner.  
         [0032]     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , an entity relationship diagram illustrates one implementation of the user interface components described above that can be accessed and employed by a user. In particular, web clients  120  access web server  124  over DCS  126 , such as the Internet. Server  124  accesses application service provider (ASP) files  128  and databases  130  to obtain active server components  150 . In some implementations, the active server components  150  are Active X server components. In some implementations, the components are supplied in an ASP page  160  using Internet Information Server 5.0  160 A and Active X Server Scripting  160 B. In some implementations, the databases are ODBC compliant databases.  
         [0033]     In use, a user accesses the design system ASP page on an IIS-based web site through the web browser. The user is able to view the page if the user has the necessary access rights. The business logic is encapsulated into business service objects. These objects are implemented separately as ActiveX controls. They are responsible for implementing all actions required by the business processes like data/image extraction, mathematical calculations and updating databases with new data.  
         [0034]     The ASP page  160  has a mixture of HTML and Java Script code. Creation of drawings and saving of drawings are accomplished using server-side scripting. The ActiveX (COM Automation) interface in AutoCAD software is used to generate the necessary AutoCAD drawings. The plug-in, such as AutoCAD Express Viewer is used to view the AutoCAD drawings.  
         [0035]     Exemplary systems include coupling design automation such as that disclosed in “Local and Distributed Systems for Coupling Automation Design”, U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/623,152, filed on Oct. 28, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.  
         [0036]     Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, the specification and the following claims.