Abstract:
A system for computer-aided design of an object, including a first computer system operated by a first user, a second computer system operated by a second user, an application server hosting a design software application, and a web server providing an interface for at least the first user to access the design software application. The design software application may be configured to receive a first input comprising a first modification to a design template or creating a new design from the first computer system, receive a second input comprising a second modification to the design template from second computer system, and modify the design template based on the first and second modifications to generate a modified design.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/790,270, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to methods and systems for designing goods, and more particularly to methods and systems for computer-aided design, sale, purchase, licensing, printing, manufacturing, shipping, and delivery of objects, articles, and other materials, by an individual or collaboratively by a group of individuals, using a network of computers. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    The modern personal computer is exponentially more powerful than was available to a typical consumer in previous decades. Whereas computer-aided design (CAD) software and the processing power necessary to it were previously available only to industry professionals, the modern consumer is now capable of designing, testing, and virtually modeling complex designs using software available to the consumer. At the same time, three dimensional (3-D) printing allows for the fabrication of a prototype or a number of finished products. 3-D printing is expected to grow as the cost of 3-D printers falls and the availability of 3-D printers grows. Alternatively, a third party may manufacture one or more objects based on the computer-aided design. 
         [0006]    As CAD software and hardware becomes available to more users, there is a need for those users to benefit from the knowledge and experience of others by providing them with methods and systems that allow them to work collaboratively. Additionally, there is a need for designers to market their designs and design skills to potential employers and customers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In order to provide these and other benefits, there is provided a system for computer-aided design of an object. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system for computer-aided design of an object is provided, including a first computer system operated by a first user, a second computer system operated by a second user, an application server hosting a design software application, and a web server providing an interface for at least the first user to access the design software application. The design software application may be configured to receive a first input comprising a first modification to a design template or creating a new design from the first computer system, receive a second input comprising a second modification to the design template from second computer system, and modify the design template based on the first and second modifications to generate a modified design. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The above-mentioned and other advantages and features of the present invention, as well as the invention itself, will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when read together with the following figures, of which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is an overview of a networked computer system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 1A  is an overview of a networked computer system according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an overview of a collaborative design software application according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates a user interface of the collaborative design software application illustrated in  FIG. 2  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a user interface  400  of a user profile  251  described with reference to  FIG. 2 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Reference to the drawings illustrating various views of exemplary embodiments of the present invention is now made. In the drawings and the description of the drawings herein, certain terminology is used for convenience only and is not to be taken as limiting the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, in the drawings and the description below, like numerals indicate like elements throughout. 
         [0015]    Illustrated in  FIG. 1  is an exemplary networked computer system, generally designated as  100 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The networked computer system  100  comprises a server  110  connected to a plurality of remote computer systems, such as a mobile computer system  130  and a personal computer system  150 , via a network  140 . 
         [0016]    In an exemplary embodiment, the network  140  is the Internet. 
         [0017]    In an exemplary embodiment, the server  110  comprises an application server, which may execute, for example, a collaborative design software application, and a web server, which hosts a website accessible by the computer systems  130  and  150 , to provide an interface to the collaborative design software application. In this way, the design software application is a web application interfaced with the website. The system  100  may be used by a single user, or multiple users simultaneously. 
         [0018]    The server  110  comprises an internal storage device  115 , which comprises a tangible computer-readable storage medium, such as a hard disk array or solid-state memory, for storing software instructions that, when executed by the server  110 , carry out relevant portions of the features described herein. 
         [0019]    The server  110  maintains a database  120  for storing templates of designs for objects, articles, consumer goods, and the like, modified designs of the same, and collaboratively modified designs. The database  120  may be internal to the server  110 , in which case it is stored on the storage device  115 , or it may be external to the server  110 , in which case it may be stored on an external storage device, such as an external hard disk array or solid-state memory. 
         [0020]    The computer systems  130  and  150  also respectively comprise internal storage devices  135  and  155 , for storing software instructions that, when executed by the computer systems  130  and  150 , carry out relevant portions of the features described herein. 
         [0021]    As noted above, the database  120  may store templates of designs for various objects, articles, goods, etc. The designs may be designed by a user of a computer system, e.g., the computer system  130  or  150 , through the design software application accessed via the web server or uploaded to the server  110  through the network  140 . (For convenience herein, a user of the computer system  130  is referred to as “the user  130 ,” and a user of the computer system  150  is referred to as “the user  150 .”) When finished designing the preconfigured design, the user instructs the server  110  to store the preconfigured design, and the server  110  stores it in the database  120  for later retrieval for use as a template for a design to be collaboratively modified by the users  130  and  150 . Exemplary templates may be used for automobile parts, articles of clothing, household appliances, etc. 
         [0022]    During a design process, including a collaborative design process, the user or users  130  and  150  access the website to retrieve a design, e.g., template, and modify individually or collaboratively a design based on the retrieved template. In an exemplary embodiment, the design software application is a computer-aided design (CAD)-type software application that provides for creating designs for the templates and for modifying designs based on retrieved templates. The CAD-type software application includes a suite of design tools to guide the users  130  and  150  through the modification process, as well as to convert other file types to a format compatible with the CAD-type software application. 
         [0023]    The collaborative design software application is “smart” in that it guides users  130  and  150  to make modifications that satisfy predetermined criteria of the template. Such criteria may include changes that must satisfy government-mandated rules, how parts may or may not fit together, and choices for materials of construction. The design software application may issue alarms or error messages for modifications that do not satisfy the criteria, particularly with respect to those affecting safety or known manufacturing issues. The criteria may be stored as numerical or textual parameters, ranges, limits, specific values, combinations, approximations, and may be indexed and cross-linked for use across multiple designs (for example, a numerical limit may apply to multiple designs). The criteria may relate to standards, such as ASE, ASME, NIST, and other government and non-government (e.g., trade associations, university curriculum, manufacturer, etc.) standards. If not being used to satisfy some other user&#39;s design requirements, the criteria can be overridden or ignored, as can the warnings. 
         [0024]    The collaborative design software application may include an interface that allows a user to access advanced tools for testing the designed article including: a) stress testing; b) load testing; c) wind tunnel testing; d) etc. For example, the collaborative design software may simulate the manufacture of a virtual object based on a design or template and simulate an effect of an external force such as gravity, wind forces, or a load force on the virtual object. When simulating the effect of wind forces on a virtual object, the collaborative design software application may determine whether wind forces of a specific velocity, frequency, amplitude or direction may cause the designed article to experience harmonic oscillation. If the designer intends for the object to oscillate (for example, at a given frequency) the collaborative design software may highlight the area(s) of the design which might be modified to allow harmonic oscillation. Alternatively, if dangerous levels of harmonic oscillation are detected, the collaborative design software may highlight area(s) of the design which may be modified to reduce or eliminate the harmonic oscillation. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 1A , there is illustrated an exemplary alternative embodiment of the system  100 , generally designated as  100 ′, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The system  100 ′ includes all of the components of the system  100  and the features thereof and further includes a social networking/crowd-source collaboration feature on the website hosted by the server  110 . 
         [0026]    The social networking/crowd-source collaboration feature is embedded within the collaborative design software application and provides users, such as anyone who accesses the website, a select group of users who access the website, or only the users (e.g., the users  130  and  150 ) involved in a design, to vote on design changes, share ideas, allocate work among themselves, etc. 
         [0027]    For example, the users of the collaborative design software application may be students in a university-level mechanical engineering class, and the collaborative design software application, in such embodiment, provides such students the ability to assign themselves different tasks on a larger design project, or the teacher to assign various design tasks as part of a larger design task. 
         [0028]    In another exemplary embodiment, the system  100 ′ also comprises a social network server to which the users  130  and  150  post their collaborative designs for feedback by other users. 
         [0029]    The system  100 ′, and specifically the website hosted by the server  110 , further comprises a webpage accessible to industry representatives  160  to review designs. For example, an automobile manufacturer might acquire a new design for a front air dam for a specific model of automobile from the web site. If the industry representative  160  is an acquisition manager, he may acquire designs, such as by license, purchase, gift or other method of acquisition, from the users who created them via an interface on the website of the collaborative design software application and the rest of the system. The collaborative design software may enable users to charge a fee for their original designs and/or their modifications to existing designs. The collaborative design software may also be configured to charge a fee (e.g., a flat fee and/or a percentage) to either the designer (e.g., user  130 ) and/or the purchaser (e.g., the industry representative  160 ) for facilitating the transaction between the designer and the purchaser. 
         [0030]    In another example, an industry representative  160  may be a human resources representative and may use the webpage to scout proficient users and, via the collaborative design software application, extend job offers to the proficient users. Again, the collaborative design software be configured to charge a fee (e.g., a flat fee and/or a percentage) to either the designer (e.g., user  130 ) and/or the industry representative  160  for facilitating the hiring of the designer by the industry representative  160 . 
         [0031]    If the industry representative  160  is an engineer, the engineer may use the webpage to tally votes on the designs of other users with the voting results producing ranked results to determine well-liked patterns for future designs. For example, any third-party who is not a user involved in the design may also submit a vote while only the industry representative may be permitted to see results of votes to determine popularity of designs. As described below, the collaborative design software application may be configured such that users of the software or other web users to vote or may restrict who can vote. Alternatively, the designer of each design may determine whether individuals can vote. 
         [0032]    Other exemplary features and functionality of the system  100 ′ are now described. In an exemplary embodiment of the system  100 ′, the system  100 ′ may further comprise a 3-D printer (or multiple printers)  170  connected to the server  110  (which may also be used with the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ). After completing a collaborative design, the user  130  or  150  may instruct the server  110  to have a prototype or useable item created on the 3-D printer(s)  170 . The 3-D printer  170  fabricates the prototype, which is then shipped to the user  130  or  150 . In an exemplary alternative embodiment, the 3-D printer  170  is connected to the computer system  130  or  150  as a peripheral device. 
         [0033]    Third-parties may access the website and print their own object using their own 3-D printer, by acquiring (purchasing) a one-time download or license, in a similar manner that users of popular websites select and download music files for personal use. Alternatively, a third party may order an object from the website for shipment to their residence, in a similar manner that users of popular websites select articles of clothes or household items and have them shipped to their residence. The object may be wood, metal, plastic, etc. and manufactured by a third party vendor (for example, by injection molding, milling, cutting, welding, binding, or other types of assembly) based on a design template or modified design. 
         [0034]    The website for the design software application may include a webpage for industry engineers or other problem solvers to propose to the website&#39;s user community any particularly vexing problem or design request, which is followed by allowing users to design and propose solutions, individually or in groups. 
         [0035]    The website for the design software application may include an interface accessible to industry engineers whereby an engineer could upload the schematic design of an entire article, to include the breakdown of its parts, to allow users: a) to re-design the article; b) propose new changes; c) to design around multiple existing problems; or d) to allow others in the industry (to include users) to license or purchase the article&#39;s design schematic. The collaborative design software application may be configured such that the user may charge a fee for the user&#39;s services and/or the industry engineer may offer for purchase or license the aforementioned re-design. As described above, the collaborative design software application may be configured to charge a fee (e.g., a flat fee and/or a percentage) to either the user and/or the industry engineer for facilitating the transaction. 
         [0036]    The website for collaborative design software application may include a webpage that serves as a learning tool, allowing users, using the collaborative design software application, to design a product which accomplishes a pre-defined task, to test based on number of parts used, cost of total parts used, etc., and to assemble and disassemble an article in a timed situation, thereafter grading the users&#39; work output based on time, accuracy, percent of parts missing or improperly installed, whether parts are crucial to the article, or other subjective testing criteria established by the test administrator. In addition to the collaborative learning described above, the collaborative design application may include tutorials, videos, list of known design constraints, etc. 
         [0037]    Because the users of the collaborative design software application and other web users may speak and understand a variety of languages, the software application may be configured to translate design information from one language to another. For example, information regarding design templates, design modifications, and design specifications may be presented in multiple languages or may be presented in one language with an option to translation (via a machine or human translation) into multiple languages. Additionally the software application may provide a platform for collaborative learning in a variety of languages. For example, the tutorials, videos, list of known design constraints, etc. may be presented in multiple languages or may be presented in one language with an option to translation (via a machine or human translation) into multiple languages. 
         [0038]    The website according to the present invention may be served to a user  130 ,  150  and presented in the user&#39;s browser software. The graphical user interface provides for user input (by way of a keyboard, keypad, touch screen, pointing device, voice recognition, or the like), and navigation (by way of, for example, hyperlinks that may be activated by a pointing device). Authentication software of the kind generally known in the art may be used to control access to some or all of the website functions. The user interface will include navigation links to access a user account (set up by the user), access the database of templates, create new projects, upload files from the computer system  130  or  150 , download files from the server  110 , access CAD tools, and review web pages for third parties (as discussed above). 
         [0039]      FIG. 2  is an overview of a collaborative design software application  200  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The collaborative design software application  200  may be stored on the server  110  illustrated in system  100  or  100 ′ described above and may include a design interface  220 , a testing interface  230 , a social media interface  250 , and an electronic commerce interface  260 . 
         [0040]    The design interface  220  may include design templates  221 , design modifications  222 , and design specifications  223 . The design interface  220  may be, for example, a CAD-type application to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. The design templates  221  may be available to some or all users of the software application  200  to provide users with a generalized structure of an object. Users may perform design modifications  222  to the design templates  221  to form a modified design to perform specific functions or to meet other requirements of the user. 
         [0041]    The design specifications  223  may specify, for example, the requirements of a design. For example, a vendor or other industry professional may input design specifications  223  and offer users the opportunity to use the software application  200  to produce a modified design which meets the design specifications  223  for a fee payable to users. As described above, the collaborative design software may also be configured to charge a fee (e.g., a flat fee and/or a percentage) to either the designer (e.g., user  130 ) and/or the purchaser (e.g., the industry representative  160 ) for facilitating the transaction between the designer and the purchaser. In another example, a professor of a mechanical engineering course may input design specifications  223  and students may use the software application  200  to produce a modified design which meets the design specifications  223  for course credit. 
         [0042]    The design templates  221 , design modifications  222 , and the design specifications  223  may be stored, for example, in the database  120 . The design templates  221  and the design specifications  223  may be created using the software application  200  and/or uploaded to the server  110 , for example, from computing system  150  through the network  140 . 
         [0043]    The testing interface  230  may include a compliance testing interface  231  where the design templates  221  and the design modifications  222  are evaluated based on one or more design specifications  223 . In this instance, for example, the design specifications  223  may be set by government regulations or industry standards. In another example, the design specifications  223  may be used to determine if parts designed to interlock in a design template  221  and/or design modification  222  fit together. 
         [0044]    The testing interface  230  may also include a materials testing interface  232 . The materials testing interface  232  may include storing the characteristics of at least one material, for example as one of the design specifications  223 . The materials testing interface  232  may evaluate one or more materials based on strength, cost or compatibility with other materials included in a design template  221  or modified design. 
         [0045]    The testing interface  230  may also include a load testing interface  233 , a stress testing interface  234 , and/or a wind testing interface  235 , etc. The load testing  233 , stress testing  234 , and/or wind testing  235  may include instructions to model a virtual object based on a design template  221  and/or design modifications  222  and simulate an effect of an external force on the virtual object. For example, the testing interface  230  may simulate the effect of gravity and/or other loads or stresses on a virtual object. The wind testing  235  may also include determining whether wind forces of a specific velocity, frequency, amplitude, or direction cause the virtual object to experience harmonic oscillation. If the designer intends for the object to oscillate (for example, at a given frequency) the collaborative design software may highlight the area(s) of the design which might be modified to allow harmonic oscillation. Alternatively, if dangerous levels of harmonic oscillation are detected, the collaborative design software may highlight area(s) of the design which may be modified to reduce or eliminate the harmonic oscillation. 
         [0046]    Using the social media interface  250 , each user may have a user profile  251 . Users may evaluate design templates  221  and design modifications  222  by using a voting interface  252  or an interface to provide design feedback  254 . The social media interface  250  may also include a forum  256  and/or another communications medium for users to exchange ideas over the network  140 . The social media interface  250  may include task assignments  255  where users may request other users to perform tasks. For example, a vendor or other industry professional may offer users the opportunity to use the software application  200  to perform a task for a fee. In another example, a professor of a mechanical engineering course may assign students a task for course credit. 
         [0047]    The electronic commerce interface  260  may include a design marketplace  261  where users of the software  200  or other web users may purchase, license, or sell a design template  221  or modified design between and among consumers and/or industry professionals. For example, a user may purchase a modified design and use a 3-D printer to fabricate an object based on the modified design. The electronic commerce interface  260  may also include a fabricated object marketplace  262  where users of the software application  200  or other web users may purchase an object fabricated based on a design template  221  or modified design. The object may be wood, metal, plastic, etc. manufactured by a third party vendor (for example, an injection molding shop, a woodworking shop, a metalworking shop, etc.) by, for example, injection molding, milling, cutting, welding, binding, or other type of assembly based on a design template or modified design. 
         [0048]    As described above, the collaborative design software application may provide a platform for designing, sharing, testing, purchasing, licensing, manufacturing, and selling designs in a variety of languages. Accordingly, the design interface  220 , the testing interface  230 , the social media interface  250 , the electronic commerce interface  260 , etc. may be presented in multiple languages or may be presented in one language with an option to translate (via a machine or human translation) into multiple languages. 
         [0049]      FIG. 3  illustrates a user interface  300  of the collaborative design software application  200  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The user interface  300  may include a design module  320 , a testing module  330 , a social media module  350 , and an electronic commerce module  360 . 
         [0050]    The design module  320  may, for example, enable a user to perform a design modification  222  or share a design template  221  or modified design via the social media interface  250  or other online forum. 
         [0051]    The testing module  330  may include a compliance testing module  331  enabling users to perform compliance testing on a design template  221  or modified design through the compliance testing interface  231  described above. The testing module  330  may also include a materials testing module  332  enabling users to perform materials testing on a design template  221  or modified design through the materials testing interface  232  described above. The testing module  330  may also include a load testing module  333  and/or a stress testing module  334  enabling users to perform load or stress testing on a design template  221  or modified design through the load testing interface  233  and/or stress testing interface  335  described above. The testing module  330  may also include a wind testing module  335  enabling users to perform wind testing on a design template  221  or modified design through the wind testing interface  235  described above. 
         [0052]    The social media module  350  may include a voting module  352  enabling users to vote on a design template  221  or modified design and/or a commenting module  353  enabling users to comment on a design template  221  or modified design. In the example shown in user interface  300 , “User1” and “User2” have submitted comments on the modified design “File1”. The social media module  350  may also include a task assignment module  355  enabling users to assign a task or agree to perform a task. In the example shown in user interface  300 , a vendor has offered to pay users a fee to perform a task regarding the modified design “File1”. 
         [0053]    The electronic commerce module  360  may include an option to purchase a design  361  or sell a design  362  through design marketplace  261  described above and an option to purchase a fabricated object  363  or sell a fabricated object  364  through the fabricated object marketplace  262  described above. 
         [0054]      FIG. 4  is a user interface  400  of a user profile  251  of the collaborative design software application  200  described above, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0055]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the user interface  400  may include user information  410  and designs  420 , which may be, for example, design templates  221  and/or design modifications  222 . The user information  410  may include any information regarding a user (e.g., a user of a computer system such as the computer system  130  or  150 ) such as biographical information, education, current or previous employment information, relevant experience, the user&#39;s availability to perform contract work or (temporary or permanent) part-time or full-time employment, etc. The collaborative design software may be configured such that selecting a design  420  causes a user interface to be displayed, such as the user interface  300  of  FIG. 3 , with design  320 , testing  330 , social  350 , electronic commerce  360  options. 
         [0056]    The collaborative design software application  200  may be configured to provide tiered access to users of the software application and/or other web users. For example, a user profile  251  and a design portfolio of the user (e.g., as shown in user interface  400  of  FIG. 4 ) may be available to the public (e.g., through the Internet or other network  140 ). Alternatively, the collaborative design software application  200  may be configured to provide each user with the option to determine whether the user&#39;s profile  251  or individual designs  420  are publicly available. 
         [0057]    In another example, the collaborative design software application  200  may be configured such that only registered users are permitted to modify, test, vote on, comment on, or purchase a design or object. Alternatively, the collaborative design software application  200  may be configured such that the designer of each design  420  is given the option to permit certain users or groups of users to modify, test, vote on, and/or comment on a design  420 . 
         [0058]    For example, a professor of a mechanical engineering class may create a private network of students to view a design template  221  and design specifications  223 . Each of the students may make design modifications  222  to the design template  221  and may decide whether the student&#39;s modified design  420  is available outside the private network created by the professor. 
         [0059]    In one exemplary embodiment, a user has the option to show the user&#39;s profile  251  and designs  420  to the public to promote the user. The collaborative design software application  200 , meanwhile, restricts the ability to contact or hire the user or purchase a design  420  or an object based on a design  420 . By restricting the ability to contact or hire the user or purchase a design  420  or object, the collaborative design software application  200  is able to collect fees for facilitating the hiring of a user or the purchase of a design  420  or object. 
         [0060]    These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing specification. Accordingly, it is to be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is intended to include all changes and modifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention.