Abstract:
A system and method is provided to allow designers to access a design system remotely. The design system allows a user to remotely utilize one or more engines to which access is provided by the remote design system provider. The engines, which offer a user an engine workspace where models may be built, synthesized, analyzed, and optimized, may physically reside on different servers. An optional feature is to provide access to a consultant for users requesting assistance during sessions.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to a system and method for remote computer aided design. More particularly, the remote computer aided design system and method of this invention allows a user to remotely utilize one or more engines to which access is provided by the remote design system provider.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    As the complexity of electronic circuit design has increased over the last few decades, computer aided design (CAD) systems have become indispensable to designers. CAD systems, initially focusing on simply providing tools to draw schematic diagrams of circuits, mechanical structures, or other physical systems, have evolved to the point where users can design systems, compile components of the system representing theoretical or physical structures, and have an engine create simulations of the system functioning over time and in response to various stimuli. An example of a computer aided design system with some of these features is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,517 to Edwin et al.  
           [0003]    Many designers today work on the modular level—the components utilized in the designing process are like “black boxes”, and the designer may not be aware of the details of how a component is built or what sub-components are used, as long as the properties of the component itself are known.  
           [0004]    As design projects became more complex and companies started pulling teams of designers together, new challenges emerged in the designing process. One challenge is to provide a CAD system that allows the co-design of models, an example of which is a design process wherein a designer and a third party design together online, either interactively or separately. Another challenge is to provide a CAD system that allows models to be built using different types of pre-existing modules. Yet another challenge is to allow designers to have remote access, and, in particular remote access to several engines. The demands of modern CAD requirements are driving the need for improvements in technology and connectivity. Although advances in CAD systems, such as those outlined above, have helped improve productivity and reduce product cycles, it would be advantageous to provide more options and improve productivity even further. In sum, present technologies have limitations that the present invention, which provides a remote access computer aided co-design system, seeks to overcome.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention relates to a remote computer aided design system that allows users to remotely utilize engines whose access is provided by a remote design system provider. In one preferred embodiment, the user may choose the engine or engines used, providing an opportunity to use the most suitable engine or engines for a given set of data. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the choice is made by the provider, a computer, or a third party.  
           [0006]    It is an object of this invention to provide a remote design system which offers a user an engine workspace where models may be built, synthesized, analyzed, and optimized.  
           [0007]    It is another object of this invention to provide a remote design system that has the feature of providing access to a consultant for users requesting assistance during sessions.  
           [0008]    It is another object of this invention to provide a remote design system which offers a plurality of engines from which a user may choose one or more engines.  
           [0009]    It is another object of this invention to provide a remote design system that has access to engines that physically reside on different servers.  
           [0010]    It is another object of this invention to provide engines that are available on a pay-per-use basis for remote design system session. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     I. Remote Design System  
       [0012]    The remote design system (RDS) is accessed by a remote user via computer terminal  10 , as shown in FIG. 1. An RDS can be open-ended, in that it provides tools for users in different disciplines. It is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of design system engines that the system can be made user specific, such that specific users, such as microwave circuit designers by way of example only, have available to them engines specifically tailored to their area of expertise.  
         [0013]    Computer terminal  10  may remotely access the RDS using various methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art of remote computer systems. In a preferred embodiment, computer terminal  10  accesses web site  30  via the Internet  20  through a secure connection. Web site  30  may provide a link by which the user can initiate a request  40  on server  50  to access login screen  100 . Web site  30  may, alternatively, provide a direct link  60  to access login screen  100 , bypassing the need for a request  40  on server  50 .  
         [0014]    In an alternative preferred embodiment, computer terminal  10  utilizes other connection means, such as a modem and telephone line, wireless connection, or dedicated connection  25 .  
         [0015]    Once computer terminal  10  has connected to the system, the user is given an opportunity to log on. In a preferred embodiment, login screen  100  is used to enter a username and password and a validation procedure  110  is executed to confirm the information before the session is allowed to continue. If the username and password do not match, access is denied  120 . After valid matching username and password are entered, an RDS session begins  130 . There are other systems and methods for authenticating users that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art of remote computer systems.  
         [0016]    Following validation, the user may be given a list of engines, described in greater detail below. In one embodiment, a single engine is provided, where the user&#39;s needs can be predetermined. In another embodiment, a computer selects the engine to be used by the user based on the user&#39;s entered profile. By way of example only, a user who specializes in the design of microwave circuits may be given access to the engines, data, and functionality particularly suited to the design of microwave circuits.  
         [0017]    In an alternative preferred embodiment, the user is presented with a plurality of engines. Some engines  150  may be engines previously requested by the user. Some engines  150  may be additional pay-per-use engines  155  used in exchange for payment by the session. In an embodiment, the remote design system provider may choose the engine or engines for the user.  
         [0018]    Some engines may be provided and maintained by the remote design system provider. Others might be virtual engines that are accessed by a direct link, via the Internet, or by other access means. Engines can by commercial, custom, or provided by third parties.  
         [0019]    Once the engine or engines are chosen  140 , the user can begin working on a model in the engine&#39;s environment, or workspace, where the model may be built, synthesized, analyzed, and optimized. In this workspace, data, which may be remotely located, local, and/or user-defined, may be read from or stored in various databases, libraries, and peripheral devices. Test and performance parameters may be set up to provide output of data results in various formats for the user&#39;s convenience and to optimize data analysis for the desired outcome.  
         [0020]    In a preferred embodiment, possible engines for the user are structured on the basis of predetermined knowledge of markets, or on the relationship between system provider and the customer. The types of possible engines vary across many disciplines. By way of example only, engines may be specialized for systems that are electrical, mechanical, chemical, biological, medical, financial, etc., or even combinations thereof. By example, a possible preferred embodiment for microwave circuit designers would include engines capable of linear analysis of models based on mathematically represented circuit elements and cascaded elements. Such linear measurements may include S-parameter, H-parameter, Y-parameter, Z-parameter, admittance, impedance, group delay, noise, and VSWR, among others. Models for individual or cascaded elements can be retrieved from pre-existing libraries or constructed from data residing in databases  160 , which may be local, remote, and/or defined by the user. These models are interconnected to create larger models, which may be systems or sub-systems, consisting of a plurality of elements.  
         [0021]    Once a system or sub-system has been designed and modeled, test parameters may be utilized to measure the performance of the system or sub-system. Variable design parameters may be optimized by search methods, such as random, gradient, and quasi-Newton, by way of example only, or by error functions, such as least squares, minimax, and least path by way of example only.  
         [0022]    The performance response of a system or sub-system is output  170  after a simulation is performed by the engine on the system. The output  170  may be in various formats, whose parameters and scale factors are preferably defined in the engine. Output  170  may be in the form of Cartesian graphs, Smith charts, polar plots, tabular data, digital data files, digital images, and video clips, although other forms of output are possible, as known to those of ordinary skill in the art of system simulations. In a preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, engine  150  may use output  170  for further simulation. For example, many simulations use reiterations to arrive at a particular solution or approximation of a solution. The final output  170  at the end of a session provides the ultimate outcome of the model test parameters. As with output  170  that is produced during a session the final output  170  can be in various formats. The user may wish to route the final output  170  to various destinations, such as back to another session, out to a consultant for evaluation, out to a system provider, or out to other subsequent parties.  
         [0023]    Upon completion of a session, the user logs out of the session, and may, in a preferred embodiment, start a new session without logging in again, or, in an alternative preferred embodiment, be required to resubmit a valid username and matching valid password.  
         [0024]    In a preferred embodiment, a user has the option of calling on the resources of a consultant  170  (or other third party) for aid with the design process. For example, a consultant may be become available at a pre-determined scheduled time and/or a consultant may be available on demand for real-time assistance. In a preferred embodiment, a consultant provides information  180 , such as advice and assistance, through text-based chat sessions or through audio or video conferencing. In another preferred embodiment, a consultant may take control of a session and directly implement a design process. In either embodiment, the user would be in communication with the consultant to provide interactive dialog and support  190 . In a preferred embodiment, consultant  180  not only has access to output  170 , but can manipulate output  170  for use with further simulations on engine  150 .  
       II. The Engine  
       [0025]    The engine may be defined as a software package that the user interfaces with to perform through simulations the synthesis of models, analysis of data and model performance, and optimization of model performance. In a preferred embodiment, the engine has a workspace (also called an environment), where a model is synthesized, analyzed, and/or optimized. In this workspace, data, which may be remotely located, local, and/or user-defined, may be read from or stored in various databases, libraries, and peripheral devices. Test and performance parameters may be set up to provide output of data results in various formats and to optimize data analysis for the desired outcome.  
         [0026]    The possible engines for the user may be structured on the basis of predetermined knowledge of markets, and on the relationship between system provider and the customer. The types of possible engines vary across many disciplines. By way of example only, engines may be specialized for systems that are electrical, mechanical, chemical, biological, medical, financial, etc., or even combinations thereof.  
         [0027]    In a preferred embodiment, engines are divided into categories based on cost to the user. Some engines may come standard with the remote design system and be accessible to all users, or at least to all users working in a certain discipline (e.g, microwave circuit design). Other engines may come as a premium service, and access may require larger payments by the users to the remote design system provider. Still others are pay-per-use, and the user&#39;s account is charged each time they are used. An additional possibility is to provide engines that are accessible as premium service or pay-per-use, and users may choose the arrangement under which they wish to access such engines.  
       III. Output of the Engine  
       [0028]    Output may be defined as the performance or outcome of model test parameters. The output may be in various formats, whose parameters and scale factors are preferably defined in the engine. The output may be in the form of Cartesian graphs, Smith charts, polar plots, tabular data, digital data files, digital images, and video clips, although other forms of output are possible. Many simulations use reiterations to arrive at a particular solution or approximation of a solution. The final output at the end of a session provides the ultimate outcome of the model test parameters. As with outputs produced during a session the final output can exist in various formats and can be stored, for example, on computer-readable media. The user may wish to visualize the output as graphical plots and/or tables of data, and may route the final output to various destinations.  
       IV. Databases Accessed by the Remote Design System  
       [0029]    Databases are used to store and access data. Examples of databases include model libraries of vendor parts, model libraries of generic parts, numerical data, user-defined data, and real-time data from peripheral devices. Examples of peripheral devices include sensors and network analyzers, and may be accessed remotely or locally, or by other means. Databases may be located remotely or locally, or even span remote and local locations. They may, for example contain final outputs formed by cascaded models generated by an engine and stored as S-parameter data files, to be used as library elements in subsequent sessions. Databases may include the input and the output for the sessions.  
       V. Other Embodiments  
       [0030]    It is obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that many permutations and combinations of various examples illustrated above exist, and it would be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that these permutations and combinations may be implemented without undue experimentation, relying on the illustrations provided.  
         [0031]    Additionally, while there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the invention, as herein disclosed, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.