Patent ID: 7246044

Claim:
A method for aiding design of a building on a computer accessible to a server computer via a network, the server computer storing a layout design program operable on a screen activated by a browser of a first client computer to enable a user to implement design of a layout of a building by creating a room and adding fixtures to the room, the layout being represented in 2D, an object database storing fixture data used in the layout design for retrieval and extraction, and a 3D display program operable on the browser screen of the first client computer to display the designed building in 3D, the method comprising: transmitting data relating to a designed layout of a building from a second client computer to the server computer; storing the supplied data relating to a designed layout of a building in an information provider database; accessing the server computer with the browser of the first client computer; transmitting the layout design program and the 3D display program to the browser of the first client computer from the server computer via the network; transmitting the stored data relating to a designed layout of a building to the first client computer; and transmitting fixture data stored in the object database from the server computer via the network in response to a request from the layout design program when it is active on the browser screen of the first client computer, wherein the 3D display program is configured to allow a user to modify a part of the designed building itself while the building is displayed in 3D, and the layout design program enables the user to define a room by changing a tone of selected squares defined by grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, and to add fixtures and other rooms outside of the room, or enables the user to draw an outline of a room with reference to grid lines displayed on a browsed screen in 2D, the layout design program superimposing a layout of an upper floor over a layout of a lower floor in 2D when a layout of the upper floor is being designed.