Patent ID: 7472043

Claim:
A method for automatically configuring an electronics enclosure from requirements provided by a user, the user requirements including characteristics of a desired enclosure configuration, the method comprising: generating design rules from the user requirements, the design rules including information describing attributes of a plurality of components to be assembled in an enclosure and specified operating limits associated with at least one of the plurality of components; deriving a placement schedule from the design rules, the placement schedule identifying a placement location for each of the plurality of components within the enclosure; mapping a distribution of power usage within the enclosure based on the placement schedule and power requirements of the plurality of components to produce a mapped distribution of power usage, the power requirements being provided in the design rules; producing a heat flow analysis based on the mapped distribution of power usage and the placement schedule, producing the heat flow analysis including identifying heat sources and airflow characteristics of each of the plurality of components to be assembled; and iteratively repeating the deriving, mapping and producing to generate an enclosure configuration consistent with the design rules.