Patent ID: 8688411

Claim:
A method comprising: generating an architectural diagram describing an architectural layout of a building, wherein one or more walls of the building are designated as standardized structural walls; automatically positioning, using a computer, each of the standardized structural walls to a geometric grid by aligning the each of the standardized structural walls along grid lines of the geometric grid and along grid line intersections of the geometric grid; and mapping, one or more of a plurality of standardized structural components to coordinates of the geometric grid, wherein the plurality of standardized structural components comprises standardized panels, standardized columns, and standardized trusses, wherein mapping one or more of a plurality of standardized structural components further comprises solving a plurality of mapping solutions for the each of the one or more standardized structural walls and selecting one of the plurality of mapping solutions for the each of the one or more standardized structural walls based on a predetermined criterion, wherein solving a plurality of mapping solutions further comprises analyzing the grid lines based on a structural performance criterion, determining position and direction of standardized trusses, and determining a layout of the standardized panels based on location of openings in the one or more standardized structural walls, wherein each of the plurality of mapping solutions identifies the standardized structural components used for the each of the one or more standardized structural walls and structural performance characteristics of the standardized structural components used for the each of the one or more standardized structural walls, and wherein the predetermined criterion is minimization of the number of structural columns supporting the each of the plurality of standardized structural walls.