Method of converting symbols into intelligent symbols

Abstract

In a computer aided design system, a method for converting a computer-generated symbol, or computer generated graphical entities, into an intelligent symbol involves identifying connection points to the computer-generated symbol and generating coordinates for the connection points. A symbol definition is built using the coordinates. The connection points are found by determining a perimeter substantially including the symbol and identifying graphical entities on or near the perimeter. Connectors joined to the symbol are also converted into intelligent connectors by finding coordinates for points on the connectors. A multi-symbol is generated from two or more symbols. The definition of one of the symbols forming the multi-symbol is maintained and linked to the multi-symbol such that changes in that symbol are reflected in the multi-symbol.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of converting a computer-generated symbol comprising one or more graphical entities into an intelligent symbol, the method comprising the steps of: 
 identifying one or more connection points, the one or more connection points having variable positions, and the one or more connection points being associated with the one or more graphical entities forming the computer-generated symbol;    generating coordinates for the one or more connection points, the coordinates describing the one or more connection points in relation to a reference point;    building a symbol definition for the computer-generated symbol, the symbol definition comprising the coordinates for the one or more connection points.    
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1    wherein the step of identifying the one or more connection points comprises the steps of: 
 determining a perimeter substantially including the computer-generated symbol;  
 identifying such of the one or more graphical entities on or near the perimeter;  
 determining if the identified graphical entities that are on or near the perimeter define the one or more connection points;  
 and wherein the step of generating coordinates for the one or more connection points comprises the step of generating coordinates for the identified graphical entities if the identified graphical entities define the one or more connection points to the computer-generated symbol.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 1    further comprising the step of determining whether the computer-generated symbol has been transformed by means of a transformation and if it has been so transformed, then performing the reverse of the transformation on the coordinates for the one or more connection points.  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 2    further comprising the step of determining whether the computer-generated symbol has been transformed by means of a transformation and if it has been so transformed, then performing the transformation on the perimeter.  
     
     
         5 . The method of    claim 1    wherein the computer-generated symbol has an existing definition and wherein the step of building a symbol definition for the computer-generated symbol comprises adding the coordinates for the one or more connection points to the existing definition.  
     
     
         6 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein at least one of the one or more connection points has a connector, the connector having a first end connected to the computer-generated symbol and a second end, the method further comprising the steps of: 
 generating coordinates for the first end, the coordinates for the first end describing the first end in relation to a first reference point;    generating coordinates for the second end, the coordinates for the second end describing the second end in relation to a second reference point;    generating an intelligent definition of the connector, the intelligent definition comprising the coordinates for the first end and the coordinates for the second end.    
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 6    further comprising the step of: 
 generating coordinates for an intermediate point, the intermediate point lying between the first end and the second end and the coordinates for the intermediate point describing the intermediate point in relation to an intermediate reference point;  
 and wherein the intelligent definition of the connector further comprises the coordinates of the intermediate point.  
 
     
     
         8 . A method of converting one or more computer-generated graphical entities into an intelligent symbol, wherein each of the one or more computer-generated graphical entities has a definition, the method comprising the steps of: 
 combining the one or more computer-generated graphical entities such that the computer-generated graphical entities form a symbol;    determining a geometrical origin for the symbol;    identifying such of the computer-generated graphical entities that form connection points on the symbol, the connection points being locations at which the symbol can be connected to another computer-generated graphical entity;    generating coordinates for the connection points such that the coordinates describe the connection points in relation to a reference point;    building an intelligent definition for the symbol comprising the definitions of the computer-generated graphical entities, the geometrical origin for the symbol and the coordinates for the connection points, thereby converting the one or more computer-generated graphical entities into an intelligent symbol.    
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 8    wherein the step of determining a geometrical origin for the symbol comprises the steps of determining an area substantially including the symbol and determining a centroidal location of the area.  
     
     
         10 . For use in a computer aided design system, a method of creating a multi-symbol from a first symbol having a first symbol definition and a second symbol having a second symbol definition, the method comprising the steps of: 
 forming a multi-symbol definition by combining the first symbol definition with the second symbol definition;    preserving the second symbol definition, and linking the multi-symbol definition and the second symbol definition such that if changes are made to the second symbol definition, such changes are reflected in the multi-symbol.    
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 10    further comprising the step of aligning the first symbol and the second symbol.  
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 10    wherein the first symbol definition comprises a first symbol origin and the second symbol definition comprises a second symbol origin, the method further comprising the step of aligning the first symbol origin and the second symbol origin.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 10    wherein the multi-symbol definition comprises a pointer to the second symbol definition.  
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 10    wherein the multi-symbol definition comprises a pointer to the first symbol definition.  
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 10    further comprising the step of: 
 identifying entities in the first symbol which coincide with entities in the second symbol;  
 eliminating the identified entities.