Knowledge management system for computer-aided design modeling

Abstract

A knowledge management system captures, stores, manages, and applies rules for modeling geometric objects and related non-geometric attributes. The knowledge management system controls a computer-aided design system for modeling a geometric structure. The knowledge management system includes a knowledge management application in communication with the computer-aided design system through an application program interface. The knowledge management system also includes a central database managed by a knowledge storage application for maintaining rules and other related information. The knowledge management system also includes a knowledge acquisition application for generating rule programs for storage in the central database. The rules can relate to geometric and non-geometric attributes of the model.

1 . A computer-aided modeling system comprising: 
 a knowledge management system for managing a set of modeling rules; and    a computer-aided design system controlled by the knowledge management system, wherein the knowledge management system generates instructions for modeling a geometric structure based on the set of modeling rules and communicates the instructions to the computer-aided design system for generating a model of the geometric structure.    
   
   
       2 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the knowledge management system comprises a knowledge management application in communication with the computer-aided design system through an application program interface of the computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       3 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 2 , wherein the knowledge management system further comprises a knowledge storage application in communication with the knowledge management application for storing the set of rules in a central database and communicating the set of rules to the knowledge management application.  
   
   
       4 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 3 , wherein the knowledge management system further comprises a knowledge acquisition application in communication with the knowledge storage application for generating the set of rules and communication the set of rules to the knowledge storage application for storage in the central database.  
   
   
       5 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user interface, wherein the knowledge management system produces a graphical display on the graphical user interface, the graphical display comprising a first portion including information from the knowledge management system and a second portion including information from the computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       6 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 5 , wherein the second portion includes a display window generated by the computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       7 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 6 , wherein the display window includes a graphical representation of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       8 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 7 , wherein the display window further includes controls for manipulating the graphical representation of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       9 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       10 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute includes a rule for determine a cost of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       11 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute includes a rule for defining a process.  
   
   
       12 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a class having a plurality of geometric structures.  
   
   
       13 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a geometric structure defined in the computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       14 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer-aided design system comprises a three-dimensional computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       15 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 14 , wherein the three-dimensional computer-aided design system is SOLIDWORKS™.  
   
   
       16 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 14 , wherein the computer-aided design system further comprises a two-dimensional computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       17 . A computer-aided modeling system according to  claim 16 , wherein the two-dimensional computer-aided design system is VISIO™.  
   
   
       18 . A method for computer-aided design modeling, the method comprising: 
 generating instructions for modeling a geometric structure based on a set of modeling rules; and    communicating the instructions to a computer-aided design system for generating a model of the geometric structure.    
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein generating instructions for modeling a geometric structure based on a set of modeling rules comprises obtaining the set of modeling rules from a central database over a communication network.  
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the computer-aided design system comprises an application program interface, and wherein communicating the instructions to a computer-aided design system comprises communicating the instructions to the computer-aided design system through the application program interface.  
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 producing a graphical display on a graphical user interface, the graphical display comprising a first portion including information relating to the set of modeling rules and a second portion including information from the computer-aided design system.    
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein producing a graphical display on a graphical user interface comprises: 
 directing a window display generated by the computer-aided design system to be displayed on the graphical user interface.    
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the display window includes a graphical representation of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the display window further includes controls for manipulating the graphical representation of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein the at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute includes a rule for determine a cost of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein the at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute includes a rule for defining a process.  
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a class having a plurality of geometric structures.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a geometric structure defined in the computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the computer-aided design system comprises a three-dimensional computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein the three-dimensional computer-aided design system is SOLIDWORKS™.  
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein the computer-aided design system further comprises a two-dimensional computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       33 . A method according to  claim 32 , wherein the two-dimensional computer-aided design system is VISIO™.  
   
   
       34 . Apparatus for computer-aided design modeling, the apparatus comprising: 
 a design modeler for generating instructions for modeling a geometric structure based on a set of modeling rules; and    an interface from the design modeler to a computer-aided design system for communicating the instructions to the computer-aided design system for generating a model of the geometric structure.    
   
   
       35 . Apparatus according to  claim 34 , further comprising an interface from the design modeler to a central database over a communication network for obtaining the set of modeling rules from the central database.  
   
   
       36 . Apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the computer-aided design system comprises an application program interface, and wherein the interface from the design modeler to a computer-aided design system complies with the application program interface.  
   
   
       37 . Apparatus according to  claim 34 , further comprising a graphical user interface, wherein the design modeler produces a graphical display on the graphical user interface, the graphical display comprising a first portion including information from the design modeler and a second portion including information from the computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       38 . Apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the design modeler directs a window display generated by the computer-aided design system to be displayed on the graphical user interface.  
   
   
       39 . Apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the display window includes a graphical representation of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       40 . Apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the display window further includes controls for manipulating the graphical representation of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       41 . Apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       42 . Apparatus according to  claim 41 , wherein the at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute includes a rule for determine a cost of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       43 . Apparatus according to  claim 41 , wherein the at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute includes a rule for defining a process.  
   
   
       44 . Apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a class having a plurality of geometric structures.  
   
   
       45 . Apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a geometric structure defined in the computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       46 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein the computer-aided design system comprises a three-dimensional computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       47 . Apparatus according to  claim 46 , wherein the three-dimensional computer-aided design system is SOLIDWORKS™.  
   
   
       48 . Apparatus according to  claim 46 , wherein the computer-aided design system further comprises a two-dimensional computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       49 . Apparatus according to  claim 48 , wherein the two-dimensional computer-aided design system is VISIO™.  
   
   
       50 . Apparatus comprising a computer readable medium having embodied therein a computer program for computer-aided design modeling, the computer program comprising: 
 means for generating instructions for modeling a geometric structure based on a set of modeling rules; and    means for communicating the instructions to a computer-aided design system for generating a model of the geometric structure.    
   
   
       51 . Apparatus according to  claim 50 , wherein the means for generating instructions comprises means for obtaining the set of modeling rules from a central database over a communication network.  
   
   
       52 . Apparatus according to  claim 50 , wherein the computer-aided design system comprises an application program interface, and wherein the means for communicating the instructions to the computer-aided design system comprises means for communicating the instructions to the computer-aided design system through the application program interface.  
   
   
       53 . Apparatus according to  claim 50 , further comprising: 
 means for producing a graphical display on a graphical user interface, the graphical display comprising a first portion including information relating to the set of modeling rules and a second portion including information from the computer-aided design system.    
   
   
       54 . Apparatus according to  claim 53 , wherein the means for producing a graphical display on a graphical user interface comprises: 
 means for directing a window display generated by the computer-aided design system to be displayed on the graphical user interface.    
   
   
       55 . Apparatus according to  claim 54 , wherein the display window includes a graphical representation of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       56 . Apparatus according to  claim 55 , wherein the display window further includes controls for manipulating the graphical representation of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       57 . Apparatus according to  claim 50 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       58 . Apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein the at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute includes a rule for determine a cost of the geometric structure.  
   
   
       59 . Apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein the at least one rule relating to a non-geometric attribute includes a rule for defining a process.  
   
   
       60 . Apparatus according to  claim 50 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a class having a plurality of geometric structures.  
   
   
       61 . Apparatus according to  claim 50 , wherein the set of rules includes at least one rule relating to a geometric structure defined in the computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       62 . A method according to  claim 50 , wherein the computer-aided design system comprises a three-dimensional computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       63 . Apparatus according to  claim 62 , wherein the three-dimensional computer-aided design system is SOLIDWORKS™.  
   
   
       64 . Apparatus according to  claim 62 , wherein the computer-aided design system further comprises a two-dimensional computer-aided design system.  
   
   
       65 . Apparatus according to  claim 64 , wherein the two-dimensional computer-aided design system is VISIO™.  
   
   
       66 . Apparatus for computer-aided design modeling, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for generating instructions for modeling a geometric structure based on a set of modeling rules; and    means for communicating the instructions to a computer-aided design system for generating a model of the geometric structure.