Automated solar collector installation design including version management

Abstract

Embodiments may include systems and methods to create and edit a representation of a worksite, to create various data objects, to classify such objects as various types of pre-defined “features” with attendant properties and layout constraints. As part of or in addition to classification, an embodiment may include systems and methods to create, associate, and edit intrinsic and extrinsic properties to these objects. A design engine may apply of design rules to the features described above to generate one or more solar collectors installation design alternatives, including generation of on-screen and/or paper representations of the physical layout or arrangement of the one or more design alternatives. Some embodiments may provide viewing, creating, and manipulating of multiple versions of a solar collector layout design for a particular installation worksite. The use of versions may allow analysis of alternative layouts, alternative feature classifications, and cost and performance data corresponding to alternative design choices. Version summary information providing a representative comparison between versions across a number of dimensions may be provided.

1 . A computer-based user interface for designing a solar collector installation, comprising:
 a representation of an installation worksite, the representation comprising feature properties corresponding to physical features of the worksite and a solar collector installation layout including solar collectors arranged on at least one surface feature of the worksite, stored in computer storage;   a representation of a plurality of differing versions of project state information, wherein each version of project state information is comprised of a unique set of user-defined design preferences, feature properties, and project properties, wherein each of the versions correspond to an alternative solar collector installation layout, the alternative solar collector installation layout for each version resulting from the differences between the unique sets of user-defined design preferences, feature properties, and project properties, wherein each of the differing versions share at least some of the project state information; and   a control operable to allow a user to select at least a part of one of the differing versions of project state information for display as at least a part of the solar collector installation layout.   
     
     
         2 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein each of the differing versions reference the same copy of the shared project state information. 
     
     
         3 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the shared project state information comprises classifications of at least some geometric objects as instances of a feature type. 
     
     
         4 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the shared project state information comprises feature properties applicable to all of the differing versions. 
     
     
         5 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the shared project state information comprises project properties applicable to all of the differing versions. 
     
     
         6 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the user-defined design preferences of a first version differs from the user-defined design preferences of at least one other version. 
     
     
         7 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the user-defined design preferences of each version comprise work area state information for a work area of the worksite in which are permitted to be placed. 
     
     
         8 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the user-defined design preferences of each version comprise aperture state information for an aperture in which to apply sets of design preferences. 
     
     
         9 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the user-defined feature properties of each version comprise geometric object information. 
     
     
         10 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein each version of project state information further comprises feature classification information. 
     
     
         11 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein each of the differing versions of project state information comprises work area state information for a work area of the worksite in which to place solar collectors, the work area state information of a first version differing from the work area state information of at least one other version. 
     
     
         12 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein each of the differing versions of project state information comprises aperture state information for apertures in which to apply sets of design preferences, the aperture state information of a first version differing from the aperture state information of a second version. 
     
     
         13 . The user interface of  claim 1 , further comprising a control operable to allow a user to simultaneously modify a plurality of the differing versions of the project state information. 
     
     
         14 . The user interface of  claim 1 , further comprising a control operable to create a new version of project state information. 
     
     
         15 . The user interface of  claim 14 , wherein the user may make changes to the unique set of user-defined design preferences and feature properties corresponding to the new version that are not reflected in the unique set of user-defined design preferences and feature properties corresponding to any version created before the new version. 
     
     
         16 . The user interface of  claim 1 , further comprising a control operable to create a duplicate version of project state information from an original version of project state information, wherein the duplicate version is initially populated with at least some of the same state information as the original version. 
     
     
         17 . The user interface of  claim 16 , wherein the user may make changes to the unique set of user-defined design preferences and feature properties corresponding to the duplicate version that are not reflected in the unique set of design preferences corresponding to the original version. 
     
     
         18 . The user interface of  claim 1 , further comprising a control operable to delete a version of the project state information. 
     
     
         19 . The user interface of  claim 1 , further comprising a control operable to rename a version of the project state information. 
     
     
         20 . The user interface of  claim 1 , further comprising a comparative representation of the different versions of project state information. 
     
     
         21 . The user interface of  claim 20 , wherein the comparative representation includes information selected from at least one of the group of projected performance, simulation information, electrical power, power efficiency, cost, materials, physical size, part count, and exceptions. 
     
     
         22 . The user interface of  claim 21 , wherein the user may select which information from among at least two of projected performance, simulation information, electrical power, power efficiency, cost, materials, physical size, part count, and exceptions to include in the comparative representation. 
     
     
         23 . The user interface of  claim 1 , further comprising a control operable to undo a change to one or more of the differing versions of project state information, thereby reverting at least one state element of the one or more differing versions of project state information to a previous value. 
     
     
         24 . The user interface of  claim 23 , wherein the control operable to undo a change is operable to undo any change to one or more of the differing versions of project state information. 
     
     
         25 . The user interface of  claim 23 , further comprising a control operable to redo an undone change to one or more of the differing versions of project state information. 
     
     
         26 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein all of the differing versions of project state information are stored in a single computer file. 
     
     
         27 . The user interface of  claim 1 , wherein at least two versions each include design output information, and wherein the design output information of a first version differs from the design output information of at least one other version. 
     
     
         28 . The user interface of  claim 27 , wherein the design output information comprises solar collector layout information, and wherein the solar collector layout information of a first version differs from the solar collector layout information of at least one other version. 
     
     
         29 . The user interface of  claim 27 , wherein the design output information comprises version summary information, and wherein the version summary information of a first version differs from the version summary information of at least one other version. 
     
     
         30 . The user interface of  claim 27 , wherein the design output information comprises simulation data, and wherein the simulation data of a first version differs from the simulation data of at least one other version. 
     
     
         31 . The user interface of  claim 27 , wherein the design output information comprises contract term information, and wherein the contract term information of a first version differs from the contract term information of at least one other version. 
     
     
         32 . The user interface of  claim 27 , wherein the design output information comprises bill of material information, and wherein the bill of material information of a first version differs from the bill of material information of at least one other version. 
     
     
         33 . The user interface of  claim 27 , wherein the design output information comprises exception information, and wherein the exception information of a first version differs from the exception information of at least one other version. 
     
     
         34 . A solar collector installation project data structure adapted for use in generating a solar collector design for a worksite, comprising at least two alternative versions of the solar collector design, wherein each version comprises an alternative set of independent project state information and a single set of shared project state information; wherein the shared project state information comprises at least some information about at least one of the group of the worksite and the physical features contained within the worksite; wherein the shared project state information and a first one of the alternative sets of independent project state information in combination specify a first solar collector installation design; and wherein the shared project state information and a second one of the alternative sets of independent project state information in combination specify a second solar collector installation design, where the second solar collector installation design is distinct from the first solar collector installation designer. 
     
     
         35 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , wherein the first alternative set of independent project state information includes a first set of design preferences and wherein the second alternative set of independent project state information includes a second set of design preferences. 
     
     
         36 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , wherein the first alternative set of independent project state information includes state information for a first work area of the worksite within which to place solar collectors and wherein the second alternative set of independent project state information includes a state information for a second work area of the worksite within which to place solar collectors. 
     
     
         37 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , wherein the first alternative version of independent project state information includes state information for a first aperture within which to apply a first set of design preferences and wherein the second alternative version of independent project state information includes a state information for a second aperture within which to apply a second set of design preferences. 
     
     
         38 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , wherein each version includes summary information, wherein the summary information of a first version differs from the summary information of at least one other version. 
     
     
         39 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , wherein each version includes simulation data, wherein the simulation information of a first version differs from the simulation information of at least one other version. 
     
     
         40 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , wherein each version includes bill of material information, wherein the bill of material information of a first version differs from the bill of material information of at least one other version. 
     
     
         41 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , wherein each version includes exception list information, wherein the exception list information of a first version differs from the exception list information of at least one other version . 
     
     
         42 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , further comprising a single copy of least some of the shared project state information, wherein the single copy is referenced by each version. 
     
     
         43 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , wherein at least some user-defined design preferences for solar collector installation are not shared between versions. 
     
     
         44 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , wherein at least some features corresponding to the worksite are not shared between versions. 
     
     
         45 . The solar collector installation project data structure of  claim 34 , wherein at least some properties of features corresponding to the worksite are not shared between versions.