A method for organizing scheme data of a CAD application system

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of computer-aided design, and provides a scheme data organization method of a CAD application system. The method comprises the following steps: dividing CAD design scheme data into model layer data and entity layer data, so as to realize organization and management of the CAD design scheme data; the model layer data represents process dynamic data of the CAD scheme in a design stage, and corresponds to static result data expression; the model layer data comprises a construction step of the CAD scheme, a calculation node of a three-dimensional model, a dependent relationship between nodes, output geometric model data of the nodes, input parameters of the calculation node and user operation data; and the entity layer data represents static result data of the CAD scheme in the design stage; the entity layer data comprises geometric model data, business attribute data and engineering data. The application solves the problem of the CAD design scheme data management defects in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of computer-aided drafting technology, and in particular to a method for organizing scheme data in a CAD application system. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of computer-aided drafting and design, 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) system needs to organize and manage the 3D geometric models created by users in the system, the business semantic information related to the models, and the engineering data related to the history, processes, standards and specifications of the design and manufacturing process.

[0003] Traditional CAD application systems typically organize and manage design data in segments, such as design history data, design model data, and business attribute data. This approach to organizing CAD application system data has the following shortcomings:

[0004] 1. CAD scheme data uses the same set of data representation, serving both the CAD scheme design stage and the CAD scheme data flow stage. The scheme design stage focuses on the calculation and update logic of design data, while the scheme data flow stage focuses on the definition, structure and organization of data. The integrated organization method of scheme data increases the management complexity of scheme data.

[0005] 2. During the loading process of CAD scheme data, the interdependence between data caused by the integrated organization method of scheme data makes it difficult to achieve parallel and block loading of data. This results in slow loading of large CAD scheme data. Furthermore, due to the lack of maintenance of higher-level abstraction and summary of scheme data, it is also impossible to achieve progressive loading and display of data, resulting in a poor user experience with long waiting times and no effective feedback. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, this application provides a method for organizing scheme data in a CAD application system to solve the problems of complex management and long loading time of traditional CAD design scheme data.

[0007] This application provides a method for organizing scheme data in a CAD application system, including: dividing CAD design scheme data into model layer data and entity layer data to achieve organization and management of CAD design scheme data; model layer data represents the dynamic process data of the CAD scheme during the design phase, including the construction steps of the CAD scheme, the calculation nodes of the three-dimensional model, the dependencies between nodes, the output geometric model data of the nodes, the input parameters of the calculation nodes, and user operation data; entity layer data represents the static result data of the CAD scheme during the design phase, including geometric model data, business attribute data, and engineering data.

[0008] In this embodiment, CAD design scheme data is divided into model layer data and entity layer data, realizing the separation of data responsibilities during CAD scheme design and data flow. This reduces the management complexity of CAD design scheme data. At the same time, by extracting entity layer summary structure data, the overall layout of the scheme can be quickly loaded during the scheme data opening process. Furthermore, by loading the data of each design object in parallel and progressively, the data loading time is reduced, and the user experience is improved. Attached Figure Description

[0009] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the organization and function of CAD design data according to an embodiment of this application;

[0011] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the organization of entity-layer data based on data ID and data pool, as provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0012] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of saving CAD design data according to an embodiment of this application;

[0013] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a CAD design data loading process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0014] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the hierarchical organization of entity layer data provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the overall layout and progressive loading of a CAD design scheme provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0016] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this application may also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods have been omitted so as not to obscure the description of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0017] Furthermore, it should be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0018] CAD drafting plays a vital role in various fields such as engineering, architecture, and manufacturing, primarily by improving design efficiency, accuracy, and reducing costs. It allows for the creation, modification, and editing of mechanical and architectural drawings. With the increasing complexity of these fields and societal development, 3D CAD software has emerged. Compared to 2D drafting, 3D CAD is more intuitive and capable of creating accurate models of the real world. However, this also results in a larger data volume for 3D CAD solutions, making model data management more challenging. CAD drafting data in complex fields is often referred to as large-scale CAD solutions. For example, in engineering fields such as automotive and aircraft manufacturing, there are application requirements for large-scale assembly and large-scale scenarios, leading to a large volume of CAD design data. Therefore, this application provides a method for organizing solution data in a CAD application system to address the complexities of current data management methods.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the organization and function of CAD design data according to an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the method includes:

[0020] CAD design scheme data is divided into model layer data and entity layer data to achieve the organization and management of CAD design scheme data. Model layer data represents the dynamic data of the CAD scheme during the design phase. Model layer data includes the construction steps of the CAD scheme, the calculation nodes of the 3D model, the dependencies between nodes, the output geometric model data of the nodes, the input parameters of the calculation nodes, and user operation data. Entity layer data represents the static result data of the CAD scheme during the design phase. Entity layer data includes geometric model data, business attribute data, and engineering data.

[0021] Specifically, during the loading process of large CAD schemes, the scheme data is usually integrated, and the data are interdependent, making it difficult to load in blocks, which leads to slow loading of large CAD scheme data.

[0022] Therefore, this embodiment divides CAD design scheme data into model layer data and entity layer data. The model layer data describes the dynamic process data of the scheme, including the construction steps of the CAD design scheme, the calculation nodes of the 3D model in the scheme, the dependencies between nodes, the output geometric model data of the nodes, the input parameters of the calculation nodes related to user operations, the user's control over the state of the calculation nodes (suppression / deletion / rearrangement, etc.), and dynamic design data related to some intermediate user operations (undo / redo, etc.). The construction steps / calculation nodes / dependencies can be understood as: the feature tree in the scheme design process, which can record the order of sketch creation, the order of feature extrusion, etc. Input parameters / user operations can be understood as: the dimensional parameters and formulas in parametric design, and the user's undo / redo history. By dividing the data into model layer data, dynamic and temporary data of the CAD design scheme can be saved during the design process. The model layer data can continuously change with the drafter's operations.

[0023] Furthermore, model-level data can serve the CAD scheme design phase, including design scheme creation, design scheme editing and updating, and matching and optimization of design schemes with design objectives. At the same time, the scheme design phase needs to manage a large amount of intermediate process data to serve the model calculation and update processing required in the design phase, such as some calculation status, intermediate cache results, etc. Moreover, from the perspective of efficiency, model-level data in CAD application systems mostly adopts the method of direct reference to memory objects to accelerate data query and calculation.

[0024] Entity layer data describes the definition, structure, and organization of the design scheme data. It represents the static result data of a design scheme at a specific design stage. This includes the geometric data of the designed 3D model, business attribute data associated with the model data, and engineering data related to the design and manufacturing process, including historical data, technological requirements, and standard specifications. Entity layer data is static and can be used for storage, transmission, and exchange.

[0025] Furthermore, entity layer data can serve the CAD scheme data flow stage, including scheme data import, export and conversion based on entity layer data, migration of scheme data of different versions, serialization and deserialization of scheme data of different formats, and scheme data parsing and processing based on the unified design end and lightweight display end of entity layer data expression.

[0026] By separating static and dynamic data, the complexity of managing CAD design data is greatly reduced, enabling rapid loading of CAD design data and improving the user experience.

[0027] In some embodiments, entity layer data is managed through data pools, with each data pool corresponding to the entity layer data of a design object. The design object data in the data pool is associated with a data ID, which is used to identify the design object.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the organization of entity-layer data based on data ID and data pool, as provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown.

[0029] Design object data in the data pool can be associated through data IDs. The sketch geometry data, 3D model geometry data, business attribute data, engineering data, and document data of the same component can be associated through the corresponding data ID. The design object data objects correspond to the design objects. The design object data can include the basic storage and access units in the data pool. A data pool encapsulates or saves the complete data of a design object. For example, when the system needs to save a "gear" part, this gear part is the design object. The data related to the gear (geometric data, attribute data) are saved in the form of independent and classified data boxes. Each data box represents a type of entity layer data. That is, multiple data boxes are created to package sketch geometry data, 3D model geometry data, business attribute data, engineering data, and document data respectively. When each data box is stored in the data pool, it is assigned an identity identifier, i.e., a data ID, that indicates the design object to which it belongs.

[0030] As examples, sketch geometry data can represent the outline information of a 2D sketch, 3D model geometry data can represent the precise 3D shape information of a part, business attribute data can represent information such as part number, material, and name, engineering data can represent information such as design process requirements and tolerances, and document data can represent the documentation information associated with the model components. No restrictions are imposed here.

[0031] This approach decouples complex CAD scheme data using data pools and data IDs. The data is broken down into independent modules, stored in a data pool, and each module has a unique ID. Loading is performed by querying based on the data ID, which supports parallel and on-demand data loading and reduces the software loading load.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a CAD design data saving process provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 3As shown, the method also includes a step of saving CAD design scheme data: mapping model layer data to entity layer data according to a predefined mapping relationship; serializing and storing the entity layer data.

[0033] Specifically, the CAD design scheme involves a two-way mapping between model layer data and entity layer data in the two stages of saving and loading. When the user saves the current design data as a design scheme, the CAD application system will map the dynamic design data of the model layer to the corresponding static entity layer data through the predefined model layer to entity layer data field mapping, and then save the data to the user's design scheme through the serialization operation of the entity layer data.

[0034] Predefined mapping relationships can represent the data transformation bridge between the model layer and the entity layer. The predefined mapping relationships specify which dynamic data in the model layer needs to be saved to which static fields in the entity layer, how to perform data format conversion, and how to establish associations. No specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0035] As an example, a user created a cuboid in CAD:

[0036] 1. Model layer data: A sketch (Sketch_01) that draws a rectangle; an extrusion feature (Extrude_01) based on Sketch_01 with a depth of 50mm; the material property is set to "aluminum"; these data are referenced to each other in memory via pointers.

[0037] 2. Save using "predefined mapping relationships":

[0038] Rule 1: Calculate the Extrude_01 feature into the final geometry.

[0039] Rule 2: Store the geometry data in the entity layer and assign it a unique ID, such as 001.

[0040] Rule 3: Store the material attribute "aluminum" in the entity layer and assign it ID 002.

[0041] Rule 4: Create a root data object representing the part, with an ID of 003. In this root object, according to the mapping rules, record that it consists of [001, 002].

[0042] This allows the scheme to accurately package volatile model layer data into stable entity layer data when saving, based on predefined mapping relationships, and also to re-initialize static entity layer data into an editable dynamic model when loading files.

[0043] It should be noted that serialization can be understood as the process of converting complex, dynamic entity layer data in memory into a linear format (usually a binary stream) that can be stably stored (saved as a file) or transmitted over a network. The result of serialization is the generation of a CAD file, which is a complete, static snapshot of the entity layer data at a certain design stage.

[0044] Specifically, the serialization program traverses the structured entity layer data (geometric data, business attributes, and engineering data, all organized through data pools and IDs) obtained after mapping. It translates each data object (such as the geometric object 001 and material attribute 002 of the cuboid mentioned above) and the relationships between them (such as the root object 003 referencing 001 and 002) into a data stream according to a predefined format, and finally outputs a CAD file, which is the result of serialization.

[0045] The serializer is a built-in functional module integrated into the CAD application. It exists in the form of compiled code and is called when the user triggers a save operation. The specific details can be developed by those skilled in the art based on the structure and performance requirements of the specific entity layer data, which will not be elaborated on here.

[0046] The aforementioned predefined format is a set of data description rules carefully designed and embedded in the program code by architects and developers at the initial stage of CAD system development. It specifies how to convert design objects in memory into a series of bytes, and how to reorganize these bytes into objects. The predefined format is uniform in general CAD systems.

[0047] As an example, when the predefined format is 4 bytes: data ID; 4 bytes: data type; 4 bytes: data length; N bytes: data content, the content of the above cuboid entity layer data written into the CAD file may be: data ID=001, type=geometry-data content: vertex and face information of the cube; data ID=002, type=attribute-data content: string "aluminum"; data ID=003, type=root object-data content: reference list [001, 002].

[0048] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a CAD design data loading process provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the method also includes a step of loading CAD design scheme data: deserializing the stored entity layer data to obtain deserialized entity layer data; mapping the deserialized entity layer data to model layer data according to a predefined mapping relationship.

[0049] Specifically, when a user opens a saved design scheme, the CAD application system first loads the data into the system through the deserialization operation of the entity layer data, and then maps the static data of the entity layer into the corresponding model layer design data through the predefined entity layer to model layer data field mapping.

[0050] It should be noted that the predefined mapping relationship is a set of system-level, automated data transformation rules. When saving a scheme, the system maps model-layer data to entity-layer data according to this mapping relationship; when loading a scheme, the system reverse-maps entity-layer data back to model-layer data according to this mapping relationship. During the reverse mapping process, the system needs to infer the "actions" and history required to create them based on the entity-layer data. For example, upon seeing a cube geometry 001, it needs to infer that "this may have been generated by an extrusion feature." The specific mapping logic is predefined and implemented by those skilled in the art during system development to ensure the accuracy and consistency of data conversion between the two structures.

[0051] Deserialization is the reverse process of serialization. Its purpose is to reconstruct the linear data stream stored in the file into a complete and operable entity layer data object structure in memory. When the user opens the CAD file again, this process is needed to restore the static data (entity layer data) on the hard drive to memory, so that it can become active data that the program can understand and process again.

[0052] The deserialization process can be as follows: The system reads the saved CAD file, parses the data stream according to a predefined format (as above), identifies the data ID and content, and then recreates the data pool in memory, reconstructing geometric data, attribute data, etc., into memory objects one by one. Based on the relationships recorded in the CAD file (such as the reference list [001,002] of root object 003), the associations between objects are re-established. Finally, the entity layer data structure reconstructed in memory can be directly used for lightweight display (i.e., summary structure data), or it can be reverse-mapped and restored according to predefined mapping relationships to retrieve complete, editable model layer data, thus re-entering the dynamic design state.

[0053] Based on serialization and deserialization mechanisms, the solution data file is standardized and self-describing. Different teams and even different CAD systems can read and understand the design data through deserialization, thereby effectively supporting the collaboration and interoperability of solution data during the transfer stage.

[0054] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the hierarchical organization of entity layer data provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 5As shown, the entity layer data adopts a hierarchical organization method, including: a summary structure data layer, which is used to store the summary structure data of the design objects extracted from the entity layer data. The summary structure data includes the tree structure information, spatial position transformation matrix, bounding box information and feature edge data of the design objects; and an actual primitive design data layer, which is used to store the actual primitive design data of each design object, and the actual primitive design data of each design object is stored in independent blocks.

[0055] Specifically, due to the large volume of CAD design data, the aforementioned entity layer data can be processed in layers. A layer of summary structure data is extracted from the entity layer data. This summary structure data contains tree-like information about the design objects, such as the hierarchical structure of assemblies, sub-assemblies, and parts, as well as summary information for each design object, such as spatial transformation matrices, bounding box information, and feature edge data, used to depict the model's structure, approximate appearance, and location. For large-scale data storage, the actual primitive design data carried by each design object is stored in independent block files / databases. This actual primitive design data can include basic geometric data such as points, lines, and surfaces to define the model's shape, and also includes visual attribute data such as color and texture. This is not limited here, aiming to construct all the details of a realistic model.

[0056] In some embodiments, loading CAD design scheme data further includes: loading the summary structure data layer and completing the overall layout display of the CAD design scheme based on the summary structure data; and loading the actual primitive design data of each data object stored in blocks in the actual primitive design data layer in a parallel and progressive manner.

[0057] Specifically, based on the hierarchical organization of entity layer data, dynamic and progressive loading of large-scale CAD scheme data can be achieved: first, the lightweight structural data of the scheme is loaded, and the overall layout display of the large-scale scheme data can be completed according to the summary information of each design object. For each independent design object data, progressive loading and display of data can be achieved through parallel acceleration.

[0058] like Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6This is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall layout display and progressive loading of a CAD design scheme provided in this application embodiment. (a), (b), (c), and (d) represent a dynamic loading process from a global overview to local details, and from rapid display to complete loading. Stage (a) represents the initial state obtained by the system first loading the summary structure data; at this point, only the bounding boxes (usually simple cube frames) and feature edges of the design objects are displayed in the scene. Stages (b) and (c) represent the system starting to load detailed geometric data stored in blocks in the "Actual Primitive Design Data Layer" in parallel and on demand. Some parts have already displayed complete models (e.g., the dark-colored parts in (c)), while others still display bounding boxes (e.g., the wireframes in (b)). Stage (d) represents the display result after all the "Actual Primitive Design Objects" of the design objects have been loaded, i.e., the final and complete design state of the entire CAD scheme. This allows users to interact with the scene without waiting for all data to load, achieving instant feedback "from 0 to the whole," thus enhancing the user experience.

[0059] This approach not only reduces the management complexity of large-scale CAD scheme data by separating the responsibilities of the model layer and the entity layer data—the model layer data being dynamic design data focused on the scheme design phase of the CAD design tool, and the entity layer data being static design data focused on the scheme data flow phase of the CAD design tool—but also enables dynamic, progressive loading of large-scale CAD scheme data based on the hierarchical organization of the entity layer data. It loads lightweight structural data of the CAD scheme, completes the overall layout display of the scheme data based on the summary information of each design object, and for each individual design object data, progressive loading and display are achieved through parallel acceleration.

[0060] By dividing CAD design scheme data into model layer and entity layer data, the responsibilities of design and circulation of large-scale scheme data are effectively separated, greatly reducing the management complexity of large-scale scheme data. Furthermore, by extracting scheme structure data summaries from the scheme entity data and using independent block design object data for separate storage, dynamic and progressive parallel loading of large-scale CAD scheme data is achieved, greatly improving the loading speed and user experience of large-scale CAD scheme data.

[0061] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method of organizing scheme data of a CAD application system, characterized by, The application relates to a CAD design scheme data loading method and device. The CAD design scheme data is divided into model layer data and entity layer data to realize organization and management of the CAD design scheme data. The model layer data represents process dynamic data of the CAD scheme in a design stage, and the model layer data comprises construction steps of the CAD scheme, calculation nodes of a three-dimensional model, a dependent relationship between nodes, output geometric model data of the nodes and user operation data; the model layer data is organized and managed in memory through direct reference between design objects to realize access of the model layer data between calculation nodes. The entity layer data represents static result data of the CAD scheme in the design stage, and the entity layer data comprises geometric data, business attribute data and engineering data of a completed three-dimensional model; the entity layer data is managed through a data pool, each data pool corresponds to a design object, and design object data in the data pool is associated through a data ID; the data ID is used for identifying the design object. The loading step of the CAD design scheme data comprises the following steps: The stored entity layer data is deserialized to obtain deserialized entity layer data; The deserialized entity layer data is mapped into the model layer data according to a predefined mapping relationship; The method further comprises a saving step of the CAD design scheme data: The model layer data is mapped into the entity layer data according to the predefined mapping relationship; The entity layer data is serialized and stored.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The entity layer data adopts a hierarchical organization mode, and comprises: An abstract structure data layer used for storing abstract structure data of the CAD scheme extracted from the entity layer data, wherein the abstract structure data comprises tree structure information of the design object, a space position transformation matrix, bounding box information and feature edge data; An actual graphic element design data layer used for storing actual graphic element design data of each design object and independently block-storing the actual graphic element design data of each design object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The loading of the CAD design scheme data further comprises: The abstract structure data layer is loaded, and overall layout display of the CAD scheme is completed according to the abstract structure data; The actual graphic element design data of each design object block-stored in the actual graphic element design data layer is loaded in parallel and gradually.

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