3D Visualization of Feed-Forward Network Specifications
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for visualizing complex production processes, such as those for commercial aircraft development, often require information reduction, leading to inaccurate and incomplete representations that lose context and understanding.
Innovation Solution
A three-dimensional display technology that organizes and visualizes input specifications in a scalable, hierarchical manner using rectangular cuboids, cones, and disks to represent internal and external products and their dependencies, retaining context and enabling recognition of similarities and differences within the process model.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing visualization technologies (network diagrams, Gantt charts, work breakdown structures) are used to represent complex production processes, then the graphical display becomes legible and manageable, but information must be removed which creates an inaccurate and incomplete representation, resulting in loss of context and understanding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional flat diagrams to three-dimensional visualizations. Each process element is represented as a 3D object with spatial relationships that encode hierarchical and dependency information. This additional dimension allows complete information representation without sacrificing legibility, as the 3D space can accommodate all necessary details through depth, position, and orientation rather than requiring information removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The visualization implements nested hierarchical structures where parent processes contain child processes, and dependencies are nested within process elements. This nested organization allows the complete process model to be displayed in a structured manner where information is not removed but organized in concentric layers, maintaining full context while preserving visual manageability through hierarchical grouping.
2Reliability
If all information from the large scale model is included in the graphical display, then complete and accurate representation is achieved, but the display becomes too complex to present in a legible format
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions and aspects of the visualization employ different visual encoding strategies tailored to their specific function. Process elements use specific 3D shapes and orientations, dependencies are encoded through spatial relationships, and hierarchical levels are distinguished through positioning. This local differentiation allows complete information to be presented with appropriate visual treatment for each element type, maintaining accuracy while managing overall complexity through specialized local representations.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex process model is segmented into discrete process elements, each represented as an individual 3D object. This segmentation breaks down the overwhelming complexity into manageable atomic units that can be individually understood and positioned. The segmented elements maintain their complete information content while their modular nature allows the overall system to be comprehended through composition of discrete, well-defined components.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional two-dimensional visualization methods are used, then implementation is simple and familiar, but they cannot effectively organize and display the hierarchical relationships and dependencies in extremely complex models
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs three-dimensional space to represent hierarchical and dependency relationships that cannot be effectively encoded in two dimensions. The z-axis and spatial positioning provide additional channels for encoding relational information. This dimensional extension maintains implementation feasibility through standardized 3D rendering techniques while dramatically improving adaptability to represent complex hierarchical structures and dependencies inherent in large-scale production models.
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies are described herein for generating a three-dimensional display. Some technologies are adapted to retrieve a model defining a feed-forward network related to a development process. The technologies generate a first three-dimensional shape representing each internal product according to the model. The technologies also generate a second three-dimensional shape representing each dependency of each internal product corresponding to each first three-dimensional shape. The technologies further generate a third three-dimensional shape representing each component of each dependency corresponding to each second three-dimensional shape.