BIM Element Ownership for Bandwidth Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems are time and data bandwidth intensive due to the need for frequent synchronization of entire three-dimensional building models among multiple users.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that assign ownership of model elements to specific users, allowing only owners to modify their elements, and utilizing a model synchronization processor to transmit only modified elements, reducing data exchange and bandwidth requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire building model is repeatedly transferred to ensure users have the current model, then data synchronization reliability is improved, but data bandwidth consumption increases and synchronization speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata synchronization reliabilityVSAvoiddata bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the modified elements from the building model for transmission, rather than transferring the entire model. The model synchronization processor identifies and transmits only those elements that have changed, significantly reducing data bandwidth consumption while maintaining synchronization reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The building model is segmented into individual elements, each with its own ownership and modification status. This allows the system to track and transmit changes at the element level rather than requiring full model transfers, reducing bandwidth usage while ensuring reliable synchronization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the entire building model is repeatedly transferred to ensure users have the current model, then data synchronization reliability is improved, but synchronization speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata synchronization reliabilityVSAvoidsynchronization speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the modified elements from the building model for transmission, rather than transferring the entire model. The model synchronization processor identifies and transmits only those elements that have changed, significantly reducing data bandwidth consumption while maintaining synchronization reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The building model is segmented into individual elements, each with its own ownership and modification status. This allows the system to track and transmit changes at the element level rather than requiring full model transfers, reducing bandwidth usage and improving synchronization speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of energy

If ownership assignment and modification restrictions are implemented, then data exchange volume is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata exchange volumeVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements automatic ownership tracking and modification detection without requiring complex manual intervention. Each element maintains its ownership information and modification status automatically, allowing the synchronization processor to efficiently identify and transmit only changed elements, reducing data exchange volume while keeping system complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8352218B2Active building information modeling apparatus and method

Publication Date: 2013.01.08 GRAPHISOFT SE

AI summary

An apparatus for coordinating building including a data memory for storing a three dimensional building model, the three dimensional building model having a plurality of elements, each element having a plurality of attributes. An element ownership processor for assigning ownership of each of the plurality of elements to one of a plurality of users, wherein each of the plurality of users has ownership of a subset of the plurality of elements. A model modification processor for receiving the three dimensional building model and for allowing a user to modify only elements that they have ownership of. A model synchronization processor for receiving only modified elements from the model modification processor and updating the three dimensional building model to include the modified elements.