CAD Model Visibility-Based Data Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current CAD systems face performance issues when handling complex 3D models with many parts, leading to slow model loading and operation times due to the need to process and store extensive geometric data, especially when only visible exterior faces are saved, which lacks associativity and control over selected faces.
Innovation Solution
A method to create a reduced data structure for CAD models by determining visibility factors for each modeling element, storing only graphic data and specific geometric data based on visibility, allowing for real-time interaction and supporting geometric operations without impacting system performance, by filtering and displaying only necessary geometric entities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If all geometric data for every modeling element is stored in the CAD system, then complete geometric representation and precision are maintained, but system memory consumption increases and operation speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of geometric data based on visibility. Visible modeling elements maintain full geometric precision with complete geometric entities stored, while invisible elements use reduced geometric representations. This selective approach ensures precision is preserved only where necessary (visible areas), thereby improving overall system performance without sacrificing required geometric accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes unnecessary geometric data from the system by identifying and eliminating geometric entities corresponding to invisible modeling elements. By using visibility factors to determine which geometric data can be safely removed or reduced, the system achieves significant memory savings and faster operation speeds while maintaining complete geometric representation only for visible portions of the model.
2Productivity
If visibility-based filtering is applied to reduce data storage, then memory consumption and processing time are reduced, but complete geometric representation may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the geometric data representation adaptive and changeable based on viewing conditions. The system dynamically adjusts the level of geometric detail stored and processed according to visibility factors, which change as the model is rotated or viewed from different angles. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize between data completeness and performance in real-time, ensuring geometric information is preserved when needed while reducing it when not required.
3Quantity of substance
If exterior faces are saved as a separate part document for sharing, then file size is reduced and design security is improved, but associativity with the original model is lost and control over selected faces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nested doll principle by creating a hierarchical structure where reduced geometric representations are nested within the context of the full model. The visibility-based reduced data structure is embedded as a subset of the complete geometric model, allowing the system to work with smaller data structures for display and basic operations while maintaining access to the full geometric information when needed. This nested approach preserves associativity and flexibility while achieving file size reduction.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method and system reduces size of a data structure of a computer-aided design (CAD) model. Given a CAD model formed of a plurality of modeling elements, the method and system provide one or more geometric entities defining modeling elements of the CAD model. The geometric entities have corresponding graphical entities configured to display the CAD model. For each modeling element, the method and system determine visibility of the modeling element and produce a reduced data structure by storing in the structure graphic data representing the graphical entities and geometric data of only certain ones of the geometric entities determined as a function of visibility of the corresponding modeling elements.