Pattern Matching Tool for 2D Drawing Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for comparing two-dimensional technical drawings are inefficient due to the need for extensive computing resources and can be slow or fail when dealing with drawings of different scales or sizes, leading to a poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A software tool employing pattern matching techniques that aligns lines with axes, discards non-aligned lines, identifies intersection points, constructs data libraries for these points, and compares them across drawings to determine if they depict the same construction project portion, even if the drawings are of different scales.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional comparison methods are used for two-dimensional technical drawings, then comprehensive analysis can be performed, but computing resources are extensive and processing speed is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the two-dimensional drawing into multiple discrete lines and identifies intersection points between these lines. By dividing the drawing into line segments and comparing only these segmented elements rather than the entire drawing at once, the method reduces computational complexity while maintaining comparison accuracy. This segmentation allows for faster processing by breaking down the large-scale comparison task into smaller, more manageable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts key geometric features (lines and intersection points) from the complete two-dimensional drawing. Instead of comparing all visual elements of the drawings, the method selectively extracts and compares only the line segments and their intersection points, which are sufficient to determine whether drawings depict the same construction portion. This extraction approach reduces the data volume requiring comparison while preserving essential information.
2Measurement precision
If traditional comparison methods are used for two-dimensional technical drawings, then detailed analysis is possible, but the methods fail or perform poorly when drawings are of different scales or sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of comparison from absolute coordinates and dimensions to relative geometric relationships. By comparing the angles and relative positions of lines and intersection points rather than their absolute coordinates, the method becomes invariant to scaling transformations. This allows drawings of different scales to be compared accurately, as the geometric relationships remain consistent regardless of the drawing's overall size.
3Loss of information
If all lines in the drawing are used for comparison, then complete information is analyzed, but the computational complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the intersection points and line segments from the complete drawing, discarding other visual elements such as text, dimensions, and hatching patterns. This extraction focuses the comparison on the essential geometric structure that defines the construction portion, reducing computational complexity while retaining sufficient information to determine drawing equivalence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing treatments to different parts of the drawing. Intersection points that lie on construction-relevant lines are retained for comparison, while other elements are discarded. This selective processing based on local quality ensures that only the most informative features are used in the comparison, reducing computational load while maintaining accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A pattern attaching technique involves (1) obtaining a first collection of data libraries associated with a first set of intersection points among a first set of lines in a first two-dimensional (2D) drawing and a second collection of data libraries associated with a second set of intersection points among a second set of lines in a second 2D drawing and (2) comparing the first collection of data libraries and the second collection of data libraries in order to determine whether the first 2D drawing and the second 2D drawing represent a same portion of a real-world environment. Each data library associated with a given set of intersection points includes location information that describes a respective location of each respective intersection point in the given set of intersection points relative to each other intersection point in the given set of intersection points.