Plant Diagram Object Unification for Consistent 3D Modeling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face difficulties in easily unifying the display modes of objects, such as symbols representing plant devices and lines representing pipes, across multiple plant diagrams due to variations in shape, size, and color depending on creation time, creator, or country.

Innovation Solution

A plant diagram unification system and method that includes a definition unit to unify display modes of objects, an acquisition unit to acquire plant diagrams, a detection unit to detect objects, and a generation unit to replace ununified objects with unified ones, generating a unified diagram.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If plant diagrams are created by different creators at different times and countries, then the diagrams can reflect local standards and preferences, but the display modes of objects become inconsistent across diagrams

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to local standardsVSAvoidconsistency of display modes
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameters of object display modes by detecting the creator, creation time, and country information embedded in plant diagrams, then automatically adjusting display parameters (such as symbol shapes, line styles, colors) to match unified standards. This resolves the contradiction by dynamically modifying display parameters based on detected information while maintaining overall consistency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If manual unification of objects is performed across multiple plant diagrams, then display mode consistency can be achieved, but the time and effort required increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsistency of display modesVSAvoidtime for unification work
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service unification by automatically detecting object display modes in plant diagrams and replacing them with unified display modes without requiring manual intervention. The system extracts creator information, creation time, and country data, then autonomously performs the unification process, dramatically reducing the time and effort needed compared to manual methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the mechanical manual process of unifying display modes with an automated information processing system. Instead of manually comparing and adjusting each object across multiple diagrams, the system uses automated detection and replacement mechanisms to achieve unification, substituting human labor with computational processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Stability of the object's composition

If object display modes are kept varied across diagrams, then each diagram can maintain its original characteristics, but accuracy in three-dimensional model construction decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoriginal diagram characteristicsVSAvoidaccuracy of three-dimensional models
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a unified reference model of object display modes based on detected information from multiple diagrams. This unified model serves as a standard template that is then applied consistently across all plant diagrams, ensuring accuracy for three-dimensional model construction while preserving the essential characteristics of each diagram through the structured detection and replacement process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4664342A1Plant diagram unification system, plant diagram unification method, and plant diagram unification program
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP4664342A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4664342A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4664342A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A plant diagram unification system (100-1, 100-2) defines a unified object that unifies different display modes of objects of same type, acquires a plant diagram that is used for construction, operation, and maintenance of a plant, detects an object that is included in the acquired plant diagram, replaces a detected object with the unified object, and generates an object unified diagram in which the display modes of the objects of the same type are unified.