Urban Design Pipeline With Financial Feedback for Faster Layout Iteration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional urban design processes are time-consuming and require sequential, iterative phases involving different specialists, often leading to biased design options and excessive time expenditure.

Innovation Solution

A computer-aided design (CAD) system with a geometry engine and evaluation engine that automatically generates and iteratively refines candidate designs to meet both design and financial criteria, eliminating the need for sequential phases and multiple specialists.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional sequential design and financial analysis phases are used, then specialized expertise is maintained, but time consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespecialized expertiseVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the design phase and financial analysis phase into a single integrated iterative process. The design system automatically generates designs, performs financial analysis, and refines designs in continuous cycles, eliminating the need for separate sequential phases while maintaining specialized expertise through automated evaluation engines.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuous iteration where design generation, financial analysis, and refinement occur in uninterrupted cycles. The system automatically repeats the design-analyze-refine process multiple times until financial objectives are met, ensuring continuous progress without the delays inherent in traditional phased approaches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Manufacturing precision

If iterative design process is implemented, then design quality improves, but number of cycles increases time expenditure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign qualityVSAvoidnumber of cycles

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates automated financial analysis feedback into the design iteration process. The system evaluates each generated design against financial objectives and automatically refines designs based on performance metrics, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that accelerates convergence on financially viable solutions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent systematically varies design parameters (number of units, configuration, layout) across iteration cycles to explore the design space efficiently. The automated system adjusts multiple parameters simultaneously based on financial performance, reducing the number of cycles needed to achieve target financial objectives compared to manual iteration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual design choices are made by designers, then creative flexibility is maintained, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecreative flexibilityVSAvoiddesign generation speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-service automated design system that generates, evaluates, and refines designs without requiring manual intervention for each iteration. The system automatically performs financial analysis and design optimization, maintaining creative flexibility through algorithmic design while dramatically increasing productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual design processes with automated computational systems. The geometry engine automatically generates designs based on input criteria, and the evaluation engine automatically assesses financial performance, substituting human manual operations with automated mechanical systems that operate continuously at high speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12499288B2Techniques for automatically generating urban and neighborhood designs

Publication Date: 2025.12.16 AUTODESK INC

AI summary

An urban design pipeline automatically generates design options for an urban design project based on a financial model. The urban design pipeline includes a geometry engine that generates candidate designs to meet various design criteria and design objectives associated with the urban design project. The urban design pipeline also includes an evaluation engine that evaluates the candidate designs based on the financial model. The financial model quantifies the financial performance of any given candidate design. The urban design pipeline operates iteratively to improve the candidate designs until one or more convergence criteria are met, thereby generating a set of design options with acceptable financial performance.