Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating presentations of views of building entities according to an interaction graph. One of the methods includes processing building information model data to identify a plurality of building entities, wherein each building entity represents a respective feature of a building modeled by the data. Relationships between different respective pairs of the building entities are determined. The relationships are traversed according to simulated user interactions with respective presentations of a plurality of the building entities.

Abstract: A navigation system for navigating a three-dimensional (3D) scene that includes a model or object with which a user can interact. The system accommodates and helps both novice and advanced users. To do this, the system provides scale GUIs that are positioned in the view and show the view position in the scene.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for mesh refinement. The technique involves receiving a mesh including a plurality of triangles. The technique further involves processing the mesh to generate a refined mesh by performing an edge flip operation on the mesh, performing an edge split operation on the mesh, and performing an edge collapse operation on the mesh.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product provide the ability to modify a spline (e.g., a civil engineering spline). The spline, defined by a set of connected points, is obtained/acquired. A design constraint set is determined and may include an interpolation constraint (specifying a fixed elevation for a connected point), a slope constraint (specifying a bound on a slope between two of the connected points), and a curvature constraint (specifying; a maximum slope difference of a first slope and a second slope between three connected points). The spline is projected onto the design constraint set thereby modifying the spline by changing elevations of the connected points. The modified spline is then projected onto the design constraint set iteratively until the spline satisfies all constraints in the design constraint set.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and computer program product provide the ability to sweep a profile along a circular arc of a path. A sweep operation to sweep a profile along an arc of a path is initialized in a CAD application. For each path segment (in the path) that is circular, a determination is made regarding whether the profile crosses an axis of revolution of the circular path segment at a start position of the circular path segment. The profile that crosses the axis of revolution of the circular path segment is trimmed. The trimmed profile and an association with the circular path segment having the axis of revolution that is crossed by the trimmed profile are stored. A selective union operation that joins the solid bodies from the trimmed profiles is performed.

Abstract: A method includes providing a wearable device compatible with and worn by an animal, the wearable device including a processing engine, a plurality of sensors, and a communication interface to a remotely located base station. The method includes monitoring an environment around the wearable device as the animal traverses a space and collecting information based on data generated by the plurality of sensors. The method also includes analyzing the data generated by the plurality of sensors and inferring activities associated with a human in proximity to the animal, wherein inferring activities includes determining a current location of the human based on data generated by one or more of the sensors, and determining activities of the human over a period of time based on data generated by the one or more sensors.

Abstract: A mesh repair application within a rendering engine is configured to generate a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows an end-user of the rendering engine to inspect and repair various defects associated with a three-dimensional (3D) model. The GUI provides a filmstrip that includes different visual representations of the various defects. When the end-user selects a given representation, the mesh repair application updates the GUI to display a detailed view of the defect associated with the selected visual representation. An advantage of the approach described herein is that the repair of defects associated with the 3D model may be expedited.

Abstract: A method for generating real-time goal space steering for data-driven character animation is disclosed. A goal space table of sparse samplings of possible future locations is computed, indexed by the starting blend value and frame. A steer space is computed as a function of the current blend value and frame, interpolated from the nearest indices of the table lookup in the goal space. The steer space is then transformed to local coordinates of a character's position at the current frame. The steer space samples closest to a line connecting the character's position with the goal location may be selected. The blending values of the two selected steer space samples are interpolated to compute the new blending value to render subsequent frames of an animation sequence.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention sets forth a data navigation engine that generates user interface navigation elements for navigation large and expanding datasets. The user interface navigation elements may include a pivot control zoom slider for adjusting the data resolution with respect to different zoom pivot locations, an interactive ruler for consistent visual feedback and navigation of intervals of data within the dataset, a context bar for viewing the data proximate to a current view, and a multi-scale slider for repositioning the dataset within the current view. These user interface navigation elements provide the end-user with consistent control and visual feedback while navigating the dataset, independent of the size of the dataset or the portion of the dataset displayed within the current view. Therefore, large and expanding datasets can be navigated more effectively relative to prior art approaches.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for manipulating graphics objects within a display viewed by an end-user is disclosed. The method involves: receiving motion information generated in response to the end-user moving an object that is external to the display; determining at least one zone of motion in which the end-user moves the object; determining a first motion type associated with the movement of the object within the at least one zone of motion; and based on the at least one zone of motion and the first motion type, determining at least one change to a viewpoint associated with one or more graphics objects displayed to the end-user within the display. The at least one change to the viewpoint causes an alteration in how the one or more graphics objects are displayed to the end-user within the display.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and article of manufacture provide the ability to seamlessly transfer a texture. An image that has an object to be concealed is acquired. A conceal tool is activated. A source patch of a first collection of pixels within the image is defined. A target patch of a second collection of pixels within the image is defined and located over the object to be concealed. The source patch is mapped onto the target patch using a transformation (T). A contrast between the source patch and the target patch along a boundary of the source patch and the target patch is measured. A color one of the one or more pixels in the second collection is accepted/rejected based on the contrast.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for 3D printing without preprocessing a CAD model before delivery to a 3D printer. The CAD model for a design to be printed is received by a 3D printer. Instructions are generated for printing the first slice. While the instructions are used to start printing the CAD model, dynamic real-time slicing is performed on a remaining portion of the CAD model. Preprocessed data, model analysis information or real-time feedback is received during the printing of a respective slice. A next slice is identified, and slicing parameters are adjusted, including adjusting a slicing parameter for the next slice. Instructions for printing the next slice are generated. The next slice is printed based on the generated instructions. Dynamic real-time slicing is repeated to generate a then next slice and associated printing instructions.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for computing skinning weights. The method includes traversing one or more paths from a first voxel included in a voxelization associated with a three-dimensional model to a second voxel included in the voxelization. The first voxel intersects a first influence included in the three-dimensional model. The second voxel intersects a target vertex associated with the three-dimensional model. The voxelization includes a set of interior voxels. The first voxel and the second voxel are included in the set of interior voxels. The method also includes identifying a first path included in the one or more paths that is associated with a first distance value related to the second voxel that indicates that the first path represents the shortest distance between the first voxel and the second voxel. The method further includes assigning a skinning weight to the target vertex based on the first distance value.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for implementing a volume-preserving mesh smoothing brush. The volume-preserving mesh smoothing brush first computes modified positions of vertices of a 3D mesh. A change in the volume of the region of the 3D mesh smoothed by the volume-preserving mesh smoothing brush is estimated. Then updated positions of the vertices are computed based on the estimated change in the volume. The volume-preserving mesh smoothing brush effectively rounds the brushed area. During each smoothing iteration, the positions of the vertices are updated to smooth the 3D mesh while also approximately preserving the volume of the 3D mesh.

Abstract: A technique for capturing the output of a software application, controlled by an end-user of a client computer, on a server computer. The data may be captured from a hosted application running on the server computer, an application simulating the operations of an application used by the end-user on the client computer, or from a capture stream sent by an application on the client computer. A capture engine stores the capture data on the server computer without consuming processing or memory resources of the client computer. Furthermore, the capture data is immediately available on the server computer for sharing and publication, without consuming network bandwidth or a long upload delay.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and computer program product provide the ability to sweep a profile along a circular arc of a path. A sweep operation to sweep a profile along an arc of a path is initialized in a CAD application. For each path segment (in the path) that is circular, a determination is made regarding whether the profile crosses an axis of revolution of the circular path segment at a start position of the circular path segment. The profile that crosses the axis of revolution of the circular path segment is trimmed. The trimmed profile and an association with the circular path segment having the axis of revolution that is crossed by the trimmed profile are stored. A selective union operation that joins the solid bodies from the trimmed profiles is performed.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, computer program product, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to define an object in a parametric modeling application. Geometric parametric objects are authored and organized into a family definition. Via a user interface, enhanced computational logic is defined. The logic is compiled into the family definition such that the enhanced computational logic is embedded at an object level of the one or more geometric parametric objects. Upon a building information model requiring a regeneration operation, the compiled enhanced computational logic is automatically executed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product provide the ability to extract level information and reference grid information from point cloud data. Point cloud data is obtained and organized into a three-dimensional structure of voxels. Potential boundary points are filtered from the boundary cells. Level information is extracted from a Z-axis histogram of the voxels positioned along the Z-axis of the three-dimensional voxel structure and further refined. Reference grid information is extracted from an X-axis histogram of the voxels positioned along the X-axis of the three-dimensional voxel structure and a Y-axis histogram of the voxels positioned along the Y-axis of the three-dimensional voxel structure and further refined.

Abstract: The invention relates to visualizing freeform surfaces, like NURBS surfaces, from three-dimensional construction data via Virtual beams from a virtual camera are sent out of a virtual image plane in a scene having at least one object and at least one freeform surface. Lighting values are calculated for each point where a beam intersects the freeform surface. The lighting values are then attributed to the pixels associated with the different points of intersection. The freeform surface is defined by two parameters (u, v), and related equations define all points of the surface of the freeform surface The subdivision of the freeform surface for determining the intersections with the beams based on the two parameters (u, v) is regular, so that the surface fragments form meshes of a two-dimensional grid of the freeform surface in the parameter space.

Abstract: A method for reproducing authored content within a visual manipulation software environment includes displaying the authored content, such as an individual drawing stroke, in a manner that enables the end-user to experience the temporal dynamics associated with the creation of each drawing stroke or action performed by the author when creating the content. Each individual drawing stroke created by the author may be displayed in a tutorial with the same speed and direction used by the author to create the stroke, and can then be used as a guidance curve by the end-user. End-user input corresponding to the displayed author content is then received and used to generate an end-user version of the displayed content.