Abstract: A method and apparatus that allows the user of a computer aided design (CAD) system to connect three-dimensional parts to create a three-dimensional assembly using connections that completely define the attachment between the parts attached to each other by that connection. The user can simultaneously define the orientations of the parts and their behavior. “Behavior” includes whether parts are rigidly connected or allowed to move relative to one and other, and if allowed to move, the nature and limits on that movement. Within any movement allowed, the user may specify key discrete orientations known to be important to the function of the assembly, such as orientations that limit movement within the assembly. The connection method creates a smaller, more consistent representation of the underlying constraints of the assembly, improving the reliability, performance, and ease of use of a CAD system in which it is used.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and computer program product provide the ability to augment an as-built model. A CAD drawing of a project as well as a digital representation of a physical implementation of the project are obtained. A relationship that maps the digital representation to the CAD drawing is defined/established. A component of the digital representation is identified based on the relationship (e.g., and a database/catalog). Information about the identified component is transmitted to and displayed on a computer (e.g., a mobile device).

Abstract: A method for filling closed regions in a drawing using a region filling tool that may appear as a paint bucket. Rather than independently selecting regions to fill or filling based on style-by-layer techniques, the user selects a seed region such that other regions of the drawing are filled if parameters of the other regions match the parameters of the seed region. Matching criteria parameters may include an exact match parameter, a shape matching parameter, a layer matching parameter, and a line weight matching parameter. The parameters may be used alone or in conjunction with other parameters. In this manner, multiple regions in the drawing that are similar to the seed region may be filled using one interaction with the region filling tool. This approach allows the user to more efficiently and intuitively fill regions in the drawing.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically creating a three-dimensional (3D) model for use in a design application, such as a transportation planning and design application that supports roadway, bridge or drainage design. A user at a client computer selects an area of interest (AOI) on a two-dimensional (2D) map, as well as one or more data sets to be used, and then submits a model creation request to a server computer. The server computer automatically aggregates one or more data sources to generate a 3D model of the area of interest. At least one of the data sources comprises a curated database. The server computer publishes or stores the 3D model into a database, for subsequent downloading to the client computer. The 3D model is a proprietary model owned by the user, and is fully editable by the user.

Abstract: The generation of characters within computer animations is currently a labor intensive and expensive activity for a wide range of businesses. Whereas prior art approaches have sought to reduce this loading by providing reference avatars, these do not fundamentally overcome the intensive steps in generating these reference avatars, and they provide limited variations. According to the invention a user is provided with a simple and intuitive mechanism to affect the weightings applied in establishing the physical characteristics of an avatar generated using an inheritance based avatar generator. The inheritance based generator allowing, for example, the user to select a first generation of four grandparents, affect the weightings in generating the second generation parents, and affect the weightings in generating the third generation off-spring avatar from these parents.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for visualizing user interfaces. In one aspect, a method includes presenting a user interface visualization for an application. The application is configured to perform functions and present a graphical user interface including user interface elements to access the functions. Presenting the user interface visualization for the application includes selecting a group of related functions and presenting a graphical representation for each related function. The graphical representations for the related functions are presented in proximity to each other, and the graphical representations are presented differently than the user interface elements for the related functions are presented by the graphical user interface of the application.

Abstract: Systems and methods for collaborative construction planning are provided herein. An example method includes establishing a milestone or completion event for a construction project plan, assembling the construction project plan by defining activities for the milestone or completion event. Each of the activities is associated with a team member which accomplishes a given activity, and arranging the activities in reverse chronological order starting with the milestone or completion event, according to an order of dependency of execution of activities. The method also includes displaying the construction project plan in such a way that the activities are illustrated to show the order of dependency between activities.

Abstract: A method for interacting with a multi-touch surface to perform an operation. The method includes detecting that at least one finger is in contact with the multi-touch surface, identifying a chord defined by a combination of fingers associated with the at least one finger in contact with the multi-touch surface, and performing a first function associated with the operation based on the chord. The method may also include integrating the chords into directional movement gestures and using the gestures to control system functionality.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and article of manufacture provide object descriptors for objects in point cloud data for an urban environment by segmenting the point cloud data. Point cloud data for an urban environment is obtained using a ground-based laser scanner. Terrain points are filtered out from the point cloud data using ground filtering. The point cloud data is then segmented into two or more blocks. Objects that lie on neighboring adjacent blocks are combined. Object descriptors for the combined objects are then provided (e.g., to the user or a program used by the user).

Abstract: A system and method for altering a property associated with a three dimensional stereoscopic system that has a display are disclosed. The method includes determining that a portion of a virtual object in a three dimensional image generated by the display resides at a predetermined position along a first axis relative to the display based on a difference between a left eye image of the portion of the virtual object and a right eye image of the portion of the virtual object. The first axis is perpendicular to a plane of the display. The method further includes altering a property associated with the portion of the virtual object based on the predetermined position without referring to any perceived overlap between the virtual object and the tangible environment.

Abstract: An example method includes, responsive to identifying an object and a reflection surface: identifying a reflection incidence point on a current position of the reflection surface; reprojecting the reflection incidence point using a surface motion vector of the reflection incidence point to determine a previous reflection incidence point. The previous reflection incidence point is a reflection incidence point on a previous position of the reflection surface. The method further includes, reprojecting a reflected point (a reflection of the object in accordance with the reflection surface's current position) using a motion vector to determine a previous location of the reflected point on the previous position of the reflection surface; projecting a current view point onto the previous position of the reflection surface to produce a previous view point; and presenting to a user a presentation of the previous location of the reflected point on the previous position of the reflection surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention set forth a technique for animating objects placed across a surface of a graphics object. A CAD application receives a set of motions and initially applies a different motion in the set of motions to each object placed across the surface of the graphics object. The CAD application calculates bounding areas of each object according to the current motion applied thereto, which are subsequently used by the CAD application to identify collisions that are occurring or will occur between the objects. Identified collisions are cured by identifying valid motions in the set of motions that can be applied to a colliding object and then calculating bounding areas for the valid motions to select a valid motion that, when applied to the object, does not cause the object to collide with any other objects.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product provide the ability to define an attribute of a design part in a manufacturing or construction project. Apart set of two or more design parts is obtained. Each of the two or more design parts includes metadata. An external corpus is mined to determine a text set of terms relevant to the metadata. The metadata is mined for a pattern based on the text set to discover a metadata property. An attribute is defined based on the metadata property. A graphical user interface is used to search for design parts utilizing a filter based on the metadata property.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product provide the ability to dynamically collaborate on a design drawing. The design drawing consisting of three-dimensional (3D) data is acquired and displayed in a viewing area. An entity of the design drawing is graphically selected. A text comment is entered. The text comment and an association between the text comment and the selected entity are added to a design drawing file for the design drawing.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and computer program product provide the ability to navigate between components in a computer-aided design (CAD) mobile drawing application. A drawing is opened in the CAD mobile drawing application on a mobile device. A navigation panel is activated. A component is selected in the drawing. In response to the selecting, information about the selected component is displayed within the navigation panel. Via a mobile device gesture, an element of the information is selected and used as the selected element. The navigation panel is updated by displaying information about the selected element.

Abstract: A system that allows a user to create a lineup of alternatives as controls for a part of a 3D scene by selecting scene contents and designating a lineup alternative control to contain or receive the contents. Once the alternatives are created, the lineups are provided in a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays each alternative as a compressed image of the scene containing the corresponding alternative. The user can click between the alternatives by selecting a desired button so that only the alternative selected in that lineup is shown in the scene. The user can create multiple lineups, each for a different part or overlapping parts of the scene, for changing the materials in a scene, and/or for positioning objects in a scene.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to automatically simulate a wind load. An analytical model is converted into a solid model. A wind flow on the solid model is simulated to determine pressures on structural elements of the solid model. The simulating is repeated until the pressures converge. The pressures are converted to loads on the structural elements. Load cases are generated with equivalent loads on the structural elements.

Abstract: A method for generating a shader that is used by a rendering engine to render a visual representation of a computer model. A shader generation engine receives a set of surface data that describes a surface in view of various lighting conditions. The shader generation engine compresses the set of surface data to generate a compressed representation of the set of surface data based on a selected compression algorithm. The shader generation engine generates a shader based on the compressed representation that is configured to be implemented with a rendering engine, and generates a set of shader data based on the compressed representation that includes a set of material characteristics for coloring pixels of the visual representation. Advantageously, the shader generation process is simplified because different compression algorithm-rendering engine shader combinations can be generated without manually programming the shaders.

Abstract: A system and method for augmenting panoramic images with performance related data for a building are disclosed. The system includes a memory coupled to a processor configured to receive panoramic image data, generate a digital image based on the panoramic image data, and modify the digital image to include a graphical representation of the performance related data. The processor maps performance related data to the coordinate system of the panoramic images such that the graphical representation may be generated without converting the panoramic image data into a high-quality, three-dimensional model in a CAD program. In this way, computer-generated graphical representations of building performance data, such as temperature fields or virtual structures, may be overlaid directly onto a two-dimensional projection of the panoramic image data. In one embodiment, the panoramic image data is a spherical, 360 degree panoramic image captured by a laser scanning device.