JPH08235233A - Parallel design system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the efficiency of design by parallelly editing a CAD drawing without dividing a screen from plural terminals and preventing the interference of design operations among the terminals at the time of editing. CONSTITUTION: An external input device 1 performs the CAD design operation of a mouse and a keyboard, etc., and an operation execution part 2 accesses a design data storage part 3 and reflects the design operation on the design data. When the terminal is a slave CAD, a master CAD is inquired to a parallel design management part 10 simultaneously and the master CAD is informed of the performed design operation through an execution operation informing part 6 and a network 11. The contents of the data storage part 3 are displayed through a display part 4 for displaying data and a display device 5 composed of a cathode-ray tube or the like. An operation reception part 7 receives informing from the other terminals from the network 11 and informs an inter-operation discrepancy detection part 9. The inter-operation discrepancy detection part 9 refers to the parallel design management part 10, compares the priority of the informing origin terminal of the operation and its own terminal and detects the presence/absence of discrepancy with the data of its own terminal.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a CAD (computer-aided design) system, and more particularly to a parallel design system in which a plurality of designers design the entire system in parallel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a drawing editing operation in a CAD system, it is general to edit one drawing database with one terminal, but with a plurality of terminals as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 362783/1992, A system has also been proposed in which the operator of each terminal can edit at the same time.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a conventional system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-3627873.

In the figure, terminals 31a and 31b are C
The task manager 32 is a terminal used for AD screen editing operations and the like, and is for managing CAD drawing editing results at the terminals 31a and 31b. The task manager 32 is provided in, for example, a host device (not shown). CAD drawing database (hereinafter, CAD drawing DB
33 is for storing a CAD screen (CAD drawing data), and a work database (hereinafter,
The work DB 34) is used for CAD drawing editing. CAD drawing DB33 and work DB3
4 is accessed by the task manager 32. The display handlers 35a and 35b are responsible for displaying CAD drawings and the like on the terminals 31a and 31b, and the CAD modules 36a and 36b have CAD drawing editing processing functions realized by a CAD drawing editing application program. The handlers 37a and 37b are the task manager 32, the CAD module 36a in the terminal 31a, and the CAD module 36b in the terminal 31b.
It forms an input / output interface with the. The input / output handlers 37a and 37b transmit the CAD drawing editing results at the terminals 31a and 31b to the task manager 32, and at the same time, the C at another terminal passed from the task manager 32.
A CAD module 36a which corresponds the AD drawing editing result,
It is designed to be handed over to 36b. Display handler 35a,
35b, CAD modules 36a and 36b, and input / output handlers 37a and 37b are built in the terminals 31a and 31b.

According to this method, the editing results for the same CAD drawing in each of a plurality of terminals are managed,
When CAD editing is performed, the management means for updating the drawing database according to the editing result at each terminal is provided, and the input / output means for receiving the editing result at another terminal from the management means and notifying the corresponding terminal is provided. The same drawing can be operated from multiple terminals at the same time, shortening the design period.

However, the following problems remain in this method.

[0007]

In the above-mentioned conventional system, a plurality of designers may find that the editing result of one designer is a design obstacle of another designer, for example, when a designer designs a printed circuit board. There is a possibility that other designers may make conflicting edit operations, such as punching holes for screws in the space where they are trying to wire. As described above, in the conventional method, all design terminals are treated equally, so that contradictory design operations are accepted. For this reason, interference occurs between designers, the design goal of one designer is destroyed by another designer, and the efficiency of editing work is reduced as a whole.

As a method for preventing this while using the conventional method, a rule that does not cause interference between designers (for example, each designer decides a portion in charge of design)
Can be set. However, with such a rule, the merit of designing the entire design object in parallel is lost, and it may be no different from simple division design.

[0009]

A parallel design system according to the present invention includes a first notifying means for notifying another terminal of an editing operation on a CAD drawing at each terminal, and another corresponding means by the first notifying means. Receiving means for receiving the design operation notified from the terminal, setting means for setting the priority order for each terminal, judging means for judging the priority order of the design operation received by the receiving means and set by the setting means, A plurality of independent CAD terminals each including a second notifying means for reflecting the design operation of the other terminal on the own terminal according to the priority order judged by the means and notifying the other terminal not performing this operation, and a plurality of these CAD terminals. It is characterized by being configured with a network connecting CAD terminals.

The parallel design system of the present invention includes an external input device 1 for an operator to input a design operation, an operation execution unit 2 for processing design data according to this operation, and design data for storing the processed design data. The storage unit 3, the display unit 4 and the display device 5 that display the state of the design object, the execution operation notification unit 6 that notifies the design operation performed by the operation execution unit 2 to the outside, and participate in the same design An operation receiving unit 7 that receives notification information about the operation performed by the CAD of
An inconsistent operation notifying unit 8 for notifying other terminals of an inconsistent operation, and an operation received in accordance with the priority order determination by detecting an inconsistency between the operation received by the operation receiving unit 7 and the design data stored in the design data storage unit When the priority is given to the operation, the operation execution unit 2 executes the operation, and when the received operation is ignored, the conflict operation notification unit 8 notifies the outside that the operation is ignored. The inter-contradiction detection unit 9 includes a parallel design management unit 10 that determines which of the received notification information and the current design data should be prioritized when a contradiction occurs and notifies the inter-operation contradiction detection unit 9 of the priority order. Multiple independent CAD, ... ． ． And these multiple CAD ,. ． ． Network 11 that connects between
It is composed of and.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the parallel design system of the present invention.

In the case of FIG. 1, CAD, CAD, CA
D is in parallel design. These three CADs have the same configuration, but by the setting of the parallel design management unit 10,
One unit is registered as a parent CAD having a higher priority, and the other CADs are registered as a child CAD having a lower priority. However, it is not necessary that the CADs are the same at a more detailed level than this block diagram, and, for example, the operation execution unit and the like may include different types of CAD corresponding to the design field.

The external input device 1 is an input device for performing CAD design operations such as a mouse and a keyboard. Operation execution unit 2
Accesses the design data storage unit 3 and reflects the design operation on the design data. When this terminal is a child CAD, at the same time, the parallel design management unit 10 is inquired about the parent CAD, and the design operation performed to the parent CAD is notified via the operation operation notifying unit 6 and the network 11. The contents of the data storage unit 3 are displayed through a display unit 4 for displaying data and a display device 5 including a cathode ray tube.

The operation receiving unit 7 receives a notification from another terminal from the network 11 and notifies the operation inconsistency detecting unit 9 of the notification. The operation inconsistency detection unit 9 refers to the parallel design management unit 10 and compares the priorities of the operation notification source terminal and the own terminal.
Further, it detects whether or not there is a contradiction with the data of its own terminal, and operates as follows in accordance with this.

When the own terminal is the child CAD and the notification source is the parent CAD, the operation execution unit 2 performs the notified operation on the data in the design data storage unit 3. If the notification source is another child CAD, the notification content is ignored.

If the own terminal is the parent CAD, the inter-operation contradiction detection unit 9 refers to the design data storage unit 3 of the own terminal to detect the contradiction with the design target. If no contradiction is detected here, the operation is executed by the operation execution unit 2. Further, another C that has not yet performed this operation through the operation execution notification unit 6
Notify AD. As a result, this operation is performed in all CAD. When a contradiction is detected by the contradiction detecting unit 9 between operations, it notifies the child CAD of the notification source through the contradiction operation notifying unit 8.
This operation is ignored and is not reflected in the design data storage unit 3.

The inter-operation inconsistency detection section 9 of the child CAD, which has been notified from the inconsistent operation notification section of the parent CAD, outputs an instruction to cancel the operation performed unconditionally to the operation execution section 2, and the design data storage section 3 The design data in is returned to the state before the operation.

As a result of the above operations, the operations performed in each CAD are communicated to other CADs as follows. The operation performed in the parent CAD is also executed in all the child CADs. The operation performed in the child CAD is checked once in the parent CAD for inconsistencies, and if there is no inconsistency, the parent CAD and all other child CAs are checked.
It is executed in D. If there is any inconsistency, the parent CAD will notify the executed child CAD to cancel this operation,
The data of the child CAD is returned to the state before the operation.

Next, a more specific example of the above parallel design system will be described below.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram showing an example of a concrete configuration of the parallel design system of FIG.

This parallel design system comprises a CAD system 21, CAD data 22, a keyboard 23, and a CA.
A plurality of independent CADs, each of which includes a D screen 24 and a mouse 25 ,. ． ． And these multiple CAs
D ,,,. ． ． And a network 26 for connecting to each other.

Here, the CAD system 21 is operated by the operation execution unit 2, the design data storage unit 3, the display unit 4, the operation operation notification unit 6, the operation reception unit 7, the inconsistent operation notification unit 8, and the operation inconsistency detection in FIG. The CAD data 22 corresponds to the design data storage unit 3, the keyboard 23 corresponds to the external input device 1, the CAD screen 24 corresponds to the display device 5, and the network 26 corresponds to the network 11. Then, the notification information by the operation from the other terminal is received by the CAD system 21 (the operation receiving unit 7 in FIG. 1), and the information that the designer operates the keyboard 23, the mouse 25, etc.
It is transmitted from the CAD system 21 (implemented operation notification unit 6 and inconsistent operation notification unit 8 in FIG. 1) as notification information for operating another terminal.

In this way, the series of operations described with reference to FIG. 1 are performed in this specific parallel design system.

[0025]

As described above, in the parallel design system of the present invention, all operations performed in the child CAD are checked for inconsistency by the parent CAD, and only the inconsistent operations are notified to all CAD. It is assured that the design goals of the parent CAD are achieved in all CAD, and the design goals of each child CAD may interfere with the operation of the parent CAD, but this is solved in each child CAD. By achieving the goal, all design goals can be achieved as a whole. As a result, the parallel design system of the present invention eliminates the need for each designer to consider a large number of goals at the same time, and has the effect of reducing design efficiency and preventing design errors due to interference between goals.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a parallel design system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the parallel design system of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example of a conventional system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-3627873.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 External Input Device 2 Operation Execution Section 3 Design Data Storage Section 4 Display Section 5 Display Device 6 Performed Operation Notification Section 7 Operation Reception Section 8 Contradictory Operation Notification Section 9 Interoperation Contradiction Detection Section 10 Parallel Design Management Section 11 Network 21 CAD System 22 CAD data 23 Keyboard 24 CAD screen 25 Mouse 26 Network 31a, 31b Terminal 32 Task manager 33 CAD drawing DB 34 Work DB 35a, 35b Display handler 36a, 36b CAD module 37a, 37b Input / output handler

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A first notifying means for notifying another terminal of an editing operation for a CAD drawing in each terminal,
Receiving means for receiving the design operation notified from the other corresponding terminal by the first notifying means, setting means for setting the priority for each terminal, and receiving by the receiving means and set by the setting means. Determining means for determining the priority of the designed operation, and second notifying means for reflecting the design operation of another terminal on the own terminal according to the priority determined by the determining means and notifying the other terminal not performing this operation A parallel design system comprising a plurality of independent CAD terminals each of which is composed of and a network connecting the plurality of CAD terminals. 2. An external input device 1 for an operator to input a design operation, an operation execution section 2 for processing design data according to this operation, a design data storage section 3 for storing the processed design data, A display unit 4 and a display device 5 that display the state of the design object, an execution operation notification unit 6 that notifies the design operation performed by the operation execution unit 2 to the outside, and an implementation of another CAD that participates in the same design. The operation receiving unit 7 that receives the notification information about the operation, the inconsistent operation notification unit 8 that notifies the other terminal of the inconsistent operation, the operation received by the operation receiving unit 7 and the design data storage unit 3 are stored. When a conflict with the design data is detected and the received operation is prioritized according to the determination of the priority order, the operation execution unit 2 executes the operation and the received operation is ignored. Nothing The inter-operation contradiction detection unit 9 for notifying the outside that it is viewed and the inter-operation contradiction detection unit 9 determine which of the notification information received and the current design data is prioritized when a contradiction occurs. A plurality of independent CADs, each consisting of a parallel design management unit 10 for notifying the operation inconsistency detection unit 9 of the priority order ,. ． ． , These multiple CAD ,. ． ． A parallel design system comprising a network 11 that connects the two.