Appeal No. 96-3323
Application 08/022,922
BACKGROUND
The invention is directed to an apparatus and method for designing an object or
part in a structure using computer aided design. The design process may be performed
in parallel with a number of designers for teamwork designing of parts of the structure/
assembly. Each designer is provided with the latest information on other parts which are
referenced in relationship with the part which is under the design control of a specific
designer. The system maintains a number of databases which store data concerning (1)
part shape, (2) part control which pertains to who controls the design and who refers to the
design; and (3) assembly structure of the object. The system tracks those designers who
refer to the design of a part, but are not the designer thereof. When the design has been
modified, the system informs those who refer to the part under design of the most recent
data concerning the part design.
3
Independent claim 1 is representative of the invention and reproduced as follows:
1. A teamwork CAD system for designing an object by a plurality of designers who
design in parallel the respective parts of said object to which they are assigned
using a plurality of data processing units, said system comprising:
a part shape data base for storing the data on the shape of each part;
Claim 1 was modified by entry of the after final amendment, filed August 24, 1995, which3
incorporated limitations from claim 11 and canceled claim 11. The Examiner modified the rejection in the
Examiner's answer to correspond to the change.
2
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007