The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 23, 2010
Filed:
Nov. 28, 2006
Charles A. Erignac, Seattle, WA (US);
Michael Drumheller, Seattle, WA (US);
Charles A. Erignac, Seattle, WA (US);
Michael Drumheller, Seattle, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
Improved methods for designing the route of a transport element, such as a tube, are provided. A method preferably designs the route automatically and, by utilizing constraint objects, including at least one adaptively-sampled distance field (adaptive distance field or ADF) constraint object, in the design of the route, as opposed to during a post design check, ensures that the resulting route complies with the various constraint objects, including the at least one ADF constraint object. In addition, a method may establish an overall cost function to evaluate a plurality of feasible routes of the transport element that each comply with the constraint objects, including at least one ADF constraint object, such that a preferred or optimal route may be designed.