JP2002342385A - Cooperated design support system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable designers to easily perform cooperated work regardless of places where terminals are installed, in a cooperated design support system for simultaneously and parallel editing the same data by using a plurality of terminals. SOLUTION: When the program module which can be performed on a WWW browser 14, of a CAD client 15 is transmitted from a server machine 2 to a client machine 4, a user can perform design work on the client machine 4. Besides, an authority is managed for each of users by utilizing worker list 26 and an authority setting database 28 for totally managing the cooperated work by a plurality of users. A manager limits the editing authority of another user as needed or makes a specified user exclusively edit one part of a plan 21.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a system for supporting an operation of editing the same design data simultaneously and in parallel using a plurality of terminals. Such a system is referred to as a collaborative design support system in this specification.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various cooperative design support systems have been proposed. For example, JP-A-7-
No. 98726 discloses an interactive graphic system in which a plurality of designers can simultaneously edit the same graphic data. In this system, one of a plurality of workstations (hereinafter abbreviated as WS) manages drawing data, opens an editing window on itself and other WSs, and performs different editing of the same drawing data on each WS. Allocate space. In each WS, not only its own editing area but also the editing area of another WS can be displayed.
Editing results in other WSs are displayed in different colors. According to this system, a designer can work on his own WS while checking the editing status on another WS. Note that the assignment of the data area can be selected on each WS side.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-128222 discloses a cooperative work execution system capable of simultaneously proceeding with design sharing of design work. This system includes not only means for displaying the graphic being edited on each WS, but also means for transmitting the voice of the operator from one terminal to another terminal.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-288690 discloses a cooperative design support system capable of simultaneously proceeding with a design using a plurality of design apparatuses connected by a network. In this system, a priority update right and a design update right (normal update right) are given to each designer for each design object constituting the design data, and an update history of the design data is managed. In this system, for example,
If the holder of the priority update right for the design object does not accept the change made by the holder of the normal update right for a certain design object, the data is returned to the state before the update based on the update history.

[0005]

The objects to be designed using CAD systems are generally large or complex,
Since various people with different specialties and positions (design orderers, design work managers, CAD operators, etc.) are involved in the work, it is necessary to frequently exchange opinions among personnel dispersed in remote locations. . The conventional cooperative design support system described above,
For example, it is effective when a plurality of designers perform distributed cooperative work in a business office having a LAN. However, for example, when a design contractor attempts to collaborate with a remote design contractor, a data communication network is not established between the design contractor and the design contractor, or the design contractor has a dedicated client. If you do not have the software, you cannot work.

[0006] On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-282888 discloses a so-called WWW including a CAD server and a plurality of terminal devices connected to a network, and a user interface for editing graphic data in each terminal device.
A network type CAD system realized by a browser and a Java (R) applet is disclosed. In this system, even if a different operating system (OS) is adopted for each terminal device, there is no need to prepare CAD client software dedicated to the OS, and each terminal device can operate a Java (R) applet. As long as a WWW browser is prepared, the functions of the CAD server can be used. However, in this system, a designer performs design work independently using each terminal device,
It is not configured to perform distributed cooperative work using a plurality of terminal devices.

Further, in the cooperative design support system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-288690, the update right of each designer is fixedly set for each design object constituting the design data. The authority cannot be changed according to the change of the user configuration, and depending on the participant configuration, an urgent and important work on a specific design object cannot be performed, so that the work must be interrupted and the like occurs. .

[0008]

A cooperative design support system according to the present invention, which has been made to solve the above problems, edits design data simultaneously and in parallel using a plurality of terminals connected to a data communication network. A server unit for performing a process according to a request transmitted from each terminal through the network, wherein the server unit is a user for transmitting various requests to the server unit. A program transmitting means for transmitting a program for configuring the interface unit on the terminal to the terminal, and when receiving a request from the terminal to participate in cooperative work on the design data, a user of the terminal Authentication means for authenticating by a method and registering a user who has passed the authentication in a worker list, and for each user registered in the worker list, An authority setting means for setting authority for processing of design data, when receiving a request for processing on the design data from the terminal, for determining whether the requested processing can be executed with the authority of the user of the terminal. A determination unit; and a design data processing unit configured to execute the process on the design data when it is determined that the requested process is executable.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The collaborative design support system according to the present invention can be applied to a cooperative design support system even if users (design persons) are dispersed in a wide range that cannot be handled by a small-scale network such as a LAN. The user can easily participate in the cooperative design work using his own terminal. In order to construct a wide area network system, it is more cost-effective to use an existing wide area network such as the Internet than to construct a new physical network.
When using the Internet, TCP / IP (Transmission Control P
The server unit is configured to perform communication with the terminal according to a protocol (Rotocol / Internet Protocol). If such a server unit is realized on a computer provided with a network interface card (NIC) to which a global IP address is assigned, the server unit can communicate with computers all over the world connected to the Internet. Can participate in collaborative design work from virtually anywhere in the world. Note that the server unit as described above is, for example, a TCP
HTTP (HyperTex) which is an upper layer protocol of / IP
It can be configured using a WWW (World Wide Web) server that communicates with clients in accordance with the “Transfer Protocol”. In this case, a so-called WWW browser can be used as the terminal-side client.

If the distribution range of users is not very wide, a physical network may be newly constructed and a data communication procedure other than TCP / IP may be adopted. The present invention is applicable to such a system.
Various effects as described below can be obtained. However, even when newly constructing a physical network, it is preferable to adopt a data communication procedure of an existing wide area network. For example, if the system according to the present invention is configured in the form of an intranet using a local IP address of TCP / IP, only a router having a so-called NAT / IP masquerade function can be added to another computer on the Internet. Communication can be performed, and even a remote user can participate in the cooperative design work.

In the system according to the present invention, a program for configuring the user interface unit on the terminal side is transmitted from the server unit to the terminal. For example,
When the server unit is configured using the WWW server as described above, the program is created as a Java (R) applet class file as in a network type CAD system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-282888. It is possible. In this way, any terminal connected to the Internet can participate in cooperative design work as long as the terminal has a WWW browser capable of executing a Java (R) applet.

When using the Internet, it is important to protect data while giving due consideration to security. Therefore, in the system according to the present invention, by providing the server unit with the authentication unit, the authority setting unit, and the determination unit, unauthorized data editing, conflict between users in distributed cooperative work, occurrence of data inconsistency, and the like can be prevented. To prevent.
That is, first, the server unit authenticates the user who has requested to participate in the cooperative work, thereby preventing the unauthorized user from participating. Next, the server unit registers the user who has passed the authentication in the worker list, and sets the authority regarding the design data processing for the user.
For example, the server unit grants a management authority (authority for overall management of the entire process related to the design data being edited) to a user who has passed authentication first, and is further restricted to a user who has passed authentication thereafter. Grant authority. As another method of granting authority, for example, a method of assigning management authority to a user having the highest job title among the users registered in the worker list can be considered.
A user having management authority (hereinafter, referred to as an administrator) has overall control over the distributed cooperative work. Upon receiving a request for processing of design data from a user, the server unit determines whether the requested processing can be executed with the authority of the user, and only when it is determined that the requested processing can be executed, The above-mentioned processing is executed.

In the system according to the present invention, the authority setting means may include a processing protection means for giving a specific user exclusive processing authority to a specific part of the design data to a specific user. By using the processing protection means, a user can protect a portion of the design data that he / she wants to edit / process from other users.
It should be noted that processing protection by the user can be executed only when permitted by the administrator.

[0014] In the system according to the present invention, user authority management means for allowing the administrator to set (restrict) the authority of another user may be further provided. If the administrator appropriately sets (limits) the contents of the authority according to the user's experience, skills, reliability, etc. using this user authority management means, unauthorized editing of the design data due to the user's intention or negligence can be prevented. It can be prevented beforehand.

The system according to the present invention may further include authority transfer means for transferring the management authority from the administrator to another user. In this way, for example, even if a user who has the management authority has to interrupt the work for some reason, the cooperative work can be continued by transferring the management authority to another user.

The system according to the present invention as described above can be used not only for cooperative editing of design data by a plurality of parties, but also for online C
It can also be applied to an AD education system (online correction instruction system).

[0017]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a cooperative design support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system of the present embodiment includes a server 2 and a client 4 which are computers connected to the Internet 1. Although one computer is used as the server in FIG. 1, this is merely an example, and a distributed processing server system may be configured using a plurality of computers. FIG.
Although only three client devices 4 are illustrated in the figure, more client devices 4 can be used in practice. The client machine 4 includes an audio input device (such as a microphone), an audio output device (such as a speaker), and a video input device (such as a CCD camera).

In the server machine 2, the WWW server 10 and the CA
The D server 12 is operating. The WWW server 10 executes a process according to a request sent from the WWW browser 14 operating on the client machine 4. For example, WWW
A predetermined UR included in the WWW site 16 from the browser 14
When a request to acquire page L is received, the WWW server 10
Reads the data of the page of the corresponding URL from the storage device and transmits it to the WWW browser 14. On the other hand, the CAD server 12 executes a process according to a request sent from a CAD client 15 operating on the WWW browser 14. The operation of this system will be described in detail below.

When the user sends a request for acquiring a CAD use page included in the WWW site 16 to the WWW server 10 using the WWW browser 14 of the client machine 4, the WWW server 10 reads the data of the CAD use page, and
Send to W browser 14. CAD Usage Page (HTM
L), the embedding of the program module (for example, a class file of the Java (R) applet) of the CAD client 15 is instructed by an HTML tag such as APPLET or OBJECT.
The WWW browser 14 recognizing the tag sends the acquisition request for the specified program module to the WWW server 10.
Send to Upon receiving the request, the WWW server 10
The program module is read from the AD client program storage unit 18 and transmitted to the WWW browser 14, and the WWW browser 14 reads the module and executes the program. Thus, the WWW browser 14 has, for example, a CAD client 15 as shown in FIG.
Is displayed.

It is not necessary to immediately transmit a program module when a request for acquiring a CAD use page is received. For example, the WWW server 10 receiving the request firstly displays a user authentication page (not shown) on the WWW browser 1.
4 and a valid user ID through the authentication page
Only when the password and the password are transmitted, the CAD use page and the program module may be transmitted to the WWW browser 14.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the CAD client 15 operating on the WWW browser 14 has a menu area 20 in which various command buttons are arranged, and a drawing area 22 in which a design drawing 21 is drawn. The CAD client 15 allows the user to draw a graphic in the drawing area 22 or to perform CA
It functions as a user interface for transmitting a processing request to the D server 12 and receiving and outputting a processing result for the request from the CAD server 12. In the following description, the functions of the present system will be described in detail focusing on cooperative work by a plurality of users. Various functions related to the cooperative work can be used from a menu (see FIG. 3; hereinafter, referred to as a “cooperation” menu) displayed when the “cooperation” button is pressed.

The processing from the login to the cooperative work to the display of the design drawing 21 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Login to Collaborative Work The user uses the CAD client 15 to participate (log in) in the cooperative work in the following procedure. That is, when the user selects “login” in the “cooperation” menu, a user ID and password input window (not shown)
Is displayed. When the user enters his / her user ID and password in this window and executes the transmission operation,
The CAD client 15 sends the user I to the CAD server 12.
Send D and password. The CAD server 12 checks whether the received user ID and password are valid ones registered in the user database 24. If the user ID and password are valid, the CAD server 12 assigns the user to the worker list 26.
And checks whether the user is the first worker. If that user is the first worker,
The CAD server 12 gives the user administrative rights; otherwise, the CAD server 12 gives the user general worker rights. The contents of the authority given to the user are recorded in the authority setting database 28. In the present embodiment, the types of authority given to the worker are two types of “administrator” and “general worker”, but this is only an example,
More types of authority may be defined.

Transmission of Design Data When the user is the first participant (ie, administrator), the CAD server 12 transmits a list of design data stored in the design data storage unit 30 to the CAD client 15, The CAD client 15 receiving the list displays a design data selection window (not shown). When the user selects desired design data in this window and executes an approval operation, the CAD client 15 transmits a request to acquire the selected design data to the CAD server 12. Upon receiving the request, the CAD server 12 stores the selected design data 31 into the memory 32 from the design data storage unit 30.
And the design data 31 is transmitted to the CAD client 15. On the other hand, when the user is a general worker, the CAD server 12 transmits the design data 31 that has been already selected by the administrator and read into the memory 32 to the CAD client 15 of the user.

Display of Design Drawing Design data 31 includes points, straight lines, continuous straight lines, polygons, circles,
It consists of various drawing elements generally used in CAD software, such as drawing elements such as arcs, ellipses, elliptical arcs, character elements (text), curves (spline curves, etc.), symbols, compound curves, etc., and structural elements such as figure groups and layers. ing. The CAD client 15 interprets the description command corresponding to each drawing element of the received design data, and draws each drawing element in the drawing area 22. For example, when there is a description command “Draw a circle having center coordinates (x, y), radius r, and line thickness t”, the CAD client 15 draws the circle as described above in the drawing area 22.

Next, a process for editing the design drawing 21 will be described.

Editing of drawing elements The user operates the input device (mouse, tablet-type input device with pen, etc.) of the client machine 4 as appropriate to change the drawing elements of the design drawing 21 displayed in the drawing area 22. , Selection (selecting one or a plurality of elements as operation targets), deformation (changing the shape of the element), attribute change (changing the attribute value of the element, for example, line thickness), division (one element Is divided into a plurality of elements), copy (copies the element and stores it in a predetermined storage area), cuts (after copying the element, deletes the original element), and pastes (the copied element is replaced with a new element). (In the drawing area 22). Such an editing operation can be performed by selecting a target operation from a menu (not shown) displayed when the “edit” button 25 is pressed.

Addition of a drawing element The user can add a new drawing element to the drawing area 22 by appropriately operating the input device of the client machine 4. Addition of a graphic element is performed after selecting a target drawing element (for example, one listed above) from a menu (not shown) displayed when the “graphic” button 27 is pressed. For example, "Rectangle" in the menu
Is selected, and the pointer 29 on the screen is dragged from the point 291 to the point 292 (moving the pointer 29 while pressing a predetermined button of the mouse), a rectangle as indicated by reference numeral 293 is drawn.

Every time a data change such as editing of a drawing element or addition of a new drawing element occurs, the CAD client 15 requests a change processing including information (change information) indicating the changed content. To C
Transmit to AD server 12. Upon receiving this request, the CAD server 12 determines based on the authority setting database 28 whether the change made by the user can be executed with the authority of the user. If the change is executable (permitted), the CAD server 12 updates the design data 31 (during editing) stored in the memory 32 of the server machine 2 according to the change information, and updates the other CAD clients 15. A display update instruction including the change information. The CAD client 15 receiving this command updates the display contents of the drawing area 22 according to the change information.
In this way, the same design drawing is always displayed on all the CAD clients 15. On the other hand, if it is determined that the change is not executable (prohibited), the CAD server 1
2 does not update the design data 31 and sends an error message to the CAD client 15 of the user.

In order to reduce the amount of data communication, the authority setting data of each user is given to the CAD client 15 of each user in advance, and each time the data is changed, the CAD client 15 permits / prohibits the change. May be determined. In addition, CAD client 15
Alternatively, a menu item corresponding to an operation for which the user does not have authority may be disabled in advance.

Logout from Cooperative Work The user who has completed the work can leave (logout) the cooperative work in the following procedure. That is, when the user selects “logout” in the “cooperation” menu,
The CAD client 15 sends the user I to the CAD server 12.
Send a logout request including D. The processing executed by the CAD server 12 receiving this request differs depending on whether the user is a general worker or an administrator.
First, when the user is a general worker, the CAD server 12 deletes the registration of the user from the worker list 26, and then cuts off the communication with the CAD client 15 of the user. On the other hand, if the user is an administrator,
The CAD server 12 stores the design data 31 stored in the memory 32.
It is checked whether or not is changed after reading, and if it is changed, the administrator is inquired whether or not to save the design data 31. If the administrator approves the storage of the data in response to the inquiry, the CAD server 12 stores the design data 31 in the memory 32 in the design data storage unit 30 and then disconnects the communication with all the CAD clients 15. . On the other hand, if the administrator does not approve the storage of the data, the CAD server 12 discards the design data 31 in the memory 32 and then cuts off the communication with all the CAD clients 15.

The storage format of the design data is as follows.
International standards (eg, STEP / A of ISO10303)
By using a format compliant with P202), the durability of the design data is ensured.

Next, other functions of the system of this embodiment will be described.

Processing protection function A user can protect a drawing element being edited by himself in the following procedure to prevent the drawing element from being changed by another user. First, the user selects a drawing element to be protected for processing (a plurality of drawing elements can be selected), and selects “processing protection” in the “cooperation” menu. The CAD client 15 that has received this selection sends the processing protection request including the identifier of the selected drawing element to the CAD.
Send to server 12. The processing performed by the CAD server 12 in response to this request differs depending on whether the user is an administrator or a general worker.

First, if the user is an administrator, C
The AD server 12 transmits a processing protection command to the CAD client 15 of each user together with the identifier of the selected drawing element. CAD client 1 of user other than administrator
5 receives the command, and validates a processing protection flag corresponding to the drawing element. Thereafter, the CAD client 15 of a user other than the administrator performs predetermined editing operations such as attribute change, division, and deletion on the drawing element until receiving a command for canceling processing protection of the drawing element (this will be described later). I can't do that.

On the other hand, if the user is a general worker, the CAD server 12 transmits a processing protection approval request to the CAD client 15 of the administrator. Upon receiving this request, the administrator's CAD client 15 displays, for example, the drawing elements to be processed and protected by color in the drawing area 22 and displays a window (not shown) asking whether to approve the processing protection request. I do. When the administrator performs an approval operation in this window, the CAD client 15 of the administrator sends a processing protection approval notification to the CAD server 12. The CAD server 12 that has received the notification transmits the processing protection command to the CAD client 15 of each user as described above. Thereafter, the CAD client 15 of a user other than the user who issued the processing protection request performs a predetermined editing operation such as attribute change, division, and deletion on the drawing element until receiving a processing protection release command for the drawing element. Can not. If the administrator does not approve the processing protection, the CAD client 15 of the administrator transmits a processing protection rejection notification to the CAD client 15 of the user through the CAD server 12. Upon receiving this notification, the CAD client 15 of the user displays a message notifying that the processing protection has been rejected by the administrator.

By utilizing the processing protection function as described above, a user can prevent a drawing element being edited by himself from being illegally edited by the intention or negligence of another user.

After the user has completed the work on the drawing element that is being protected for processing, select “Release processing protection” from the “Cooperation” menu.
Is selected, the CAD client 15 transmits a processing protection release request including the identifier of the drawing element to the CAD server 12. Upon receiving this request, the CAD server 12 transmits a processing protection release notification to the CAD client 15 of the administrator and transmits a processing protection release command for the drawing element to the CAD client 15 of each user. The CAD client 15 receiving this command invalidates the processing protection flag corresponding to the drawing element. Thus, the drawing element can be edited by the CAD client 15 of another user.

In the above-described processing protection mode, editing of each drawing element of the design data is permitted in principle, and editing of the processing-protected drawing element by a user other than a specific user is prohibited. It is a so-called "permission in principle" type. However, the form of processing protection is not limited to this.
For example, it is possible to provide a so-called "principle-inhibited" type of processing protection, in which editing of each drawing element of design data is prohibited in principle, and editing permission is given only to a specific user for a processing-protected drawing element. Also, for example, in the initial stage of the design in which the design drawings are changed relatively frequently, “principle permitted” type processing protection is performed, while in the final stage of the design in which the design drawing is almost completed, “principle prohibited” type processing is performed. For example, protection may be performed so that a processing protection form can be selected according to a stage or a situation.

User Authority Setting Function The administrator can set the authority of each user regarding the operation of design data in the following procedure. First, when the administrator selects “user authority setting” in the “cooperation” menu, the CAD client 15 displays a user authority setting window as indicated by reference numeral 51 in FIG. In this window, when the administrator selects a target user from the user list 52, the contents of the authority of the user at that time are displayed in the setting contents column 53. In this embodiment, "processing protection", "operation of drawing elements" and "operation of structural elements"
Setting item is prepared. For “Processing protection”, select either “Permitted” or “Not permitted”. As for “operation of drawing elements” and “operation of structural elements”, when the corresponding “change” button is pressed, an authority setting window as indicated by reference numeral 54 in FIG. 5 is displayed (however, FIG. Is an authority setting window corresponding to "operation of drawing elements"). In this window, the administrator selects “permitted” or “not permitted” for each editing operation. When the administrator executes the setting completion operation after setting the user authority, the authority change including the user authority change information (the ID of the user whose authority has been changed and the new authority setting) is transmitted from the CAD client 15 of the administrator to the CAD server 12. The request is sent. Upon receiving this request, the CAD server 12 updates data corresponding to the user in the authority setting database 28 based on the user authority change information, and transmits an authority change notification to the CAD client 15 of the user.

Management Authority Transfer Function The administrator can transfer the management authority to another user as necessary according to the following procedure. First, when the administrator selects “transfer management authority” from the “cooperation” menu, CAD
Client 15 is a user list window (not shown)
Is displayed. In this window, when the administrator selects (nominates) the user to whom the authority is to be transferred and executes the confirmation operation,
The CAD client 15 transmits a management authority transfer request including the ID of the designated user to the CAD server 12. Upon receiving this request, the CAD server 12 transmits an approval request regarding the transfer of authority to the CAD client 15 of the designated user, and the CAD client 15 that has received the request inquires whether to transfer the management authority (see FIG. (Not shown). When the user performs an approval operation in this window, the CAD client 15
An approval notification is transmitted to the server 12. C who received this notice
The AD server 12 enables the administrator flag of the user in the worker list 26, invalidates the administrator flag of the user who has the administrative authority first, and transfers the authority to the CAD client 15 of both users. Send a completion notification. On the other hand, when the user refuses the transfer of the management authority, the CAD server 12 transmits a notification of the refusal of the transfer of the management authority to the CAD client 15 of the administrator. In this case, the administrator nominates another user and performs the above operation again.

Work log management function The CAD server 12 records the contents of the various works described above (work date and time, workers, work contents, etc.) in the work log storage unit 34. When the administrator selects “work log management” from the “cooperation” menu, a work log management window as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed. In this window, the administrator can not only view the work log but also return the design data to a state at any time in the past or cancel a specific work in the past. Note that the work log management function can be used only by the CAD client 15 of the administrator. By using the work log management function, the administrator can cancel an illegal data editing result due to intentional or negligence of the user or another user and return the design data to a correct state.

User Confirmation Function When the user selects "user confirmation" in the "cooperation" menu, the CAD client 15 displays a user window as shown in FIG. In the user window, the face image 71 and the attribute information 7 of the user participating in the cooperative work are displayed.
2 (in the present embodiment, the user's name, organization / department, authority). This window allows the user to see at a glance who else is participating in the collaborative work.

Character Communication Function When the user selects “character communication” in the “cooperation” menu, the CAD client 15 displays a character communication window as shown in FIG. In the text communication window, the user can use the so-called IRC (Internet Relay Chat).
Can be used to interactively exchange messages with other users. For example, FIG. 8 shows a user window displayed on the client machine 4 of the user B. A message is written in a message column 81 of this window, and a transmission destination button “ALL” (reference numeral 8)
2) When either "A" (reference numeral 83) or "C" (reference numeral 84) is pressed, a message is transmitted to the selected destination, and the received message is displayed on the client machine 4 which has received the message. It is additionally displayed in the area 85. When a user logs in / logs out, the CAD server 12 notifies each CAD client 15 of the ID of the user who logged in / logs out, and the transmission destination button is added / deleted accordingly. The contents of messages transmitted and received between users by the above-described character communication function are all recorded by the CAD server 12. This record can be used, for example, when creating a work report.

Audio / Video Communication Function When the user selects “audio / video communication” in the “cooperation” menu, the CAD client 15 displays an audio / video communication window as shown in FIG. In the audio / video communication window, when the user selects a communication partner from the user list 91 and presses a “connect” button, CAD
The client 15 establishes a communication path with the CAD client 15 of the user as the communication partner, converts audio and video from the audio input device and the video input device of the client device 4 into digital signals, and converts the CAD of the other user into CAD. In addition to transmitting to the client 15, the audio and video are reproduced by receiving the audio and video digital signals similarly transmitted from the CAD client 15 of the partner user. The audio is reproduced through the audio output device of the client machine 4,
The video is displayed in the video display area 92 of the audio / video communication window. If such a voice / video communication function is used, each user can work while confirming the state of the other user by voice and video, so that communication between users is correctly established, and based on misunderstanding and the like. Work problems can be avoided.

By using the system of the present embodiment as described above, for example, a terminal (a personal computer or the like) having wireless communication means is installed at a building site, and the designer at the site and the internal designer at the head office are the same. The user can display the blueprint on the screen of his terminal, and can modify the blueprint cooperatively while maintaining close contact using audio and video. If the ordering side (for example, a local government) has a terminal that can connect to the Internet, the person in charge of the ordering side and the person in charge of the ordering side (for example, a construction company or a design office) each have a terminal in their own department. Can be used to perform collaborative design work.

Further, in the system of this embodiment, the administrator can flexibly set the authority of another user. So, for example,
When cooperative work is performed between designers in a company as in the first use example, all users have substantially the same broad authority with almost the same contents, and as in the second use example, a person in charge of the ordering party When performing collaborative design work, a layer is specifically created for correction instructions (so-called redlining) from the ordering side, and a person in charge of the ordering side is allowed to work only in that layer. A simple form of authority management is possible.

As described above, one embodiment of the cooperative design support system according to the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment is not limited to the above, and various other implementations are possible within the scope of the present invention. Needless to say, examples are possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the CAD server operates as a server for character communication or audio / video communication.
Another server may be prepared for these communications.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a collaborative design support system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a CAD client area configured on a WWW browser.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a “cooperation” menu.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process from login to cooperative work to display of a design drawing.

FIG. 5 is an example of a user authority setting window.

FIG. 6 is an example of a work log management window.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a user window.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a character communication window.

FIG. 9 shows an example of an audio / video communication window.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Internet 2 ... Server machine 10 ... WWW server 12 ... CAD server 18 ... CAD client program storage part 24 ... User database 26 ... Worker list 28 ... Authority setting database 30 ... Design data storage part 31 ... Design data 34 ... Work log Storage unit 4: Client machine 14: WWW browser 15: CAD client 21: Design drawing 22: Drawing area

Continuation of the front page (71) Applicant 501097525 Yoshitaka Minami 5-1-28 Miyahara, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 3F Shin-Osaka Yachiyo Building Annex 3 Kansai Research Institute, Inc. (71) Applicant 501069555 Kansai Sogo Information Co., Ltd. Research Institute 3rd Floor, Annex of Shin-Osaka Yachiyo Building, 5-1-228 Miyahara, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka (72) Inventor Shigenori Tanaka 4-72-606, Takemidai, Suita-shi, Osaka (72) Inventor Hitoshi Furuta Kyoto 2-1-246 Hadoyama, Uji-shi, Fuyu 72-72 Inventor Yoshitaka Minami 5-1-28 Miyahara, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 3F, Shin-Osaka Yachiyo Building Annex F-term in Kansai Research Institute, Inc. (reference) 5B046 CA06 HA05 KA05 5B076 AB10 BB06 FB05

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A collaborative design support system for editing design data simultaneously and in parallel using a plurality of terminals connected to a data communication network, wherein the system copes with a request transmitted from each terminal through the network. Program transmitting means for transmitting, to the terminal, a program for configuring a user interface unit for transmitting various requests to the server unit on the terminal. An authentication unit configured to authenticate a user of the terminal by a predetermined method when a request to participate in cooperative work on the design data is received from the terminal, and to register a user who has passed the authentication in a worker list; Authority setting means for setting authority for processing of the design data for each user registered in a worker list; When a request for processing is received for the data, determination means for determining whether the requested processing can be executed with the authority of the user of the terminal, and it is determined that the requested processing is executable A cooperative design support system, comprising: a design data processing unit for executing the processing on the design data in the case. 2. The data communication network according to claim 2, wherein
The cooperative design support system according to claim 1, wherein the network performs data communication according to IP. 3. The cooperative design support system according to claim 1, further comprising a processing protection unit for granting a specific user exclusive processing authority to a specific part of the design data. 4. The collaborative design support system according to claim 1, further comprising a user right management unit for allowing a user having the management right to set another user's right. 5. The collaborative design support system according to claim 1, further comprising a right transfer unit for transferring a management right from a user having the management right to another user.