Patent US 8,229,871

Methods and systems are provided for a systematic approach to computer aided inventing. In a modeling environment, a model representing any item, composition or process can be defined and configured using the lexicon and specification of an innovation database. In the model, objects can be identified, defined, and configured to provide the model with constituent products, components, features and materials. An innovation engine automatically applies one or more morphs from the innovation database to the objects of the model to generate morphed versions of the model that may provide innovations of or invention to the item, composition or process represented by the model.