Autoencoder Embedding Analysis for Out-of-Sample ML Models

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Solution Overview

Problem

Machine learning models, particularly in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), operate as 'black boxes', making it difficult for developers to understand their inner workings, especially when dealing with out-of-sample data, which conventional dimensionality reduction techniques like t-SNE and UMAP cannot effectively generalize to, leading to inefficiencies in model adaptation and data-set optimization.

Innovation Solution

Training an autoencoder to perform dimensionality reduction on data from embedding layers of machine learning models, using a custom loss function that combines reconstruction loss and error, allowing visualization and analysis of out-of-sample data, and employing a tanh activation function for enhanced understanding and model adaptation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional dimensionality reduction techniques (t-SNE, UMAP) are used to visualize embedding layer data, then in-sample data can be effectively visualized, but out-of-sample data cannot be generalized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegeneralization to out-of-sample dataVSAvoidvisualization accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent trains an autoencoder model in advance using in-sample data to learn the mapping from high-dimensional embedding space to visualizable latent space. This preliminary training enables the model to generalize to out-of-sample data without requiring re-training, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an autoencoder as an intermediary model that bridges the gap between the ML model's embedding layer and human interpretable visualizations. The autoencoder's bottleneck layer serves as a mediator that transforms high-dimensional data into a lower-dimensional representation that preserves structural relationships while enabling generalization to unseen data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If ML models are treated as black boxes, then model complexity is reduced, but transparency and understanding of learned principles are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodel interpretabilityVSAvoidlearned principles understanding
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts data from the embedding layer of the ML model and processes it through an autoencoder to produce visualizable representations. This extraction approach allows developers to examine the internal representations without modifying the original black box model, thereby maintaining model complexity while gaining transparency into learned principles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Measurement precision

If new analysis is run for each out-of-sample data assessment, then accurate model analysis is achieved, but computational cost and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodel analysis accuracyVSAvoidanalysis time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary training of the autoencoder on in-sample data to establish a reusable visualization pipeline. Once trained, the autoencoder can rapidly process out-of-sample data without requiring new analysis runs, significantly reducing computational cost and time while maintaining analysis accuracy through the learned transformation mapping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4651030A1Machine learning model and trained autoencoder for machine learning model analysis
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 APTIV TECHNOLOGIES AG
  • EP4651030A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4651030A1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b
  • EP4651030A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method of training an autoencoder (202) for analysing a machine learning model (102), an autoencoder (202) for analysing a machine learning model (102), a system and a computer program product, the method comprising: extracting output data from an embedding layer of the machine learning model (102) operating on in-sample data, performing dimensionality reduction on at least a portion of the extracted output data from the embedding layer to obtain first dimensionality reduced data (302), and training the autoencoder (202) to generate corresponding intermediate dimensionality reduced data (304) at the bottleneck (206) of the autoencoder from the at least a portion of the extracted output data.