Automation Log File Summarization for Cross-System Event Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large technical facilities, such as power plants, generate numerous incompatible and complex log files that overwhelm operators, making it difficult to monitor and control components effectively due to the sheer volume and heterogeneity of data.
Innovation Solution
A method for automatically processing log files involves concatenating, compressing, coding, and grouping data sets to create a unified summary file, using numeric codes for sorting and grouping, and removing irrelevant characters to simplify analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple different types of log files are generated to monitor various components, then the monitoring coverage is improved, but the compatibility and comparability of log file contents deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal log file structure that can accommodate multiple types of components and monitoring data through standardized message parts. The summary file format uses generic fields (time, message, notification, status text) that can represent diverse log entries from different components uniformly, enabling both broad monitoring coverage and consistent processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms heterogeneous log file contents into a standardized parameter structure by extracting and normalizing key attributes (timestamp, message type, status) into consistent fields. This parameter transformation allows different log types to be represented using the same data structure, improving compatibility while maintaining the ability to distinguish between different log categories through standardized message content.
2Loss of information
If the quantity of log files increases to capture more events, then the information completeness is improved, but the difficulty of overview and assessment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual log files into a single summary file that consolidates all log entries from different components and time periods. This consolidation maintains complete information from all source logs while presenting it in a unified, manageable format that operators can review as one comprehensive file rather than navigating numerous separate files.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments log file content into structured message parts (time, message, notification, status text) that can be independently processed and analyzed. This segmentation allows operators to quickly scan and assess different aspects of system status without being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of raw log data, improving overview capability while preserving information completeness.
3Measurement precision
If detailed measured values are collected from all components, then the analysis precision is improved, but the data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential message parts from detailed log entries (time, message content, notification type, status text) while leaving out redundant or less critical data. This extraction maintains the precision needed for event analysis by preserving key information while reducing the overall data volume and processing complexity associated with handling complete raw log files.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for automatically processing log files of different types of an automation system, said method determining a message part of a data set of the log file. All contents of the respective data sets of the log files are concatenated. The data sets of all the log files are summarized in a summary file. The data sets of all the log files are chronologically sorted in the summary file. The data sets are compressed in the summary file. The compressed data sets in the summary file are coded. The compressed data sets are assigned to groups with associated group codes. The group code of the assigned group is decoded. The decoded group code is output as the alphanumeric message part of the log file. The alphanumeric message part of the log file is stored in a memory.