BIM Server Data Validation for COBie Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems lack data management tools to validate data integrity and quality, leading to errors that negatively impact building design, construction, and maintenance, requiring users to access additional programs for COBie data viewing and increasing user productivity and data management inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A method for operating a BIM system that includes a BIM server receiving data alteration requests, validating data in real-time through a validation lookup list, and permitting alterations based on predetermined permissions, ensuring the validity of data changes in the building model, hierarchical structure, and COBie spreadsheet, thereby enhancing data reliability and management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If users access additional programs to view COBie data, then data viewing capability is improved, but user productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata viewing capabilityVSAvoiduser productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple data viewing capabilities (3D building models, COBie data, hierarchical structure data) into a single integrated BIM software interface. Users can view and interact with all these data types simultaneously without switching between different programs, thereby maintaining data viewing versatility while improving user productivity by eliminating the need to access additional programs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If users manipulate BIM data without validation tools, then data manipulation flexibility is improved, but data reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata manipulation flexibilityVSAvoiddata reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements automatic validation checks that are performed in advance before data manipulation operations are executed. The system validates data integrity, checks for errors, and verifies data quality before allowing modifications to be applied to the BIM model, COBie data, or hierarchical structure. This preliminary validation ensures data reliability is maintained while preserving user flexibility in manipulating BIM data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If data validation is performed in real-time, then data quality is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata qualityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous real-time validation that operates automatically as users manipulate BIM data throughout the entire data manipulation process. Rather than performing validation only at specific checkpoints or after completion, the system continuously monitors and validates data quality, allowing users to receive immediate feedback while maintaining efficient workflow. This continuous validation approach ensures high data quality without significant processing time delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS11263364B2Methods and systems for processing building information modeling (BIM)-based data
Publication Date: 2022.03.01 VIEWPOINT
  • US11263364B2 patent drawing
  • US11263364B2 patent drawing
  • US11263364B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for operating a building information modeling (BIM) system, is provided. The method includes at a BIM server, receiving a data alteration request from a client computing device for altering data in one of a building model, a hierarchical structure of building model data, and a Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie) spreadsheet, the building model, hierarchical structure of building model data, and COBie spreadsheet simultaneously displayed in a GUI generated by the BIM server, automatically determining validity of data in the data alteration request, and if it is determined that the data is valid, permitting the data alteration request based on predetermined permissions of the client computing device.