Traversal-free BOM Updates via Scratch Tables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data management systems, such as PDM systems, face inefficiencies in identifying and synchronizing updates within large data structures like BOM structures, as they require traversing the entire structure, which is time-consuming and memory-intensive, especially when only a small percentage of the structure changes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a traversal-free process that uses database triggers to record changes and maintains scratch and accountability tables to identify updated components, allowing for incremental updates without re-traversing the structure, focusing only on potentially modified elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional traversal methods are used to identify and synchronize updates in large data structures, then completeness of update detection is improved, but processing time and memory consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large data structure into smaller manageable units (BOMLines and their associated components) and uses separate tracking tables (scratch table and accountability table) to monitor changes. This segmentation allows the system to process only relevant portions of the data structure rather than traversing the entire structure, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining complete update detection through systematic tracking of each segment's change status.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by maintaining scratch tables and accountability tables that continuously track changes as they occur in the data structure. Database triggers are set up in advance to automatically record modifications, deletions, and insertions. When an update synchronization is needed, the system can immediately query these pre-populated tables to identify changed elements without performing a full traversal, thus detecting all updates completely while minimizing processing time.
2Reliability
If conventional traversal methods are used to identify and synchronize updates in large data structures, then completeness of update detection is improved, but memory consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the monitoring function into segmented tracking tables (scratch table for candidate changes, accountability table for export status) rather than loading the entire data structure into memory for traversal. This segmentation allows the system to maintain only the necessary metadata about changes in memory, significantly reducing memory consumption while ensuring complete update detection through systematic tracking of each segment's state.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies of change information in the scratch table and accountability table, storing only the essential metadata (object identifiers, change timestamps, export status) rather than the full data structure. These copied tracking records enable complete update detection through efficient queries while consuming minimal memory compared to traversing or storing the entire original data structure.
3Productivity
If incremental updates focusing only on potentially modified elements are implemented, then processing efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by setting up database triggers and maintaining scratch tables that automatically track changes as they occur. This pre-established infrastructure enables the system to efficiently identify potentially modified elements through simple queries on pre-populated tracking tables, achieving high processing efficiency. The added system complexity is managed through standardized trigger mechanisms and table structures that automate the tracking process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary tracking tables (scratch table and accountability table) that mediate between the data structure and the update synchronization process. These intermediaries capture change information in a standardized format, allowing the system to efficiently query for potentially modified elements without directly traversing the complex data structure. The intermediary layer manages the system complexity by providing a simplified interface for change tracking while maintaining processing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A PDM system, method, and computer program product for data transfer. A method includes determining a plurality of bill of material (BOM) components for a BOMLine by the PDM data processing system. The method includes determining a last export date for the BOMLine and determining a last saved date for at least one of the plurality of BOM components. The method includes creating an updated BOMLine corresponding to the components, without traversing a BOM structure, when the last saved date is more recent than the last export date, and publishing the updated BOMLine.