Code Authority Service for Infrastructure Modeling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional computer-based modeling architectures lack a centralized system for generating and managing codes for infrastructure elements, leading to issues with code duplication, changes, and integrity loss in unmanaged approaches, and reliance on multiple 'sources of truth' in over-managed systems.
Innovation Solution
A chain of authority is established from a local code authority to a cloud-based code authority service, with codes structured into three parts: a specification part, scope part, and value part, ensuring uniqueness and integrity through a centralized code generation and caching mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If codes are stored locally with infrastructure elements in unmanaged approaches, then implementation simplicity is improved, but code integrity and uniqueness are worsened due to duplication and changes by different software systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a code authority service as an intermediary between infrastructure elements and codes. This service acts as a centralized mediator that generates, manages, and validates codes, eliminating the need for distributed code management while maintaining implementation simplicity. The code authority service ensures code integrity by being the single source of truth for code generation and validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The code authority service provides universal code management functionality across the entire infrastructure model. It serves multiple purposes: generating unique codes, validating code assignments, managing code scopes, and providing a chain of authority. This multi-functional approach replaces multiple distributed code management systems with a single universal service.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple software entities independently manage codes in over-managed approaches, then code generation capability is improved, but reliability is worsened due to multiple sources of truth with no ultimate arbiter
Solution Approach 1:
The code authority service serves as a central intermediary that all software entities must consult for code management. Instead of multiple independent code generators, the system has one authoritative service that generates codes and provides them to various software entities. This eliminates the multiple sources of truth problem while maintaining code generation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple distributed code management functions into a single code authority service. All code generation, validation, and management operations are combined in one centralized service, eliminating the conflicts that arise from multiple independent code management entities while preserving the ability to serve multiple clients and infrastructure elements.
3Reliability
If a centralized code authority service is implemented, then code integrity and uniqueness are improved, but system complexity is worsened due to chain of authority and distributed architecture
Solution Approach 1:
The code authority service is segmented into independent components that can be distributed across different systems. Each client has a local code authority that interfaces with the central code authority service, allowing the system to be divided into manageable segments while maintaining centralized control. This reduces the perceived complexity by breaking down the monolithic centralized service into smaller, manageable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The code authority service performs preliminary actions by pre-generating and caching codes before they are needed by clients. This allows codes to be prepared in advance and distributed to clients, reducing the complexity of real-time code generation and validation. The preliminary generation of codes with their scopes and specifications simplifies the overall system operation.
4Productivity
If codes are generated and cached locally at client code authority, then code assignment speed is improved, but code uniqueness guarantee is worsened without central verification
Solution Approach 1:
The code authority service performs preliminary code generation and validation before distributing codes to clients. Codes are generated with their scopes and specifications pre-defined and cached locally at the client code authority. This preliminary action ensures that codes are ready for immediate assignment while maintaining uniqueness guarantees, as the central service has already validated them before distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the local code authority verifies codes against the central code authority service. When codes are generated or validated locally, the system checks back with the central service to ensure uniqueness and proper scope. This feedback loop maintains code uniqueness while allowing fast local operations.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
In various embodiments, techniques are provided for coordinating the assignment of codes to infrastructure elements in an infrastructure modeling software architecture. A chain of authority is provided from a code authority local to a client to a cloud-based code authority service. Further, a code is structured in three parts, including a code specification part identifying a code specification that indicates what information is encoded into the code and how it is encoded, a code scope part based on boundaries over which the code authority guarantees the code is unique, and a code value part with a unique value.