Configuration Table Error Detection With Active Learning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Manual entry of configuration data in industrial plant spreadsheets leads to human errors and error propagation, especially when new equipment is introduced, due to copy-pasting from similar machines, resulting in incorrect configuration values.

Innovation Solution

A system using a trained table encoder with a tabular language model and token classification head to estimate error probabilities in configuration table cells, combined with an active learning strategy to select diverse and uncertain candidate cells for re-training, enabling automated error detection and correction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual entry of configuration data is used, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but human errors and error propagation occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration data qualityVSAvoidmanual entry process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by automatically detecting and correcting configuration errors without requiring manual intervention. The error detection model autonomously analyzes configuration tables, identifies erroneous entries, and suggests corrections, allowing the system to serve itself rather than relying on continuous manual monitoring and correction by operators.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical manual entry process with an automated AI-based system. Instead of humans manually entering and verifying configuration data, a machine learning model automatically processes configuration tables, detects errors, and generates corrections, substituting human cognitive and manual operations with automated computational processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If copy-pasting from existing configuration entries is used, then efficiency is improved, but error propagation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration entry speedVSAvoidconfiguration data accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring configuration tables for errors and providing automated corrections. When copy-pasting creates erroneous configurations, the error detection model identifies these errors and generates feedback in the form of correction suggestions, allowing the system to learn from and correct its own mistakes rather than propagating errors silently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by detecting and correcting errors before they can propagate through the system. The error detection model analyzes configuration tables proactively, identifying potential errors in copy-pasted entries before they are finalized, thereby preventing error propagation rather than reacting to errors after they have occurred.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If automated error detection is implemented, then configuration data quality is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration data qualityVSAvoiderror detection system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system achieves universality by designing a multi-functional error detection model that can handle various types of configuration errors across different equipment and systems. Rather than creating separate specialized systems for different error types, the model universally analyzes configuration tables, identifies diverse error patterns, and provides appropriate corrections, reducing overall system complexity through consolidation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary error detection model that acts as a mediator between the configuration data and the users. This intermediary layer automatically analyzes configuration tables, detects errors, and provides corrections, shielding users from the complexity of error detection algorithms while maintaining high data quality. The intermediary absorbs the system complexity rather than exposing it to users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Measurement precision

If expert annotation is used for training, then model accuracy is improved, but time and resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerror detection accuracyVSAvoidtraining time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies self-service in the training process by automatically generating training data and labels without requiring expert annotation. The error detection model analyzes configuration tables, identifies errors, and creates its own training datasets, eliminating the time-consuming manual annotation process while maintaining high accuracy through automated learning from real-world configuration data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by automatically replicating training data from existing configuration tables. Instead of manually creating training datasets through expert annotation, the system copies and transforms real configuration data into training samples, preserving the natural distribution and characteristics of actual configuration errors while dramatically reducing the time and resources required for training.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS20260111657A1Method and system for automatically detecting errors in industrial plant configuration tables
Publication Date: 2026.04.23 SIEMENS AG
  • US20260111657A1 patent drawing
  • US20260111657A1 patent drawing
  • US20260111657A1 patent drawing

AI summary

For automatically detecting errors in industrial plant configuration tables (CT), a table encoder (TE) is trained to estimate an estimated probability that the cells in the tables contain an error. According to an embodiment, the table encoder is initially trained with a set of configuration tables. An Active Learning Query Strategy (ALQS) selects candidate cells (CC) from the set of configuration tables with a mixed strategy combining uncertainty sampling with a penalty for picking multiple candidate cells from the same configuration table. A user interface receives labeled cells (LC), wherein the labeled cells contain the candidate cells as well as labels indicating whether the candidate cells are erroneous. A training component (TC) performs gradient updates (GU) on the table encoder, using the labeled cells. As a result, the table encoder is re-trained after each user interaction to become a table token classification model. Using active learning, which is novel with regard to token classification in tabular data, allows to reduce the required amount of labeled data efficiently. The Active Learning Query Strategy balances uncertainty versus diversity and ensures that the candidate cells are selected from a diverse range of configuration tables. This embodiment provides a novel active learning workflow for tabular data and deep machine learning models. Furthermore, this embodiment saves experts time in annotating cells in configuration tables.