Context-Sensitive Audit Trail for Operator Error Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack an automated method to correlate operator actions with subsequent system errors in technical systems, making it difficult to identify and correct the root causes of errors, as error messages are not processed and stored in a common tool, and expert correlation is not mandatory.
Innovation Solution
A control system that automatically links error messages to operator requests and responses, requiring operator acknowledgment and digital signature, creating a context-sensitive, tamper-proof audit trail that correlates operator actions with their consequences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If expert-based correlation is used to relate operator actions to system errors, then some correlation can be established based on experience, but the process is not definitive and cannot directly identify root causes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual expert correlation process with an automated computer-based system that uses algorithms to link operator actions with system errors. The control system automatically retrieves operator actions from the audit trail and correlates them with error messages, eliminating the need for manual expert analysis and providing definitive, reproducible correlations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computer system that acts as a mediator between operator actions and system errors. This intermediary automatically processes and correlates data from both sources, providing a structured bridge that enables precise identification of root causes without requiring direct expert intervention.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple operator actions are recorded simultaneously in separate tools, then comprehensive data is captured, but concrete meaningful correlation becomes very difficult to establish
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges previously separate data storage systems into a unified audit trail. Operator actions and system errors are now captured in a single integrated database structure, allowing the control system to easily correlate them by timestamp and context without the complexity of cross-referencing multiple separate tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal audit trail system that handles multiple types of data (operator actions, system errors, timestamps) in a single structured format. This multi-functional database can store and retrieve diverse information types consistently, enabling seamless correlation across different data sources.
3Loss of information
If operator actions are recorded without linking to consequences, then the audit trail shows what operators did, but the information content about cause-effect relationships is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by automatically linking operator actions with their consequences (system errors). The control system retrieves error messages and correlates them with preceding operator actions, providing complete cause-effect information in the audit trail. This enables efficient evaluation of operator impact without manual analysis.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A method for controlling a technical system by means of a control system (1) is proposed, in which the control system (1), after processing a request from an operator, generates a response message to the request. If a faulty state of the technical system occurs, associated fault messages are linked in an automated manner to the request and the response message in the time between the request and the generation of the response message, and a corresponding item of information relating thereto is presented to the operator. The method is characterized in that the link between the request, response message and fault messages is provided with a digital signature of the operator who made the request to the control system (1).