Data Finder Tool Optimized Custom Properties

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Technical Data Management (TDM) solutions face challenges in scaling across enterprise systems due to the lack of a standardized data format, leading to difficulties in data location and coordination, resulting in expensive and time-consuming development, maintenance, and inefficient scaling.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for searching and manipulating data using a data finder tool that allows users to specify search criteria through a graphical user interface or scripts, utilizing meta-data to locate measurement data, and providing connection information and plug-ins to remote clients for data access, while optimizing custom properties for faster searching.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If customized programming is used for each application accessing stored data, then data access functionality is achieved, but system complexity and development costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata access functionalityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a standardized data access interface layer that acts as an intermediary between applications and the data store. This interface provides uniform methods for searching, retrieving, and manipulating measurement data, eliminating the need for customized programming in each application while maintaining full data access functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal data access framework that can serve multiple applications simultaneously. The standardized interface and common data store design allow different applications to access and process measurement data without requiring application-specific customization, thereby reducing overall system complexity.

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple data formats are used by different applications, then application-specific requirements are met, but data location and coordination become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication-specific requirementsVSAvoiddata location information
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates and maintains an index that copies and organizes metadata from the actual measurement data files. This index contains location information and descriptive attributes, allowing applications to search and locate data efficiently without needing to parse multiple data formats directly, thus preventing loss of location information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The standardized data access interface serves as an intermediary that handles format conversion and data location transparently. Applications interact with the uniform interface rather than dealing directly with multiple data formats, eliminating the coordination difficulties while still meeting application-specific requirements through the standardized methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If standardized data format adoption is implemented, then data management efficiency improves, but migration costs and operational disruption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata management efficiencyVSAvoidmigration time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a gradual migration strategy where applications can progressively adopt the standardized interface. The framework allows partial implementation and incremental integration, enabling organizations to improve data management efficiency over time without requiring complete, simultaneous migration of all systems, thus reducing migration time and disruption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Adaptability or versatility

If customized code is used for integrating various components, then integration functionality is achieved, but maintenance difficulty and development costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration functionalityVSAvoidmaintenance ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes a universal integration framework with standardized interfaces and common data structures. This framework provides reusable components and methods that can be applied across different applications and scenarios, achieving integration functionality while significantly reducing maintenance difficulty through code reusability and consistency.

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

Data Source

PatentUS8386464B2Configuration of optimized custom properties in a data finder tool
Publication Date: 2013.02.26 NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORP
  • US8386464B2 patent drawing
  • US8386464B2 patent drawing
  • US8386464B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method and system is presented which provides a TDM framework for managing self-describing measurement data. The TDM framework provides applications with a central platform for accessing measurement data across an entire enterprise system. By means of individual plug-ins, which may be specific to a given data file format, meta-data for each data store in the enterprise may be indexed in a unified manner. The unified indexing, in turn, provides the ability to browse and query the indexed measurement data without requiring the opening or reading from a source data file.