Digital Access Elements for Secure Coating Material Data Sharing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for managing chemical product data, such as the International Material Data System (IMDS), are static, prone to errors, cumbersome, and insecure, making data exchange and sharing laborious and risky, especially in complex supply chains like those for coating materials.

Innovation Solution

A digital access element is generated for coating materials, comprising a digital identifier and access data, allowing for indirect access to coating material data while maintaining unrestricted access to the digital access element itself, thus enabling simpler and more secure data exchange.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a centralized system like IMDS is used to manage chemical product data, then data collection and exchange can be standardized, but data security concerns arise and the system becomes cumbersome and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata exchange capabilityVSAvoiddata security

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a digital access element as an intermediary between data seekers and the actual chemical product data. This access element contains encoded information that grants controlled access to data without exposing the entire data set, thereby maintaining security while enabling exchange. The access element acts as a mediator that bridges the need for data sharing and data protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments chemical product data into controlled access portions and restricted portions. Instead of providing full data sets, the system divides data access into discrete, controllable units through digital access elements. This segmentation allows specific data to be shared while maintaining security over sensitive information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If all coating material data is made accessible to third parties, then data transparency is improved, but data security and owner control are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transparencyVSAvoiddata security risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing different levels of data access to different parties based on their needs and authorization. The digital access element enables selective transparency where specific data portions are made accessible to particular third parties while maintaining security for other data. Each access element can be tailored with specific access rights for specific data portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of information

If traditional material passports listing all constituents are used, then complete material characterization is achieved, but data security and simplicity are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial characterization completenessVSAvoiddata structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential access information needed for data retrieval from complete material passports. Instead of including all material constituents and detailed characterization data in the passport itself, the digital access element contains only the necessary keys and pointers to access the full data set, simplifying the passport structure while maintaining access capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20250028926A1Apparatus for generating a digital access element

Publication Date: 2025.01.23 BASF COATINGS GMBH

AI summary

Disclosed herein are an apparatus for generating a digital access element, a corresponding method, and a computer program.