Empirical Data Management With Environmental Metadata Alerts

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing empirical data management systems (EDMS) fail to adequately incorporate environmental data as metadata, which can significantly impact instrument measurements and experimental outcomes, leading to overlooked influences on scientific and manufacturing processes.

Innovation Solution

An EDMS system that aggregates and stores environmental data as metadata alongside process data, using environmental sensors to determine correlations with specified operating ranges, prompting users with recommendations to modify processes or protocols when deviations occur.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If environmental data is collected and stored as metadata alongside process data, then the completeness and reliability of data classification is improved, but the system complexity and data storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines environmental data and process data into a unified data structure where environmental parameters are stored as metadata alongside process measurements. This merging approach ensures that all relevant data is captured together, improving data reliability while avoiding the need for separate environmental monitoring systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The EDMS is designed to handle multiple types of data (environmental metadata and process data) through a single integrated platform. The system can store, retrieve, and analyze both environmental conditions and process measurements using common data structures and interfaces, reducing overall system complexity.

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

2Measurement precision

If environmental sensors are integrated into the EDMS to monitor conditions in real-time, then the accuracy of process understanding is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess measurement accuracyVSAvoidsensor integration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Environmental sensors are integrated into the existing EDMS infrastructure, combining environmental monitoring capabilities with process data collection. This approach enables real-time accuracy assessment without requiring entirely separate sensor systems, thereby improving measurement precision while controlling complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Loss of information

If the system stores extensive environmental metadata for every process data point, then the ability to detect correlations and anomalies is improved, but the data storage requirements and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-processes and structures environmental metadata as it is collected, organizing data into standardized formats and establishing initial correlations before full analysis is required. This preliminary organization reduces the computational burden during subsequent analysis, maintaining information completeness while decreasing processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4100702B1Emperical data management systems and methods of use
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 ELEMENTAL MACHINES INC
  • EP4100702B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4100702B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4100702B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An empirical data management system (EDMS) includes an application server, an environmental sensor unit, a process instrument, a data storage system, and a correlation module. If a correlation exists between two or more of process data, environmental data, and specified environmental operating ranges of the process instrument, a user is prompted with a specific message such as a recommendation, warning and/or query.