Engineering Configuration Data Change Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In industrial facilities, managing control and instrumentation systems with diverse engineering configuration data formats and storage mechanisms poses challenges in creating a unified information system for detecting and tracking changes, leading to performance issues and scalability problems due to large data sizes and varied formats.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that convert engineering configuration data from different formats into a common generic format, using data agents and parsers to extract and store data in a single information source, allowing for the detection of changes by comparing snapshots with a timestamp, thus reducing the need to store complete snapshot data for every update.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional snapshot collection methods are used to store complete ECD data from multiple C&I systems, then all configuration data can be captured and tracked, but storage requirements and processing resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential identification elements (object IDs, connection IDs, association IDs) from complete ECD snapshots, storing merely these key identifiers rather than full configuration data. This extraction approach maintains the ability to detect and track changes while dramatically reducing storage requirements from gigabytes to minimal metadata records.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the storage approach by changing the parameters being stored - instead of storing complete configuration data with all attributes and details, it stores only identification parameters (object IDs, connection IDs, association IDs) and version information. This parameter transformation enables efficient storage while preserving change detection capability through subsequent ID-based comparisons.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate information systems are created for each C&I system to match their specific formats, then each system can be optimized for its native format, but device complexity and integration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal information system that can handle multiple C&I system formats through a single standardized interface. By defining a common data model with standardized object IDs, connection IDs, and association IDs, the system achieves multi-functionality - it can collect, store, and compare configuration data from diverse sources (DCS, PLC, safety systems) without requiring separate specialized systems for each vendor or platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer - a standardized information model with universal ID structures - that mediates between diverse C&I system formats and the change detection functionality. This intermediary standardization layer translates various native formats into a common representation, enabling integrated management without direct customization for each system.
3Measurement precision
If complete snapshots are stored for every update to enable change detection, then all changes can be accurately tracked, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and stores only the critical identification elements (object IDs, connection IDs, association IDs) from complete snapshots. By storing merely these key identifiers rather than full configuration data, the system maintains accurate change detection capability while reducing processing time for storage and retrieval operations from handling gigabytes of data to processing minimal metadata records.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by storing only the necessary portion of snapshot data - specifically the identification elements required for change detection - rather than complete configuration data. This partial storage approach is sufficient for the intended purpose of tracking changes through ID comparison, while avoiding the excessive processing overhead of storing and managing complete snapshots.
4Loss of information
If large snapshot data collections are processed to identify changes, then comprehensive change tracking is achieved, but system performance and scalability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and stores only the essential identification elements (object IDs, connection IDs, association IDs) needed for change tracking, eliminating the need to process large volumes of complete snapshot data. This extraction approach maintains comprehensive change tracking capability while dramatically improving system performance by reducing data collection sizes from gigabytes to minimal metadata, enabling scalable deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the storage parameters from complete configuration data to minimal identification parameters (object IDs, connection IDs, association IDs). This parameter transformation enables comprehensive change tracking through ID-based comparison while significantly improving productivity by reducing processing time, storage I/O, and computational resources required for snapshot management.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of detecting and tracking changes in engineering configuration data (ECD) for control and instrumentation (C&I) systems an industrial facility. First ECD in a first data format used in a first C&I system and second ECD in a second data format used in a second C&I system are converted into a common format. The first and second ECD are stored together as reference snapshot data with a timestamp in a single information source. At a second time, after the first time reflected in the timestamp, the first and second ECD are obtained. The first ECD and the second ECD obtained at the second time are converted into the common format that collectively provides updated snapshot data. Changes are detected between the first ECD and the second ECD by comparing the reference snapshot data to the updated snapshot data.