Engineering Data Exchange via Standardized Common Memory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing engineering data exchange methods between independent tools are inefficient due to permanent file backup requirements, updating complexities, and consistency issues, especially when data is not standardized, leading to redundant storage and manual duplication, which can result in inconsistent data.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a caching strategy with a common data memory that classifies engineering data into categories for efficient access, allowing temporary access without the associated tool's operation, and using domain services with a standardized data model to facilitate data exchange between engineering tools without modifying existing data models.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If engineering data is stored in tool-specific data formats in separate data memories, then data integrity for each tool is maintained, but data exchange efficiency deteriorates due to conversion requirements and redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments engineering data into two categories: tool-specific data stored in tool-specific data memories and standardized system function data stored in a standardized common data memory. This segmentation allows each tool to maintain its own data integrity while sharing standardized data efficiently across tools, resolving the contradiction between data integrity and exchange efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a converting unit as an intermediary that converts tool-specific engineering data into a standardized data format for storage in the standardized common data memory. This intermediary enables efficient data exchange between tools while maintaining the original tool-specific data formats, thus preserving data integrity while improving exchange efficiency.
2Productivity
If all engineering data is standardized and stored in a common data memory, then data exchange efficiency improves, but the complexity of data conversion and storage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data into tool-specific data (stored locally in tool-specific data memories) and standardized system function data (stored in the standardized common data memory). Only the necessary system function data is standardized and shared, reducing the overall complexity of data conversion and storage while maintaining efficient data exchange.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different data storage strategies to different types of data: tool-specific data remains in local tool-specific formats in separate memories, while only system function data requiring cross-tool access is standardized and stored in the common data memory. This local quality approach minimizes conversion complexity while maximizing exchange efficiency where needed.
3Reliability
If engineering data is continuously updated across all tools, then data consistency is maintained, but the time and resources required for synchronization increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the specific system function data that requires consistency across tools and stores it in the standardized common data memory, while leaving other tool-specific data to be managed independently by each tool. This extraction approach maintains data consistency for critical shared data without requiring synchronization of all data, thus reducing synchronization time and resource consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for the exchange of engineering data (RED) between independent engineering tools (ET1 . . . ETx) of an engineering system (ESY) and to an engineering system, wherein engineering data (ET1PD . . . ETxPD) of each of the engineering tools (ET1 . . . ETx), which is associated with a project such as a production system, a switching system or a robot cell, is stored in a tool-specific data format in a data memory (SR, SPMR) associated with the engineering tool, and wherein user-selected engineering data (ET1D . . . ETxD) of the engineering tools, which is associated with a system function (SF1 . . . SFn) such as a project management function, a topology management function, a variable exchange function or a diagnosis function and which is of interest for at least an additional one of the engineering tools, is converted by means of a converting unit (ETC1 . . . ETCx) into a standardized data format and is stored in a standardized common data memory (CC). In order to optimize the exchange of engineering data at engineering time and in order to achieve minimal redundancy without change of the existing data models of the engineering tools, it is provided that changes of the selected engineering data (ET1D . . . ETxD) of the individual engineering tools (ET1D . . . ETxD), which is associated with a system function (SF1 . . . SFn), are continuously cached in the standardized common data memory (CC) and are read as needed at any time by one of the engineering tools (ET1 . . . ETx), and that, for a temporary access to all the engineering data (ET1PD . . . ET1XPD) associated with the project by a requesting engineering tool, a start of the providing engineering tool is carried out.