Geospatial Network Model Caching for Mobile Tracing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing distribution network models, such as the Geometric Network model, are platform-dependent, leading to limitations in mobile device access, high latency, and inefficiencies in electric tracing functions due to lack of direct access to network topology and complex modeling of loops and multiple circuit sources.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that creates a geospatial network model by receiving GIS data, determining adjacency relationships, and generating a data structure representing the distribution network, allowing for local storage and optimized lookup speed, enabling efficient tracing operations and offline analysis on client devices across various platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the Geometric Network model is stored in a GIS database with server-side creation, then the network topology and connectivity relationships can be maintained, but the application requires a full installation of ArcGIS Desktop software which is platform-dependent and cannot be installed on mobile operating systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the network topology data and connectivity relationships from the server-side Geometric Network model and stores them in a simplified data structure that can be accessed without requiring the full ArcGIS Desktop software installation. This allows the tracing functionality to work on mobile devices and web browsers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary data structure that acts as a bridge between the server-side Geometric Network model and the client-side tracing functionality. This intermediary structure contains the essential topology information needed for tracing without requiring the complex ArcGIS Desktop environment.
2Reliability
If the application queries the geodatabase for each user selection, then the network topology data can be accessed, but the application becomes slow and unresponsive due to high latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-loading and caching the network topology data and connectivity relationships into a local data structure when the application starts or when the service area is loaded. This eliminates the need for repeated database queries during tracing operations, significantly reducing latency and improving responsiveness.
3Reliability
If the existing Geometric Network model is used for electric tracing, then the network connectivity can be represented, but the tracing implementation becomes complex and inefficient due to lack of direct access to topology and limited support for loops and multiple circuit sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tracing functionality into distinct components: (1) loading and caching the network topology data structure, (2) performing the tracing operation using cached data, and (3) handling special cases like loops and multiple circuit sources. This segmentation simplifies the implementation by isolating complexity into manageable parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the data structure parameters from the server-side Geometric Network model to a client-friendly format that includes direct access to topology information and connectivity relationships. This parameter change enables more efficient tracing algorithms that can handle loops and multiple circuit sources without the complexity of the original model.
Data Source
AI summary
System and methods for creating a geospatial network model in a client environment are disclosed. The system residing on a client device receives Geographic Information System (GIS) data for a distribution network, which includes spatial information and non-spatial information (e.g., attributes) relating to features in the distribution network, from a remote GIS database. The system uses the spatial information in the GIS data to construct an undirected graph that is represented by a set of adjacency relationships between the features and utilizes the non-spatial information to traverse the undirected graph in order to construct a directed graph that is represented as a set of directed adjacency relationships between the features. The system stores the data structure corresponding to the directed graph in the form of an array or hashtable in the client device's cache memory for use in performing network analyses such as tracing analysis without accessing the GIS database.