GIS Event Management Framework Centralizing Database Change Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Geographic Information System (GIS) software applications face challenges with event management, as events contain partial information, requiring unique code for event handling, leading to increased complexity and maintenance burdens, and are not reusable across different databases.

Innovation Solution

An Event Management Framework (EMF) that captures and transforms events into useful forms, allowing them to be consumed by multiple applications, enabling reusable code and simplified implementation and maintenance through a REST-style solution, rather than a COM-based approach.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If local event handlers are executed locally at each client device, then event handling can be performed, but device complexity and maintenance burden increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent handling capabilityVSAvoidcode complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a central event management server as an intermediary between client devices and the database. This server subscribes to database events and redistributes them to relevant clients, eliminating the need for complex local event handling code at each device while maintaining full event handling capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The event management server provides a universal event handling mechanism that serves all client devices centrally. A single server installation handles events for the entire system, replacing the need for device-specific event handlers and reducing overall system complexity

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

2Reliability

If unique trigger code is created for each database change, then specific event handling requirements are met, but code reusability decreases and maintenance becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent handling accuracyVSAvoidmaintenance ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of creating unique trigger code for each database change, the patent uses a centralized event management server that copies and redistributes database events to relevant clients. This single source of truth ensures event handling accuracy while eliminating the need for multiple unique code implementations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts event handling logic from individual client devices and concentrates it in a central event management server. This separation allows the server to manage all event distribution centrally, improving maintainability while maintaining reliable event handling through the centralized coordination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Stability of the object's composition

If events are pushed to the backend database, then data consistency is maintained, but event information becomes inaccessible to other applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidevent information accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The event management server acts as an intermediary that receives database events, enriches them with additional information, and redistributes them to applications. This allows event information to remain accessible to applications while the database maintains its data consistency through the original event pushes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4220429A1Apparatuses, systems, and methods for providing an event management framework for a geographic information system
Publication Date: 2023.08.02 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC USA INC
  • EP4220429A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4220429A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4220429A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided for managing events in a Geographic Information System (GIS). A first event may be detected which is associated with a change made via a mapping interface of the GIS. Information associated with the first event may be cached in a memory of a computing device. A second event associated with committing of the change in a database of the GIS may be detected, and in response to detecting the second event, a new event that is a transformation of the first event stored in the memory, the second event or both may be generated.