Hierarchical Product Data Navigation for Large RFLP Models

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Product Data Management (PDM) systems face challenges in efficiently navigating and authoring large, complex product lifecycle data across various stages, particularly in managing hundreds of thousands of objects and performing impact analysis in a user-friendly and scalable manner.

Innovation Solution

The system employs a diagrammatic approach to navigate and author configured product lifecycle data by receiving requests for expanded details, parsing and configuring models, traversing to collect data, and packaging it for clients, enabling seamless integration with bill of materials and index BOM, and providing real-time navigable diagrams for understanding product lifecycle aspects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If traditional PDM systems are used to manage large product lifecycle data, then data management capability is provided, but navigation and authoring efficiency deteriorates when handling hundreds of thousands of objects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of objectsVSAvoidnavigation and authoring efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the large product lifecycle data model into hierarchical levels (level 1, level 2, etc.) where each level represents a manageable subset of the total data. This allows users to navigate and author data in smaller, organized portions rather than dealing with all hundreds of thousands of objects simultaneously, thereby maintaining efficiency while managing large quantities of data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a new dimensional organization by creating multi-level hierarchical views of the product data. Instead of a single flat structure, data is organized across multiple levels that can be navigated vertically and horizontally, adding a dimensional aspect to data access that improves navigation efficiency in large datasets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If detailed impact analysis is performed across product development stages, then decision accuracy improves, but system complexity and time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpact analysis accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments impact analysis into level-specific analyses where changes at one hierarchical level are analyzed in context with that level's data structure and relationships. This segmented approach maintains analysis accuracy by considering local contexts while reducing overall system complexity through modular, level-by-level processing rather than requiring simultaneous analysis of the entire product lifecycle data set.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary configuration and organization of data into hierarchical levels before conducting impact analysis. This preliminary structuring enables more efficient and accurate impact analysis by pre-establishing the contextual relationships and data organization needed for reliable analysis, thereby reducing the complexity and time required during the actual analysis phase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If comprehensive product lifecycle data is managed, then data completeness improves, but user interface usability and scalability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata completenessVSAvoidinterface usability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments comprehensive product lifecycle data into organized hierarchical levels that present information in manageable, context-appropriate groups. This segmentation maintains data completeness by preserving all necessary information while improving interface usability by organizing it into navigable levels that prevent overwhelming users with the full scope of data at once.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds hierarchical level as a new dimension for data presentation, allowing comprehensive data to be accessed and manipulated through multi-level views. This dimensional organization enables users to navigate comprehensive data sets through structured levels, improving usability by providing contextual organization while maintaining complete data access capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3155568B1Navigating and authoring configured product lifecycle data
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 SIEMENS INDUSTRY SOFTWARE INC
  • EP3155568B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3155568B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3155568B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods for product data management and corresponding systems and computer-readable mediums. The systems and methods include receiving a request (525) for expanded details (445) about an architecture element (410) of a model (405) from an application client (325), parsing the request (525) to identify the expanded details (445) of the architecture element (410), identifying a structure (200) and configuration details (415) of the model (405), configuring the model (405) according to the structure (200) and configuration details (415), traversing the model (405) to collect the expanded details (445) for the architecture element (410), packaging the expanded details (445) into an application format (605) for the application client (325), and returning the expanded details (445).