Hierarchical Software Design Sharing with IP Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current software design sharing models do not allow for the sharing of detailed software designs without compromising intellectual property, as they either lack the necessary abstraction or do not translate effectively into code.
Innovation Solution
The MPT Hierarchical Design model converts software designs from abstract levels to code, hiding design details while maintaining functionality, enabling the sharing of design elements without revealing proprietary information, and allows for the merging and un-merging of sub-graphs to control system performance and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If software design details are shared openly, then design reusability and collaboration are improved, but intellectual property protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments software designs into hierarchical levels (abstract design level and code level), allowing sharing of high-level design elements while protecting detailed implementation. The MPT model divides designs into reusable design elements that can be shared without exposing proprietary code-level details, thus enabling design reusability while maintaining IP protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary translation layer between design and code. The MPT model acts as a mediator that translates shared design elements into code without exposing the design details directly. This intermediary mechanism allows design sharing while protecting intellectual property by hiding the translation process and design-specific information.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If design details are hidden to protect intellectual property, then IP protection is improved, but design functionality and translation to code deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The MPT model segments the design representation into multiple hierarchical levels, where only necessary abstract elements are shared and translated to code. This segmentation allows complete design functionality to be preserved in the full model while only protected portions are hidden in shared versions, maintaining translation reliability without exposing IP.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal design elements in the MPT model that can serve multiple functions: they can be shared for collaboration, translated to code for implementation, and protected through selective hiding. These multi-functional design elements maintain full functionality while adapting to different sharing and protection requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hierarchical design elements are converted to reusable components, then design sharing capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing complex software designs into standardized hierarchical elements in the MPT model. This segmentation creates manageable, reusable components that simplify the sharing process while maintaining the ability to reconstruct complete designs, thus improving sharing capability without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method and software product shares a software design. A design sharer having machine readable instructions stored within memory of a development server and executable by a processor of the development server interacts with a first user to select a first portion of a first hierarchical software design. The design sharer saves the first portion within a public workspace. The design sharer interacts with a second user having access to the public workspace to select the first portion and inserts the first portion into a second hierarchical software design.