ICT System Configuration Derivation Using Abstract Concretization Rules

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current ICT system configuration design techniques face challenges in efficiently handling complex requirements, such as managing numerous subsystems and redundancy, especially when new requirements are specified, as they often require excessive computation and are limited in scalability and flexibility.

Innovation Solution

A system configuration derivation device and method that concretizes abstract configuration information using stored concretization rules to generate concrete system configuration information, allowing for the design of ICT systems based on abstract requirements without constraints on the derivable configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional configuration design techniques are used to handle complex ICT system requirements, then the system can manage multiple subsystems and redundancy, but the computation becomes excessive and scalability is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle multiple requirementsVSAvoidcomputational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the configuration design process into distinct phases: creating abstract configuration information that captures essential requirements without detail, then separately concretizing this abstract information into full system configurations. This segmentation divides the computationally intensive task of handling multiple subsystems and redundancy requirements into manageable stages, reducing overall computational complexity while maintaining the ability to handle complex ICT system requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by first creating abstract configuration information that pre-defines the structural framework, subsystem relationships, and redundancy requirements before detailed concretization occurs. This preliminary abstraction establishes the system architecture upfront, allowing subsequent concretization to proceed more efficiently without re-computing fundamental system relationships, thus improving scalability while managing computational load

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional configuration design techniques are used, then existing development assets can be reused, but the design process lacks flexibility when new requirements are specified

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereuse of development assetsVSAvoidflexibility to new requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamics by making the configuration information adaptable at multiple levels: abstract configuration information serves as a flexible template that can be modified to incorporate new requirements, while concrete system configurations can be regenerated as needed. This dynamic structure allows the system to maintain reuse of development assets through the abstract layer while enabling flexible adaptation when new requirements are specified, resolving the contradiction between asset reuse and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If abstract configuration information is concretized using stored rules, then system configuration can be generated efficiently, but the derivable configuration may be constrained by the rules

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration generation efficiencyVSAvoidconstraints on derivable configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by operating in another dimension through the abstract configuration layer. The concretization rules work efficiently within the concrete configuration dimension, while the abstract configuration information provides an additional dimensional space for expressing flexible requirements and constraints. This two-dimensional approach allows efficient rule-based generation to produce valid configurations while the abstract layer ensures adaptability to new requirements by defining the permissible configuration space beforehand

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11561770B2System configuration derivation device and system configuration derivation method

Publication Date: 2023.01.24 NEC CORP

AI summary

A system configuration derivation device 90 includes a storage unit 91 that stores a concretization rule in which a method is specified for concretizing abstract configuration information by confirming an unconfirmed portion of the abstract configuration information, which is information indicating configuration of a system in which the unconfirmed portion is included, and a generation unit 92 that concretizes the abstract configuration information included in configuration requirements of the system using the concretization rule stored to generate system configuration information, which is information indicating the configuration of the system in which the unconfirmed portion is not included, on the basis of the configuration requirements.