Industrial Package Dependency Resolution for Version Compatibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity of managing software packages in industrial applications, involving multiple disciplines, leads to frequent errors due to manual efforts in coordinating dependencies, hardware compatibilities, and security vulnerabilities, making collaboration difficult and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

A system with a package manager client that communicates with remote repositories, tracks dependencies, generates dependency trees, and automates the resolution of incompatibilities, while providing security vulnerability management and trust services for industrial application packages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual effort is used to coordinate dependencies and package versions in industrial applications, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but complexity increases and errors occur frequently

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of version coordinationVSAvoidcomplexity of package management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The package manager system performs self-service by automatically tracking dependencies, generating dependency trees, and resolving conflicts without requiring manual intervention. The system monitors package versions, hardware compatibilities, and security vulnerabilities autonomously, eliminating the need for manual coordination while reducing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical coordination processes with automated computational systems. The package manager uses algorithms to compare dependency trees, identify incompatibilities, and resolve conflicts automatically, substituting human manual effort with automated mechanical processing that is more consistent and reliable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If automated package management is implemented, then productivity and efficiency improve, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed of package installation and updatesVSAvoidcomplexity of package management system
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The package management system is segmented into distinct functional modules: dependency tracking, version management, compatibility checking, security vulnerability monitoring, and automated resolution. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific tasks efficiently while maintaining overall system manageability despite the automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The package manager acts as an intermediary between users, repositories, and installed packages. It automatically handles the complexity of coordinating multiple packages, tracking dependencies, and resolving conflicts, thereby improving productivity without exposing users to the underlying system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of time

If manual coordination of dependencies is performed, then adaptability to custom configurations is maintained, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime for package coordinationVSAvoidease of package management
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing dependency relationships and compatibility rules before package installation. The dependency tracking module maintains updated information about package relationships, allowing the automated system to quickly resolve conflicts without requiring manual coordination during installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The package manager implements feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor installed packages, their dependencies, and compatibility status. When conflicts or vulnerabilities are detected, the system automatically generates resolution proposals and updates dependency trees, reducing time consumption while maintaining ease of operation through continuous automated adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4136525B1Industrial application package management
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 SIEMENS AG
  • EP4136525B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4136525B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4136525B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system for industrial application package management includes a computing device having a processor and a memory having executable programs and applications stored thereon, including plurality of industrial application programs running an engineering project involving multiple different disciplines, and a package manager client. The package manager client communicates with a remote repository server that hosts application packages, and sends requests for packages and receives package deliveries. The package manager client unbundles package metainformation relevant to a domain specific application and according to an industrial package information schema. A dependency tracking module identifies dependencies of a current package to other packages and generates a dependency tree that includes the name and version of each dependent package. An upgrade analyzer compares dependency trees to identify dependency incompatibilities as conflicting packages based on inconsistencies and performs an automated resolution of the dependency incompatibilities.