Metamodel Derivation for Cross-Process Traceability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current design tools for large-scale systems, such as autonomous driving systems, face challenges in maintaining consistency and traceability across different design processes, particularly in top-down and bottom-up development methodologies, where inconsistencies can occur due to complex relationships between high-level and low-level processes.
Innovation Solution
A design assistance tool that utilizes a database and display to define metamodels using metaclasses, establishing derivation, possession, reference, and succession relationships between processes, allowing for the storage and visualization of these relationships to facilitate traceability and consistency across design stages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple design processes are performed independently without unified metamodel management, then each process can be completed with flexibility, but consistency and traceability across processes deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal metamodel management system that serves multiple design processes simultaneously. The system defines metamodels using metaclasses that can be reused across different design processes, establishing derivation relationships where lower-level metamodels inherit from higher-level ones. This universal framework ensures consistency and traceability across all design processes while avoiding the need to manage each metamodel independently, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary metamodel management mechanism that mediates between multiple design processes. The system stores metamodels in a database with defined derivation relationships, allowing traceability information to be automatically maintained. This intermediary layer manages the complexity of relationships between metamodels while providing consistent access to all design processes, thereby improving reliability without directly increasing the operational complexity for users.
2Loss of information
If detailed trace information is manually tracked across design processes, then traceability is maintained, but the time and effort required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service traceability system where the metamodel management infrastructure automatically maintains trace information through derivation relationships. When metamodels are defined with derivation relationships in the database, the system automatically tracks and manages traceability information without requiring manual intervention. Designers can confirm trace relationships by simply viewing the defined metamodel hierarchy, eliminating the time-consuming manual tracking process while preserving complete trace information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides automated feedback on trace relationships through the defined metamodel structure. The derivation relationships between metamodels create an automatic feedback mechanism where changes in higher-level metamodels are reflected in lower-level ones, and traceability can be confirmed by examining the established relationships in the database. This feedback system reduces the time required to verify trace information while maintaining comprehensive traceability records.
3Reliability
If complex relationships between high-level and low-level processes are fully documented, then complete traceability is achieved, but the complexity of managing these relationships increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex relationships between design processes into hierarchical metamodel layers. By dividing the system into metaclasses and derived metamodels at different levels, the patent manages complexity through structured segmentation. Each metamodel layer handles specific aspects of the design process, and derivation relationships connect these segments systematically. This segmentation allows complete traceability to be achieved while maintaining ease of operation, as designers interact with manageable metamodel segments rather than the entire complex relationship network at once.
Data Source
AI summary
A design assistance tool, which assists a design of at least two processes includes a database and a display, and is configured to: define a metamodel using one or more metaclass in each of the at least two processes; and perform a design of each process using the corresponding metamodel. The metamodel in one process has a derivation relationship and a different relationship with the metamodel in another process, the database stores the metamodel in one process and the metamodel in another process in associated manner according to the derivation relationship and the different relationship. In the derivation relationship, which is used as trace information, the one or more metaclass in one process is defined based on content of the one or more metaclass in another process. A design result of the process and the derivation relationship used as trace information are displayed in a view of the display.