Nested Data Structure for Industrial Configuration Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems generate vast amounts of data, making it difficult for users to manage, review, and visualize the large quantity of data, especially for those without an automation background, and conventional systems only allow viewing and editing of information associated with a single product or product grade.
Innovation Solution
A system that stores configuration data in a nested data structure and provides access to it through a spreadsheet application, allowing users to manage and display data associated with multiple product types and manufacturing processes using a hierarchical data structure, enabling improved visualization and management of industrial data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If industrial automation systems store and generate vast amounts of data, then the quantity of data increases, but the difficulty of managing and visualizing the data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested data structure where configuration data is organized in hierarchical levels (e.g., plant level, area level, device level, parameter level). This nesting allows vast amounts of industrial data to be structured in concentric layers, enabling users to navigate from high-level summaries down to detailed parameters without being overwhelmed by the total data volume. The nested structure naturally hierarchizes the data quantity while maintaining ease of access through progressive disclosure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the vast industrial data into distinct configuration data elements organized by hierarchical categories (process control parameters, device settings, product specifications). By breaking down the monolithic data mass into manageable segments grouped by function and hierarchy, the system enables users to interact with specific data portions without needing to process the entire dataset, thus maintaining ease of operation despite large data quantities.
2Ease of operation
If conventional systems allow viewing and editing of information, then user accessibility is provided, but the system is limited to single product or product grade information only
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal configuration data structure that can accommodate multiple product types and grades within the same hierarchical framework. The nested data structure uses generic categories (process parameters, device settings, quality specifications) that can be instantiated with different values for different products. This allows the same interface and data management system to serve multiple product lines, making the system both accessible to users and adaptable to various products without requiring separate systems for each product type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic configuration data structure where the hierarchical categories and parameters can be flexibly configured to represent different product types. The system allows dynamic addition, removal, and modification of configuration elements at any hierarchical level to accommodate new products or changing product specifications. This dynamic adaptability enables the system to maintain ease of operation while expanding versatility across multiple product types.
3Ease of operation
If users without automation background need to access industrial data, then user accessibility improves, but the complexity of understanding the data structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nested hierarchical structure presents data in progressive layers of abstraction. Users without automation backgrounds can access high-level summaries at the plant or area level without needing to understand the complex underlying data structures. The nesting allows progressive disclosure where users can drill down into more detailed levels only when needed, shielding them from complexity while maintaining accessibility to relevant information at their expertise level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing context-specific views of the data structure tailored to different user needs and hierarchical levels. Each level of the hierarchy presents only the locally relevant parameters and relationships for that level, rather than exposing the entire complex data structure. This allows users to interact with simplified, context-appropriate data representations while the full complexity remains organized in the background for those who need it.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and techniques for storing, managing and/or displaying industrial data are presented. A controller component stores configuration data associated with a plurality of product types for a product generated based on at least one manufacturing process in a nested data structure. A data interface component manages data corresponding to the configuration data stored in the nested data structure for a data table associated with a spreadsheet application.