Automated Physical System Design with Primal-Dual Topology Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current automated design systems for physical systems face challenges in efficiently optimizing complex topologies and reducing the number of components while meeting design requirements, leading to scalability and computation efficiency issues.

Innovation Solution

The system constructs an initial system model with a richly connected topology, applies a primal-dual optimization approach to eliminate redundant components, and adaptively switches between first-order and second-order optimization methods based on the number of parameters, transforming the problem into a single-objective, constrained nonlinear optimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the initial system model includes a large number of links and components that are sufficiently coupled to one another, then the system can meet design requirements and provide rich trade-offs, but the device complexity and computation time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign trade-offsVSAvoidsystem topology complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the system topology into removable links and components that can be independently evaluated and pruned during optimization. Each link and component becomes a discrete unit that can be removed without affecting the entire system structure, enabling manageable complexity reduction while preserving essential design trade-offs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary construction of a richly connected initial system model that includes all possible links and components before optimization begins. This preliminary action ensures that all potential design trade-offs are available during the pruning process, allowing the optimizer to make informed decisions about which elements to remove while maintaining system functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the initial system model includes a large number of links and components, then more design trade-offs are available, but the computation time for optimization increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign trade-offsVSAvoidoptimization computation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes unnecessary links and components from the initial system model during the optimization process. By systematically taking out redundant elements while preserving essential ones, the computation time is reduced without sacrificing the availability of meaningful design trade-offs in the final optimized system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If the system performs optimization operations with multiple iterations to remove links and components, then the device complexity is reduced, but the computation time increases due to repeated topology updates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem topology complexityVSAvoidoptimization iteration time

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic pruning where the system topology is iteratively updated by removing links and components based on optimization criteria. The dynamic nature of this process allows the system to adaptively reduce complexity through multiple iterations while tracking progress toward the optimal configuration, balancing complexity reduction with computation time management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Manufacturing precision

If the system uses a primal-dual optimization approach with multiple methods, then the manufacturing precision of the design solution is improved, but the device complexity of the optimization system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign solution accuracyVSAvoidoptimization system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a primal-dual optimization approach that changes parameters iteratively to converge toward an optimal design solution. By adjusting optimization parameters and switching between first-order and second-order methods based on the number of parameters, the system achieves high manufacturing precision in the design solution while managing the complexity of the optimization process through adaptive parameter selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11163919B2Method and system for component-based design of physical systems

Publication Date: 2021.11.02 XEROX CORP

AI summary

A method and system for automated design of a physical system are provided. During operation, the system obtains a component library comprising a plurality of physical components, receives design requirements of the physical system, and constructs an initial system model based on physical components in the component library and the design requirements. The system topology associated with the initial system model can include a large number of links that are sufficiently coupled to one another, and a respective link comprises one or more physical components. The system further performs an optimization operation comprising a plurality of iterations, with the system topology being updated at each iteration. Updating the system topology includes removing links and components from the system topology. The system then generates a final system model based on an outcome of the optimization operation and outputs a design solution of the physical system according to the final system model.