Unified Plain Text Format for Distributed QA Data Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
In mass production quality assurance, different QA stations and local computers produce plain text files with varying formats, making it difficult for human developers to compare measurements across different stations and computers, and requiring application changes when measurement parameters are adjusted.
Innovation Solution
A quality assurance system that includes local computers with applications to convert plain texts into a unified format, using configuration files to standardize the formatting and allow parameter changes without altering the running applications, enabling centralized analysis and comparison of measurements across different QA stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different QA stations and local computers produce plain text files with their own formats, then each station can operate independently with its own configuration, but it becomes difficult to compare measurements across different stations and requires application changes when parameters are adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a plain text file as an intermediary format that carries measurement data from different QA stations to the developer's computer. This intermediary file format serves as a universal interface that allows data exchange without requiring the developer's application to change, resolving the contradiction between station independence and measurement comparability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows measurement parameters to be changed by modifying the plain text file content rather than changing the application. The developer can adjust parameters such as measurement points, thresholds, and formats by editing the plain text files, which enables flexible parameter adaptation without application updates
2Ease of operation
If a unified format is imposed on all QA stations, then measurements can be easily compared across stations, but it reduces the flexibility of each station to use its own optimal format
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the quality assurance system into independent QA stations that each maintain their own formats, connected through a standard plain text interface. This segmentation allows each station to operate independently with its own optimal format while still enabling centralized comparison through the common plain text file format
Solution Approach 2:
The plain text file format serves as a universal interface that can accommodate data from multiple different QA station formats. It functions as a multi-functional intermediary that can represent measurements from various sources while maintaining a consistent structure for analysis
3Adaptability or versatility
If the application is changed to accommodate parameter adjustments, then the system can adapt to new requirements, but it requires application updates and increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates parameter configuration directly into the plain text file structure, allowing all necessary measurement parameters to be predefined and adjustable within the file itself. This preliminary structuring of parameters in the data format eliminates the need for application changes when parameters need adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
A quality assurance system, including a plurality of quality assurance stations, each for examining at least one physical product, and for producing from each physical product examination, a result thereof expressed by at least one plain text in a computer, being local to the quality assurance station thereof, an application installed in each of the local computers, for converting the plain texts to plain texts having a unified format, and an analyzing computer, for receiving the converted plain texts from the local computers, thereby the unified format accompanies the analyzing computer in analyzing the converted plain texts from distributed assurance stations.