RAG Retrieval Pipeline for Structured and Unstructured Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) frameworks struggle to efficiently and accurately process both unstructured and structured data, particularly failing to retrieve relevant structured data due to dependency on natural language similarity searches.

Innovation Solution

An RAG framework that includes an RAG pre-processing platform to generate vector embeddings for unstructured data and summaries with metadata for structured data, combined with an RAG retriever platform to retrieve context-relevant information and an RAG reader platform to create a context-aware response using LLM prompts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional RAG embedding process and vector search are used, then unstructured data retrieval is successful, but structured data retrieval fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructured data retrieval accuracyVSAvoiddata type compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data processing pipeline into distinct components: unstructured data undergoes traditional embedding, while structured data is transformed into natural language queries separately. This segmentation allows each data type to be processed with appropriate methods, resolving the contradiction between structured data retrieval accuracy and data type compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary component that transforms structured data into natural language queries before embedding. This intermediary translation layer enables structured data to be processed through the existing vector search infrastructure, maintaining compatibility while improving retrieval accuracy for structured data types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If vector search is performed on structured data directly, then processing speed is maintained, but retrieval accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontext-relevant information retrieval accuracyVSAvoiddata processing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary transformation to structured data by converting it into natural language queries before the embedding process. This preliminary action ensures that structured data is properly formatted for vector search, improving retrieval accuracy without significantly impacting processing efficiency since the transformation occurs during the pre-processing stage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If RAG framework is extended to support both unstructured and structured data, then comprehensiveness is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructured and unstructured data supportVSAvoidRAG framework architecture
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal data processing approach where both unstructured and structured data are converted into natural language representations and processed through the same embedding and vector search infrastructure. This multi-functionality allows the system to handle diverse data types without requiring entirely separate processing pipelines, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity while improving versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4664314A1Systems and methods for retrieval-augmented generation searches of unstructured and structured information
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 SAP SE
  • EP4664314A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4664314A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4664314A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A Retrieval-Augmented Generation ("RAG") framework may include an RAG vector data store with information about vector embeddings. An RAG pre-processing platform may access unstructured data and perform vector embedding to generate a vector embedding for unstructured data to be stored in the RAG vector data store. The RAG pre-processing platform may also access structured data from the knowledge base and create a summary and metadata about the structured data to be stored in the RAG vector data store. An RAG retriever platform may receive a user prompt from a user, perform vector embedding, and retrieve context-relevant information for unstructured and structured data by searching for similar embeddings in the RAG vector data store. An RAG reader platform may combine the context-relevant information with the user prompt and an RAG prompt to create a LLM prompt. A context-aware response is then output to the user.