System-Level Design Optimization Using Engineering Knowledge Base
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional CAD tools are limited to designing individual parts, fail to account for system-level contexts, and do not leverage existing engineering knowledge, leading to repetitive design tasks and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that generates a knowledge base by extracting text segments, applying syntactic parsing rules, and creating knowledge model elements to facilitate system-level design optimization, allowing for the integration of engineering knowledge and system-level design criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional CAD tools are used to design individual parts, then detailed component design can be achieved, but system-level context and interactions are not accounted for
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the design process into multiple hierarchical levels: system-level design, subsystem-level design, and component-level design. Each level operates with appropriate granularity and can be independently optimized while maintaining consistency across levels through the knowledge base that stores design patterns and constraints at each hierarchy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal knowledge base that serves multiple functions: storing design patterns, capturing system-level constraints, guiding component design, and enabling reuse across different design contexts. This knowledge base acts as a multi-functional repository that bridges system-level and component-level design activities.
2Reliability
If engineers design each individual component from scratch, then complete system functionality can be achieved, but repetitive design tasks increase and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-defining design patterns, constraints, and best practices in the knowledge base before actual design execution. Common design solutions and system-level constraints are established in advance, allowing engineers to reuse proven patterns rather than redesigning from scratch, thereby improving productivity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables copying of proven design patterns and constraints from the knowledge base into new design projects. Engineers can replicate successful design solutions and system-level configurations across multiple projects, reducing repetitive work while ensuring consistent functionality and reliability through proven designs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional CAD tools are used without engineering knowledge integration, then design flexibility is maintained, but existing engineering knowledge cannot be leveraged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a knowledge base as an intermediary between existing engineering knowledge and the CAD design process. This intermediary captures, structures, and makes accessible design patterns, constraints, and best practices, allowing engineers to leverage existing knowledge while maintaining design flexibility through queryable and adaptable knowledge representations.
Data Source
AI summary
A design application is configured to perform a system-level optimization of a collection of system components. The design application iteratively executes a multi-objective solver to optimize structural and functional relationships between the system components in order to meet global design criteria and generate a system design. The design application initializes the design process by extracting from a knowledge base system templates having taxonomic, structural, or functional attributes relevant to the system design. The design application generates the knowledge base by mining taxonomic, structural, and functional relationships from a corpus of engineering texts.