Cross-Team Test File Transfer in Partitioned Material Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional material testing systems face challenges in efficiently transferring test files between different user groups or teams while maintaining data security and integrity, particularly when sharing specific portions of data without impacting other teams.

Innovation Solution

A distributed material testing system with a centralized data repository that logically separates data into distinct partitions, allowing controlled file transfers between teams while ensuring access permissions are updated to maintain data integrity, and enabling file copies with appropriate authorization and notification mechanisms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If test files are shared across all user groups in a centralized system, then collaboration and accessibility are improved, but data security and team-specific data integrity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefile accessibilityVSAvoiddata integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The centralized data repository is segmented into multiple isolated data partitions, each assigned to a specific user group or team. This segmentation allows files to be accessible within teams while maintaining security between teams, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and data integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A file transfer mechanism acts as an intermediary between isolated data partitions. When a user requests to transfer a file to another team, the system creates a controlled transfer process that maintains security protocols while enabling collaboration, thus balancing accessibility with data integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If data is separated into distinct partitions for different teams, then data security and team autonomy are improved, but file sharing and collaboration between teams deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidfile sharing
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a controlled file transfer mechanism that serves as an intermediary between isolated data partitions. This intermediary enables secure file sharing between teams by managing the transfer process through authenticated requests and responses, maintaining security while facilitating collaboration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The centralized data repository provides universal access capabilities across multiple isolated partitions. The system can handle both team-specific isolated access and cross-team file sharing through a unified interface, making the system versatile enough to support both security requirements and collaboration needs.

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

3Adaptability or versatility

If permission data is updated to allow cross-team file access, then collaboration is improved, but system complexity and permission management overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecross-team file transferVSAvoidpermission management
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The file transfer mechanism operates autonomously by automatically updating permission data when a transfer is initiated. The system self-manages the complexity of permission updates without requiring manual intervention, reducing the operational burden while enabling cross-team file transfers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-establishes permission structures and transfer protocols in advance. By preparing the permission framework beforehand, the system reduces the complexity of real-time permission management during actual file transfers, making cross-team collaboration smoother despite the underlying system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4704388A1Transferring test files in distributed material testing systems
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC
  • EP4704388A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4704388A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4704388A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Described herein are examples of distributed material testing systems that allow users to transfer files between user groups (i.e., teams) that use different data sets. In some examples, the distributed material testing systems use a centralized data repository that is separated into distinct data sets (and/or data partitions), such that the data set used by one team is not accessible by any other team. The ability for users to transfer files to other users on different teams provides a way for files to be shared and/or copied across team data partitions, while still keeping the data partitions intact.