Unstructured Grid Data Summarization for Accurate Property Maps

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing 3D visualization techniques face challenges in creating accurate property maps on unstructured grids with inactive cells, leading to occlusion and inaccurate topology representation due to the presence of inactive cells, especially in grids with curvature or faults.

Innovation Solution

A method that identifies an aggregation direction through a region of interest in the unstructured grid, summarizes data from active cells, constructs an output surface based on the grid's topology, and fills data holes by assigning values to inactive cells or their nearest neighbors, ensuring a contiguous map of properties is displayed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If every cell of the 3D volumetric object is rendered fully opaque, then the volumetric data is completely visible, but other objects in the scene are occluded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of volumetric dataVSAvoidocclusion of other objects
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies transparency and color mapping changes to resolve the occlusion problem. By rendering the volumetric object with varying transparency levels and applying color maps to represent different property values, the system allows both the volumetric data and background objects to be simultaneously visible. This enables users to see through parts of the volumetric representation while still perceiving the summarized property information through color variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Loss of information

If data is summarized using aggregation techniques on unstructured grids with inactive cells, then property maps can be created, but occlusion and topology misrepresentation occur due to inactive cells

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproperty summary accuracyVSAvoidtopology representation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and identifies inactive cells from the unstructured grid before performing aggregation operations. By detecting these inactive cells and excluding them from the aggregation process, the system prevents topology misrepresentation and occlusion artifacts in the resulting property maps. This extraction step ensures that only valid active cells contribute to the summarized property values.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary identification and handling of inactive cells before the aggregation process. By pre-processing the grid to mark and account for inactive cells, the system ensures that subsequent aggregation operations produce accurate property maps without topological errors. This preliminary action prevents the propagation of errors through the visualization pipeline.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If property maps are created on unstructured grids with inactive cells, then data visualization is enabled, but data holes and occlusion occur around inactive cells

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata visualization capabilityVSAvoiddata completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary processing step that identifies inactive cells and manages their representation in the property map. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to create continuous, visually complete property maps while internally accounting for the presence of inactive cells. The intermediary layer ensures that data holes do not appear in the final visualization, maintaining both visual continuity and data accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2601642B1System and method for summarizing data on an unstructured grid
Publication Date: 2018.06.13 EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RESEARCH COMPANY(US)
  • EP2601642B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2601642B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2601642B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A system and method for summarizing data corresponding to properties of interest on an unstructured grid that includes active cells and inactive cells on an output surface. An exemplary method comprises identifying an aggregation direction through a region of interest of the unstructured grid and identifying at least one active cell along the aggregation direction. The exemplary method comprises assigning an aggregated value for the at least one property of interest to a face of the output surface on a line along the aggregation direction based at least in part on the data corresponding to the al least one properly of interest for the at least one active cell. The exemplary method further comprises filling the at least one data hole by identifying at least one face associated with an inactive cell on the line along the aggregation direction and assigning it an aggregated value.