Workspace Data Exchange Service for Disparate Engineering Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of disparate data systems with different data models, formats, and interface requirements poses challenges in engineering and product development environments, where data exchange and management are complex due to dynamic information changes and lack of standardization, leading to stagnant integrations and configuration management issues.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that includes an application launcher, application manager, and concurrent engineering data service to create a workspace for multiple applications, load and manage data, and resolve differences in data types such as strings, doubles, and integers, while enforcing integrity and access rules, facilitating data exchange and storage across disparate systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If data is exchanged between disparate applications with different data models and formats, then data interoperability is improved, but integration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a data exchange service as an intermediary component that mediates between disparate applications. This service loads data from multiple applications into a workspace, captures data types, resolves differences, and manages data exchange, thereby reducing direct integration complexity between applications while maintaining interoperability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the data exchange process into distinct functional components: data loading, data type capturing, difference resolution, and data management. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific aspects of interoperability independently, reducing overall integration complexity
2Productivity
If multiple applications access shared data in real-time, then productivity is improved, but data integrity management becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the data exchange service continuously monitors data changes in the workspace, captures data type information, and resolves differences in real-time. This feedback loop ensures data integrity is maintained while allowing multiple applications to access and modify shared data simultaneously
3Stability of the object's composition
If data types are resolved and standardized across applications, then data consistency is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary data type capturing and difference resolution when data is first loaded into the workspace. By resolving data type differences in advance rather than during subsequent data exchange operations, the system establishes data consistency while minimizing processing time delays during actual collaboration
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for managing data exchange between tools for multiple products in a product line is provided. The apparatus includes an application launcher configured to create a workspace to support a plurality of applications. The apparatus also includes an application manager configured to execute as a web service and load a first data and a second data associated with a first application and a second application, respectively, into the workspace. The apparatus also includes a concurrent engineering data service configured to capture data types associated with the first data and the second data and resolve differences in the data types wherein the data types comprise at least strings, doubles, and integers. The apparatus also includes a data storage and retrieval service configured to enforce integrity of and access rules associated with the first data and the second data.