WO2014130424A1 - Method and system for multi-disciplinary engineering with a synchronized documents interface - Google Patents

Method and system for multi-disciplinary engineering with a synchronized documents interface Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014130424A1
WO2014130424A1 PCT/US2014/016808 US2014016808W WO2014130424A1 WO 2014130424 A1 WO2014130424 A1 WO 2014130424A1 US 2014016808 W US2014016808 W US 2014016808W WO 2014130424 A1 WO2014130424 A1 WO 2014130424A1
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Prior art keywords
document
domain
model
based portion
data
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PCT/US2014/016808
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French (fr)
Inventor
Oswin Noetzelmann
Rami Reuveni
Victor Robert HAMBRIDGE
Marine DUREL
Tim OERTER
JR. Christopher Patrick PORTWAY
Dirk VIELSAECKER
Sarvananthan RAGAVAN
Mingjun Zhang
Daniela Stederoth
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Siemens AG
Siemens Corp
Siemens Industry Software Inc
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Siemens AG
Siemens Corp
Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc
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Publication of WO2014130424A1 publication Critical patent/WO2014130424A1/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
    • G06Q10/10—Office automation; Time management

Definitions

  • Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for multi-disciplinary engineering with a synchronized documents interface
  • a multi-disciplinary engineering system is a system that allows engineers from multiple disciplines to work on common or connected data. For example, in a factory setting, a factory planner can work together with a mechanical engineer, an electrical engineer and an automation engineer to plan a new production line for a car door assembly.
  • PLC programmable logic controller
  • a method of synchronization in a multi-disciplinary engineering environment includes detecting a change made to a document in a document-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, wherein the multi -disciplinary engineering system comprises a plurality of domains including the domain, updating data in a model-based portion of the domain in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document, and updating at least one other document in the document-based portion of the domain in response to updating the data in the model -based portion of the domain, wherein the at least one other document is impacted by the change made to the document.
  • the method may further include updating data in a model-based portion of at least one other domain from among the plurality of domains in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain.
  • the method may further include transmitting a notification to at leas t one other domain from among the plurality of domains indicating that the data in the model-based portion of the domain has been updated subsequent to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain.
  • the method may further include transmitting a notification to at least one user associated with the at least one other document upon updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain, wherem the notification indicates that a change impacting the at least one other document has occurred in the model-based portion of the domain.
  • the method may further include transmitting a query to a user upon detecting the change to the document in the document-based portion of the domain to determine whether the data in the model-based portion relates to the change made to the document, wherein the data in the model -based portion of the domain is updated based on a user response to the query provided by the user.
  • the model-based portion of the domain includes a single common data model.
  • the data in the model-based portion of the domain is updated at predefined time intervals.
  • the data in the model-based portion of the domain is updated immediately upon detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion of the domain.
  • a method of synchronization in a multi-disciplinary engineering environment includes detecting a change made to a document in a document-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, wherein the multi-disciplinary engineering system comprises a plurality of domains including the domain, updating data in a model-based portion of the domain in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document, and updating data in a model- based portion of at least one other domain from among the plurality of domains in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain.
  • a computer program product for a method of synchronization in a multi-disciplinary ' engineering environment includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to detect, by the processor, a change made to a document in a document-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, wherein the multi-disciplinary
  • engineering system comprises a plurality of domains including the domain, update, by the processor, data in a model-based portion of the domain in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document, and update, by the processor, at least one other document in the document-based portion of the domain in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain, wherein the at least one other document is impacted by the change made to the document.
  • an apparatus for performing a method of synchronization in a multi-disciplinary engineering environment includes a computer server including a plurality of storage databases corresponding to a plurality of domains, wherein each of the piurality of domains is accessible to a plurality of users via a corresponding application interfacing with the computer server via a network, a synchronization application of the computer server is configured to detect a change made to a document in a document-based portion of one of the storage databases, update data in a model-ba sed portion of the one of the storage databases in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document, and update at least one other document in the document-based portion of the one of the storage databases in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the one of the storage databases, wherem the at least one other document is impacted by the change made to the document.
  • FIG. 1 shows a general overview of a multi-disciplinary engineering system.
  • FIG. 2 shows an overview of a document based engineering system.
  • FIG. 3 shows an overview of a model based engineering system.
  • FIG. 4 shows a multi-disciplinary engineering system application topology according to an exemplar embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 shows a hardware implementation of a multi-disciplinary engineering system according to an exempl ary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 6 shows an overview of user-defined automatic change propagation
  • FIG. 7 shows an overview of fully automatic change propagation implemented to synchronize a document-based portion and a model-based portion of a domain in a multi- disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing a method of synchronizing the document-based portion and the model-based portion of the multi-disciplinary engineering systems of FIGs. 6 and 7, according to an exemplar ⁇ ' embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 9 shows an overview of semi-automatic synchronization between different domains of a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 10 shows an overview of fully automatic synchronization between different domains of a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplar ⁇ ' embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 1 is a flowchart describing a method of synchronization between different domains of the multi-disciplinary engineering systems of FIGs, 9 and 10, according to an exemplar ⁇ ' embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 12 shows a multi-disciplinary engineering system application topology according to an exempl ary embodiment of the present in ven tion.
  • FIG. 13 is a block diagram of an exemplary computer system for implementing a method for multi-disciplinary engineering with a synchronized documents interface, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 shows a general overview of a multi-disciplinary engineering system 100
  • the engineering system 100 refers to a production line in a factory, and workers in different disciplines include factory designers, management employees, automation engineers, mechanical engineers, and electrical engineers.
  • exemplary embodiments described herein may refer to the engineering system 100 and disciplines (and corresponding workers) shown in FIG. 1, however, it is to be understood that exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. That is, exemplary embodiments may be utilized in a variety of engineering systems.
  • the terms workers, engineers, and users may be used interchangeably, and the terms disciplines and domains may be used interchangeably.
  • an engineering system may utilize a document based engineering method or a model based engineering method.
  • FIG. 2 shows an overview of a document based engineering system.
  • workers create and manage documents, which may be in different formats and may be created and managed using different tools, during an engineering process.
  • the tools used may be standard tools (e.g., Microsoft ⁇ Excel®, Microsoft ⁇ Visio®, etc.) or specialized tools (e.g., EPlan, Factory CAD, etc.).
  • EPlan EPlan, Factory CAD, etc.
  • a versioning scheme may be used to indicate changes made to documents, and the corresponding times of the changes.
  • an automation engineer may introduce a new programmable logic controller (PLC) (e.g., PLC A) 201 in a document based engineering system 200.
  • PLC programmable logic controller
  • all documents 202 e.g., wiring diagrams, connection lists, bills of material, cabinet diagrams, etc.
  • Database or repository software may be utilized to administer and revise documents in a document based engineering system 200, Manual change propagation, in which engineers from one discipline alert engineers of another discipline that a change to a document has been made, made be utilized. Manual change propagation is described in further detail below,
  • FIG. 3 shows an overview of a model based engineering system.
  • engineering data is stored in a format that is structured in one common data model 301. in a mode! based system 300, the engineering data is not document specific.
  • a new PLC e.g., PLC A
  • the PLC, and all of its associated data is only represented once in the system 300, rather than being duplicated across different documents as done in a document based engineering system 200. That is, when a new P LC is added in a model based system 300, only the data model 301 of the system 300 is updated.
  • the data model 301 in the model based engineering system 300 is converted and exported into document form for use by the workers.
  • the data model 301 is converted and exported into documents 302.
  • a model based engineering system 300 may result in increased productivity and efficiency of the engineering process,
  • generated documents 302 are decoupled from the data model 301 (e.g., since documents 302 are only generated periodically based on the data model 301)
  • changes are not automatically synchronized between documents 302 and other documents 302, or between documents 302 and the data model 301.
  • a multi-disciplinary engineering system may combine a document based engineering system and a model based engineering system. That is, according to exemplary embodiments, a multi-disciplinary engineering system is neither purely document based nor purely model based. The combined multi-disciplinary engineering system allows multiple workers from different disciplines to work together using a document based approach or a model based approach, as described above, while the multi-disciplinary system synchronizes both documents and models within the system.
  • FIG. 4 shows a multi-aiy engineering system application topology, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • a multi-disciplinary engineering system includes a plurality of engineering applications coupled to a computer server via extension modules.
  • Each engineering application corresponds to a different domain in the multi-disciplinary engineering system.
  • the extension modules are coniigured to communicate with the computer server, which stores common data.
  • the common data stored in the server may be in the form of an object-oriented engineering model that spans the multiple disciplines.
  • the computer server may synchronize different connected applications, organize data, and transmit notifications regarding changes that are to be propagated.
  • the plurality of engineering applications includes a mechanical CAD application 401, an electrical application 402, an automation application 403, and an engineering application 404.
  • Each engineering application includes an application interface 405 configured to communicate with a computer server interface 406 via a network 410 (e.g., a LAN, WAN, etc.).
  • the computer server interface 406 and a storage database(s) 407 are part of a data repository application 408.
  • the storage database 407 may include a plurality of storage databases 407, each storing data corresponding to the different domains (e.g., mechanical data, electrical data, layout data, automation data, etc.).
  • Each storage database 407 may include a document-based portion and a model-based portion.
  • a synchronization application of the computer server 406 may perform synchronization according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention (see, for example, FIGs. 8 and 1 1).
  • the multi- disciplinary engineering system is extendable, allowing for additional engineering applications corresponding to different disciplines to be added to existing engineering projects. Extendibility may be implemented using, for example, well-defined extension interfaces provided by the applications (e.g., Application Programming Interfaces ( APIs) for plugins or scripts), or an extendable meta-model based repository system for the server.
  • APIs Application Programming Interfaces
  • FIG. 5 shows a hardware implementation of a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • a multi-disciplinary engineering system 500 includes a client 501 connected to a computer server 502 via a network 512.
  • exemplary embodiments may include multiple clients 501 and/or multiple servers 502.
  • the client 501 includes a memory 503, a central processing unit (CPU) 504, and a storage device 505,
  • the computer server 502 similarly includes a memory 506, a CPU 507, and a storage device 508.
  • the memory 506 may include a synchronization application for performing synchronization according to exemplar ⁇ ' embodiments of the present invention (see, for example, FIGs, 8 and 1 1 ), and the storage device 508 may include a plurality of storage databases, each having a document- based portion and a model-based portion, corresponding to a domain of the system 500.
  • the system 500 may further include, for example, automation hardware 509 (e.g., PLCs, I/O boards, etc.), sensors 510 (e.g., light barriers, proximity sensors, etc.), and/or actuators 511 (e.g., drives, robots, etc.), as well as various other peripheral devices.
  • Engineers may interact with the multi-disciplinary engineering system via input/output (I/O) devices (e.g., a keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.) 512 connected to the client 501, as well as the various peripheral devices of the system.
  • I/O input/output
  • synchronization in a multi-disciplinary engineering system may be implemented between documents and models in a single system in which document based engineering methods are combined with model based engineering methods. That is, data in a document-based portion of a multi-disciplinary engineering system (e.g., a portion of a multi-disciplinary engineering system utilizing document based engineering as described, for example, with reference to FIG. 2) is synchronized with da ta in a model-based portion of the multi-disciplinary engineering system (e.g., a portion of the multi-disciplinary engineering system utilizing model based engineering as described, for example, with reference to FIG. 3).
  • Workers in different disciplines may utilize the system via document based access (e.g., through layout plans, electrical schematics, etc.), as typically done in a document based engineering system (see FIG. 2), or via direct model access (e.g., through graph views, tree views, etc.), as typically done in a model based engineering system (see FIG. 3).
  • document based access e.g., through layout plans, electrical schematics, etc.
  • direct model access e.g., through graph views, tree views, etc.
  • model based engineering system see FIG. 3
  • the visualization presented to the workers may include a modified visualization of the data model including additional document specific information such as, for example, page bounds, references, etc.
  • the system may control the data model and its visualization either as a document or a model.
  • the visualization may be an application/domain specific document presentation allowing documents to be viewed and opened,
  • the visualization may also display metadata and allow users to perform data management tasks and explore interdisciplinary connections between the documents and the data model, as well as between multiple documents.
  • the visualization may allow additional metadata such as, for example, data sheets associated with documents or data, to be controlled.
  • the visualization may further allow data management tasks such as, for example, revising and configuring data, to be performed.
  • Synchronization may be implemented in a variety of manners. For example, synchronization may be rule-based or notification-based, or synchronization may occur in real-time. When synchronization is rule-based, synchronization occurs at specific points in time (e.g., at predefined time intervals including, for example, user-defined points in time). When synchronization is notification-based, the multi-disciplinary engineering system notifies the user of potential synchronization steps, and the user decides which steps are to be executed. When synchronization occurs in real-time, changes are synchronized immediately. To allow for synchronization, the multi-disciplinary system may track the versions of objects and documents within the system,
  • FIG. 6 shows an overview of user-defined automatic change propagation implemented to synchronize a document-based portion and a model-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 7 shows an overview of fully automatic change propagation implemented to synchronize a document-based portion and a model-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplar ⁇ ' embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing a method of synchronizing the document-based portion and the model-based portion of a domain in the multi-disciplinary engineering systems of FIGs. 6 and 7.
  • a multi-disciplinary system engineering system 600 includes a plurality of domains, each of which include both a model-based portion (e.g., the portion of the system 600 including the data model 601) and a document-based portion (e.g., the portion of the system 600 including documents 602).
  • the model-based portion 601 and the document- based portion 602 described with reference to FIGs. 6 and 7 correspond to the automation domain utilized by automation engineers, as described in the example above. However, it is to be understood that the description of FIGs. 6 to 8 may apply to all of the domains 603 of the multi-disciplinary engineering system 600.
  • the domains each of which may include a model-based portion and a document-based portion, as described herein, may all be linked together as shown in FIGs. 6 and 7, Synchronization between these linked domains is described in detail with reference to FIGs, 9 to 11.
  • a user changes an object representation in a document at block 801. That is, at block 801, a change occurs to a document in the document-based portion 602 of a domain (e.g., the automation domain) in the multi-disciplinary engineering system 600.
  • the system 600 detects the change of the document. That is, at block 802, the change occurring in the document-based portion 602 is detected.
  • data in the model-based portion 601 is updated based on the change that occurred in the document-based portion 602.
  • the system 600 processes all impacted documents in the document-based portion 602 (e.g., all documents affected by the revision made to PLC A in the model-based portion 601).
  • the system 600 transmits a notification to user(s) linked to the document at block 807, informing the user(s) that a revision has occurred at the model-based portion 601 of the domain.
  • a user may be linked to a document if the user is currently working on the document, has previously worked on the document, has indicated an intent to work on the document, has registered as an owner of the document, has indicated an interest in receiving updates regarding the document, etc.
  • the user may accept or reject the revision.
  • the system 600 updates the affected documents at block 809, and stores a new revision of the document at block 810.
  • the data in the model-based portion 601 of the domain may be updated at predefined time intervals when propagation is fully automatic. Further, the data in the model-based portion 601 of the domain may be immediately updated upon detecting a change made to a document in the document-based portion 602 when propagation is fully automatic.
  • the multi- disciplinary engineering system provides
  • Synchronization between different domains may be semi-automatic (e.g., engineers may be permitted to provide input on potential changes to the system) or fully automatic. Synchronization between domains may utilize versioning of data in the systems, as well as notifications, as described in further detail below.
  • different domains in the multi-disciplinary system may respond to the change differently. For example, depending on the type of change, a user notification may be provided requesting approval to
  • create/remove/modify a data object or a data objected may be automatically
  • user notifications may be utilized for all changes for which the multi-disciplinary system cannot automatically determine the appropriate action to take.
  • FIG. 9 shows an overview of semi-automatic synchronization between different domains, according to an exemplar embodiment of the present invention.
  • a mechanical engineer may change the belt speed specification of a conveyor belt from 10 mph to 15 mph. if the multi-disciplinary engineering system is unable to automatical ly detect whether this change affects a control program that controls the conveyor belt, and/or the manner in which the change affects the control program, user-defined automatic change propagation may be implemented. For example, a query may be generated and presented to the user to determine whether the specification change affects the control program, and/or in what manner the specification change affects the control program.
  • FIG. 10 shows an overview of fully automatic synchronization between different domains, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • an engineer may add a new data object (e.g., an input/output card to a PLC Station) in the automation domain.
  • a new data object e.g., an input/output card to a PLC Station
  • the input/output card in the automation domain results in the automatic updating of the corresponding electrical representation in the electrical model, and the automatic connection of the new input/output ports of the new object to sensors/actuators of other objects already existing in the engineering system.
  • a multi-disciplinary engineering system 900 includes a plurality of domains, each of which include both a model-based portion and a document-based portion, as described in detail with reference to FIGs, 6 and 7.
  • the domains described with reference to FIGs. 9 and 10 correspond to the automation domain 901 utilized by automation engineers and the electrical domain 902 utilized by electrical engineers, as described in the example above. However, it is to be understood that the description of FIGs. 9 and 10 applies to all of the domains 903 of the multi-disciplinary engineering system 900.
  • the domains 901 to 903, each of which include a model-based portion and a documen t-based portion, are linked together and synchronized with each other as described herein.
  • a user changes an object representation in a document at block 1101. That is, at block 1101, a change occurs to a document in the document-based portion of a domain in the multi-disciplinary engineering system 900 (e.g., the automation domain 901 in FIGs. 9 and 10).
  • the system 900 detects the change of the document.
  • Tha is, at block 1102 , the change occurring in the document-based portion is detected.
  • data in the model-based portion of the same domain e.g., the automation domain 901 in FIGs. 9 and 10) is updated based on the change that occurred in the document-based portion.
  • the system 900 notifies all other domains impacted by the change to PLC A (e.g., the electrical domain 902, as shown in FIGs. 9 and 10).
  • the system 900 transmits a notification to both the affected domain at block 1107 (e.g., the electrical domain 902 in FIGs. 9 and 10), and to user(s) working in the affected domain at block 1108 (e.g., Engineer B in FIGs, 9 and 10), informing the user(s) that a revision has occurred at the domain that the change originated from (e.g., the automation domain 901 in FIGs. 9 and 10).
  • the user(s) may be notified by the affected domain rather than the domain that the change originated from.
  • the user may decide to accept or reject data change,
  • the system 900 updates the affected domains at block 1109, and stores the updated data at block 1110.
  • FIG, 12 shows a multi-disciplinary engineering system application topology, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • a multi-disciplinary engineering system 1200 includes an object-oriented repositor system 1201 including a server 1202.
  • the server 1202 stores different domain specific data models 1203.
  • Each domain specific data model 1203 corresponds to a different domain, and the server 1202 pro vides multi-disciplinary access to the domain specific data models.
  • the domain specific data models 1203 correspond to a mechanical domain, an electrical domain, a layout domain, and an automation domain, as described in the example above, however the data models 1203 are not limited thereto.
  • other data models 1203 may correspond to simulation data, factory planner data, etc.
  • a plurality of engineering applications may be coupled to the server 1202.
  • Three examples of different applications coupled to the server 1202 are shown in FIG. 12, however, the type and number of applications are not limited thereto, and additional applications 1207 may be included.
  • a first exemplary application 1204 interfaces with at least some of the plurality of domains.
  • the first application 1204 interfaces with the mechanical domain, the electrical domain, and the automation domain, each of which has its own user interface providing a user with both a model view and a document view.
  • the first application 1204 may provide different types of graphical interfaces to the user to view and access the domains including, for example, a two-dimensional and a three- dimensional work space. Exemplary work spaces include a factory layout editor, an electrical plan editor, mechanical drawings, schematic automation plans, etc,
  • the third exemplar ⁇ ' application 1206 in FIG. 12 is a portal application which serves as a development environment for automation & Human Machine Interface ( I ⁇ M ⁇ ) hardware planning and programming.
  • the third application 1206 includes graphical and textual interfaces for editing automation station configurations, and facilitates the compilation, configuration, and execution of code to be written on PLC devices.
  • FIG. 12 illustrates how data in an engineering environment (e.g., a factory in the present example) may be connected in a common model, allowing for an object to appear in multiple applications, and be synchronized across multiple applications via, for example, a network 1208.
  • a robot may be mechanically constructed and electrically planned in the first application 1204, the behavior of the robot may be planned in the second application 1205, and the robot may embedded in a production line process using automation software running on a PLC planned in the third application 1206.
  • a notification mechanism may be utilized to assist a user in an engineering domain with engineering tasks that may be impacted by changes in other engineering domains.
  • the notification mechanism may be used to inform a user about new or changed data, and to offer the user an option to adopt his/her document/model views to the changed data.
  • the notification mechanism may be used to inform a user of new versions of documents and models representing the changed objects.
  • the notification mechanism may be used to notify different domains users about changes in data that has multiple discipline representations.
  • the notification mechanism may be utilized to indicate changes regarding the creation of data objects, the deletion of data objects, and the modification of data objects, as well as other events occurring within the multi-Ar engineering system affecting data.
  • providing data connections between different disciplines allows a system to support various functions, For example, the sharing of data connections allows for communication between different disciplines, rule-based change propagation, die formalization of workflows, multi- disciplinary report generation, and usage of interdisciplinary common data structures.
  • Exemplary embodiments allow engineers from various domains to use document based engineering methods or model based engineering methods while the underlying data remains synchronized across multiple domains. Exemplary embodiments support engineers in the communication and adaptation of changes within an engineering project, thus, reducing error rate. Exemplary embodiments further allow for traditionally separate engineering domains to be combined and managed together in a controlled manner.
  • exemplar ⁇ ' embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in various forms of hardware, software, firmware, special purpose processes, or a combination thereof.
  • the present invention can be implemented in software as an application program tangibly embodied on a computer readable program storage device (e.g., a non-transitory tangible media).
  • the application program can be uploaded to, and executed by, a machine comprising any suitable
  • F IG. 13 is a block diagram of an exemplar ⁇ ' computer system for implementing a method for multi-disciplinary engineering with a synchronized documents interface, according to an exemplar ⁇ ' embodiment of the invention.
  • a computer system 1351 for implementing the present invention can comprise, inter alia, a central processing unit (CPU) 1352, a memory 1353 and an input/output (I/O) interface 1354.
  • the computer system 1351 is generally coupled through the I/O interface 1354 to a display 1355 and various input devices 1356 such as a mouse and a keyboard.
  • the support circuits can include circuits such as cache, power supplies, clock circuits, and a communication bus.
  • the memory 1353 can include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), disk drive, tape drive, etc., or a combination thereof.
  • RAM random access memory
  • ROM read only memory
  • the present invention can be implemented as a routine 1357 that is stored in memory 1353 and executed by the CPU 1352 to process the signal from the signal source 1358.
  • the computer system 1351 is a general purpose computer system that becomes a specific purpose computer system when executing the routine 1357 of the present in vention.
  • the computer system 1351 also includes an operating system and micro instruction code,
  • the various processes and functions described herein can either be part of the micro instruction code or part of the application program (or a combination thereof) which is executed via the operating system.
  • various other peripheral devices can be connected to the computer platform such as an additional data storage device and a printing device,

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Abstract

A method of synchronization in a multi-disciplinary engineering environment includes detecting (802) a change made to a document in a document-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, wherein the multi-disciplinary engineering system comprises a plurality of domains including the domain, updating (803) data in a model-based portion of the domain in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document, and updating (809) at least one other document in the document-based portion of the domain in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain, wherein the at least one other document is impacted by the change made to the document

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING WITH A SYNCHRONIZED DOCUMENTS INTERFACE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of Provisional Application Serial No, 61/766,183, filed on February 19, 2013, the disclosure of which is herein mcorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
1 . Technical Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for multi-disciplinary engineering with a synchronized documents interface,
2. Discussion of Related Art
A multi-disciplinary engineering system is a system that allows engineers from multiple disciplines to work on common or connected data. For example, in a factory setting, a factory planner can work together with a mechanical engineer, an electrical engineer and an automation engineer to plan a new production line for a car door assembly.
Typical ly, when working on common or connected data, the work of engineers from multiple disciplines is separated from a data point of view. As a result, manual
synchronization of discipline specific data may be time consuming and error prone.
Referring to the example above, when the automation engineer introduces a new
programmable logic controller (PLC) to a project, this information should be shared with the electrical engineer so that the electrical engineer can place the newly added programmable logic controller into the correc t electrical cabinet and plan for the wiring of the newly added programmable logic controller. If the information is not shared between disciplines, or if the information is distorted when shared between disciplines, die work of the engineers may be impacted.
SUMMARY
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of synchronization in a multi-disciplinary engineering environment includes detecting a change made to a document in a document-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, wherein the multi -disciplinary engineering system comprises a plurality of domains including the domain, updating data in a model-based portion of the domain in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document, and updating at least one other document in the document-based portion of the domain in response to updating the data in the model -based portion of the domain, wherein the at least one other document is impacted by the change made to the document.
The method may further include updating data in a model-based portion of at least one other domain from among the plurality of domains in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain.
The method may further include transmitting a notification to at leas t one other domain from among the plurality of domains indicating that the data in the model-based portion of the domain has been updated subsequent to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain.
The method may further include transmitting a notification to at least one user associated with the at least one other document upon updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain, wherem the notification indicates that a change impacting the at least one other document has occurred in the model-based portion of the domain.
The method may further include transmitting a query to a user upon detecting the change to the document in the document-based portion of the domain to determine whether the data in the model-based portion relates to the change made to the document, wherein the data in the model -based portion of the domain is updated based on a user response to the query provided by the user.
In an exemplary embodiment, the model-based portion of the domain includes a single common data model.
In an exemplary embodiment, the data in the model-based portion of the domain is updated at predefined time intervals.
In an exemplar}' embodiment, the data in the model-based portion of the domain is updated immediately upon detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion of the domain.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of synchronization in a multi-disciplinary engineering environment includes detecting a change made to a document in a document-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, wherein the multi-disciplinary engineering system comprises a plurality of domains including the domain, updating data in a model-based portion of the domain in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document, and updating data in a model- based portion of at least one other domain from among the plurality of domains in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a computer program product for a method of synchronization in a multi-disciplinary' engineering environment includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to detect, by the processor, a change made to a document in a document-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, wherein the multi-disciplinary
engineering system comprises a plurality of domains including the domain, update, by the processor, data in a model-based portion of the domain in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document, and update, by the processor, at least one other document in the document-based portion of the domain in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain, wherein the at least one other document is impacted by the change made to the document.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for performing a method of synchronization in a multi-disciplinary engineering environment includes a computer server including a plurality of storage databases corresponding to a plurality of domains, wherein each of the piurality of domains is accessible to a plurality of users via a corresponding application interfacing with the computer server via a network, a synchronization application of the computer server is configured to detect a change made to a document in a document-based portion of one of the storage databases, update data in a model-ba sed portion of the one of the storage databases in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document, and update at least one other document in the document-based portion of the one of the storage databases in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the one of the storage databases, wherem the at least one other document is impacted by the change made to the document. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other features of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :
FIG. 1 shows a general overview of a multi-disciplinary engineering system.
FIG. 2 shows an overview of a document based engineering system.
FIG. 3 shows an overview of a model based engineering system.
FIG. 4 shows a multi-disciplinary engineering system application topology according to an exemplar embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows a hardware implementation of a multi-disciplinary engineering system according to an exempl ary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 shows an overview of user-defined automatic change propagation
implemented to synchronize a document-based portion and a model-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows an overview of fully automatic change propagation implemented to synchronize a document-based portion and a model-based portion of a domain in a multi- disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing a method of synchronizing the document-based portion and the model-based portion of the multi-disciplinary engineering systems of FIGs. 6 and 7, according to an exemplar}' embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 shows an overview of semi-automatic synchronization between different domains of a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 shows an overview of fully automatic synchronization between different domains of a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplar}' embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 1 is a flowchart describing a method of synchronization between different domains of the multi-disciplinary engineering systems of FIGs, 9 and 10, according to an exemplar}' embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 shows a multi-disciplinary engineering system application topology according to an exempl ary embodiment of the present in ven tion. FIG. 13 is a block diagram of an exemplary computer system for implementing a method for multi-disciplinary engineering with a synchronized documents interface, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals may refer to like elements throughout the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a general overview of a multi-disciplinary engineering system 100, In the example shown in FIG. 1, the engineering system 100 refers to a production line in a factory, and workers in different disciplines include factory designers, management employees, automation engineers, mechanical engineers, and electrical engineers. For con venience of explanation, exemplary embodiments described herein may refer to the engineering system 100 and disciplines (and corresponding workers) shown in FIG. 1, however, it is to be understood that exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. That is, exemplary embodiments may be utilized in a variety of engineering systems. Herein, the terms workers, engineers, and users may be used interchangeably, and the terms disciplines and domains may be used interchangeably.
Different methods may be utilized in a multi-disciplinary engineering system. For example, an engineering system may utilize a document based engineering method or a model based engineering method.
FIG. 2 shows an overview of a document based engineering system.
Referring to a document based engineering system, workers create and manage documents, which may be in different formats and may be created and managed using different tools, during an engineering process. The tools used may be standard tools (e.g., Microsoft© Excel®, Microsoft© Visio®, etc.) or specialized tools (e.g., EPlan, Factory CAD, etc.). When a document based engineering method is used, efficiency and accuracy may be limited in regards to maintaining consistency between documents since documents each have their own separate format and data. A versioning scheme may be used to indicate changes made to documents, and the corresponding times of the changes.
For example, referring to FIG. 2, an automation engineer may introduce a new programmable logic controller (PLC) (e.g., PLC A) 201 in a document based engineering system 200. When PLC A is added, all documents 202 (e.g., wiring diagrams, connection lists, bills of material, cabinet diagrams, etc.) impacted by PLC A 201 are separately created and/or updated. Database or repository software may be utilized to administer and revise documents in a document based engineering system 200, Manual change propagation, in which engineers from one discipline alert engineers of another discipline that a change to a document has been made, made be utilized. Manual change propagation is described in further detail below,
FIG. 3 shows an overview of a model based engineering system.
Referring to a model based engineering system 300, engineering data is stored in a format that is structured in one common data model 301. in a mode! based system 300, the engineering data is not document specific. Thus, referring to the example above, when a new PLC (e.g., PLC A) is added in a model based engineering system 300, the PLC, and all of its associated data, is only represented once in the system 300, rather than being duplicated across different documents as done in a document based engineering system 200. That is, when a new P LC is added in a model based system 300, only the data model 301 of the system 300 is updated.
Since documents are typically needed by workers at some point during an engineering process, at certain points, the data model 301 in the model based engineering system 300 is converted and exported into document form for use by the workers. For example, in FIG . 3, the data model 301 is converted and exported into documents 302. Compared to a document based engineering system 200, in which data is always stored in document form, a model based engineering system 300 may result in increased productivity and efficiency of the engineering process, However, because generated documents 302 are decoupled from the data model 301 (e.g., since documents 302 are only generated periodically based on the data model 301), changes are not automatically synchronized between documents 302 and other documents 302, or between documents 302 and the data model 301.
According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a multi-disciplinary engineering system may combine a document based engineering system and a model based engineering system. That is, according to exemplary embodiments, a multi-disciplinary engineering system is neither purely document based nor purely model based. The combined multi-disciplinary engineering system allows multiple workers from different disciplines to work together using a document based approach or a model based approach, as described above, while the multi-disciplinary system synchronizes both documents and models within the system. FIG. 4 shows a multi-disciplinaiy engineering system application topology, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a multi-disciplinary engineering system includes a plurality of engineering applications coupled to a computer server via extension modules. Each engineering application corresponds to a different domain in the multi-disciplinary engineering system. The extension modules are coniigured to communicate with the computer server, which stores common data. The common data stored in the server may be in the form of an object-oriented engineering model that spans the multiple disciplines. The computer server may synchronize different connected applications, organize data, and transmit notifications regarding changes that are to be propagated.
For example, referring to FIG. 4, the plurality of engineering applications includes a mechanical CAD application 401, an electrical application 402, an automation application 403, and an engineering application 404. It is to be understood that exemplary embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the types and number of engineermg applications shown in FIG. 4. Each engineering application includes an application interface 405 configured to communicate with a computer server interface 406 via a network 410 (e.g., a LAN, WAN, etc.). The computer server interface 406 and a storage database(s) 407 are part of a data repository application 408. The storage database 407 may include a plurality of storage databases 407, each storing data corresponding to the different domains (e.g., mechanical data, electrical data, layout data, automation data, etc.). Each storage database 407 may include a document-based portion and a model-based portion. A synchronization application of the computer server 406 may perform synchronization according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention (see, for example, FIGs. 8 and 1 1). The multi- disciplinary engineering system is extendable, allowing for additional engineering applications corresponding to different disciplines to be added to existing engineering projects. Extendibility may be implemented using, for example, well-defined extension interfaces provided by the applications (e.g., Application Programming Interfaces ( APIs) for plugins or scripts), or an extendable meta-model based repository system for the server.
FIG. 5 shows a hardware implementation of a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 5, a multi-disciplinary engineering system 500 includes a client 501 connected to a computer server 502 via a network 512. Exemplary embodiments may include multiple clients 501 and/or multiple servers 502. The client 501 includes a memory 503, a central processing unit (CPU) 504, and a storage device 505, The computer server 502 similarly includes a memory 506, a CPU 507, and a storage device 508. The memory 506 may include a synchronization application for performing synchronization according to exemplar}' embodiments of the present invention (see, for example, FIGs, 8 and 1 1 ), and the storage device 508 may include a plurality of storage databases, each having a document- based portion and a model-based portion, corresponding to a domain of the system 500. The system 500 may further include, for example, automation hardware 509 (e.g., PLCs, I/O boards, etc.), sensors 510 (e.g., light barriers, proximity sensors, etc.), and/or actuators 511 (e.g., drives, robots, etc.), as well as various other peripheral devices. Engineers may interact with the multi-disciplinary engineering system via input/output (I/O) devices (e.g., a keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.) 512 connected to the client 501, as well as the various peripheral devices of the system.
As described above, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, synchronization in a multi-disciplinary engineering system may be implemented between documents and models in a single system in which document based engineering methods are combined with model based engineering methods. That is, data in a document-based portion of a multi-disciplinary engineering system (e.g., a portion of a multi-disciplinary engineering system utilizing document based engineering as described, for example, with reference to FIG. 2) is synchronized with da ta in a model-based portion of the multi-disciplinary engineering system (e.g., a portion of the multi-disciplinary engineering system utilizing model based engineering as described, for example, with reference to FIG. 3). Workers in different disciplines may utilize the system via document based access (e.g., through layout plans, electrical schematics, etc.), as typically done in a document based engineering system (see FIG. 2), or via direct model access (e.g., through graph views, tree views, etc.), as typically done in a model based engineering system (see FIG. 3). Regardless of whether a worker accesses the system using document based access methods or direct model access methods, both the data model and data documents that form the engineering system are automatically synchronized by the system.
The visualization presented to the workers may include a modified visualization of the data model including additional document specific information such as, for example, page bounds, references, etc. The system may control the data model and its visualization either as a document or a model. The visualization may be an application/domain specific document presentation allowing documents to be viewed and opened, The visualization may also display metadata and allow users to perform data management tasks and explore interdisciplinary connections between the documents and the data model, as well as between multiple documents. The visualization may allow additional metadata such as, for example, data sheets associated with documents or data, to be controlled. The visualization may further allow data management tasks such as, for example, revising and configuring data, to be performed.
Synchronization may be implemented in a variety of manners. For example, synchronization may be rule-based or notification-based, or synchronization may occur in real-time. When synchronization is rule-based, synchronization occurs at specific points in time (e.g., at predefined time intervals including, for example, user-defined points in time). When synchronization is notification-based, the multi-disciplinary engineering system notifies the user of potential synchronization steps, and the user decides which steps are to be executed. When synchronization occurs in real-time, changes are synchronized immediately. To allow for synchronization, the multi-disciplinary system may track the versions of objects and documents within the system,
Synchronization may be user-defined or fully automatic. FIG. 6 shows an overview of user-defined automatic change propagation implemented to synchronize a document-based portion and a model-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 shows an overview of fully automatic change propagation implemented to synchronize a document-based portion and a model-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, according to an exemplar}' embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing a method of synchronizing the document-based portion and the model-based portion of a domain in the multi-disciplinary engineering systems of FIGs. 6 and 7.
Referring to FIGs. 6 and 7, a multi-disciplinary system engineering system 600 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of domains, each of which include both a model-based portion (e.g., the portion of the system 600 including the data model 601) and a document-based portion (e.g., the portion of the system 600 including documents 602). The model-based portion 601 and the document- based portion 602 described with reference to FIGs. 6 and 7 correspond to the automation domain utilized by automation engineers, as described in the example above. However, it is to be understood that the description of FIGs. 6 to 8 may apply to all of the domains 603 of the multi-disciplinary engineering system 600. The domains, each of which may include a model-based portion and a document-based portion, as described herein, may all be linked together as shown in FIGs. 6 and 7, Synchronization between these linked domains is described in detail with reference to FIGs, 9 to 11.
Referring to FIG, 8, a user changes an object representation in a document at block 801. That is, at block 801, a change occurs to a document in the document-based portion 602 of a domain (e.g., the automation domain) in the multi-disciplinary engineering system 600. At block 802, the system 600 detects the change of the document. That is, at block 802, the change occurring in the document-based portion 602 is detected. At block 803, data in the model-based portion 601 is updated based on the change that occurred in the document-based portion 602. For example, if the change detected at block 802 corresponds to PLC A being changed in Document Z by Engineer C, PLC A is updated in the model-based portion 601, At block 804, the system 600 processes all impacted documents in the document-based portion 602 (e.g., all documents affected by the revision made to PLC A in the model-based portion 601).
At block 805, it is determined whether ail impacted documents have been processed. If impacted documents remain, it is determined (e.g., by the user) whether propagation of the revision is user-defined or fully automatic at block 806.
When propagation is user-defined (see FIG. 6), the system 600 transmits a notification to user(s) linked to the document at block 807, informing the user(s) that a revision has occurred at the model-based portion 601 of the domain. A user may be linked to a document if the user is currently working on the document, has previously worked on the document, has indicated an intent to work on the document, has registered as an owner of the document, has indicated an interest in receiving updates regarding the document, etc. At block 808, the user may accept or reject the revision.
When propagation is fully automatic (see FIG. 7), or when a user at block 808 accepts a revision, the system 600 updates the affected documents at block 809, and stores a new revision of the document at block 810. The data in the model-based portion 601 of the domain may be updated at predefined time intervals when propagation is fully automatic. Further, the data in the model-based portion 601 of the domain may be immediately updated upon detecting a change made to a document in the document-based portion 602 when propagation is fully automatic.
As shown in FIGs. 6 and 7, since all of the domains in the multi-disciplinary engineering system 600 are linked to each other, revisions are synchronized across all domains in the system 600. Synchronization between different domains is described in further detail herein with reference to FIGs. 9 to 1 L
In addition to providing synchronization between a model-based representation and a document-based representation within an engineering domain, as described above, the multi- disciplinary engineering system according to exemplary embodiments provides
synchronization between different engineering domains within a multi-disciplinary engineering system. Synchronization between different domains may be semi-automatic (e.g., engineers may be permitted to provide input on potential changes to the system) or fully automatic. Synchronization between domains may utilize versioning of data in the systems, as well as notifications, as described in further detail below. Depending on the type of change occurring in the system (e.g., an addition of a new data object, the removal of an existing data object, a modification to an existing data object, etc.), different domains in the multi-disciplinary system may respond to the change differently. For example, depending on the type of change, a user notification may be provided requesting approval to
create/remove/modify a data object, or a data objected may be automatically
created/removed/modified without further input from a user. In addition, user notifications may be utilized for all changes for which the multi-disciplinary system cannot automatically determine the appropriate action to take.
FIG. 9 shows an overview of semi-automatic synchronization between different domains, according to an exemplar embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 9 and the example involving a production line in a factory, a mechanical engineer may change the belt speed specification of a conveyor belt from 10 mph to 15 mph. if the multi-disciplinary engineering system is unable to automatical ly detect whether this change affects a control program that controls the conveyor belt, and/or the manner in which the change affects the control program, user-defined automatic change propagation may be implemented. For example, a query may be generated and presented to the user to determine whether the specification change affects the control program, and/or in what manner the specification change affects the control program.
FIG. 10 shows an overview of fully automatic synchronization between different domains, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG, 10 and the example involving a production line in a factory, an engineer may add a new data object (e.g., an input/output card to a PLC Station) in the automation domain. When fully automatic change propagation is implemented, addition of
1 ! the input/output card in the automation domain results in the automatic updating of the corresponding electrical representation in the electrical model, and the automatic connection of the new input/output ports of the new object to sensors/actuators of other objects already existing in the engineering system.
Referring to FIGs, 9 and 10, a multi-disciplinary engineering system 900 according to an exemplar}' embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of domains, each of which include both a model-based portion and a document-based portion, as described in detail with reference to FIGs, 6 and 7. The domains described with reference to FIGs. 9 and 10 correspond to the automation domain 901 utilized by automation engineers and the electrical domain 902 utilized by electrical engineers, as described in the example above. However, it is to be understood that the description of FIGs. 9 and 10 applies to all of the domains 903 of the multi-disciplinary engineering system 900. The domains 901 to 903, each of which include a model-based portion and a documen t-based portion, are linked together and synchronized with each other as described herein.
For example, referring to FIG, 11 a user changes an object representation in a document at block 1101. That is, at block 1101, a change occurs to a document in the document-based portion of a domain in the multi-disciplinary engineering system 900 (e.g., the automation domain 901 in FIGs. 9 and 10). At block 1102, the system 900 detects the change of the document. Tha is, at block 1102 , the change occurring in the document-based portion is detected. At block 1103, data in the model-based portion of the same domain (e.g., the automation domain 901 in FIGs. 9 and 10) is updated based on the change that occurred in the document-based portion.
For example, if the change detected at block 1102 corresponds to P LC A being changed in. a document by Engineer C in the automation domain 901, PLC A is updated in the model-based portion of the automation domain 901, At block 1104, the system 900 notifies all other domains impacted by the change to PLC A (e.g., the electrical domain 902, as shown in FIGs. 9 and 10). At block 1105, it is determined whether all impacted domains have been notified, If ail impacted, domains have not yet been notified, it is determined (e.g., by the user) whether propagation of the data change is to be user-defined or ful ly automatic at block 1106.
When propagation is user-defined (see FIG, 9), the system 900 transmits a notification to both the affected domain at block 1107 (e.g., the electrical domain 902 in FIGs. 9 and 10), and to user(s) working in the affected domain at block 1108 (e.g., Engineer B in FIGs, 9 and 10), informing the user(s) that a revision has occurred at the domain that the change originated from (e.g., the automation domain 901 in FIGs. 9 and 10). Alternatively, the user(s) may be notified by the affected domain rather than the domain that the change originated from. At block 1 108, the user may decide to accept or reject data change,
When propagation is fully automatic, or when a user at block 1108 accepts a revision, the system 900 updates the affected domains at block 1109, and stores the updated data at block 1110.
Combining the synchronization between the model-based portion and the document- based portion of a domain, as described with reference to FIGs. 6 to 8, and synchronization between multiple domains, as described with reference to FIGs. 9 to 1 1 , allows for the realization of a multi-disciplinary engineering system in which engineers from multiple domains may more efficiently work on common or connected data.
FIG, 12 shows a multi-disciplinary engineering system application topology, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 12, a multi-disciplinary engineering system 1200 includes an object-oriented repositor system 1201 including a server 1202. The server 1202 stores different domain specific data models 1203. Each domain specific data model 1203 corresponds to a different domain, and the server 1202 pro vides multi-disciplinary access to the domain specific data models. In FIG. 12, the domain specific data models 1203 correspond to a mechanical domain, an electrical domain, a layout domain, and an automation domain, as described in the example above, however the data models 1203 are not limited thereto. For example, other data models 1203 may correspond to simulation data, factory planner data, etc.
As described above, according to exemplary embodiments, a plurality of engineering applications may be coupled to the server 1202. Three examples of different applications coupled to the server 1202 are shown in FIG. 12, however, the type and number of applications are not limited thereto, and additional applications 1207 may be included.
Referring to FIG. 12, a first exemplary application 1204 interfaces with at least some of the plurality of domains. For example, in FIG . 12, the first application 1204 interfaces with the mechanical domain, the electrical domain, and the automation domain, each of which has its own user interface providing a user with both a model view and a document view. The first application 1204 may provide different types of graphical interfaces to the user to view and access the domains including, for example, a two-dimensional and a three- dimensional work space. Exemplary work spaces include a factory layout editor, an electrical plan editor, mechanical drawings, schematic automation plans, etc, The second exemplary application 1205 in FIG. 12 is a mechanical simulation application allowing for the planning of robot behavior (e.g., welding plans) and human simulation (e.g., a factory worker). The third exemplar}' application 1206 in FIG. 12 is a portal application which serves as a development environment for automation & Human Machine Interface ( I \ M \ ) hardware planning and programming. The third application 1206 includes graphical and textual interfaces for editing automation station configurations, and facilitates the compilation, configuration, and execution of code to be written on PLC devices.
FIG. 12 illustrates how data in an engineering environment (e.g., a factory in the present example) may be connected in a common model, allowing for an object to appear in multiple applications, and be synchronized across multiple applications via, for example, a network 1208. For example, a robot may be mechanically constructed and electrically planned in the first application 1204, the behavior of the robot may be planned in the second application 1205, and the robot may embedded in a production line process using automation software running on a PLC planned in the third application 1206.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a notification mechanism may be utilized to assist a user in an engineering domain with engineering tasks that may be impacted by changes in other engineering domains. In a multi-disciplinary engineering system utilizing user-defined automatic change propagation, the notification mechanism may be used to inform a user about new or changed data, and to offer the user an option to adopt his/her document/model views to the changed data. In a multi-disciplinary engineering system utilizing fully automatic change propagation, the notification mechanism may be used to inform a user of new versions of documents and models representing the changed objects. In scenarios in which there are multiple discipline specific data models, the notification mechanism may be used to notify different domains users about changes in data that has multiple discipline representations. The notification mechanism may be utilized to indicate changes regarding the creation of data objects, the deletion of data objects, and the modification of data objects, as well as other events occurring within the multi-disciplinar engineering system affecting data.
As described herein, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, providing data connections between different disciplines allows a system to support various functions, For example, the sharing of data connections allows for communication between different disciplines, rule-based change propagation, die formalization of workflows, multi- disciplinary report generation, and usage of interdisciplinary common data structures.
Exemplary embodiments allow engineers from various domains to use document based engineering methods or model based engineering methods while the underlying data remains synchronized across multiple domains. Exemplary embodiments support engineers in the communication and adaptation of changes within an engineering project, thus, reducing error rate. Exemplary embodiments further allow for traditionally separate engineering domains to be combined and managed together in a controlled manner.
It is to be understood that exemplar}' embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in various forms of hardware, software, firmware, special purpose processes, or a combination thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention can be implemented in software as an application program tangibly embodied on a computer readable program storage device (e.g., a non-transitory tangible media). The application program can be uploaded to, and executed by, a machine comprising any suitable
architecture.
F IG. 13 is a block diagram of an exemplar}' computer system for implementing a method for multi-disciplinary engineering with a synchronized documents interface, according to an exemplar}' embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 13, a computer system 1351 for implementing the present invention can comprise, inter alia, a central processing unit (CPU) 1352, a memory 1353 and an input/output (I/O) interface 1354. The computer system 1351 is generally coupled through the I/O interface 1354 to a display 1355 and various input devices 1356 such as a mouse and a keyboard. The support circuits can include circuits such as cache, power supplies, clock circuits, and a communication bus. The memory 1353 can include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), disk drive, tape drive, etc., or a combination thereof. The present invention can be implemented as a routine 1357 that is stored in memory 1353 and executed by the CPU 1352 to process the signal from the signal source 1358. As such, the computer system 1351 is a general purpose computer system that becomes a specific purpose computer system when executing the routine 1357 of the present in vention.
The computer system 1351 also includes an operating system and micro instruction code, The various processes and functions described herein can either be part of the micro instruction code or part of the application program (or a combination thereof) which is executed via the operating system. In addition, various other peripheral devices can be connected to the computer platform such as an additional data storage device and a printing device,
It is to be further understood that, because some of the constituent system components and method steps depicted in the accompanying figures can be implemented in software, the actual connections between the systems components (or the process steps) may differ depending upon the manner in which the present invention is programmed. Given the teachings of the present invention provided herein, one of ordinary' skill in the related art wi ll be able to contemplate these and similar implementations or configurations of the present invention.
Having described exemplar}' embodiments for a system and method for multi- disciplinary engineering with a synchronized documents interface, it is noted that
modifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings, It is therefore to be understood that changes may be made in exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Having thus described the invention with the details and particularity required by the patent laws, what is claimed and desired protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:
1. A method of synchronization in a multi-disciplinary engineering environment, comprising:
detecting a change made to a document in a document-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, wherein the multi-disciplinary engineering system comprises a plurality of domains including the domain;
updating da ta in a model -based portion of the domain in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document: and
updating at least one other document in the document-based portion of the domain in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain, wherein the at least one other document is impacted by the change made to the document.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
updating data in a model-based portion of at least one other domain from among the plurality of domains in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting a notification to at least one other domain from among the plurality of domains indicating that the data in the model-based portion of the domain has been updated subsequent to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain,
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting a notification to at least one user associated with the at least one other document upon updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain,
wherein the notification indicates that a change impacting the at least one other document has occurred in the modei-based portion of the domain.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting a query to a user upon detecting the change to the document in the document-based portion of the domain to determine whether the data in the model-based portion relates to the change made to the document, wherein the data in the model-based portion of the domain is updated based on a user response to the query provided by the user,
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the model-based portion of the domain comprises a single common data model
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data in the model-based portion of the domain is updated at predefined time intervals.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data in the model-based portion of the domain is updated immediately upon detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion of the domain.
9. A computer program product for a method of synchronization in a multi- disciplinary engineering environment, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
detect, by the processor, a change made to a document in a document-based portion of a domain in a multi-disciplinary engineering system, wherein the multi-disciplinary engineering system comprises a plurality of domains including the domain;
update, by the processor, data in a model-based portion of the domain in response to detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document; and
update, by the processor, at least one other document in the document-based portion of the domain in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain, wherein the at least one other document is impacted by the change made to the document.
10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions executable by the processor further cause the processor to:
update, by the processor, data in a model-based portion of at least one other domain from among the plurality of domains in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain.
11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions executable by the processor further cause the processor to: transmit, by the processor, a notification to at least one other domain from among the plurality of domains indicating that the data in the model-based portion of the domain has been updated subsequent to updating the data in the model -based portion of the domain.
12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions executable by the processor further cause the processor to:
transmit, by the processor, a notification to at least one user associated with the at least one other document upon updating the data in the model-based portion of the domain, wherein the notification indicates that a change impacting the at least one other document has occurred in the model-based portion of the domain.
13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions executable by the processor further cause the processor to:
transmit, by the processor, a query to a user upon detecting the change to the document in the doc ument-based portion of the domain to determine whether the data in the model-based portion relates to the change made to the document,
wherein the data in the model-based portion of the domain is updated based on a user response to the query provided by the user.
14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the model-based portion of the domain comprises a single common data model.
15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the data in the model- based portion of the domain is upda ted at predefined time intervals.
16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the data in the model- based portion of the domain is updated immediately upon detecting the change made to the document in the document-based portion of the domain.
17. An apparatus for performing a method of synchronization in a multi- disciplinary engineering environment, comprising:
a computer server including a plurality of storage databases corresponding to a plurality of domains, wherein:
each of the plurality of domains is accessible to a plurality of users via a
corresponding application interfacing with the computer server via a network; a synchronization application of the computer server is configured to detect a change made to a doc ument in a document-based portion of one of the storage databases;
the synchronization application of the computer server is configured to update data in a model -based portion of the one of the storage databases in response to detecting the ch ange made to the document in the document-based portion, wherein the data relates to the change made to the document; and
the synchronization application of the computer server is configured to update at least one other document in the document-based portion of the one of the storage databases in response to updating the data in the model-based portion of the one of the storage databases, wherein the at least one other document is impacted by the change made to the document.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the synchronization application of the computer server is farther configured to:
update data in a model-based portion of at least one other storage database from among the plurality of storage databases in response to updating the data in the model-based porti on of the one of the storage databases.
19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the synchronization application of the computer server is further configured to:
transmit a notification to at least one other storage database from among the plurality of storage databases indicating that the data in the model-based portion of the one of the storage databases has been updated subsequent to updating the data in the model-based portion of th e one of the storage databases.
20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the synchronization application of the computer server is further configured to:
transmit a notification to at least one user associated with the at least one other document upon updating the data in the model-based portion of the one of the storage databases,
wherem the notification indicates that a change impacting the at least one other document has occurred in the model-based portion of the one of the storage databases.
PCT/US2014/016808 2013-02-19 2014-02-18 Method and system for multi-disciplinary engineering with a synchronized documents interface Ceased WO2014130424A1 (en)

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