Techniques for decoupling access to infrastructure models

Inventors

Bentley, Keith A. • Wilson, Samuel W. • Sewall, Shaun C.

Assignees

Bentley Systems Inc

Abstract

In example embodiments, techniques are provided for decoupling user access to infrastructure models from proprietary software that maintains and updates the infrastructure models. A backend application may include an infrastructure modeling backend module that, among other functions, handles communication with an infrastructure modeling frontend module of a frontend application that provides user access to the infrastructure model, infrastructure modeling hub services that maintain repositories for the infrastructure model, and an infrastructure modeling native module that creates, performs operations upon, and updates local instances of a database that stores the infrastructure model. While the infrastructure modeling backend module may pass information obtained from the infrastructure modeling frontend module and infrastructure modeling hub services to the infrastructure modeling native module, it may be functionally separated from the software of the infrastructure modeling native module that understands how to maintain and update infrastructure models, including interacting with local instances of the database.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to decoupling user access to an infrastructure model from software that maintains and updates the infrastructure model. It functionally separates software of an infrastructure modeling backend module that lacks an ability to interact with a local instance of a database from software of an infrastructure modeling native module that has the ability to interact with the local instance of the database that stores the infrastructure model.

The backend module obtains information related to the infrastructure model and determines a need to perform an operation upon the infrastructure model. To maintain and update the infrastructure model, the backend calls services executing on one or more cloud computing devices to obtain one or more changesets from a repository applicable to the infrastructure model stored in the local instance of the database, and each changeset is a set of database statements that update the infrastructure model from one version to a new version.

The backend provides the one or more changesets to the infrastructure modeling native module to cause the native module to apply the one or more changesets to the infrastructure model stored in the local instance of the database. After determining a need to perform an operation, the backend calls the infrastructure modeling native module to request the native module to perform an operation on the infrastructure model stored in the local instance of the database, including inserting into, deleting from, or querying about models, elements, or properties.

In the disclosed context, the infrastructure model is a digital representation of a building, factory, road, railway, or bridge that has been built, or is planned to be built, in the real-world. The described flow includes obtaining a request to open the infrastructure model, using the backend module to retrieve applicable changesets from the repository via cloud services, and then updating the local instance of the database through the native module.

Claims Coverage

The document provides three independent claims: a method claim, a method claim specific to digital representations of real-world built/planned structures, and a non-transitory electronic device readable medium claim. Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on functionally separating a backend module without local database access from a native module with local database access, obtaining changesets from a repository, applying the changesets locally, and invoking operations that insert, delete, or query models, elements, or properties.

Across the independent claims, the core inventive approach is the functional separation of an infrastructure modeling backend module that cannot interact with a local database from an infrastructure modeling native module that can, combined with cloud-based retrieval of changesets from a repository and local application of those changesets. The backend module then determines and requests operations that insert, delete, or query models, elements, or properties stored in the local instance of the database, including an open/initialize flow and a digital-representation context for built/planned structures.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications