Techniques for alignment of source infrastructure data with a BIS conceptual schema

Inventors

Bentley, Keith A. • Mullen, Casey • Wilson, Samuel W.

Assignees

Bentley Systems Inc

Abstract

In one embodiment, techniques are provided for aligning source infrastructure data to be compatible with a conceptual schema (e.g., BIS) implemented through an underlying database schema (e.g., DgnDb). Data aligned according to the conceptual schema may serve as a “digital twin” of real-world infrastructure usable throughout various phases of an infrastructure project, with physical information serving as a “backbone”, and non-physical information maintained relative thereto, forming a cohesive whole, while avoiding unwanted data redundancies. Source-format-specific bridge software processes may be provided that that know how to read and interpret source data of a respective source format, and express it in terms of the conceptual schema. The aligned data may be sent to an update agent that interprets the aligned data and computes a changeset therefrom, which may be stored for eventual application to a particular instance of a database maintained according to an underlying database schema of the conceptual schema.

Core Innovation

The invention incrementally aligns infrastructure data to be compatible with a digital twin of real-world infrastructure. It reads source data of an infrastructure description from one or more external databases or source files that has changed since a last alignment, using a bridge software process that executes one or more electronic devices. The bridge software process aligns the changed source data with a conceptual schema that describes the digital twin using elements, aspects, models and relationships, including generating new elements, models or aspects, or creating new relationships that relate elements, models or aspects.

Based on the aligned changed source data, an update agent computes a changeset that updates an instance of a database maintained according to an underlying database schema of the conceptual schema. The computed changeset transitions the database instance to a new version. The process then provides the changeset for eventual application to a local instance of the database, so the local instance is transitioned to the new version based on the changeset.

In embodiments implemented via cloud computing devices, a bridge service includes a plurality of bridge software processes that each know how to read and interpret source data according to a different respective source format. The bridge software processes detect that the source data has changed since a last alignment, align the changed source data with the conceptual schema, compute the changeset, and store the changeset on the cloud computing devices for eventual download and application to a local instance on a client computing device. The conceptual schema is defined with elements, aspects, models and relationships, and the system uses schema mappings, spatial transforms, and unit transforms.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims (three total) cover incremental alignment of changed infrastructure source data to a digital-twin conceptual schema, changeset computation to update an underlying database schema instance to a new version, and provision of the changeset for eventual application to a local database instance. The independent claims further specify where the alignment and changeset handling occur (method executed on electronic devices, cloud computing devices running a bridge service, or software on a non-transitory computer-readable medium).

Across the independent claims, the core coverage is a workflow that incrementally reads changed infrastructure source data, aligns it to a conceptual schema for a digital twin, computes a changeset to update an underlying database schema instance to a new version, and provides or stores the changeset for eventual application to a local database instance.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found