Function-Oriented Mapping of Technological Concepts

An apparatus for mapping technologies relating to a technical database to a technical system, the apparatus comprising:

• a technical system data input unit adapted for receiving technical system data indicative of at least one function of the technical system abstractly described by at least one system function;
• a deriving unit adapted for describing the technical system by a system model constituted by a plurality of system elements, the deriving unit being further adapted for deriving, for each of a plurality of reference documents of the technical database, a corresponding set of at least one reference function indicative of at least one function of the respective technology;
• and
• a querying unit adapted for querying the sets of at least one reference function with regard to the at least one system function to determine a match between at least one respective technology and the technical system,
• wherein each of the at least one system function links at least two of the system elements to one another.

A method of mapping technologies relating to a technical database to a technical system, the method comprising:

• describing the technical system by at least one function;
• abstracting the at least one function by determining at least one system function;
• deriving, for each of a plurality of reference documents of the technical database, a corresponding set of at least one reference function indicative of at least one function of the respective technology;
• and
• querying the sets of at least one reference function with regard to the at least one system function to determine a match between at least one respective technology and the technical system,
• wherein the at least one system function relates the technical system to an environment of the technical system, wherein the at least one function is changeable and the environment is unchangeable.

An apparatus for mapping technologies relating to a technical database to a technical system, the apparatus comprising:

• a technical system data input unit adapted for receiving technical system data indicative of at least one function of the technical system abstractly described by at least one system function;
• a deriving unit adapted for deriving, for each of a plurality of reference documents of the technical database, a corresponding set of at least one reference function indicative of at least one function of the respective technology;
• and
• a querying unit adapted for querying the sets of at least one reference function with regard to the at least one system function to determine a match between at least one respective technology and the technical system,
• wherein the at least one system function relates the technical system to an environment of the technical system, wherein the at least one function is changeable and the environment is unchangeable.