Motivation

Her long experience of quantum physics drove M. Mugur-Schächter to discern beneath the mathematical formalism a general and systematically relativized method of building knowledge. She called this method Method of Relativized Conceptualization (MRC). Physical reality in regarded as a substratum which cannot be described on its own, but in which we act, guided by our conceptualizations and our experiences, finality driven. MRC brings to light some descriptional features that universally characterize the very first step of any knowledge building process, analyzed in terms of “transferred descriptions”. These features had remained hidden beneath languages, logical and scientific thought and especially probabilities. While we classically regard physical reality as made of persistent entities endowed with properties, these entities now emerge explicitly as the result of conceptualization processes unfolding from this very first built knowledge layer.

It follows that it should be possible to develop an MRC based approach to endow the purely qualitative concepts of Systemic with a scientific legitimacy and a specific role in a comprehensive construction that would turn them into meaningful, operational and objectifiable concepts. Contrasting with the fuzzy conceptual basis of System Engineering as it is, and its poor operational results, such a move would entail a tremendous qualitative change in our mastering of complexity to either build and organize consensual knowledge, or to design industrial artefacts.

Such has been the motivation which has steered us toward designing an MRC based methodological framework to master the facto-conceptual genesis of physically meaningful concepts, guided by a dominant goal: to get an effective control over the industrial System Engineering of embedded mechatronic devices.

Such an ambition has imposed :

• To give a mathematical expression to the MRC constructive algorithm, as a basis for the development of tooled scientific and technical applications;
• To explicitly figure out within that framework the genesis of the classical concept of persistent entity endowed with stable or changing properties and to pin point the particularities of such concepts as “state” or “system”;
• To design integrated development environment to pragmatically implement the method in a model based design approach;
• To assess the added value inherent to this brand new way of thinking, specifically in the industrial realm where the team members come from, while remaining open to any opportunity of application to other domains.

These works fit into a broader perspective of general application, we can bring to mind inspired by the formula E. Schrödinger used to describe his own project :

Applications field

Experimentations achieved have historically focused on two application fields: data mining and system engineering. In the first domain, the concept of relativizing point of view is generally accepted and there is no doubt as to the artifactitious nature of informational entities manipulated. On the opposite, in the second one, dominates the idea of a physical reality endowed with an organization of its own, independent from any point of view, a posture deeply rooted in our daily experience.

It comes therefore not as a surprise that Data mining applications first unfolded independently from the CeSEF epistemological word, chaired by Pr. M. Mugur-Schächter. The awareness of this work in 1998 came as an incentive to proceed and fostered the idea of extending the experimentation field to physical system engineering. In quantum physics as well as in Innovative processes, there is no preexisting entity but a constructive process to conceptualize the material support of either scattered traces in space and time or the realization of motivating finalities. This applicative transposition of an emerging logically formalized epistemology proceeded first by analogy, up to 2008, when we undertook the setting up of a mathematized framework to operationally fully benefit of the conceptual breakthrough.

Data mining

First tooled experiments were conducted by H. Boulouet from 1996 to 2004 in the aeronautical and military domain, focusing on Integrated Logistic Support and technical documentation. The stakes where to dynamically construct data consulting environments, according to different contexts, views and user’s profiles, based on a unique data repository. The applications should also make possible to construct on the fly documents conforming to national or international standards (NATO, French and German standards).

Meanwhile F. Fleuchey undertook independently, from 2004 to 2010, complementary developments. He focused on the management of technical and organizational information genesis within the automotive industries (engine control), in a renewed and broader understanding of Product Life Management (PLM) related stakes. This work has unfold within the Relativized Systemic (RS) framework since 2008. PSA engine department management stopped the project in 2010 despite users’ satisfaction, when PSA R&D management decided to develop a comprehensive project lifecycle management system relying on external resources, in connection with his decision to develop a System Engineering method based on functional analysis.

System engineering

Prototypes were developed and evaluated within the automotive industry at PSA from 2005 up to early 2011. Y. Rogard, confronted with the complexity of mechatronic system design, was looking for a new methodological framework. It led to H. Boulouet’s hiring who started the job.

These developments were operationally applied up to 2008 to car body mechatronic systems whose design was relying on common organic components, such as car doors and windows control systems, automated car body configuration according to users profiles, … These prototypes eventually relied on an RSE Integrated Development Environment (EDI) whose code was generated out of the RS formal language through the RS Software Engineering Workshop. Success made possible to get a one million funding by the French government to make public application results to testing activities. The reluctances of PSA R&D electronic department management stopped the project. Services modeling, at the vehicle level came as the new successful application field, up to 2010 when PSA R&D management decided that any System Engineering development should exclusively rely on functional analysis.

Publications

• Représentations complexes en ingénierie système (complex representations in System Engineering), p101 à p129 in Leleu-Merviel, S. Boulkekbache-Mazouz, H. (dir) (2013) Recherche en design, processus de conception, écriture et représentations (research in design, design processes, writing and representations), iSTE éditions - Londres.
• Approches innovantes pour la maîtrise des systèmes complexes (an innovative approach to complex system engineering). H. Boulouet, V. Brindejonc. (Journée IMdR du 6 Octobre 2009).
• Une approche des Signaux faibles (an approach to weak signals). H. Boulouet, V. Brindejonc. Lambda Mu 16, Avignon (Octobre 2008).
• Analyse de risques dans la cadre d'une Ingénierie Système Relativisée (safety analysis within a Relativized System Engineering), H. Boulouet, M. Mugur-Schächter, V. Brindejonc. Lambda Mu 16, Avignon. (Octobre 2008).
• Integrated Logistic Support Collaborative Platform for equipment developpers, A. Azarian, H. Boulouet, V. Brindejonc. ICE2004 (Séville 2004).
• Plate-forme collaborative de soutien logistique intégré adapté aux PME (Integrated Logistic Support Collaborative Platform for small companies), A. Azarian, H. Boulouet, V. Brindejonc, L. Bouquin. ICSSEA 2003, (Paris 2003).

Data mining realizations

Within Aerospatiale (now EADS)

Starting point : (in collaboration with J.Y. Lambert) : confronted with the failure of functional analysis as a method to master the production, broadcasting and display of “complex” technical data (1995: Rafale, Apache system, technical data design environment – BEST project), introduction of the concept of “relativized view” at all the stages of the process.

• 1996-1997: first accomplishment for the ground French army logistic information system (Système d’Information du Matériel de l’Armée de Terre: SIMAT): SGML based IDE for maintenance and logistic data.
• 1998: ROLAND weapon system – hydraulic gun turret, integrated logistic system electronic documentation (SGML), automatically produced out of logistic analysis data and bill of materials (congratulations of French department of defense).
• 1998-2000: full development of a tooled information chain from integrated logistic analysis to electronic documentation successfully prototyped for a major equipment of the French ballistic nuclear weapon system.
  • Integrated development environment for technical data out of logistic analysis and bill of materials,
  • Automated electronic documentation generation,
  • Automated display application configurations according to user’s profiles, model driven centered on intelligent graphics (based on Computer Graphic Metafile standard: CGM).
  After leaving EADS and joining CISI company who won the call for tenders, development of the technical proposal generalizing the proof of concept to the whole weapon system.

Within Ligeron

• 2003: GROWTH Project No GRD1-2000-25102CASH: Collaborative working within the Aeronautical supply chain. Design of a collaborative platform for aeronautical equipment makers (with V. Brindejonc), UML modeling and prototype based on OPDX Oracle platform. This project was in a stalemate and three quarters of the budget had been spent when it was taken in charge to eventually succeed without any additional cost nor time delay.

Within PSA (F. Fleuchey)

• 2005-2010: Prototyping of a fully customizable integrated environment for the management of the genesis, the control and the broadcasting of design related technical and organizational data. Y. Poirot turned the resulting prototype into an operational platform, called Sonia, within his department in charge of the control engine design. Beginning into 2008, underneath constructive logic and relativized data model was formalized within RS framework.
• 2012: Up to 400 designers used Sonia despite the management decision in 2010 to stop any further development and to adopt a new Product Lifecycle Management platform.
• Today (2016): Sonia keeps on being used and no tool provides the same services and flexibility up to now.

System Engineering realizations

Within PSA

2006-2010 (with E. Campo, G. Hou): Design of a RS Software Workshop based on Topcased open platform and RS language using MOF (Meta Object Facilities). This workshop was used to design different RSE integrated development environments offering optimized services according to the complexity levels of the system to be designed (user HMI and automation level, documentation generation, simulation or static modeling). These IDE consisted in applications wrapping UML modeler Rhapsody from IBM.

2006-2008 (with E. Campo): design of several car body mechatronic systems using RSE IDE, each time taking independently into account different points of view whose overlapping eventually determine the specifications of shared ressources.

This work gave rise to computerize mock-ups, including abstraction levels to trace concepts against observable facts. These mock-ups made possible automated technical documentation generation (specifications). They were also used to evaluate the compliance of the realized with the expected. The full integration of safety analysis within RSE framework was undertaken with V. Brindejonc.

• Window regulators : control command priority management (driver/passengers), anti-pinch system, degraded modes, information protocols, etc.
• Children security system : doors opening and window regulators activation control.
• Rear vision system : automated mirror position tuning and folding, control command priorities management. Check on test bench of design inconsistencies detected through RSE modeling.
• VETESS project : this project aimed at making public the benefits due to the formal integration of design and testing processes achieved by RSE. Proof of concept was conducted and the project was labelled by the French Pole of competitiveness « Véhicule du futur ». A one million of euros funding was obtained but PSA management decided not to go on.

Methodological guidelines were elaborated by B. Massy de la Chesneraye to make the technical documentation classical writing process compliant with RSE framework.

2009-2010: computerized mock-ups used to model product services, relying on the RSE concept of biopsychic description to describe human usages. The method makes possible to describe such phenomena as habituation, sensitization, active and passive conditioning, etc.

• Easy move : new driver assistance services associated to the introduction of an electrical brake system. Check on vehicle of inadequate design features detected through modeling (with G. Hou).
• Automated cab configuration : driving positions and rear view mirror tuning according to user’s profiles, rear seats access, driver’s installation facilitation processes, etc. (with E. Campo et G. Hou).
• Automatic Cruise Control (ACC) : speed regulation taking into account obstacles. Technical documentation generated out of RSE models (with E. Campo, G. Hou, N. Gollentz, V. Brindejonc for the safety).

PSA management decision in 2010 to base System Engineering on functional analysis brought RS related projects (RSE and Sonia) to a standstill.

As a result, work has proceeded on the sole theorical level.

• 2010 - 2014: RS thesis which sets out the algebra underneath application tooling and the way classical physical concepts such as continuity, state, system, probability, complexity can be conceptualized in that framework.
• Requests from external organizations interested in the project could not be met in that context: IMdR (Institut de Management des Risques) request for a study on complex systems (2013), request from ESIGELEC (Rouen) to take care of System Engineering teaching for second and third year students (2014).