Method for intelligent storing and retrieving in an enterprise data system

1. A method for storing and retrieving measurement data, wherein the method is implemented by a computer system, the method comprising:

the computer system storing data in a plurality of measurement data files, wherein said storing data includes storing a plurality of measurements in each measurement data file of the plurality of measurement data files, wherein each measurement includes measurement data and meta-data describing attributes of the measurement data;

the computer system creating a searchable index of the plurality of measurement data files, wherein said creating the searchable index comprises reading each respective measurement data file of the plurality of measurement data files to extract the meta-data of each measurement in the respective measurement data file and adding the meta-data from the respective measurement data file to the searchable index, wherein the searchable index is structured according to a hierarchical data model;

the computer system receiving a query indicating first meta-data search parameters;

the computer system searching the index of the plurality of measurement data files according to the first meta-data search parameters indicated by the query without accessing the plurality of measurement data files, wherein said searching comprises matching the first meta-data search parameters to the indexed meta-data of a first measurement;

in response to said matching, the computer system determining a first measurement data file in which the first measurement identified by the index search is stored, and selecting a first data plug-in corresponding to the first measurement data file; and

the computer system using the first data plug-in to retrieve the measurement data of the first measurement identified by the index search from the first measurement data file;

wherein searching the index also includes matching the first meta-data search parameters indicated by the query to the indexed meta-data of at least one second measurement;

wherein the method further comprises:

the computer system determining at least one second measurement data file in which the at least one second measurement identified by the index search is stored;

the computer system selecting at least one second data plug-in corresponding to the at least one second measurement data file; and

the computer system using the at least one second data plug-in to retrieve the measurement data of the at least one second measurement from the at least one second measurement data file.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hierarchical data model includes a plurality of levels, wherein the plurality of levels include:

a file/root level;

a group/type/setup level; and

a signal/channel/trace level.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first meta-data search parameters include one or more of the following:

timestamp information for desired measurement data;

an owner of desired measurement data;

name of a desired measurement data file;

type of a desired measurement data file;

format of a desired measurement data file; or

path/location of a desired measurement data file.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first meta-data search parameters include one or more of the following:

type of measurement of a group/type/setup;

description of a type of measurement;

operator of a group/type/setup;

recommended type of analysis/post-processing for a group/type/setup;

reference to another document describing a measurement setup/channel list in a group/type/setup; or

measurement setup/channel list in a group/type/setup.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first meta-data search parameters include one or more of the following:

name of a signal/channel/trace;

engineering unit for a signal/channel/trace;

description of an engineering unit;

description of a signal/channel/trace;

unique ID for a signal/channel/trace;

unique ID for a sensor/transducer measuring a signal/channel/trace;

an image of a signal/channel/trace; or

a set of data points included in a signal/channel/trace.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the query is received in response to user input specifying the first meta-data search parameters.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the query is received in response to an application issuing a request specifying the first meta-data search parameters.

8. A computer system comprising:

a memory;

a processor; and

computer-readable code stored on said memory and processable by said processor, said computer-readable code including instructions for causing said processor to:

store data in a plurality of measurement data files, wherein said storing data includes storing a plurality of measurements in each measurement data file of the plurality of measurement data files, wherein each measurement includes measurement data and meta-data describing attributes of the measurement data;

create a searchable index of the plurality of measurement data files, wherein said creating comprises reading each respective measurement data file of the plurality of measurement data files to extract the meta-data of each measurement in the respective measurement data file and adding the meta-data from the respective measurement data file to the searchable index, wherein the searchable index is structured according to a hierarchical data model;

receive a query indicating first meta-data search parameters;

search the index of the plurality of measurement data files according to the first meta-data search parameters indicated by the query without accessing the plurality of measurement data files, wherein said searching comprises matching the first meta-data search parameters to the indexed meta-data of a first measurement;

in response to said matching, determine a first measurement data file in which the first measurement identified by the index search is stored, and select a first data plug-in corresponding to the first measurement data file; and

use the first data plug-in to retrieve the measurement data of the first measurement identified by the index search from the first measurement data file;

wherein searching the index also includes matching the first meta-data search parameters indicated by the query to the indexed meta-data of at least one second measurement;

wherein the computer-readable code further includes instructions for causing said processor to:

determine at least one second measurement data file in which the at least one second measurement identified by the index search is stored;

select at least one second data plug-in corresponding to the at least one second measurement data file; and

use the at least one second data plug-in to retrieve the measurement data of the at least one second measurement from the at least one second measurement data file.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the query is received in response to user input specifying the first meta-data search parameters.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein said computer-readable code further includes instructions for causing said processor to display the measurement data retrieved by the first plug-in.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the query is received in response to an application issuing a request specifying the first meta-data search parameters.

12. A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions executable to:

store data in a plurality of measurement data files, wherein said storing data includes storing a plurality of measurements in each measurement data file of the plurality of measurement data files, wherein each measurement includes measurement data and meta-data describing attributes of the measurement data;

create a searchable index of the plurality of measurement data files wherein said creating comprises reading each respective measurement data file of the plurality of measurement data files to extract the meta-data of each measurement in the respective measurement data file and adding the meta-data from the respective measurement data file to the searchable index, wherein the searchable index is structured according to a hierarchical data model;

receive a query indicating first meta-data search parameters;

search the index of the plurality of measurement data files according to the first meta-data search parameters indicated by the query without accessing the plurality of measurement data files, wherein said searching comprises matching the first meta-data search parameters to the indexed meta-data of a first measurement;

in response to said matching, determine a first measurement data file in which the first measurement identified by the index search is stored, and select a first data plug-in corresponding to the first measurement data file; and

use the first data plug-in to retrieve the measurement data of the first measurement identified by the index search from the first measurement data file;

wherein searching the index also includes matching the first meta-data search parameters indicated by the query to the indexed meta-data of at least one second measurement;

wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

determine at least one second measurement data file in which the at least one second measurement identified by the index search is stored;

select at least one second data plug-in corresponding to the at least one second measurement data file; and

use the at least one second data plug-in to retrieve the measurement data of the at least one second measurement from the at least one second measurement data file.

13. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 12 , wherein the query is received in response to user input specifying the first meta-data search parameters.

14. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 12 , wherein the query is received in response to an application issuing a request specifying the first meta-data search parameters.