Evaluation of the Novelty of a Drive Based on a Structural Model

The paper proposes a method for numerical calculation of the novelty coefficient of a new solution compared to the prototype. The method is based on the construction of models for the old and new drive structures. Structural models are obtained in the form of block diagrams or graphs consisting of the features of the invention. To determine the weight of the graph nodes, the physical dimensions of the input and output values of the circuit blocks are used. R. Bartini’s LT-system of kinematic quantities is used for dimensional simulation of a graph. As a result of dimensional simulation, the features of the invention are replaced by the weight values of the nodes of the graph. The theory of symmetry is used to calculate the novelty coefficient. The degree of symmetry of the two structures is determined by the similarity function, which depends on the weight values of the features of the inventions. The novelty coefficient is equal to the degree of asymmetry. The method can be used to select alternative drive structure options during their design.