An exact algorithm to extract the generalized physical contradiction

Problem solving in design is one of the main studied topic of research, and especially methods for problem solving. Generally, two kinds of methods are differentiated, those dedicated to routine design, and those focused on inventive design. The authors aim at linking the two approaches and building a continuum between both. Thus they studied the link and direct extraction of contradictions out of experiments. To do so they built a generic model of contradictions, the generalized system of contradictions (GSC). This paper proposes an algorithm for identifying and extracting generalized physical contradictions (GPCs), a part of the GSC, from experiments. First, the authors’ design methodology to build the continuum from optimization till invention is introduced. The notion of GSC is presented and the focus is made on the notion of GPC. This one is described through binary integer programming and an algorithm is proposed in order to identify and extract complete set of generalized technical contradictions from experiments concerning the inventive problem.