Patent ID: 8706468

Claim:
A method, implemented by a computer system having one or more processors and used for circuit model management/exchange between entities communicating over a network, for comparing and validating a phase connectivity of connected conducting electrical components in a circuit model, the method comprising: assigning a unique binary phase-type connectivity mask value to each of possible different phase connection types associated with conducting electrical components in a particular circuit or circuit portion; obtaining phase connectivity attribute data for a plurality of components of the circuit or circuit portion; assigning a corresponding phase-type connectivity mask value indicative of the electrical phase connectivity requirement for a first component based on obtained phase connectivity attribute data for said first circuit component; assigning a corresponding phase-type connectivity mask value indicative of the electrical phase connectivity requirement for a second component based on obtained phase connectivity attribute data for said second circuit component; evaluating and validating pairs of connected components in the circuit, using said one or more processors, by: i) performing a bit-wise logical ‘AND’ operation between assigned phase-type mask values of said first and second circuit components; ii) comparing a result of the logical ‘AND’ operation with each individual assigned phase-type mask value of both said first and second circuit components, wherein if either comparison results in a match, the phase connectivity between said first and said second component is validated and the first and the second component are identified as being electrically connectable; or conversely, if neither comparison results in a match, the phase connectivity between said first and said second component is not validated and the first and the second component are considered as not being electrically connectable; repeating operations (i) and (ii) above until all connections between connected components in the circuit model have been evaluated; and communicating said component validation results of an evaluated circuit model to one or more entities in said communications network.