app.js

angular.module('myApp')
  .controller('PrimaryCtrl', function($scope, $routeParams, investigationModel) {
    var investigationId = $routeParams.id;

    $scope.investigation = investigationDetailModel.investigation;

    $scope.another_function = function() {
      // blah blah blah
      $scope.investigation.$save();
    }
  });

angular.module('myApp')
  .controller('SmallCtrl', function($scope, investigationModel) {
    var investigationId = $routeParams.id;

    investigationDetailModel.set_investigation(investigationId);
    $scope.investigation = investigationDetailModel.investigation;
    $scope.perform_save = function() {
      $scope.investigation.$save();
    }

    $scope.notes = investigationDetailModel.investigation.notes;
    $scope.addNote = function() {
      var newNote = investigationDetailModel.investigation.notes.$add({note:$scope.newNote});
      newNote.$save(function() {
        $scope.newNote = '';
      });
    };
  });

angular.module('myApp')
  .service('investigationModel', function investigationCharts(investigations, notes ...) {

    model.set_investigation = function(investigationId) {
      var ModelResource = function() {};
      ModelResource.prototype = investigations.prototype;

      // Extra data on the investigation here...
      // Code to pull it in omitted to keep things simple
      ModelResource.prototype.notes = [];
      ModelResource.prototype.notes.$add = function() {
        // Mimics the notes resource, and also adds it to the collection
      }

      // Create our new model, and
      model.investigation = new ModelResource();
      model.investigation.$promise = investigations.get({id:investigationId}).$promise.then(function(investigation) {
        angular.extend(model.investigation, investigation);
        return model.investigation;
      });

    };
    return model;
  });


angular.module('myApp')
  .factory('investigations', function($resource, $http, config) {

    // Actual data transform left out to keep things simple
    var data_transform = $http.defaults.transformResponse.concat(function(data) { return data });

    var actions = {
      'get':   {method:'GET', transformResponse: data_transform},
      'query': {method:'GET', isArray:true, transformResponse: data_transform},
      'save':  {method:'POST', transformResponse: data_transform}
    };

    return $resource(
      config.API_BASE_URL + '/investigations/:id',
      {id: '@id'},
      actions
    );
  });

// Notes service very similar