Rule processing method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium to generate valid combinations for selection

• US 20050080648A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Verde Sabor Assets LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Mair, Douglas M., Huelsman, David L., Love, Sharon E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,587,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of providing a list of product choices from products whose compatibility is characterized by a ZDD rule model having one or more Include or Exclude rules, where the list of product choices is provided in response to user-selected attributes and/or enumerations. The method comprises selecting attributes and enumerations thereof from a list of attributes and enumerations of the products, creating a ZDD sub-tree by scanning an Include ZDD rule and keeping paths having user-selected enumerations set, determining paths through the ZDD sub-tree terminating at a “one” node to produce potentially valid combinations, checking the potentially valid combinations against any Exclude ZDD rules to determine valid combinations and excluding combinations that are excluded under the Exclude ZDD rules, and providing the valid combinations to a user as an indication of valid product choice. Scanning may include examining nodes of an Include ZDD rule against an Index value of selected enumerations to create a node in the ZDD sub-tree, or examining nodes of the ZDD sub-tree against an Index value of selected enumerations to recursively create a node in the ZDD sub-tree. Potentially valid combinations of the determining step comprise nodes of paths terminating at a “one” node of the ZDD sub-tree. Other aspects include a corresponding apparatus that implements the method and a computer-readable medium including program instructions to effect operation of the method in a computer.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing a list of product choices from products having specifications whose compatibility is characterized by a ZDD rule model including one or more Include or Exclude rules, said list of product choices being provided in response to user-selected attributes and/or enumerations, said method comprising:

selecting attributes and enumerations thereof from a list of attributes and enumerations of said products,

creating a ZDD sub-tree by scanning the Include rules and keeping paths having user-selected enumerations set,

determining paths through the ZDD sub-tree terminating at a “

one”

node to produce potentially valid combinations,

checking the potentially valid combinations against the Exclude rules to determine valid combinations and excluding said combinations that are excluded under the Exclude ZDD, and

providing the valid combinations to a user as an indication of valid product choice.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing step includes displaying valid product choices on a display monitor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said scanning includes examining nodes of the Include ZDD against an Index value of selected enumerations to create a node in the ZDD sub-tree.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said scanning further includes examining nodes of the ZDD sub-tree against an Index value of selected enumerations to recursively create a node in the ZDD sub-tree.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein potentially valid combinations of the determining step comprise nodes of paths terminating at a “

one”

node of the ZDD sub-tree.

6. An apparatus to provide a user with a list of product choices from products whose compatibility is characterized by a ZDD rule model having one or more Include and Exclude rules, said list of product choices being provided in response to user-selected attributes and/or enumerations, said apparatus comprising:

an input device to enable selection of attributes and enumerations thereof from a list of attributes and enumerations of said products;

a processor including routines to effect creation of a ZDD sub-tree by recursively scanning the Include ZDD and keeping paths having user-selected enumerations set, to determine paths through the ZDD sub-tree terminating at a “

one”

node to produce potentially valid combinations, and to check the potentially valid combinations against the Exclude ZDD to find valid combinations, and

an output device that outputs the valid combinations as an indication of valid product choice.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said input device comprises one of a keyboard and a pointing device, and said output device comprising one of display monitor and a printer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said processor additionally effects examination of nodes of the Include ZDD against an Index value of selected enumerations to create a node in the ZDD sub-tree.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said processor effects examination of nodes of the ZDD sub-tree against an Index value of selected enumerations to recursively create a node in the ZDD sub-tree.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said processor identifies valid combinations the nodes of paths in the ZDD sub-tree that terminate at a “

one”

node of the ZDD sub-tree.

11. A computer-readable medium to effect operation of a computer to provide a list of product choices having specifications whose compatibility is characterized by a ZDD rule model including one or more Include or Exclude rules, said list of product choices being provided in response to input specifications in the form of user-selected attributes and/or enumerations, said computer-readable medium including program instructions to effect selection of attributes and enumerations thereof from a universe of attributes and enumerations of said products, creation of a ZDD sub-tree by recursively scanning the Include rules and keeping paths having user-selected enumerations set, determination of paths through the ZDD sub-tree terminating at a “

one”

node to produce potentially valid combinations, checking potentially valid combinations against the Exclude rules to determine valid combinations and excluding said combinations that are excluded under the Exclude rules, and provision of valid combinations to a user as an indication of valid product choice.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 further including program instructions to effect a display of valid product choices on a display monitor.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 further including program instructions to effect an examination of nodes of the Include rules against an Index value of selected enumerations to create a node in the ZDD sub-tree.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 further including program instructions to effect examination of nodes of the ZDD sub-tree against an Index value of selected enumerations to recursively create a node in the ZDD sub-tree.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 further including program instructions to determine nodes of paths terminating at a “

one”

node of the ZDD sub-tree as valid combinations.