System, method and program to estimate cost of a product and/or service

• US 20060080264A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Zhang, Yue, Zhao, Weiping
• Granted Patent: US 7,315,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted

Abstract

System, method and computer program product for estimating the cost of a product and/or service. The product and/or service comprises a multiplicity of components. One or more first components with no cost dependencies are determined and assigned to a first tier. One or more second components whose costs depend on the costs of the one or more first components are determined and assigned to a second tier. One or more third components whose costs depend on the one or more second components are determined and assigned to a third tier. A determination is made if any of the one or more third components were assigned to said second tier, and if so, such one or more third components are removed from the second tier. One or more fourth components whose costs depend on the one or more third components are determined and assigned to a fourth tier. A determination is made if any of the one or more fourth components were assigned to the third tier, and if so, such one or more fourth components are removed from the third tier. A determination is made if one or more of the fourth components were assigned to said second tier, and if so, such one or more fourth components are removed from the second tier. An order to calculate costs of the components is based on the tier to which they are assigned, the lower the tier the earlier in the order.

Claims

1. A method for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said method comprising:

identifying one or more first components with no cost dependencies;

determining one or more second components whose costs depend on the cost of said one or more first components;

determining one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components;

determining one or more fourth components whose costs depend on said one or more third components;

for each of said second, third and fourth components, determining an initial weight based on and greater than a weight of the respective first, second or third component from which the cost of said second, third and fourth component depends;

for each of said third components which is one of said second components, increasing the weight of said each third component based on the weight of the second component from which the cost of said each third component depends; and

for each of said fourth components which is one of said third components, increasing the weight of said each fourth component based on the weight of the third component from which the cost of said each fourth component depends.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

determining a cost of each of said first, second, third and fourth components in ascending order of their weights.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the step of increasing the weight of said each third component based on the weight of the second component from which the cost of said each third component depends, comprises the step of increasing the weight of said each third component by the weight of said second component from which the cost of said each third component depends; and

the step of increasing the weight of said each fourth component based on the weight of the third component from which the cost of said each fourth component depends, comprises the step of increasing the weight of said each fourth component by the weight of said third component from which the cost of said each fourth component depends.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

for each of said fourth components which is one of said second components, increasing the weight of said each fourth component based on the weight of the second component from which the cost of said each fourth component depends.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein:

the step of increasing the weight of said each fourth component which is one of said second components comprises the step of increasing the weight of said each fourth component by the weight of said second component from which said each fourth component depends.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the initial weight of each of said second components equals the initial weight of the respective component from which their cost depends plus one unit

the initial weight of each of said third components equals the initial weight of the respective component from which their cost depends plus one unit; and

the initial weight of each of said fourth components equals the initial weight of the respective component from which their cost depends plus one unit.

7. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of determining the cost of said product and/or service further comprises the step of adding the cost of each of said first, second, third and fourth components after the step of determining the cost of each of said first, second, third and fourth components.

8. A computer program product for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions to identify one or more first components with no cost dependencies;

second program instructions to determine one or more second components whose costs depend on the cost of said one or more first components;

third program instructions to determine one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components;

fourth program instructions to determine one or more fourth components whose costs depend on said one or more third components;

for each of said second, third and fourth components, fifth program instructions to determine an initial weight based on and greater than a weight of the respective first, second or third component from which the cost of said second, third and fourth component depends;

for each of said third components which is one of said second components, sixth program instructions to increase the weight of said each third component based on the weight of the second component from which the cost of said each third component depends; and

for each of said fourth components which is one of said third components, seventh program instructions to increase the weight of said each fourth component based on the weight of the third component from which the cost of said each fourth component depends; and

wherein

said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh program instructions are recorded on said medium.

9. A computer program product as set forth in claim 8 further comprising:

eighth program instructions to determine a cost of each of said first, second, third and fourth components in ascending order of their weights.

10. A method for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying one or more first components with no cost dependencies, and assigning said one or more first components to a first tier;

determining one or more second components whose costs depend on the costs of said one or more first components, and assigning said one or more second components to a second tier;

determining one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components, and assigning said one or more third components to a third tier;

determining if any of said one or more third components were assigned to said second tier, and if so, removing said any of said one or more third components from said second tier;

determining one or more fourth components whose costs depend on said one or more third components, and assigning said one or more fourth components to a fourth tier; and

determining if any of said one or more fourth components were assigned to said third tier, and if so, removing said any of said one or more fourth components from said third tier.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 further comprising:

determining if any of said one or more fourth components were assigned to said second tier, and if so, removing said any of said one or more fourth components from said second tier.

12. A method as set forth in claim 10 further comprising:

determining one or more fifth components whose costs depend on said one or more fourth components and assigning said one or more fifth components to a fifth tier; and

determining if any of said one or more fifth components were assigned to said fourth tier and if so, removing said any of said one or more fifth components from said fourth tier.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 further comprising:

determining if any of said one or more fifth components were assigned to said third tier and if so, removing said any of said one or more fifth components from said third tier; and

determining if any of said one or more fifth components were assigned to said second tier and if so, removing said any of said one or more fifth components from said second tier.

14. A method as set forth in claim 10 further comprising:

determining an order to calculate costs of said components based on the tier to which they are assigned, the lower the tier the earlier in said order.

15. A method for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying one or more first components with no cost dependencies, and assigning said one or more first components to an nth priority in order of cost calculation, where “

n”

is an integer;

determining one or more second components whose costs depend on the costs of said one or more first components, and assigning said one or more second components to an n+1 priority in order of cost calculation;

determining one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components, and assigning said one or more third components to an n+2 priority in order of cost calculation; and

determining if any of said one or more third components were previously assigned to said n+1 priority, and if so, removing said any of said one or more third components from said n+1 priority assignment.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising:

determining one or more fourth components whose costs depend on said one or more third components, and assigning said one or more fourth components to an n+3 priority in cost calculation;

determining if any of said one or more fourth components were previously assigned to said n+2 priority, and if so, removing said any of said one or more fourth components from said n+2 priority assignment; and

determining if any of said one or more fourth components were previously assigned to said n+1 priority, and if so, removing said any of said one or more fourth components from said n+1 priority assignment.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising:

determining one or more fifth components whose costs depend on said one or more fourth components and assigning said one or more fifth components to an n+4 priority in cost calculation; and

determining if any of said one or more fifth components were previously assigned to said n+3 priority, and if so, removing said any of said one or more fifth components from said n+3 priority assignment;

determining if any of said one or more fifth components were previously assigned to said n+2 priority, and if so, removing said any of said one or more fifth components from said n+2 priority assignment; and

determining if any of said one or more fifth components were previously assigned to said n+1 priority, and if so, removing said any of said one or more fifth components from said n+1 priority assignment.

18. A method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising:

determining an order to calculate costs of said components based on the cost calculation priority to which they are assigned, the lower the priority the earlier in said order.

19. A computer program product for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions to identify one or more first components with no cost dependencies, and assign said one or more first components to an nth priority in order of cost calculation, where “

n”

is an integer;

second program instructions to determine one or more second components whose costs depend on the costs of said one or more first components, and assign said one or more second components to an n+1 priority in order of cost calculation;

third program instructions to determine one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components, and assign said one or more third components to an n+2 priority in order of cost calculation; and

fourth program instructions to determine if any of said one or more third components were previously assigned to said n+1 priority, and if so, remove said any of said one or more third components from said n+1 priority assignment; and

wherein

said first, second, third and fourth program instructions are recorded on said medium.

20. A computer program product as set forth in claim 19 further comprising:

fifth program instructions to determine an order to calculate costs of said components based on the cost calculation priority to which they are assigned, the lower the priority the earlier in said order; and

wherein said fifth program instructions are recorded on said medium.

21. A system for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said system comprising:

means for identifying one or more first components with no cost dependencies, and assigning said one or more first components to an nth priority in order of cost calculation, where “

n”

is an integer;

means for determining one or more second components whose costs depend on the costs of said one or more first components, and assigning said one or more second components to an n+1 priority in order of cost calculation;

means for determining one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components, and assigning said one or more third components to an n+2 priority in order of cost calculation;

means for determining if any of said one or more third components were previously assigned to said n+1 priority, and if so, removing said any of said one or more third components from said n+1 priority assignment; and

means for determining an order to calculate costs of said components based on the cost calculation priority to which they are assigned, the lower the priority the earlier in said order.