System and Method for Configuring a Configurable Product

• US 20080208702A1
• Filed: 02/26/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Peterman, Anthony E., Krupnick, Matthew, Depta, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

Product configuration selections automatically cross-over between plural product types based upon end user component selections. If end user component selections initiate a cross-over trigger, the end user is presented with an option to cross over from an initially-selected product type to a product type associated with the cross-over trigger. Upon selection of the cross-over product type, the product configuration is automatically reconfigured to update components selected by the end user for the initially-selected product type to components associated with the cross-over product type.

Claims

1. A method for configuring products, the method comprising:

presenting plural product types to an end user;

accepting a product type selection from the end user;

presenting components associated with the product type selection to the end user;

accepting one or more component selections from the end user;

determining a cross-over trigger from the component selections; and

presenting a product type associated with the cross-over trigger to the end user as a replacement for the selected product type.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the products comprise information handling systems and the plural product types comprise chassis models.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the components comprise one or more of a processor, memory, a hard disk drive and graphics.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting a selection by the end user of the product type associated with the cross-over trigger as a replacement for the selected product type; and

mapping one or more of the component selections accepted from the end user to components associated with the product type associated with the cross-over trigger.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein changing one or more of the component selections accepted from the end user comprises increasing memory associated with the product type from a first storage capacity to a second storage capacity.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a cross-over trigger further comprises:

determining that at least one of the component selections from the end user is compatible with a product type other than the selected product type.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a cross-over trigger further comprises:

analyzing one or more compatible component selections accepted from the end user to determine that the end user should cross-over to a product type other than the selected product type.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting a rejection by the end user of the product type associated with the cross-over trigger as a replacement for the selected product type; and

allowing the end user to continue configuring the selected product type and component selections.

9. A system for configuring products, the system comprising:

a configuration engine operable to present plural product types to an end user, each product type having an associated set of plural components, the configuration engine further operable to accept a selected product type from an end user and to accept one or more component selections from the end user to configure a product of the selected product type; and

a cross-over module interfaced with the configuration engine, the cross-over module operable to monitor the component selections to detect a cross-over trigger associated with a cross-over product type and to present the cross-over product type to the end user for selection as a replacement to the selected product type.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a reconfiguration module interfaced with the configuration engine and the cross-over module, the reconfiguration module operable to reconfigure components selected for the product from the set of components associated with the selected product type to the set of components associated with the cross-over product type.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the product comprises an information handling system.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the set of components comprise one or more of a processor, memory, a hard disk drive and graphics.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the cross-over trigger comprises determining that at least one of the component selections accepted from the end user is compatible with a product type other than the selected product type.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the cross-over trigger comprises analyzing one or more compatible component selections accepted from the end user to determine that the should cross-over to a product type other than the selected product type.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the product types comprise one or more of a basic chassis, an entertainment chassis and a high-end chassis.

16. A graphical user interface operable to:

present plural product types to an end user;

accept a product type selection from the end user;

present components associated with the product type selection to the end user;

accept component selections from the end user;

determine a cross-over trigger from the component selections; and

present a product type associated with the cross-over trigger to the end user as a replacement for the selected product type

17. The graphical user interface of claim 16 wherein the product types comprise information handling system models.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 16 further operable to:

accept a selection by the end user of the product type associated with the cross-over trigger as a replacement for the selected product type; and

map one or more of the component selections accepted from the end user to components associated with the product type of the cross-over trigger

19. The graphical user interface of claim 16 wherein the cross-over trigger comprises at least one of the component selections accepted from the end user that is compatible with a product type other than the selected product type.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 16 wherein the cross-over trigger comprises compatible component selections accepted from the end user indicating the end user should cross-over to a product type other than the selected product type.