Configuration Representation and Modeling Using Configuration Spaces

• US 20110276439A1
• Filed: 05/13/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew J. Maag, Douglas Stephen Fearing, Jeffrey W. Ragusa, Shawn A.P. Smith
• Original Assignee: Andrew J. Maag, Douglas Stephen Fearing, Jeffrey W. Ragusa, Shawn A.P. Smith
• Inventors: Ragusa, Jeffrey W., Maag, Andrew J., Fearing, Douglas Stephen, Smith, Shawn A. P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/96 Object-relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/962 Entity-attribute-value
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Configuration spaces facilitate the useful presentation of data, particularly configuration data used for representing configured products. Products include features and common features can be grouped by families. For example, an automobile can include a transmission family. The transmission family could include features such as automatic transmission and 4-speed manual transmission. Configuration spaces can be achieved by consolidating selected data without loosing useful information. The degree of consolidation achieved can be significant enough to permit display of data using conventional display technology. Configuration spaces break down the “universe” of possible configurations into constituent spaces defined by groups of rules for a selected feature. Common dependencies between the selected feature and related features can be consolidated to produce a more minimal form of the data used for representing the selected features and related features. Configuration spaces can provide a useful graphical view of the breakdown of all rules written for a single feature or multiple features. The data present in this view can be analyzed to, for example, study the dependency paths of an existing configuration and better understand the impact of revising configuration relationships. Thus, configuration spaces aid in the creation and modification of configuration models.

Claims

1. A method of displaying configuration relationships of a product wherein families of product features are related to each other through dependencies, the method comprising:

selecting one of the product features; and

displaying representations of the product features of one or more of the families that relate to the selected product feature, wherein the product features of a family that have common child dependencies are consolidated into a single representation.

2-29. -29. (canceled)