Graphical user interface supporting method and system for remote order generation of furniture products

• US 6,052,669 A
• Filed: 06/06/1997
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: Ellis, John M., Smith, Ward W., McNutt, Michael P., Schoeppe, Renee E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tkacs, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US08/870,681
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/7, 705/8, 705/26, 705/27, 705/400, 706/46, 346/326, 346/339, 346/433, 346/418, 364/488, 364/512, 395/500, 395/500.01
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/20 Configuration CAD, e.g. designing by assembling or positioning modules selected from libraries of predesigned modules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/04 Architectural design, interior design

Abstract

A graphical user interface to a method and system for configuring office furniture includes interface objects for obtaining configuration criteria from a user; presenting the user with at least one typical configuration satisfying the criteria; selecting a typical configuration from the at least one typical configuration; modifying aspects of the selected typical configuration to produce a modified configuration; and checking the validity of the modified configuration. The configuration criteria include conferencing criteria; privacy criteria; power criteria; communications criteria; storage criteria; and area criteria. A typical can be modified by adding, deleting, or repositioning a component, changing the fabric or finish or the shape or size of the component. A cluster configuration based on the typical configuration is formed. The entire product line can be changed. At any time the entire typical or cluster configuration can be checked for validity and priced.

Claims

1. A method, for use in a user computer system including a pointing device and a visual display unit, for providing a graphical user interface to a computer program for configuring furniture, the method comprising:

displaying on a screen of the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system questions regarding user configuration criteria;

in response to said displaying, obtaining configuration criteria from the user and providing the user configuration criteria to the computer program;

displaying in an area on a screen of the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system a graphical representation of at least one typical furniture configuration satisfying the user configuration criteria, wherein a furniture configuration comprises a workstation having components;

selecting, with the pointing device, a typical furniture configuration from the at least one typical furniture configuration displayed on the screen;

modifying, using the pointing device, aspects of at least one of the components of the selected typical furniture configuration to produce a modified furniture configuration;

displaying on the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system a graphical representation of the modified furniture configuration;

with the pointing device, selecting a validity checking option to effect checking the validity of the modified furniture configuration; and

in response to said selecting the validity checking option, checking the validity of the modified configuration.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the configuration criteria include at least one of:

conferencing criteria;

privacy criteria;

power criteria;

communications criteria;

storage criteria; and

area criteria.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the modifying of the selected typical furniture configuration comprises at least one of:

adding another component to the depiction of the selected typical furniture configuration;

deleting a depicted component from the depiction of selected typical furniture configuration;

repositioning a depicted component of the depicted selected typical furniture configuration;

changing the depicted fabric or finish of a depicted component of the depicted selected typical furniture configuration; and

changing the shape or size of a depicted component of the depicted selected typical furniture configuration.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the adding of another component comprises:

on the screen of the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system, presenting the user with various possible components which can be added; and

by the user,

selecting with the pointing device one of the various possible components; and

on the display depicting the typical furniture configuration,

positioning the selected one possible component on the depiction of the current typical furniture configuration.

5. A method as in claim 3 wherein the changing the shape or size of the depicted component comprises, with the pointing device:

selecting the depicted component; and

adjusting the shape or size of the depicted component, whereby the shape or size can only be adjusted to a valid shape or size.

6. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

with the pointing device, selecting a price option to effect determining a price of the modified configuration; and

in response to said selecting said price option, determining a price of the modified depicted configuration.

7. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

with the pointing device, selecting a cluster option to effect producing a cluster configuration of the modified typical furniture configuration; and

in response to said selecting said cluster option, producing a cluster configuration of the modified typical furniture configuration; and

displaying on the screen of the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system a depiction of the cluster configuration.

8. A method as in claim 7 further comprising:

with the pointing device, selecting a price option to effect determining a price of the cluster configuration; and

in response to said selecting said price option, determining the price of the cluster configuration.

9. A method as in claim 7 wherein the producing of a cluster comprises:

determining if the cluster configuration is a valid configuration; and

optimizing the cluster configuration.

10. A method as in claim 1 wherein the checking the validity of the modified configuration comprises optimizing the modified configuration.

11. A method as in claims 9 or 10 wherein the optimizing of a configuration comprises at least one of:

removing redundant components from the configuration;

merging components in the configuration; and

splitting components in the configuration.

12. A method as in claim 1 wherein the modifying aspects of the selected typical furniture configuration comprises modifying the entire product line of the configuration.

13. A method of configuring furniture comprising, by computer:

obtaining configuration criteria from a user;

presenting the user with at least one typical furniture configuration satisfying the criteria;

selecting a typical furniture configuration from the at least one typical configuration, wherein a furniture configuration comprises a workstation having components;

modifying aspects of at least one of the components of the selected typical furniture configuration to produce a modified furniture configuration;

producing a cluster configuration of the modified typical furniture configuration;

checking the validity of the cluster configuration; and

determining a price of the cluster configuration.

14. A method of configuring furniture comprising, by computer:

obtaining configuration criteria from a user;

presenting the user with at least one typical furniture configuration satisfying the criteria;

selecting a typical furniture configuration from the at least one typical configuration, wherein a furniture comprises a workstation having components;

modifying aspects of at least one of the components of the selected typical furniture configuration to produce a modified configuration; and

checking the validity of the modified configuration.

15. A method as in claim 14 wherein the configuration criteria include at least one of:

conferencing criteria;

privacy criteria;

power criteria;

communications criteria;

storage criteria; and

area criteria.

16. A method as in claim 14 wherein the modifying of the selected typical comprises at least one of:

adding another component to the selected typical furniture configuration;

deleting a component from the selected typical furniture configuration;

repositioning a component of the selected typical furniture configuration;

changing the fabric or finish of a component of the selected typical furniture configuration; and

changing the shape or size of a component of the selected typical furniture configuration.

17. A method as in claim 16 wherein the adding of another component comprises:

presenting the user with possible components which can be added; and

by the user,

selecting one of the possible components; and

positioning the selected one possible component on the current typical furniture configuration.

18. A method as in claim 16 wherein the changing the shape or size of the component comprises:

selecting the component; and

adjusting the shape or size of the component, whereby the shape or size can only be adjusted to a valid shape or size.

19. A method as in claim 14 further comprising:

determining a price of the modified furniture configuration.

20. A method as in claim 14 further comprising:

producing a cluster configuration of the modified typical furniture configuration.

21. A method as in claim 20 further comprising:

determining a price of the cluster configuration.

22. A method as in claim 20 wherein the producing of a cluster comprises:

determining if the cluster configuration is a valid configuration;

optimizing the cluster configuration.

23. A method as in claim 14 wherein the checking the validity of the modified furniture configuration comprises

optimizing the modified furniture configuration.

24. A method as in any one of claims 22 and 23 wherein the optimizing of a configuration comprises at least one of:

removing redundant components from the configuration;

merging components in the configuration; and

splitting components in the configuration.

25. A method as in claim 14 wherein the modifying aspects of the selected typical comprises modifying the entire product line of the configuration.

26. Computer-readable media tangibly embodying an interface program of instructions executable by the machine to provide a graphical user interface to a computer program for configuring furniture, the interface program comprising code to effect:

displaying on a screen of a visual display unit at a user'"'"'s computer system questions regarding user configuration criteria;

in response to said displaying, obtaining configuration criteria from the user;

displaying in an area on a screen of the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system a graphical representation of at least one typical furniture configuration satisfying the criteria, wherein a furniture configuration comprises a workstation having components;

selecting, with input from the pointing device, a typical furniture configuration from the at least one typical furniture configurations displayed on the screen;

modifying, using input from the pointing device, aspects of at least one of the components of the selected typical furniture configuration to produce a modified furniture configuration;

displaying on the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system a graphical representation of the modified furniture configuration;

with input from the pointing device, selecting a validity checking option to effect checking the validity of the modified furniture configuration; and

in response to said selecting the validity checking option, checking the validity of the modified furniture configuration.

27. Media as in claim 26 wherein the configuration criteria include at least one of:

conferencing criteria;

privacy criteria;

power criteria;

communications criteria;

storage criteria; and

area criteria.

28. Media as in claim 26 wherein the modifying of the selected typical comprises at least one of:

adding another component to the depiction of the selected typical furniture configuration;

deleting a depicted component from the depiction of selected typical furniture configuration;

repositioning a depicted component of the depicted selected typical furniture configuration;

changing the depicted fabric or finish of a depicted component of the depicted selected typical furniture configuration; and

changing the shape or size of a depicted component of the depicted selected typical furniture configuration.

29. Media as in claim 28 wherein the adding of another component comprises:

on the screen of the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system, presenting the user with various possible components which can be added; and

by the user,

selecting with the pointing device one of the various possible components; and

on the display depicting the typical furniture configuration,

positioning the selected one possible component on the depiction of the current typical furniture configuration.

30. Media as in claim 28 wherein the changing the shape or size of the depicted component comprises, with input from the pointing device:

selecting the depicted component; and

adjusting the shape or size of the depicted component, whereby the shape or size can only be adjusted to a valid shape or size.

31. Media as in claim 26 the program further comprising code to effect:

with input from the pointing device, selecting a price option to effect determining a price of the modified configuration; and

in response to said selecting said price option, determining a price of the modified depicted configuration.

32. Media as in claim 26 the program further comprising code to effect:

with input from the pointing device, selecting a cluster option to effect producing a cluster configuration of the modified typical furniture configuration;

in response to said selecting said cluster option, producing a cluster configuration of the modified typical furniture configuration; and

displaying on the screen of the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system a depiction of the cluster configuration.

33. Media as in claim 32, the program further comprising code to effect:

with input from the pointing device, selecting a price option to effect determining a price of the modified configuration; and

in response to said selecting said price option, determining the price of the cluster configuration.

34. Media as in claim 32 wherein the producing of a cluster comprises:

determining if the cluster configuration is a valid furniture configuration; and

optimizing the cluster configuration.

35. Media as in claim 26 wherein the checking the validity of the modified configuration comprises

optimizing the modified configuration.

36. Media as in claim 35 wherein the optimizing of a configuration comprises at least one of:

removing redundant components from the configuration;

merging components in the configuration; and

splitting components in the configuration.

37. Media as in claim 34 wherein the optimizing of a configuration comprises at least one of:

removing redundant components from the configuration;

merging components in the configuration; and

splitting components in the configuration.

38. Media as in claim 26 wherein the modifying aspects of the selected typical comprises modifying the entire product line of the configuration.

39. Computer-readable media as in any one of claims 26 to 38 wherein said media comprise at least one of a RAM, a ROM, a disk, an ASIC and a PROM.

40. A computer-assisted furniture configuration system comprising:

(A) a visual display unit;

(B) a pointing device; and

(C) interface means for providing a graphical user interface to said configuration system, the interface means comprising means to effect;

displaying on a screen of the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system questions regarding user configuration criteria;

in response to said displaying, obtaining configuration criteria from the user and providing the user configuration criteria to the computer program;

displaying in an area on a screen of the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system a graphical representation of at least one typical furniture configuration satisfying the user configuration criteria, wherein a furniture configuration comprises a workstation having components;

selecting, with the pointing device, a typical furniture configuration from the at least one typical furniture configurations displayed on the screen;

modifying, using the pointing device, aspects of at least one of the components of the selected typical furniture configuration to produce a modified furniture configuration;

displaying on the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s computer system a graphical representation of the modified furniture configuration;

with the pointing device, selecting a validity checking option to effect checking the validity of the modified furniture configuration; and

in response to said selecting the validity checking option, checking the validity of the modified configuration.

41. A computer-assisted furniture configuration system as in claim 40 wherein the interface means further comprises means to effect:

(a) with the pointing device, selecting a cluster option to effect producing a cluster configuration of the modified typical furniture configuration;

(b) in response to said selecting said cluster option, producing a cluster configuration of the modified typical furniture configuration; and

(c) displaying on the screen of the visual display unit at the user'"'"'s workstation a depiction of the cluster configuration.