Flash configuration cache

• US 6,430,730 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Versata Development Group, Inc. (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Trilogy Development Group Incorporated (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Inventors: Price, Andrew, Liemandt, Joseph, Ghatate, Bhalchandra
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Application Number:
  US09/498,122
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 703/13, 703/22, 703/26, 716/1, 716/2, 716/4, 716/7, 707/2, 707/3, 707/6, 707/100, 707/103, 707/102, 707/104
• US Class Current: 716/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/04 Constraint-based CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

The present invention employs a generative approach for configuring systems such that a system may be configured based on component or resource requests, or input in the form of need. The present invention provides a constraint-based configuration system using a structural model hierarchy. The structural aspects of the model provide the ability to define a model element as being contained in, or by, another model element. In addition, the structural model provides the ability to identify logical datatype and physical interconnections between elements and establish connections between elements. To configure a system, the present invention accepts input in the form of requests (e.g., component or resource) or needs, such as an expression of a need for a desktop computer system to be used in a CAD (i.e., computer-aided design) environment. Using this information, the present invention configures a system by identifying the resource and component needs, constraints imposed on or by the resources or components identified, and the structural aspects of the system. In one embodiment, a flash configuration cache is utilized to speed up the process of configuring an end product, such as a user computer. In another embodiment, a bundling cache is used to speed up the process of bundling.

Claims

1. A method of using a computer for configuring a product in response to a plurality of new requests, said method comprising:

defining in a computer a plurality of old configurations;

arranging said plurality of old configurations;

determining a total time by adding a first time period for execution of said defining in a computer said plurality of old configurations to a second time period for execution of said arranging said plurality of old configurations;

storing said plurality of old configurations in a cache of said computer if said total time is greater than a predetermined time;

inputting into said computer a plurality of new requests;

searching in said cache of said computer for at least one of said plurality of old configurations matching at least one of said plurality of new requests; and

recalling from said cache of said computer one of said plurality of old configurations.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of old configurations of a product comprises a plurality of old requests.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said arranging said plurality of old configurations comprises arranging said plurality of old requests into a plurality of branches comprising a tree, each branch representing at least one of said old configurations of said product stored in said computer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein searching in said cache of said computer for at least one of said plurality of old configurations matching at least one of said plurality of new requests comprises searching in said cache of said computer for a matching branch, said matching branch having said plurality of old requests matching said plurality of new requests.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein recalling from said cache one of said plurality of old configurations comprises recalling from said cache one of said plurality of old configurations represented by said matching branch.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said searching in said cache further comprises:

comparing said plurality of new requests to said plurality of old configurations in a predetermined order; and

,

if said plurality of new requests includes new requests not found in said plurality of old configurations then adding said new requests not found in said old configurations to said tree as a new branch from the last matching request in said plurality of new requests.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of new requests comprises component requests.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of new requests comprises need requests.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of new requests comprises resource requests.

10. A method using a computer for configuring a product in response to a plurality of new requests, said method comprising:

(a) defining in a computer a plurality of old configurations;

(b) arranging said plurality of old configurations and storing said old configurations in a cache of said computer;

(c) determining a total time by adding a first time period for execution of said defining in said computer said plurality of old configurations to a second time period for execution of said arranging said plurality of old configurations and storing said old configurations in said cache of said computer;

(d) storing said plurality of old configurations in said cache of said computer if said total time is greater than a predetermined time;

(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) to store in said cache of said computer a plurality of said plurality of old configurations;

(f) inputting into said computer a plurality of new requests;

(g) searching said cache of said computer for said plurality of old configurations matching a new request; and

,

(h) recalling from said cache of said computer one of said plurality of said old configurations.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said plurality of new requests comprise component requests.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said plurality of new requests comprise need requests.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said plurality of new requests comprise resource requests.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said plurality of new requests comprise container, connection and component constraints.

15. A method using a computer for configuring a product, said method comprising:

generating a configuration of a product in response to a request list in a generating step;

determining a total time for execution of said gene rating step;

storing said configuration of a product in a configuration cache of a computer if said total time is greater than a predetermined time;

constructing a product database comprising;

inputting into said computer a plurality of required options;

generating a first hash table correlating each of a plurality of matching products to said plurality of required options;

identifying said plurality of matching products among said plurality of required options;

generating a second hash table correlating each of said plurality of required options to respective ones of said plurality of matching products, thereby identifying a target group of said plurality of matching products;

storing said target group of said plurality of matching products as said product database in a bundling cache of said computer; and

searching said product database to find said plurality of matching products, each of said plurality of matching products correlating to one of a plurality of components.