Automated configuration system and method
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A configuration system comprising:
- a processor;
a user interface, wherein said user interface receives input data for a desired configuration; and
a frame engine, receiving data input from said user interface, wherein said frame engine outputs configuration data to said user interface in response to a frame-based inference of the input data by examination of a hierarchical data tree structure having nodes whose components contain data relevant to various configurations and by removing appropriate portions of the data tree structure from consideration as input data is received for a desired configuration.
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Abstract
An automated configuration system (and method) is provided for facilitating the configuration of desired products, services, or other assemblages that require users to gather and assimilate disparate knowledge of makes, models, types, features, codes, and prices of the desired product/service to be configured. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, configuration is facilitated through interaction of a user with a frame engine that performs frame-based inferences to discern stored knowledge of a product (or the like), as supplemented by a rules-based inference system.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A configuration system comprising:
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a processor; a user interface, wherein said user interface receives input data for a desired configuration; and
a frame engine, receiving data input from said user interface, wherein said frame engine outputs configuration data to said user interface in response to a frame-based inference of the input data by examination of a hierarchical data tree structure having nodes whose components contain data relevant to various configurations and by removing appropriate portions of the data tree structure from consideration as input data is received for a desired configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of configuring a project, the method comprising the steps of:
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accessing a user interface; initiating a project for configuration; configuring the project by entering project selections; performing a frame-based inference by examination of a hierarchical data tree structure having nodes whose components contain data relevant to various configurations and by removing appropriate portions of the data tree structure from consideration as project selections are entered, thereby to obtain inferences in response to project selections made in said configuring step; and outputting project configuration data to the user interface based on the inferences made in said performing step. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable storage medium having stored therein indicia of a plurality of machine-executable control program steps, the control program comprising the steps of:
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accessing a user interface; initiating a project for configuration; configuring the project by entering project selections; performing a frame-based inference by examination of a hierarchical data tree structure having nodes whose components contain data relevant to various configurations and by removing appropriate portions of the data tree structure from consideration as project selections are entered, thereby to obtain inferences in response to project selections made in said configuring step; and outputting project configuration data to the user interface based on the inferences made in said performing step. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification