Decision support activation and management in product life cycles using a context pyramid structure
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of managing a collaborative process performed in accordance with a first entity and at least a second entity, the method comprising:
- a computer obtaining information associated with the collaborative process used to design and develop a given product; and
based on at least a portion of the obtained information, the computer dynamically building and maintaining an information structure as a context pyramid structure to assist at least one of the first entity and the second entity in managing at least a portion of the collaborative process;
wherein the context pyramid structure represents a status of the collaborative process and comprises a plurality of flow lines that represent a plurality of levels of resolution of tasks in the collaborative process; and
wherein the building and maintaining comprises;
creating a lowest-level flow line to represent a lowest-level of resolution, the lowest-level flow line corresponding to a timeline for completing the collaborative process, the timeline containing a plurality of checkpoints for completing the collaborative process, each of the checkpoints represented on the lowest-level flow line by a node, the nodes comprising at least a starting node representing a starting checkpoint on the timeline and an ending node representing an ending checkpoint on the timeline; and
iteratively creating at least one next-higher level flow line to represent a next-higher level of resolution from a next-lower level flow line, for at least one pair of consecutive nodes on the flow line of the next-lower level, the next-higher level flow line corresponding to a next-higher-resolution timeline containing a plurality of higher-resolution checkpoints for completing a portion of the collaborative process that occurs between the checkpoints represented by the consecutive nodes on the lower-level flow line, each of the higher-resolution checkpoints represented on the next-higher level flow line by a node, the nodes on the next-higher level flow line comprising at least a starting node representing a starting checkpoint on the next-higher-resolution timeline and an ending node representing an ending checkpoint on the next-higher-resolution timeline.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are provided for product life cycle management over an information network. More particularly, techniques are provided for decision support activation and management in accordance with a product life cycle management process such as a collaborative design process. In one aspect of the invention, a technique for managing at least one collaborative process performed in accordance with a first entity and at least a second entity, comprises the following steps/operations. Information associated with the at least one collaborative process is obtained. Based on at least a portion of the obtained information, an information structure (e.g., a context pyramid) representative of the collaborative process is dynamically maintained so as to assist at least one of the first entity and the second entity in managing at least a portion of the collaborative process.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of managing a collaborative process performed in accordance with a first entity and at least a second entity, the method comprising:
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a computer obtaining information associated with the collaborative process used to design and develop a given product; and based on at least a portion of the obtained information, the computer dynamically building and maintaining an information structure as a context pyramid structure to assist at least one of the first entity and the second entity in managing at least a portion of the collaborative process; wherein the context pyramid structure represents a status of the collaborative process and comprises a plurality of flow lines that represent a plurality of levels of resolution of tasks in the collaborative process; and wherein the building and maintaining comprises; creating a lowest-level flow line to represent a lowest-level of resolution, the lowest-level flow line corresponding to a timeline for completing the collaborative process, the timeline containing a plurality of checkpoints for completing the collaborative process, each of the checkpoints represented on the lowest-level flow line by a node, the nodes comprising at least a starting node representing a starting checkpoint on the timeline and an ending node representing an ending checkpoint on the timeline; and iteratively creating at least one next-higher level flow line to represent a next-higher level of resolution from a next-lower level flow line, for at least one pair of consecutive nodes on the flow line of the next-lower level, the next-higher level flow line corresponding to a next-higher-resolution timeline containing a plurality of higher-resolution checkpoints for completing a portion of the collaborative process that occurs between the checkpoints represented by the consecutive nodes on the lower-level flow line, each of the higher-resolution checkpoints represented on the next-higher level flow line by a node, the nodes on the next-higher level flow line comprising at least a starting node representing a starting checkpoint on the next-higher-resolution timeline and an ending node representing an ending checkpoint on the next-higher-resolution timeline. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Apparatus for managing a collaborative process performed in accordance with a first entity and at least a second entity, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;
obtain information associated with the collaborative process used to design and develop a given product; and
based on at least a portion of the obtained information, dynamically build and maintain an information structure as a context pyramid structure to assist at least one of the first entity and the second entity in managing at least a portion of the collaborative process, wherein;the context pyramid structure represents a status of the collaborative process and comprises a plurality of flow lines that represent a plurality of levels of resolution of tasks in the collaborative process; and the building and maintaining comprises; creating a lowest-level flow line to represent a lowest-level of resolution, the lowest-level flow line corresponding to a timeline for completing the collaborative process, the timeline containing a plurality of checkpoints for completing the collaborative process, each of the checkpoints represented on the lowest-level flow line by a node, the nodes comprising at least a starting node representing a starting checkpoint on the timeline and an ending node representing an ending checkpoint on the timeline; and iteratively creating at least one next-higher level flow line to represent a next-higher level of resolution from a next-lower level flow line, for at least one pair of consecutive nodes on the flow line of the next-lower level, the next-higher level flow line corresponding to a next-higher-resolution timeline containing a plurality of higher-resolution checkpoints for completing a portion of the collaborative process that occurs between the checkpoints represented by the consecutive nodes on the lower-level flow line, each of the higher-resolution checkpoints represented on the next-higher level flow line by a node, the nodes on the next-higher level flow line comprising at least a starting node representing a staffing checkpoint on the next-higher-resolution timeline and an ending node representing an ending checkpoint on the next-higher-resolution timeline. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An article of manufacture for managing a collaborative process performed in accordance with a first entity and at least a second entity, comprising a computer readable storage medium containing one or more programs which when executed by a computer implement:
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obtaining information associated with the collaborative process used to design and develop a given product; and based on at least a portion of the obtained information, dynamically building and maintaining an information structure as a context pyramid structure to assist at least one of the first entity and the second entity in managing at least a portion of the collaborative process; wherein the context pyramid structure represents a status of the collaborative process and comprises a plurality of flow lines that represent a plurality of levels of resolution of tasks in the collaborative process; and wherein the building and maintaining comprises; creating a lowest-level flow line to represent a lowest-level of resolution, the lowest-level flow line corresponding to a timeline for completing the collaborative process, the timeline containing a plurality of checkpoints for completing the collaborative process, each of the checkpoints represented on the lowest-level flow line by a node, the nodes comprising at least a starting node representing a starting checkpoint on the timeline and an ending node representing an ending checkpoint on the timeline; and iteratively creating at least one next-higher level flow line to represent a next-higher level of resolution from a next-lower level flow line, for at least one pair of consecutive nodes on the flow line of the next-lower level, the next-higher level flow line corresponding to a next-higher-resolution timeline containing a plurality of higher-resolution checkpoints for completing a portion of the collaborative process that occurs between the checkpoints represented by the consecutive nodes on the lower-level flow line, each of the higher-resolution checkpoints represented on the next-higher level flow line by a node, the nodes on the next-higher level flow line comprising at least a starting node representing a starting checkpoint on the next-higher-resolution timeline and an ending node representing an ending checkpoint on the next-higher-resolution timeline. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification