Configurator using structure and rules to provide a user interface

• US 7,788,591 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Lim, Peter, Rassi, Elie, Brunner, Stephan, Kibilov, George, Tchikowani, Eugene, Yao, Xiangyang
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Ting
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZAHR, ASHRAF A
• Application Number:
  US11/321,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20070226066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A configurator using structure and rules to provide a user interface. According to one embodiment of the invention, a customizable product class is created. The customizable product class includes a set of one or more attributes to define the customizable product class. A component product class is added to the customizable product class, where the component product class is a subclass of the customizable product. A customizable class rule is associated to the customizable product class, the customizable class rule including expressions which provide conditions on component products added to the customizable product. A customizable UI is mapped to the customizable product class, where the customizable UI provides access structure to the configurator.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a computer, comprising:

creating a customizable user interface (UI), using a processor of the computer, wherein the creating comprises

selecting a UI theme from a plurality of theme templates, using the processor, wherein

the UI theme defines an appearance of a customizable product class,

the customizable product class comprises one or more customizable products, and

the one or more customizable products are available to be purchased,

adding one or more UI groups to the UI theme, using the processor, wherein

each UI group of the one or more UI groups defines a subclass of the customizable product class,

the subclass defines a component product of one or more component products,

the component product is related to a customizable product of the one or more customizable products, and

the component product is configured to be used in customizing the customizable product,

assigning one or more UI controls to the subclass, using the processor, and

providing a subclass-specific user interface, using the processor, wherein

the subclass-specific user interface is configured to allow customization of the customizable product in a user-specified manner prior to purchase of the customizable product by virtue of being configured to allow selection of the component product using a corresponding UI control of the UI controls, and

the corresponding UI control corresponds to the component product.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the UI theme comprises at least one of a tab style, wizard style and tree style.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

setting a set of properties for the UI theme.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the set of properties comprises one or more of a background color, font and multi-lingual text.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

storing each property from the set as a name value pair.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein each of the groups comprises one or more of the one or more UI controls, one or more attributes, or one or more ports.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein each of the attributes comprises at least one of an attribute control and an attribute choice.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein each of the ports comprises at least one of a port control and a port instance.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more UI controls comprises one of a drop down box, a radio button, and a list box.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more UI controls is associated with at least one property.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a UI control property is selected from the group consisting of a background color, font and multi-lingual text.

12. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

creating a customizable user interface (UI), using the processor, wherein the creating comprises

selecting a UI theme from a plurality of theme templates, using the processor, wherein

the UI theme defines an appearance of a customizable product class,

the customizable product class comprises one or more customizable products, and

the one or more customizable products are available to be purchased,

adding one or more UI groups to the UI theme, using the processor, wherein

each UI group of the one or more UI groups defines a subclass of the customizable product class,

the subclass defines a component product of one or more component products,

the component product is related to a customizable product of the one or more customizable products, and

the component product is configured to be used in customizing the customizable product,

assigning one or more UI controls to the subclass, using the processor, and

providing a subclass-specific user interface, using the processor, wherein

the subclass-specific user interface is configured to allow customization of the customizable product in a user-specified manner prior to purchase of the customizable product by virtue of being configured to allow selection of the component product using a corresponding UI control of the UI controls, and

the corresponding UI control corresponds to the component product.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein the UI theme comprises at least one of a tab style, wizard style and tree style.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein the UI theme is associated with a set of properties that comprises one or more of a background color, font and multi-lingual text.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein each of the groups comprises one or more of the one or more UI controls, one or more attributes, or one or more ports.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein each of the one or more UI controls comprises one of a drop down box, a radio button, and a list box.

17. A computer system for creating a customizable user interface (UI), the computer system comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium, wherein

the computer-readable storage medium is configured to store a UI data store, and

the UI data store is configured to store a plurality of theme templates, and

a processor configured to execute customizable UI mapping logic, wherein the customizable UI mapping logic is configured to

select a UI theme from a plurality of theme templates, wherein

the UI theme defines an appearance of a customizable product class,

the customizable product class comprises one or more customizable products, and

the one or more customizable products are available to be purchased,

add one or more UI groups to the UI theme, using the processor, wherein

each UI group of the one or more UI groups defines a subclass of the customizable product class,

the subclass defines a component product of one or more component products,

the component product is related to a customizable product of the one or more customizable products, and

the component product is configured to be used in customizing the customizable product,

assign one or more UI controls to the subclass, using the processor, and

provide a subclass-specific user interface, using the processor, wherein

the subclass-specific user interface is configured to allow customization of the customizable product in a user-specified manner prior to purchase of the customizable product by virtue of being configured to allow selection of the component product using a corresponding UI control of the UI controls, and

the corresponding UI control corresponds to the component product.

18. The computer system of claim 17 wherein the UI theme comprises at least one of a tab style, wizard style and tree style.

19. The computer system of claim 17 wherein the UI theme is associated with a set of properties comprising one or more of a background color, font and multi-lingual text.

20. The computer system of claim 17 wherein each of the groups comprises one or more of the one or more UI controls, one or more attributes, or one or more ports.