System and method for maintaining a product specification within regional parameters when selecting options

• US 7,844,622 B1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Cessna Aircraft Company (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Grimes, Angela, Phillips, Dewitt, Ramsey, Julie, Van Dyke, Larry, Lackey, Rachael, O'Bannion, Lannie, Cassil, Renee, McPartland, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahmoudi; Tony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/566,522
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 703/13, 706/47
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of computer generating a product specification. The specification is dependent on the selection of a number of options by a consumer. The method utilizes a computer program which receives from user a location in which said product will be used. After that, the user is allowed to select product options. Information regarding rules and regulations for that particular location is made available from separately identified data files on a server. Options required in that particular locations will be automatically added to the specification. When additional options are selected, the program determines whether the product is still in compliance in the location selected. If the added option results in the specification running afoul of a regional rule or regulation, the user will be notified, and advised as to how the violation can be overcome. Once the user is satisfied with the options, and these options are in compliance, the specification is completed and useful for making an order.

Claims

1. A method of computer generating a product specification for a passenger vehicle product for a user, said method comprising:

presenting a plurality of locations;

receiving a selection of a location from said plurality in which said passenger vehicle product will be operated;

providing an initial product specification of said passenger vehicle product while automatically including any features in said initial product specification if the features are required in the location;

displaying a depiction of the initial product specification;

determining whether an added option regarding a physical feature of the passenger vehicle product would result in an altered product specification which is in compliance in said location by referencing a data file, said data file including information regarding at least one regionally-specific requirement in said location;

displaying a depiction of the altered product specification which includes the added option;

automatically informing said user of whether said added option causes said altered product specification to be in compliance

enabling the user to eliminate a formerly-existing physical feature in said specification to result in a remaining specification;

reflecting the removal of the formerly-existing physical feature in a stripped three-dimensional representation of said remaining specification upon the user'"'"'s elimination of the formerly-existing physical feature;

determining whether the remaining specification is in compliance in said plurality of places the aircraft is intended to be operated;

executing said determining step by referencing the at least one data file or another data file which includes regionally-specific requirements in the plurality of places in which the aircraft is intended to be operated;

automatically displaying an indication of whether the remaining specification is still in compliance; and

continually displaying a total weight for the aircraft product.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving step further comprises providing said user a field on a computer generated screen for entering said location.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising:

selecting an aircraft as said passenger vehicle product.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising:

accepting information from said user regarding a region where said passenger vehicle product is to be certified; and

assessing whether said passenger vehicle product complies with at least one rule required in said region.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising:

suggesting solutions available to avoid violating said rule to said user.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising:

automatically including a required option in said specification wherein said required option is mandatory in said location.

7. A computer system for generating a product specification for an aircraft has different option requirements in different locations, said system comprising:

a first computing device adapted to access a plurality of data files, each file in said plurality of data files including information regarding a plurality of rules in a particular regional location;

a first process running on said first computing device, said process being adapted to receive a location for intended operation of the aircraft from a user;

a second process running on said first computing device, said second process adapted to present a list of physical-feature options to said user enabling said user to take an action of one or both of selecting and deselecting each of said options in concurrently updating said product specification in a manner which can be visualized in a product display;

a third process running on said first computing device, said third process adapted to determine if said action is in violation of at least one rule in the plurality;

a fourth process running on said first computing device, said fourth process being adapted to notify said user if said action is in violation of said at least one rule;

a fifth process running on said computing device, the fifth process enabling the user to eliminate a formerly-existing physical option in said specification to result in a remaining specification;

a sixth process running on said computing device, the sixth process reflecting the removal of the formerly-existing physical option in the vizualized product display upon the user'"'"'s elimination of the formerly-existing physical feature;

a seventh process running on the computing device, the seventh process determining whether the remaining specification is in compliance in said plurality of places the aircraft is intended to be operated;

executing the seventh process by referencing the plurality of data files which include information regarding the plurality of rules in the particular regional location; and

an eighth process running on the computing device, the eighth process automatically displaying an indication of whether the remaining specification is still in compliance; and

continually displaying a total weight for the aircraft product upon the execution of at least the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth processes.

8. The system of claim 7 comprising:

a second computing device for maintaining a plurality of data file groups, each of said groups including regional rules related to a particular location;

each of said groups being optionally accessible by said first computer.

9. The system of claim 7 comprising:

a ninth process running on said first computing device, said ninth process adapted to cause a required option which is necessary for operation in said location to be automatically added to said specification without being specifically selected by said user.

10. A method of computer generating a desired aircraft product specification, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of places in which the aircraft is intended to be operated;

receiving a location in which said aircraft is to be certified;

receiving whether a mode of operation will be public or private;

generating an initial specification of said aircraft which includes features which are geographically required after consideration of;

(i) the plurality of places in which the aircraft is to be operated, (ii) the location in which the aircraft is to be certified, and (iii) the mode of operation for the aircraft by accessing a database which includes certification and operational requirements for said plurality of places in which the aircraft is to be operated and the location in which the aircraft is to be certified;

presenting a three-dimensional representation of said initial specification;

enabling the user to add an additional physical feature to said initial specification to result in an augmented specification;

reflecting said additional physical feature in an augmented three-dimensional representation upon the user'"'"'s selection of the additional physical feature;

determining whether the augmented product specification is in compliance in said plurality of places the aircraft is intended to be operated;

executing said determining step by referencing at least one data file, said at least one data file including a plurality of regionally-specific requirements in said plurality of places in which the aircraft is intended to be operated; and

automatically displaying whether said additional feature causes said augmented product specification to be in compliance;

enabling the user to eliminate a formerly-existing physical feature in said specification to result in a remaining specification;

reflecting the removal of the formerly-existing physical feature in a stripped three-dimensional representation of said remaining specification upon the user'"'"'s elimination of the formerly-existing physical feature;

continually displaying a total cost and a total weight for the aircraft product;

determining whether the remaining specification is in compliance in said plurality of places the aircraft is intended to be operated;

executing said determining step by referencing the at least one data file or another data file which includes regionally-specific requirements in the plurality of places in which the aircraft is intended to be operated; and

automatically displaying an indication of whether the remaining specification is still in compliance.

11. A method of marketing an aircraft product, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of countries in which the aircraft is to be used and an intended mode of operation, the mode of operation being one of private and public, from a user;

automatically including all required options for the aircraft necessary to maintain compliance in all of the countries in the plurality for the mode of operation in a three-dimensionally displayed initial product specification;

allowing the user to select and deselect options in order to create a plurality of three-dimensionally displayed altered product specifications;

informing the user of whether each of the altered product specifications remain in compliance in all of the plurality of countries for the mode of operation, and notifying the user of suggestions enabling the user to return said altered product specifications in any altered product specification which is noncompliant to a compliant status;

calculating and continually displaying a total weight and a total cost for each of the altered product specifications while viewing the altered product specifications in three dimensions; and

enabling the user to complete a final product specification which is compliant in all of said plurality of countries for the mode of operation so that an order for an aircraft can be made.