Multi-tiered structure for storing and displaying product and process variants

• US RE41,476 E1
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Muehleck, Peter, Polly, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean; Frantz B
• Application Number:
  US10/421,080
• Time in Patent Office: 2,659 Days
• Field of Search: 700/107, 700/108, 700/110, 700/117, 700/95, 700/100, 709/203, 709/201, 705/1, 705/4, 705/29
• US Class Current: 700/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/50 Computer-aided design
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A computer based system is provided that is capable of displaying component and process structures for configurable product classes stored in a data structure. Product classes in the data structure are represented by product nodes. Components, which are abstractions of concrete items used in the product, are represented by component nodes. Component nodes are mapped to each product class with which the component is associated, and are associated with one or more component variants, which are concrete items used in the manufacture of a particular product variant. Process nodes, which are abstractions of actual steps required to produce a product variant, known as process variants, are represented by process nodes. The computer based system can display several alternative views of the data structure. For example, upon receiving a selection for a particular product class, the computer based system converts and can graphically display all component and process nodes associated with that product class. Alternatively, the system can receive input of a product variant and display all component variants used in its production, which is its bill of materials.

Claims

1. A computer based system for displaying components and processes associated with configurable product classes, comprising a display, a memory, a central processor and a user interface, wherein said memory has a data structure, said data structure comprises:

a) a product layer comprising at least one product, wherein each product is represented by a product class;

b) a node structure layer comprising

at least one component node, wherein each of said at least one component node represents a component, and wherein said each of said at least one component node is linked to the product class representing the respective one of said at least one product in which said component is used, and

at least one process node, wherein each of said at least one process node represents a process, and wherein said each of said at least one process node is linked to the product class representing the respective one of said at least one product in whose manufacture said process is used, and wherein said each of said at least one process node is also linked to the respective one of said at least one component node representing a component used in said process represented by said each of said at least one process node;

c) a variant layer comprising

at least one component variant, wherein each of said at least one component variant is associated with one of said at least one component node, and wherein said each of said at least one component variant represents a concrete item that is used in a specific product variant of the respective one of said at least one product represented by the product class to which said one of said at least one component node associated with said each of said at least one component variant is linked;

at least one process variant, wherein each of said at least one process variant is associated with one of said at least one process node, and wherein said each of said at least one process variant represents actual production steps used in the manufacture of a specific product variant of the respective one of said at least one product represented by the product class to which said one of said at least one process node associated with said each of said at least one process variant is linked;

d) an application view layer comprising

at least one application view node, wherein each of said at least one application view node is linked to a product class, and wherein said each of said at least one application view node comprises at least one of

a collection of all component nodes that are linked to the product class to which the respective one of said each of said at least one application view node is linked, and

a collection of all process nodes that are linked to said product class to which the respective one of said each of said at least one application view node is linked; and

wherein said user interface is used to receive a selection of one of said at least one application view node, and wherein said central processor converts said selected application view node into a graphical representation for visual display on said display.

2. The computer based system of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one component variant is associated with a selection condition that indicates which of said at least one component variant is used in said specific product variant according to specific product characteristics of said specific product variant.

3. The computer based system of claim 2, wherein said user interface is used to receive a selection of said specific product variant, and wherein said central processor employs said selection condition for each of said at least one component node linked to the product class of said specific product variant to determine all component variants associated with said selected product variant in said data structure, which is the bill of materials for said specific product variant, and wherein said central processor displays said bill of materials for said specific product variant on said display.

4. The computer based system of claim 1, wherein said at least one product is a plurality of products, and wherein said plurality of products are arranged based on the hierarchical relationship between product classes.

5. The computer based system of claim 1, wherein said at least one component node is a plurality of component nodes, and wherein said plurality of component nodes are arranged based on the hierarchical relationship between components.

6. The computer based system of claim 5, wherein said hierarchical relationship between components depicts the decomposition of components into sub-components.

7. The computer based system of claim 6, wherein there are a plurality of decompositions of a particular component into sub-components.

8. The computer based system of claim 7, wherein selection of one of said plurality of decompositions for a particular component into sub-components is based on the plant where the product associated with said particular component is manufactured.

9. A method of graphically displaying components and processes associated with configurable products stored in a data structure, the data structure comprising:

a) a product layer comprising at least one product, wherein each product is represented by a product class;

b) a node structure layer comprising

at least one component node, wherein each of said at least one component node represents a component, and wherein said each of said at least one component node is linked to the product class representing the respective one of said at least one product in which said component is used, and

at least one process node, wherein each of said at least one process node represents a process, and wherein said each of said at least one process node is linked to the product class representing the respective one of said at least one product in whose manufacture said process is used, and wherein said each of said at least one process node is also linked to the respective one of said at least one component node representing a component used in said process represented by said each of said at least one process node;

c) a variant layer comprising

at least one component variant, wherein each of said at least one component variant is associated with one of said at least one component node, and wherein said each of said at least one component variant represents a concrete item that is used in a specific product variant of the respective one of said at least one product represented by the product class to which said one of said at least one component node associated with said each of said at least one component variant is linked;

at least one process variant, wherein each of said at least one process variant is associated with one of said at least one process node, and wherein said each of said at least one process variant represents actual production steps used in the manufacture of a specific product variant of the respective one of said at least one product represented by the product class to which said one of said at least one process node associated with said each of said at least one process variant is linked;

d) an application view layer comprising

at least one application view node, wherein each of said at least one application view node is linked to a product class, and wherein said each of said at least one application view node comprises at least one of

a collection of all component nodes that are linked to the product class to which the respective one of said each of said at least one application view node is linked, and

a collection of all process nodes that are linked to said product class to which the respective one of said each of said at least one application view node is linked;

the method comprising the steps of

i) receiving a selection of one of said at least one application view node from a user interface;

ii) converting said one of said at least one application view node into a graphical representation for visual display; and

iii) displaying said graphical representation on a display.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of said at least one component variant is associated with a selection condition that indicates which of said at least one component variant is used in said specific product variant according to specific product characteristics of said specific product variant.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said user interface is used to receive a selection of said specific product variant, and wherein said central processor employs said selection condition for each of said at least one component node linked to the product class of said specific product variant to determine all component variants associated with said selected product variant in said data structure, which is the bill of materials for said specific product variant, and wherein said central processor displays said bill of materials for said specific product variant on said display.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said at least one product is a plurality of products, and wherein said plurality of products are arranged based on the hierarchical relationship between product classes.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said at least one component node is a plurality of component nodes, and wherein said plurality of component nodes are arranged based on the hierarchical relationship between components.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said hierarchical relationship between components depicts the decomposition of components into sub-components.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein there are a plurality of decompositions of a particular component into subcomponents.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein selection of one of said plurality of decompositions for a particular component into sub-components is based on the plant where the product associated with said particular component is manufactured.

17. A computer based system for displaying components and processes associated with hierarchical product classes, comprising a display, a memory, a central processor and a user interface, wherein said memory has a data structure, said data structure comprises:

a) a product layer comprising at least one product, wherein each product is represented by a product class;

b) a node structure layer comprising

at least one component node, wherein each of said at least one component node represents a component, and wherein said each of said at least one component node is linked to the product class representing the respective one of said at least one product in which said component is used, and

at least one process node, wherein each of said at least one process node represents a process, and wherein said each of said at least one process node is linked to the product class representing the respective one of said at least one product in whose manufacture said process is used, and wherein said each of said at least one process node is also linked to the respective one of said at least one component node representing a component used in said process represented by said each of said at least one process node;

c) a variant layer comprising

at least one component variant, wherein each of said at least one component variant is associated with one of said at least one component node, and wherein said each of said at least one component variant represents a concrete item that is used in a specific product variant of the respective one of said at least one product represented by the product class to which said one of said at least one component node associated with said each of said at least one component variant is linked;

at least one process variant, wherein each of said at least one process variant is associated with one of said at least one process node, and wherein said each of said at least one process variant represents actual production steps used in the manufacture of a specific product variant of the respective one of said at least one product represented by the product class to which said one of said at least one process node associated with said each of said at least one process variant is linked;

d) an application view layer comprising

at least one application view node, wherein each of said at least one application view node is linked to a product class, and wherein said each of said at least one application view node comprises at least one of

a collection of all component nodes that are linked to the product class to which the respective one of said each of said at least one application view node is linked, and

a collection of all process nodes that are linked to said product class to which the respective one of said each of said at least one application view node is linked;

the computer based system further comprising

i) means for receiving a selection of one of said at least one application view node from a user interface;

ii) means for converting said selected application view node into a graphical representation for visual display; and

iii) means for displaying said graphical representation on a display.

18. The computer based system of claim 17, wherein each of said at least one component variant is associated with a selection condition that indicates which of said at least one component variant is used in said specific product variant according to specific product characteristics of said specific product variant.

19. The computer based system of claim 18, wherein said user interface is used to receive a selection of said specific product variant, and wherein said central processor employs said selection condition for each of said at least one component node linked to the product class of said specific product variant to determine all component variants associated with said selected product variant in said data structure, which is the bill of materials for said specific product variant, and wherein said central processor displays said bill of materials for said specific product variant on said display.

20. The computer based system of claim 17, wherein said at least one product is a plurality of products, and wherein said plurality of products are arranged based on the hierarchical relationship between product classes.

21. The computer based system of claim 17, wherein said at least one component node is a plurality of component nodes, and wherein said plurality of component nodes are arranged based on the hierarchical relationship between components.

22. The computer based system of claim 21, wherein said hierarchical relationship between components depicts the decomposition of components into sub-components.

23. The computer based system of claim 22, wherein there are a plurality of decompositions of a particular component into sub-components.

24. The computer based system of claim 23, wherein selection of one of said plurality of decompositions for a particular component into sub-components is based on the plant where the product associated with said particular component is manufactured.

25. A computer based system for displaying components and processes associated with configurable product classes, comprising a display, a memory, a central processor and a user interface, wherein said memory has a data structure, said data structure comprises:

a) a product layer comprising a product represented by a product class;

b) a node structure layer comprising

a component node, wherein said component node represents a component, and wherein said component node is linked to said product class, and

a process node, wherein said process node represents a process, and wherein said process node is linked to said product class, and wherein said process node is also linked to said component node;

c) a variant layer comprising

a component variant, wherein said component variant is associated with said component node, and wherein said component variant represents a concrete item that is used in a specific product variant of said product represented by said product class;

a process variant, wherein said process variant is associated with said process node, and wherein said process variant represents actual production steps that are used in the manufacture of a specific product variant of said product represented by said product class;

d) an application view layer comprising

an application view node, wherein said application view node is linked to said product class, and wherein said application view node comprises at least one of said component node and said process node;

wherein said user interface is used to receive a selection of said application view node, and wherein said central processor converts said selected application view node into a graphical representation for visual display on said display.

26. A computer-based system comprising a display, a memory, a central processor, and a user interface, wherein said memory has a data structure, said data structure comprising:

a product class;

a component node, wherein said component node is linked to said product class, and

a process node, wherein said process node represents a process, is linked to said product class, and is also linked to said component node;

a component variant associated with said component node, and wherein said component variant represents an item that is used in a product variant of a product represented by said product class;

a process variant associated with said process node, wherein said process variant represents actual production steps that are used in the manufacture of a product variant of said product represented by said product class; and

an application view node linked to said product class,

said user interface being configured to receive a selection of said application view node, and said central processor being configured to convert said selected application view node into a graphical representation for visual display on said display.