Method and apparatus for configuring systems

• US 20060100829A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Versata Development Group, Inc. (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Versata Development Group, Inc. (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Inventors: Lynch, John, Franke, David
• Application Number:
  US11/315,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20060100829A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2119/06 Power analysis or power optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/15 Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design

Abstract

The present invention employs a generative approach for configuring systems such that a system may be configured based on component or resource requests, or input in the form of need. The present invention provides a constraint-based configuration system using a structural model hierarchy. The structural aspects of the model provide the ability to define a model element as being contained in, or by, another model element. In addition, the structural model provides the ability to identify logical datatype and physical interconnections between elements and establish connections between elements. To configure a system, the present invention accepts input in the form of requests (e.g., component or resource) or needs, such as an expression of a need for a desktop computer system to be used in a CAD (i.e., computer-aided design) environment. Using this information, the present invention configures a system by identifying the resource and component needs, constraints imposed on or by the resources or components identified, and the structural aspects of the system.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a system using a computer system comprising the steps of:

defining in said computer system an element model consisting of elements used to configure said system and structural relationships between said elements in said model;

generating by said computer system a system configuration based on configuration requests and said element model; and

displaying by said computer system a graphical representation of said system configuration and said structural relationships between said elements of said system configuration.

2-15. -15. (canceled)