System for aiding the design of product configuration

• US 7,467,122 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Morita, Hirotaka, Ishida, Atsuhiro, Sora, Hiroshi, Akasaka, Shingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Vincent; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Jr.; Nathan H
• Application Number:
  US11/266,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 706/47, 434/367
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

While a base model has been determined for a product, in a system for performing a configuration designing operation of the product by setting a specification value to a specification item of the product, a product configuration design aiding system aids that a configuration designer can easily perform the configuration designing operation while following a restriction condition of a specification value of a specification item. A specification configuration information database is constructed which describes restriction conditions available for the specification values with respect to the specification item, and a configuration designing screen for inputting the specification values with respect to the specification item is displayed so as to conduct an input by the configuration designer.

Claims

1. A product configuration design aiding system for aiding a configuration designing operation in which a plurality of basic items as to a specification of a product which constitutes a base of a design are defined as respective specification items, one or more specification values which are selectable for the respective specification item is previously set-up as a selectable option by a product designer, and where specification values are user-selectable by a product configuration designer for the respective specification items of a product in the design of a configuration within a range where the set specification value and a restriction condition are satisfied, so as to complete the product designing operation, comprising:

a memory unit containing a specification configuration information database in which each data of a specification item, a specification value, a restriction condition and a product to which the restriction condition is applied is constituted in a list form, and the restriction condition is a limitation where one specific specification item and another specific specification item has a restriction relationship such that, in order that the one specific specification item has a specific value corresponding to the product to which the restriction condition is applied, then the another specific specification item must have a predetermined specific value; and

specification managing means for holding and updating such a status that a configuration designer selects both a specification item and a specification value of a product to be designed;

wherein;

said specification managing means seeks a data record having a list form described in said specification configuration information database based upon both said specification item and said specification value which have already been selected, and defines other specification items and other specification values which are not user-selected and which can satisfy said restriction condition, as a candidate to be indicated to the configuration designer; and

wherein;

said product configuration design aiding system is further comprised of;

screen producing means for producing a configuration designing screen which displays both said defined specification item and said defined specification value to the configuration designer, and prompts the configuration designer to select an available standard specification which can satisfy the restriction condition;

where the memory unit further containing a specification selecting rule information database which records a rule for setting a default value or a specification value for a specification item in case that the configuration designer omits a selection, by the system, in correspondence with the specification time and the specification value; and

automatic setting means for retrieving said specification selecting rule information database, and setting the specification value automatically in accordance with the corresponding default value or rule information, in case that the configuration designer omits selecting the specification value of the specification item, and the specification value is entrusted to the system on said configuration designing screen.

2. A product configuration design aiding system for aiding a configuration designing operation in which a plurality of basic items as to a specification of a product which constitutes a base of a design are defined as respective specification items, one or more specification values which are selectable for the respective specification item is previously as a selectable option by a product designer, and where specification values are user-selectable by a product configuration designer for the respective specification items of a product in the design of a configuration within a range where the set specification value and a restriction condition are satisfied, so as to complete the product designing operation, comprising:

a memory unit containing a specification configuration information database in which each data of a specification item, a specification value, a restriction condition and a product to which the restriction condition is applied is constituted in a list form, and the restriction condition is a limitation where one specific specification item and another specific specification item has a restriction relationship such that, in order that the one specific specification item has a specific value corresponding to the product to which the restriction condition is applied, then the another specific specification item must have a predetermined specific value; and

specification managing means for holding and updating such a status that a configuration designer selects both a specification item and a specification value of a product to he designed;

wherein;

said specification managing means seeks a data record having a list form described in said specification configuration information database based upon both said specification item and said specification value which have already been selected, and defines other specification items and other specification values which are not user-selected and which can satisfy said restriction condition, as a candidate to be indicated to the configuration designer; and

wherein;

said product configuration design aiding system is further comprised of;

screen producing means for producing a configuration designing screen which displays both said defined specification item and said defined specification value to the configuration designer, and prompts the configuration designer to select an available standard specification which can satisfy the restriction condition;

design calculating means for managing relationships between specification items and specification values described in the restriction condition in a network shape, for judging as to whether or not a specification item and a specification value can be applied in such a sequential order that a chain of the restriction relationship is not interrupted with respect to an input of the configuration designer, or for calculating a specification value.

3. A product configuration design aiding system for aiding a configuration designing operation in which a plurality of basic items as to a specification of a product which constitutes a base of a design are defined as respective specification items, one or more specification values which are selectable for the respective specification item is previously set-up as a selectable option by a product designer, and where specification values are user-selectable by a product configuration designer for the respective specification items of a product in the design of a configuration within a range where the set specification value and a restriction condition are satisfied, so as to complete the product designing operation, comprising:

a memory unit containing a specification configuration information database in which each data of a specification item, a specification value, a restriction condition and a product to which the restriction condition is applied is constituted in a list form, and the restriction condition is a limitation where one specific specification item and another specific specification item has a restriction relationship such that, in order that the one specific specification item has a specific value corresponding to the product to which the restriction condition is applied then the another specific specification item must have a predetermined specific value; and

specification managing means for holding and updating such a status that a configuration designer selects both a specification item and a specification value of a product to be designed;

wherein;

said specification managing means seeks a data record having a list form described in said specification configuration information database based upon both said specification item and said specification value which have already been selected, and defines other specification items and other specification values which are not user-selected and which can satisfy said restriction condition, as a candidate to be indicated to the configuration designer; and

wherein;

said product configuration design aiding system is further comprised of;

screen producing means for producing a configuration designing screen which displays both said defined specification item and said defined specification value to the configuration designer, and prompts the configuration designer to select an available standard specification which can satisfy the restriction condition;

automatic specification setting means for seeking a combined specification value available for specification values of other specification items in order to satisfy said restriction condition, and providing a result of said seeking, when the configuration designer inputs a specification value which cannot satisfy the restriction condition with respect to a certain specification item.

4. A product configuration design aiding system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

means for editing the data of said specification arranging information database by way of a screen operation.

5. A product configuration design aiding system for aiding a configuration designing operation in which a plurality of basic items as to a specification of a product which constitutes a base of a design are defined as respective specification items, one or more specification values which are selectable for the respective specification item is previously set-up as a selectable option by a product designer, and where specification values are user-selectable by a product configuration designer for the respective specification items of a product in the design of a configuration within a range where the set specification value and a restriction condition are satisfied, so as to complete the product designing operation, comprising:

a memory unit containing a specification configuration information database in which each data of a specification item, a specification value, restriction condition and a product to which the restriction condition is applied is constituted in a list form, and the restriction condition is a limitation where one specific specification item and another specific specification item has a restriction relationship such that, in order that the one specific specification item has a specific value corresponding to the product to which the restriction condition is applied, then the another specific specification item must have a predetermined specific value; and

specification managing means for holding and updating such a status that a configuration designer selects both a specification item and a specification value of a product to be designed;

wherein;

said specification managing means seeks a data records having a list form described in said specification configuration information database based upon both said specification item and said specification value which have already been selected, and defines other specification items and other specification values which are not user-selected and which can satisfy said restriction conditions, as a candidate to be indicated to the configuration designer; and

wherein;

said product configuration design aiding system is further comprised of;

screen producing means for producing a configuration designing screen which displays both said defined specification item and said defined specification value to the configuration designer, and prompts the configuration designer to select an available standard specification which can satisfy the restriction condition;

design calculating means for calculating an influence of a selection and a change before a specification value is determined;

wherein said screen producing means for providing said influence as an alarm to a user, so that the product configuration design aiding system is capable of designing a configuration which meets with an intention of the user while avoiding a retry.

6. A product configuration design aiding system for aiding a configuration designing operation in which a plurality of basic items as to a specification of a product which constitutes a base of a design are defined as respective specification items, one or more specification values which are selectable for the respective specification item is previously set-up as a selectable option by a product designer, and where specification values are user-selectable by a product configuration designer for the respective specification items of a product in the design of a configuration within a range where the set specification value and a restriction condition are satisfied, so as to complete the product designing operation, comprising:

a memory unit containing a specification configuration information database in which each data of a specification item, a specification value, a restriction condition and a product to which the restriction condition is applied is constituted in a list form, and the restriction condition is a limitation where one specific specification item and another specific specification item has a restriction relationship such that, in order that the one specific specification item has a specific value corresponding to the product to which the restriction condition is applied, then the another specific specification item must have a predetermined specific value; and

specification managing means for holding and updating such a status that a configuration designer selects both a specification item and a specification value of a product to be designed;

wherein;

said specification managing means seeks a data record having a list form described in said specification configuration information database based upon both said specification item and said specification value which have already been selected, and defines other specification items and other specification values which are not user-selected and which can satisfy said restriction conditions, as a candidate to be indicated to the configuration designer; and

wherein;

said product configuration design aiding system is further comprised of;

screen producing means for producing a configuration designing screen which displays both said defined specification item and said defined specification value to the configuration designer, and prompts the configuration designer to select an available standard specification which can satisfy the restriction condition;

where the memory unit further containing a subject information database containing an attribute of a customer, a specification required by the customer, and a specification selection history; and

a specification arranging information database which describes a price with respect to each of said specification values of said specification item and a lead time required for an appointed delivery date with respect to each of said specification values; and

while referring to both said subject information database and said specification arranging information database, a combination of said specification values with respect to said specification item is provided in such a manner that the price and the lead time required by the customer and stored in said subject information database can be satisfied.

7. A product configuration design aiding system for aiding a configuration designing operation in which a plurality of basic items as to a specification of a product which constitutes a base of a design are defined as respective specification items, one or more specification values which are selectable for the respective specification item is previously set-up as a selectable option by a product designer, and where specification values are user-selectable by a product configuration designer for the respective specification items of a product in the design of a configuration within a range where the set specification value and a restriction condition are satisfied, so as to complete the product designing operation, comprising:

a memory unit containing a specification configuration information database in which each data of a specification item, a specification value, a restriction condition and a product to which the restriction condition is applied is constituted in a list form, and the restriction condition is a limitation where one specific specification item and another specific specification item has a restriction relationship such that, in order that the one specific specification item has a specific value corresponding to the product to which the restriction condition is applied, then the another specific specification item must have a predetermined specific value; and

specification managing means for holding and updating such a status that a configuration designer selects both a specification item and a specification value of a product to be designed;

wherein;

said specification managing means seeks a data record having a list form described in said specification configuration information database based upon both said specification item and said specification value which have already been selected, and defines other specification items and other specification values which are not user-selected and which can satisfy said restriction conditions, as a candidate to be indicated to the configuration designer; and

wherein;

said product configuration design aiding system is further comprised of;

screen producing means for producing a configuration designing screen which displays both said defined specification item and said defined specification value to the configuration designer, and prompts the configuration designer to select an available standard specification which can satisfy the restriction condition;

design calculating means for holding section information which indicates that a determined specification value is originated from any of statuses such as an arbitrary status by a user, a default, and an automatic selection; and

screen producing means for providing the status of the specification value determined based upon said section information to the user.

8. A product configuration design aiding system for aiding a configuration designing operation in which a plurality of basic items as to a specification of a product which constitutes a base of a design are defined as respective specification items, one or more specification values which are selectable for the respective specification item is previously set-up as a selectable option by a product designer, and where specification values are user-selectable by a product configuration designer for the respective specification items of a product in the design of a configuration within a range where the set specification value and a restriction condition are satisfied, so as to complete the product designing operation, comprising:

a memory unit containing a specification configuration information database in which each data of a specification item, a specification value, a restriction condition and a product to which the restriction condition is applied is constituted in a list form, and the restriction condition is a limitation where one specific specification item and another specific specification item has a restriction relationship such that, in order that the one specific specification item has a specific value corresponding to the product to which the restriction condition is applied, then the another specific specification item must have a predetermined specific value; and

specification managing means for holding and updating such a status that a configuration designer selects both a specification item and a specification value of a product to be designed;

wherein;

said specification managing means seeks a data record having a list form described in said specification configuration information database based upon both said specification item and said specification value which have already been selected, and defines other specification items and other specification values which are not user-selected and which can satisfy said restriction conditions, as a candidate to be indicated to the configuration designer; and

wherein;

said product configuration design aiding system is further comprised of;

screen producing means for producing a configuration designing screen which displays both said defined specification item and said defined specification value to the configuration designer, and prompts the configuration designer to select an available standard specification which can satisfy the restriction condition;

wherein a specification selected result is duplicated within an arbitrary range by configuration design referring means for referring to/comparing with each other past specification configuration information, or template information;

said duplicated specification selected result is corrected, a selecting step of the user is aided; and

such a plurality of selected results are compared with each other, and a difference between them is displayed.