Configuration Rule Consolidation for Cross-Product Demand Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional product configuration mapping systems struggle to effectively correlate and transfer product demand data across changing product configurations, as they typically focus on individual parts in isolation, neglecting the impact of other parts and failing to provide a holistic view across feature aspects, time periods, and product lines.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for mapping configuration rules across multiple product features and time periods, integrating part-to-part mapping rules to create a consolidated configuration mapping rule that aligns parts from an old product configuration with a new one, allowing for demand and sales data correlation and prediction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If individual part mapping rules are used in isolation, then the mapping process is simple, but the mapping accuracy and holistic view across product configurations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual part-to-part mapping rules into a single consolidated configuration mapping rule that captures the holistic relationship between old and new product configurations. This merging approach maintains mapping accuracy by considering interactions between multiple parts simultaneously, rather than treating each part mapping in isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the configuration mapping process into: (1) identifying individual part-to-part mappings, (2) combining these into consolidated rules, and (3) applying the consolidated rules for demand data correlation. This segmentation allows systematic handling of complex configuration changes while maintaining overall accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If configuration model changes are made to reflect product updates, then the product definitions are current, but the ability to correlate historical demand data with new configurations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces configuration mapping rules as intermediary elements that bridge old and new product configurations. These rules serve as a translation layer that preserves the meaning and relationships of historical configuration data while adapting to new product definitions, enabling continuous correlation of demand data across configuration changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary configuration mapping rule creation and consolidation before demand data correlation is needed. By pre-establishing the mapping relationships between old and new configurations, the system prepares the necessary translation framework in advance, enabling efficient and accurate historical data correlation when analyzing demand patterns.
3Measurement precision
If multiple part-to-part mapping rules are combined into a consolidated rule, then the holistic view across configurations is improved, but the processing complexity and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple granular part-to-part mapping rules into fewer consolidated configuration-level mapping rules. This consolidation reduces the total number of rules that need to be processed and stored, while maintaining the comprehensive mapping information needed for accurate demand data correlation across product configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A configuration mapping system and method increase the effectiveness of mapping of information from an established product line to a new product offering. In at least one embodiment, the configuration mapping system herein uses configuration mapping rules to map individual product features and entire configurations from established products to a new product offering. The configuration mapping system also provides a way to appropriately map, for example, demand and sales information for the purpose of demand estimation and sales prediction. Conventionally, mapping can be ineffective because the configuration mapping rules usually focus on one part of the product at a time, and, if applied in isolation, the impact on other parts is missed. The systems and method herein provide a way to integrate configuration mapping rules across feature parts, time periods, and product lines into a unified, holistic view, allowing for new insights.