Interactive Product Configurator Dynamic Default Decision Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing interactive product configurators do not allow users to see or modify default decisions during configuration, requiring users to restart the process if they want to change these decisions, which can lead to inefficiencies and user frustration.

Innovation Solution

An interactive product configurator that allows users to define and prioritize default decisions, retract previously asserted defaults before new user choices, and reassert them efficiently, enabling users to see the consequences of default decisions and avoid conflicts by generating negated decisions when necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If default decisions are processed after all user decisions are made using heuristic search, then the configurator can provide suggested choices, but the user cannot see or modify default decisions during configuration and must restart the process to change them

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveAbility to provide suggested choicesVSAvoidAbility to modify default decisions during configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the default decision system dynamic by allowing default decisions to be asserted, retracted, and reasserted during the configuration process. When a user modifies a decision, the system dynamically retracts affected default decisions and reasserts them after processing the user's changes, enabling real-time visibility and modification without restarting the configuration process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the system processes default decisions after all user decisions using heuristic search, then it can validate the configuration, but changing default decisions requires undoing the entire search and re-running it

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveConfiguration validationVSAvoidTime to restart configuration process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by asserting default decisions during the configuration process rather than waiting until the end. This allows the system to maintain configuration validity while avoiding the need to restart the entire heuristic search when default decisions need to be modified, significantly reducing the time loss associated with reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the configurator allows users to see and modify default decisions during configuration, then user interaction is enhanced, but the system complexity increases to manage retraction and reassertion of defaults

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveUser interaction transparencyVSAvoidDefault decision management mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms that allow users to see default decisions and their consequences in real-time during configuration. The system provides feedback about which default decisions are active, their impact on the configuration, and allows users to modify them, with the system automatically managing the retraction and reassertion process based on user actions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8464156B2Interactive product configurator with default decisions

Publication Date: 2013.06.11 ORACLE INT CORP

AI summary

An interactive product configurator includes a constraint network having a plurality of nodes. The configurator receives a new user choice after previously asserting one or more default decisions. The configurator then retracts the previously asserted default decisions before asserting the new user choice. The default decisions are then reasserted.