Generic Configurator Generator for Custom Product Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing product configurators are expensive, custom-designed, and lack standardization, making them inaccessible to smaller organizations and consumers, as they have unique graphic user interfaces and require specialized programming skills.
Innovation Solution
A generic configurator generator system that allows designers with minimal programming knowledge to create customizable product configurators using graphic layer files, thumbnail files, and main description files, enabling easy upload to web servers and operation through standard web browsers, thus reducing costs and simplifying the design process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If purpose-built configurators are used, then design freedom and customization capability are improved, but development cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a single generic configurator system that can be used across multiple products and organizations. The system uses standardized graphic layer files, thumbnail files, and description files that can be configured for different products without requiring custom development, thus reducing development cost while maintaining design freedom through flexible parameter configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes by allowing the generic configurator to be adapted to different products through modifying configuration parameters stored in description files. These parameters control aspects such as product attributes, pricing, and display options, enabling the same base system to serve multiple customization needs without structural changes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If purpose-built configurators are used, then product-specific functionality is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to unique interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal graphic user interface that remains consistent across different products. The same interface elements, interaction patterns, and display mechanisms are used regardless of the specific product being configured, improving ease of operation. Product-specific functionality is achieved through configuration parameters rather than interface changes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If specialized programming skills are required, then configurator functionality is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by implementing a generic configurator template that can be replicated and deployed across multiple products. Instead of programming each configurator from scratch, the same proven system is copied and adapted through configuration files, reducing the need for specialized programming skills while maintaining full functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables non-programmers to create and configure product configurators using the generic platform. Through intuitive configuration interfaces and standardized file formats, designers and artists can independently set up configurators without requiring programming expertise, thus improving ease of manufacture.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and System for creating item configurators intended to run under the control of computerized devices possessing GUI. This method comprises creating a plurality of graphic layer files and graphic layer thumbnail files comprising various layers of the item desired for configuration. Generally at least some of this plurality of graphic layer files will contain some transparent pixels. The method also involves creating at least one main description file, which may be in XML format, which describes the relationships between this plurality of graphic layer files. An interactive generic configurator program (IGCP) that is capable of reading and parsing this main description file, and displaying icons on the GUI that are representative of various user configurator selections will then be used to implement the configurator, often within a web browser over the internet. The method allows users unskilled in computer programming, such as graphic artists, to create sophisticated configurator systems.