Product Availability Check Using Tree-Like Data Structures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional product availability checks require significant computing capacity and time due to the need for large intermediary data structures and indexing, especially when dealing with numerous product characteristics, versions, and sublocations, leading to inefficient runtime performance.

Innovation Solution

The method involves generating auxiliary data structures directly from input data sets without intermediary indexed arrays, using tree-like structures for faster insertion and search, and storing only unique level information in each data set to reduce storage and computational requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional product availability checks use large intermediary data structures with indexing to handle numerous product characteristics, versions, and sublocations, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but computing capacity requirements and time consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavailability check accuracyVSAvoidcomputational time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the intermediary indexed data structures from the availability check process. Instead of using large intermediary containers with indexing to handle product characteristics, versions, and sublocations, the invention directly processes the input data sets through a streamlined calculation that computes availability results without these time-consuming intermediate steps, thereby maintaining accuracy while reducing computational time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent removes the intermediary indexed arrays that acted as mediators between input data and results. By eliminating these intermediary data structures, the system achieves a more direct computation path that reduces both memory usage and access time while preserving the ability to handle complex product configurations with multiple characteristics, versions, and sublocations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If conventional product availability checks use extensive indexing and intermediary data containers to manage product data, then data access reliability is improved, but device complexity and computing resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata access reliabilityVSAvoiddata structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the complex intermediary data structures with indexing mechanisms from the system. By eliminating these complex containers, the invention simplifies the overall data structure while maintaining reliable data access through a more straightforward processing approach that directly handles product characteristics, versions, and sublocations without requiring extensive indexing infrastructure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using complex intermediary structures to manage data access, the patent inverts the approach by using simple, direct data structures that process information in a streamlined manner. This inversion eliminates the need for complex indexing while maintaining data access reliability through a more efficient organizational approach

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional product availability checks use large intermediary data structures to handle numerous characteristics, versions, and sublocations, then adaptability is improved, but computing capacity requirements worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct configuration handlingVSAvoidcomputing capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the large intermediary data structures that were necessary for handling numerous product characteristics, versions, and sublocations. By removing these memory-intensive structures, the invention maintains full adaptability to handle complex product configurations while significantly reducing computing capacity requirements and memory usage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by processing only the necessary data elements directly without creating complete intermediary representations of all possible product configurations. This approach maintains adaptability to handle numerous characteristics and versions while avoiding the excessive memory allocation that would be required to pre-create intermediary structures for all possible combinations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS7840606B2Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for performing product availability check

Publication Date: 2010.11.23 SAP SE

AI summary

A computer-implemented method performs a product availability check. The method comprises receiving a plurality of first data sets. The method further comprises deriving, based on the first data sets, one or more second data sets. Based on the second data sets, result information on the availability of one or more products in dependence of time is then derived.