EP0520923A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and system for product configuration definition and tracking
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1992-06-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-06-03
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for the definition and tracking of multiple unique product configurations for configuration management in which customer contracted views of the product are defined by applying temporary changes to the base product configuration. A product serial number effectivity is assigned to each unique customer specified product configuration and to the base product configuration in order to maintain multiple time-oriented versions of the product, thus supporting simultaneously both customer-specified and design-specified engineering changes to the base product. A product configuration identifier provides non-redundant data storage for each unique product configuration and can refer to noncontiguous ranges of product serial numbers. The configuration entry identifier in a product configuration table is used to peg detail component requirements to serially numbered products in order to correlate the product configurations as built with the product configuration as designed. A component position identifier provides traceability of temporary changes made to the base product that result from customer contract specifications.
Inventors
- 👤 Sujan K. Mukherjee
- 👤 James L. Ryan
- 👤 James R. Wason
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:17
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/06; G06Q10/08; G06Q10/087; G06Q10/0872; G06Q10/0875; G06Q10/0877; G06Q40/00; G06Q40/12; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P90/00; Y02P90/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
A method for the definition and tracking of complex product configuration designs in a computer-based information processing system, said method comprising: constructing a base product view that has a plurality of standard component features and a plurality of optional component features and storing said base product view in a bill of material; assigning a first product configuration identifier to said base product view and tagging each of said plurality of standard and optional component features stored in said bill of material with said first product configuration identifier; generating an engineering change notice in response to a specific customer configuration request that modifies the base product view, and assigning a second product configuration identifier to said customer-specified product configuration; constructing a customer product view wherein new components are added and replaced components are removed from the customer view of the bill of material and tagging the new and replaced components with said second product configuration identifier; and generating a tailored bill of material for the manufacture of the product based on said customer product view as defined by said second product configuration identifier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of generating a product configuration table for correlating each product configuration identifier with a contract identifier and a range of serial numbers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 2 wherein each entry in said product configuration table contains a configuration entry identifier, a product configuration identifier, a product identifier, serial start and end numbers, a customer identifier, and a contract identifier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating an engineering change notice includes the steps of generating an entry in an engineering. change affected item table for correlating an engineering change identifier with each component affected by the engineering change and with the second product configuration identifier, and assigning a design sequence number to the engineering change that corresponds to said engineering change identifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 4 wherein each entry in said engineering change affected item table contains an engineering change identifier, an affected component identifier, a product configuration identifier, a design sequence number, a reference product configuration identifier and corresponding sequence number, an effectivity type code, a product identifier, and a serial start number.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of constructing a customer product view includes generating a plurality of entries in the bill of material for correlating each component removed from, and each component added to, the base product view with the second product configuration identifier and tagging each entry with a corresponding component position identifier.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 6 wherein each entry in said bill of material that represents part of the customer product view contains the second product identifier, an insert sequence number, and a component position identifier.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
107 words
A system for the definition and tracking of complex product configuration designs in a computer-based information processing system, said system comprising: a non-volatile data storage device for storing a plurality of files including an engineering change notices file, a master item file, an engineering change affected item file, an engineering bill of material, and a product configuration table; and product configuration definition and tracking means operating on a processor in said information processing system and cooperative with said plurality of files stored on said non-volatile storage device for constructing a customer product view and generating a bill of material that is tailored to said customer product view.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said product configuration and tracking means includes means for correlating each item affected by an engineering change based on a customer product specification with corresponding component entries in said customer product view of the bill of material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said product configuration and tracking means further includes means for determining if each item and the corresponding components affected by an engineering change represent permanent changes to the bill of material reflecting a change to a base product view, or temporary changes to the bill of material reflecting said customer product view.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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