Method and system for automating product configuration

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for implementing an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) for creating a data file for product and process configuration. The data file could contain information relating to how a given product is to be made, such as a list of components and how they are to be assembled (“routings”). The GUI according to embodiments of the present invention reduces the amount of user manipulation required as compared with the prior art. According to the embodiments, a user is presented with a single screen display that lets the user maintain component lists and associated routings with simple, high-level input values.

1 . A method comprising: 
 presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) for computer-assisted product and process configuration, wherein in a single screen display of the GUI, data is enterable for completely defining a production version data file to guide the construction of a product, the single screen display comprising a production version selection field to select a pre-existing production version data file or create a new production version data file, a component field to hold an editable pre-existing component list or receive data defining a new component list, and a routing field to hold editable pre-existing routing data or receive new routing data, the routing data relating to activities and operations to be performed with the components defined in the component list to construct the product; and    based on data entered in the single screen display, generating the production version data file.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the component field comprises sub-fields for the definition of a quantity and units of a component.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the routing field comprises sub-fields for the definition of operations, activities and modes to be associated with the components in the component list.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein an order of the lines in the routing field corresponds to an order of the activities and operations.  
   
   
       5 . A method comprising: 
 generating a single-screen display of a GUI;    based on a product identifier of a product entered into a production version field of the single-screen display, retrieving a corresponding component list from a component database and displaying the component list in the single-screen display;    setting fields in a component field of the single-screen display editable to receive input relating to components in the component list;    based on routing information entered into a routing field of the single-screen display, associating activities and operations with components in the component list; and    based on the component list and related input, and the associated routing information entered into the single-screen display, generating a production version data file to guide manufacturing of the product.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the single-screen display is formatted such that component information is enterable in the routing field, and routing information is enterable in the component field.  
   
   
       7 . A system comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory coupled to the processor to hold instructions executable by the processor to: 
 present a graphical user interface (GUI) for automated product configuration, wherein in a single screen display of the GUI, data is enterable for completely defining a production version data file to guide the construction of a product, the single screen display comprising a production version selection field to select a pre-existing production version data file or create a new production version data file, a component field to hold an editable pre-existing component list or receive data defining a new component list, and a routing field to hold editable pre-existing routing data or receive new routing data, the routing data relating to activities and operations to be performed with the components defined in the component list to construct the product; and  
 based on data entered in the single screen display, generate the production version data file.  
   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the component field comprises sub-fields for the definition of a quantity and units of a component.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the routing field comprises sub-fields for the definition of operations and activities to be associated with the components in the component list.  
   
   
       10 . A machine-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by a computer implementing a method comprising: 
 generating a single-screen display of a GUI;    based on a product identifier of a product entered into a production version field of the single-screen display, retrieving a corresponding component list from a component database and displaying the component list in the single-screen display;    setting fields in a component field of the single-screen display editable to receive input relating to components in the component list;    based on routing information entered into a routing field of the single-screen display, associating activities and operations with components in the component list; and    based on the component list and related input, and the associated routing information entered into the single-screen display, generating a production version data file to guide manufacturing of the product.    
   
   
       11 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the single-screen display is formatted such that component information is enterable in the routing field, and routing information is enterable in the component field.  
   
   
       12 . A machine-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by a computer implementing a method comprising: 
 presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) for computer assisted product and process configuration, wherein in a single screen display of the GUI, data is enterable for completely defining a production version data file to guide the construction of a product, the single screen display comprising a production version selection field to select a pre-existing production version data file or create a new production version data file, a component field to hold an editable pre-existing component list or receive data defining a new component list, and a routing field to hold editable pre-existing routing data or receive new routing data, the routing data relating to activities and operations to be performed with the components defined in the component list to construct the product; and    based on data entered in the single screen display, generating the production version data file.    
   
   
       13 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the component field comprises sub-fields for the definition of a quantity and units of a component.  
   
   
       14 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the routing field comprises sub-fields for the definition of operations and activities to be associated with the components in the component list.