Designing wiring harnesses

Abstract

A method of designing a wiring harness using a wiring harness design tool can include allowing a first user to access and edit a first wiring harness design component in a wiring harness design workspace, allowing a second user to access and edit a second wiring harness design component in the wiring harness design workspace at least during a portion of the time that the first user is allowed to access and edit the first wiring harness design component, and displaying the first and second wiring harness design components to the first and second users during at least a portion of the time that access is allowed to the first and second users.

1 . A method, comprising:
 allowing a first user to access and edit a first wiring harness design component in a wiring harness design workspace;   allowing a second user to access and edit a second wiring harness design component in the wiring harness design workspace at least during a portion of the time that the first user is allowed to access and edit the first wiring harness design component; and   displaying the first and second wiring harness design components to the first and second users during at least a portion of the time that access is allowed to the first and second users.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising locking the first wiring harness design component against editing by the second user when the first user has access to the first wiring harness design component for editing by the first user and locking the second wiring harness design component against editing by the first user when the second user has access to the second wiring harness design component for editing by the second user. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising displaying the wiring harness design components in the wiring harness design workspace and visually indicating and differentiating wiring harness design components that are locked by the first user, that are locked by the second user, and that are unlocked. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising displaying the wiring harness design components of the wiring harness design workspace and visually indicating and differentiating at least the wiring harness design components locked by the first user from other wiring harness design components in the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the act of visually indicating and differentiating comprises dimming at least one of the wiring harness design components in the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the act of visually indicating and differentiating also comprises using a different color for at least one of the wiring harness design components. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the act of visually indicating and differentiating comprises indicating wiring harness design components in the wiring harness design workspace that are locked by the first user by a first color, reducing the brightness of wiring harness design components in the wiring harness design workspace locked against editing by a user other than the first user, and indicating wiring harness design components in the wiring harness design workspace that have not been locked against editing by a second color that is different from the first color. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the act of visually indicating and differentiating comprises indicating wiring harness design components in the wiring harness design workspace that are locked by the first user by a first line style and indicating wiring harness design components in the wiring harness design workspace that have not been locked against editing by a second line style that is different from the first line style. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the act of visually indicating and differentiating comprises using a first level of contrast for first wiring harness design components in the wiring harness design workspace and using a second level of contrast different from the first level of contrast for second wiring harness design components in the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least the first level of contrast is adjustable by a user. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying a lock information user interface. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the lock information user interface providing user information corresponding to one or more locks within the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising updating the lock information user interface in real-time. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising updating the lock information user interface on a periodic basis. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising updating the lock information user interface in response to at least one change made within the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first wiring harness design component comprises a wiring harness. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein locking the first wiring harness design component comprises placing a wiring harness lock on the wiring harness. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first wiring harness design component comprises a slot. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein locking the first wiring harness design component comprises placing a slot lock on the slot. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising allowing the first user to store changes made to the first wiring harness design component. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising allowing the second user to store changes to the second wiring harness design component. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising performing a refresh to display to at least the second user the first and second wiring harness design components comprising at least the changes made to the first wiring harness design component. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the refresh is performed in response to a refresh request by at least one of the first and second users. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising allowing the first user to create and save a third wiring harness design component in the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising notifying the second user of the third wiring harness design component being created in the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the notifying the second user is performed automatically in response to the first user saving the third wiring harness design component. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising performing a refresh to display to at least the second user the third wiring harness design component. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising allowing the first user to merge the first wiring harness design component into the third wiring harness design component. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising deleting the first wiring harness design component after merging the first wiring harness design component into the third wiring harness design component. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein deleting the first wiring harness design component comprises automatically deleting the first wiring harness design component in response to the first user saving changes made in the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising notifying the second user of the first and third wiring harness design components being merged together. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising allowing the first user to delete the first wiring harness design component. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising notifying the second user of the first wiring harness design component being deleted. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising allowing a user to set a user access right corresponding to a wiring harness design component in the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising precluding users from editing the wiring harness design component based at least in part on the user access right. 
   
   
       36 . One or more tangible computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform the method according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       37 . A computer program product comprising a wiring harness design tool, the wiring harness design tool comprising:
 a wiring harness design workspace in which a first wiring harness design component and a second wiring harness design component can be implemented;   a wiring harness design locking module operable to allow a first user to place a lock on at least the first wiring harness design component; and   a visual notification displayed in a user interface notifying a second user of the lock placed on at least the first wiring harness design component by the first user.   
   
   
       38 . The wiring harness design tool of  claim 37 , wherein the lock comprises a wiring harness design workspace lock. 
   
   
       39 . The wiring harness design tool of  claim 37 , wherein a slot can be implemented within the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       40 . The wiring harness design tool of  claim 39 , further comprising a wiring harness slot design locking module operable to allow a user to place a slot lock on the slot. 
   
   
       41 . The wiring harness design tool of  claim 37 , further comprising a refresh module operable to provide a refresh of the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       42 . The wiring harness design tool of  claim 37 , further comprising a dimming feature that can allow a user to adjust the visual notification. 
   
   
       43 . The wiring harness design tool of  claim 37 , further comprising a tracking module operable to track changes made within the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       44 . The wiring harness design tool of  claim 43 , wherein the tracking module is also operable to record information regarding the changes within the wiring harness design workspace in a log. 
   
   
       45 . A computer implemented display, comprising:
 a wiring harness design workspace;   a first visual indicator corresponding to a first wiring harness design component in the wiring harness design workspace, wherein the first wiring harness design component is editable by a first user but locked against editing to a second user; and   a second visual indicator corresponding to a second wiring harness design component in the wiring harness design workspace, wherein the second wiring harness design component is editable by the second user but locked against editing to the first user.   
   
   
       46 . The computer implemented display of  claim 45 , wherein the first visual indicator comprises a first color and the second visual indicator comprises a second color that is different than the first color. 
   
   
       47 . The computer implemented display of  claim 45 , further comprising a locking tool which, in response to a user request, can place a lock on at least one wiring harness design component in the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       48 . The computer implemented display of  claim 45 , further comprising a locking user information interface that can display user identification information corresponding to at least one locked wiring harness design component. 
   
   
       49 . A method, comprising:
 allowing a first user to access and edit a first wiring harness design component in a wiring harness design workspace;   allowing a second user to access and edit a second wiring harness design component in the wiring harness design workspace at least during a portion of the time that the first user is allowed to access and edit the first wiring harness design component; and   allowing the first user to perform a synthesis function on the wiring harness design workspace.   
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein allowing the first user to perform a synthesis function on the wiring harness design workspace comprises allowing the first user to perform a synthesis function on a wiring harness design within the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising providing to the first user a report of the synthesis function performed on the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein providing to the first user a report comprises providing an indication of an inconsistency within the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the inconsistency within the wiring harness design workspace comprises a potential disconnect between a first signal and a second signal within a wiring harness design in the wiring harness design workspace. 
   
   
       54 . One or more tangible computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform the method according to  claim 49 .