Customized Instrument Evaluation and Ordering Tool

Abstract

A tool is provided to allow a user to customize the components of a vehicle instrument panel from an Internet-enabled Web site. A user can navigate to a Web site and select a vehicle for configuration. From the Web site, input may be obtained regarding the components and appearance of an instrument panel such as selecting particular types of components (e.g., display panels, gauges, etc.) and arranging where the selected components are to be located. The input generated by a user is translated into a build specification for assembling the instrument panel at the manufacturer. Accordingly, the system and method serve as an interface between the Web site that obtains user configuration data and a manufacturer's system that manages assembly of the vehicle.

1 . A method implemented in computer-executable instructions for configuring an instrument panel based on received user input, the method comprising:
 receiving input from a user regarding desired configurations of an instrument panel of a vehicle;   generating a visual representation of the instrument panel based on the received input;   causing the generated visual representation of the instrument panel to be rendered on the remote computing device;   receiving from the user a review regarding the visual representation of the instrument panel; and   if the review is satisfactory:
 generating a build order that is designed to be used for assembling the instrument panel that corresponds to the generated visual representation, wherein the build order identifies instruments that will be displayed on the instrument panel and specifies characteristics and locations of the identified instruments; and 
 providing the build order to a manufacturer system that includes an assembly application configured to assemble the instrument panel in accordance with the build order. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 if the review is not satisfactory:
 receiving, from the user, input to change the configuration of the instrument panel; 
 updating the visual representation of the instrument panel based on the input to change the configuration of the instrument panel; and 
 causing the updating visual representation of the instrument panel to be rendered on the remote computing device. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the build order identifies the instruments, including the at least one hardware instrument to assemble into the instrument panel, and the at least one virtual instrument to be displayed on the instrument panel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the build order specifies characteristics and placements of the identified instruments. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly application is operable to correlate the build order with the instrument panel to be installed in the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining information about configurable attributes of the instrument panel for the vehicle; and   presenting the obtained information about available configurations of an instrument to the user to assist the user in customizing the configuration.   
     
     
         7 . A system for facilitating a configuration service between a user and a manufacturer of a vehicle over a communication network, the system comprising:
 a memory component for storing information about vehicles and information about an instrument panel of each vehicle;   a user interface component configured to obtain input from a user and render a graphical display in a Web page; and   a configuration component operable to:
 generate a visual representation of an instrument panel based on the obtained input, wherein the obtained input is the desired configuration of the instrument panel; 
 cause the user interface component to render the generated visual representation of the instrument panel on the remote computing device, wherein the user interface component is further configured to receive from the user a review regarding the visual representation of the instrument panel; and 
 determine whether the user's review is satisfactory: 
 if the user's review is satisfactory:
 generate a build order that is designed to be used for assembling the instrument panel that corresponds to the generated visual representation, wherein the build order identifies instruments that will be displayed on the instrument panel and specifies characteristics and locations of the identified instruments; and 
 provide the build order to a manufacturer system, the build order including an assembly application that is configured to assemble the instrument panel in accordance with the build order. 
 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein if the user's review is not satisfactory, the configuration component is operative to:
 receive, from the user, input to change the configuration of the instrument panel;   update the visual representation of the instrument panel based on the input to change the configuration of the instrument panel; and   cause the updated visual representation of the instrument panel to be rendered on the remote computing device.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the instrument panel includes at least one hardware instrument and at least one virtual instrument.