Simplified product configuration using table-based rules, rule conflict resolution through voting, and efficient model compilation

Abstract

A method for configuring items, including a model with a configurable item, the model including one or more rules determining availability of an option corresponding to an attribute of the configurable item; determining votes cast by the one or more rules, regarding availability of an option in the option group; attaching the votes to the option; resolving the attached votes to determine availability of the option; and assigning an availability state to the option based on the resolution of the votes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 instantiating an in-memory model including a configurable item using a configuration engine;   receiving a model definition for the in-memory model including one or more rules determining availability of an option in an option group corresponding to an attribute of the configurable item;   determining one or more votes from a voting mechanism, the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules, each of the one or more votes being a vote regarding availability of an option in the option group;   annotating the in-memory model by attaching the one or more votes to the option;   resolving the one or more votes attached to the option to determine availability of the option; and   assigning an availability state to the option based on the resolution of the one or more votes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules for the attribute includes:
 evaluating the one or more rules by evaluating one or more conditions in the one or more rules against data in the in-memory model and producing a vote.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the produced vote is one of a positive vote for availability of the option and a negative vote for availability of the option. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 presenting, after assigning an availability state to the option, the option group to a user.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resolving the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules comprises:
 assigning the availability state of available to the option if at least one vote in the one or more votes was positive and if a flag is set to make the option available when one or more positive votes are associated with the option.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resolving the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules comprises:
 assigning the availability state of unavailable to the option if at least one vote in the one or more votes was negative and if a flag is set to make the option unavailable when one or more negative votes are associated with the option.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resolving the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules comprises:
 assigning the availability state of undetermined to the option if no votes were cast.   
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   memory comprising executable code that when executed by the processor performs operations comprising:
 instantiating an in-memory model including a configurable item using a configuration engine; 
 receiving a model definition for the in-memory model including one or more rules determining availability of an option in an option group corresponding to an attribute of the configurable item; 
 determining one or more votes from a voting mechanism, the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules, each of the one or more votes being a vote regarding availability of an option in the option group; 
 annotating the in-memory model by attaching the one or more votes to the option; 
 resolving the one or more votes attached to the option to determine availability of the option; and 
 assigning an availability state to the option based on the resolution of the one or more votes. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein determining the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules for the attribute includes:
 evaluating the one or more rules by evaluating one or more conditions in the one or more rules against data in the in-memory model and producing a vote.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the produced vote is one of a positive vote for availability of the option and a negative vote for availability of the option. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
 presenting, after assigning an availability state to the option, the option group to a user.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein resolving the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules comprises:
 assigning the availability state of available to the option if at least one vote in the one or more votes was positive and if a flag is set to make the option available when one or more positive votes are associated with the option.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein resolving the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules comprises:
 assigning the availability state of unavailable to the option if at least one vote in the one or more votes was negative and if a flag is set to make the option unavailable when one or more negative votes are associated with the option.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein resolving the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules comprises:
 assigning the availability state of undetermined to the option if no votes were cast.   
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 means for instantiating an in-memory model including a configurable item;   means for receiving a model definition for the in-memory model including one or more rules determining availability of an option in an option group corresponding to an attribute of the configurable item;   means for determining one or more votes from a voting mechanism, the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules, each of the one or more votes being a vote regarding availability of an option in the option group;   means for annotating the in-memory model by attaching the one or more votes to the option;   means for resolving the one or more votes attached to the option to determine availability of the option; and   means for assigning an availability state to the option based on the resolution of the one or more votes.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein determining the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules for the attribute includes:
 evaluating the one or more rules by evaluating one or more conditions in the one or more rules against data in the in-memory model and producing a vote.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the produced vote is one of a positive vote for availability of the option and a negative vote for availability of the option. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 means for presenting, after assigning an availability state to the option, the option group to a user.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein resolving the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules comprises:
 assigning the availability state of available to the option if at least one vote in the one or more votes was positive and if a flag is set to make the option available when one or more positive votes are associated with the option.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein resolving the one or more votes cast by the one or more rules comprises:
 assigning the availability state of unavailable to the option if at least one vote in the one or more votes was negative and if a flag is set to make the option unavailable when one or more negative votes are associated with the option.