APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SYNAMIC ASSIGNMENT OF IDENTIFICATION DATA FOR A CONFIGURATION OF A PRODUCT CONFIGURATION SYSTEM

Abstract

The subject matter of the present invention relates to a method for dynamically assigning identification data for a configuration of a product configuration system, the method comprising the following method steps: acquiring (S1) a configuration data set for the configuration, the configuration data set having configuration property data; and providing (S2) a variant data set for variant configurations, the variant data set having item property data and identifier data of each item of a plurality of items; and comparing (S3) the configuration data set with the variant data set, wherein in case of a match of configuration property data of the configuration with article property data of a particular article of the variant data set, the identification data of the particular article of the variant data set is dynamically assigned to the configuration of the configuration data set; and generating (S4) an article reference number in case of no match of configuration properties of the configuration with the article property data of the variant configurations and dynamically assigning the generated article reference number to the identification data of the configuration.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically assigning identification data for a configuration of a product configuration system, the method comprising the steps of: acquiring from a configuration data set for the configuration, the configuration data set having configuration characteristic data; providing a variant data set for variant configurations, the variant data set having item property data and identification data of each of a plurality of items; and comparing the configuration data set with the variant data set, wherein in case of a match of configuration property data of the configuration with article property data of a particular article of the variant data set, the identification data of the particular article of the variant data set is dynamically assigned to the configuration of the configuration data set; and generating an article reference number in case of no match of configuration properties of the configuration with the article property data of the variant configurations, and dynamically assigning the generated article reference number to the identification data of the configuration.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated article reference number is dynamically stored in the variant data record as a new variant configuration.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated article reference number is generated by linking the configuration properties of the configuration with the article property data of the variant configurations and/or is assigned sequentially.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the configuration record comprises configuration master data and/or wherein the identification data comprises an article reference number.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the variant data set comprises variant master data from an article.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the case of a match between the configuration property data of the configuration and the article property data of the variant data set, the variant master data of the variant data set is dynamically assigned to the configuration data set as configuration master data.

7. An apparatus for dynamically assigning identification data for a configuration of a product configuration system, the apparatus comprising: an acquisition module configured to acquire a configuration data set for the configuration, the configuration data set having configuration property data; a variant database adapted to provide a variant data set for variant configurations, the variant data set having item property data and identification data of each of a plurality of items; and a data processing module adapted to compare the configuration data set with the variant data set of variant configurations, wherein the data processing module is further adapted to, in case of a match of configuration property data of the configuration with the article property data of a particular article of the variant data set, dynamically assigning the identification data of the particular article of the variant data set to the configuration of the configuration data set, and in the case of no match of the configuration property data of the configuration with the article property data of the variant data set, generating an article reference number and dynamically assigning the generated article reference number to the configuration.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the variant database is configured to dynamically store the generated article reference number in the variant data record as a new variant configuration.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the data processing module is configured to generate the generated article reference number by linking the configuration properties of the configuration to the article property data of the variant configurations or to assign the generated article reference number sequentially.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the configuration record comprises configuration master data and/or wherein the identification data comprises an article reference number.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the variant data set comprises variant master data from an article.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the apparatus is part of a computer system.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the apparatus is part of a computer network.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the computer network comprises a web configurator, a web store, a simulation system, an enterprise resource planning system, a production control system, or an automatic assembly aid.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the computer network is designed as a heterogeneous information technology (IT) system.

15. A client-server system for dynamically assigning identification data for a customer-specific configuration of a product configuration system of a computer network system, wherein the client-server system comprises: a plurality of decentralized data processing devices connected via a data network in a data transmission link; wherein at least one variant database is stored in a decentralized data processing device, which database provides a variant data record for variant configurations; wherein the variant data set contains article property data and identification data of an article, wherein a variant data set is defined for each article of the plurality of articles; and wherein configuration properties of the customized configuration are captured in the form of a configuration record, the configuration record containing configuration property data; wherein the configuration data set of the customer-specific configuration is compared with the variant data set of the variant configurations; wherein in case of a match of configuration property data of the customer individual configuration with the article property data of the variant data record, the identification data of the variant data record is assigned to the customer individual configuration of the configuration data record; and wherein in case of no match of the configuration property data of the configuration with the article property data of the variant data record, an article reference number is generated and the generated article reference number is dynamically assigned to the configuration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0054] FIG. 1: a schematic representation of a device for dynamically assigning identification data for a configuration of a product configuration system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] FIG. 2: a schematic diagram of a flowchart of a method for dynamically assigning identification data for a configuration of a product configuration system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] FIG. 3: a schematic diagram of a device for converting data from a digital customer interface of a computer network system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] FIG. 4 a comparison of the configuration result with known articles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] FIG. 5 an extension of the catalog of the variant database according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] FIG. 6 a query and a filing of newly generated material numbers according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[0060] FIG. 7 an adapted update process for the known item master of the variant database according to an exemplary embodiment example of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0061] In the figures of the drawings, identical reference signs denote identical or functionally identical elements, parts, components or process steps, unless otherwise indicated.

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device for dynamically assigning identification data for a configuration of a product configuration system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] The apparatus 100 includes an acquisition module 10, a variant database 20, and a data processing module 30.

[0064] The acquisition module 10 is configured to acquire configuration properties of the configuration in the form of a configuration data set, wherein the configuration data set includes configuration property data.

[0065] The variant database 20 is configured to provide a variant data set for variant configurations, the variant data set defining item property data and identification data of an item of the plurality of items of the variant configurations.

[0066] The data processing module 30 is adapted to compare the configuration data set with the variant data set of the variant configurations, wherein the data processing module is further adapted to, in case of a match of configuration property data of the configuration with the article property data of the variant data set, dynamically assign the identification data of the variant data set to the configuration of the configuration data set, and in case of no match of the configuration property data of the configuration with the item property data of the variant data set, generate an item reference number and dynamically assign the generated item reference number to the configuration.

[0067] The apparatus 100 enables the supply chain of information for processing orders to be optimized in such a way that orders are processed as automatically as possible.

[0068] To this end, the device 100 can provide optimized configurators and services that provide need-based and up-to-date information on products as part of the communication with the customer.

[0069] The vertical integration of the device 100 is advantageous because this implements the networking between customer requirements and the definition of order content with production, thus providing optimized support for the horizontal value chain.

[0070] The device 100 is designed to provide the option of generating material numbers for this purpose and to derive their characteristics on the basis of the configuration results from a knowledge base as stored in the variant database 20.

[0071] FIG. 2 a schematic diagram of a flowchart of a method for dynamically assigning identification data for a configuration of a product configuration system according to an exemplary embodiment example of the present invention.

[0072] As a first method step, an acquisition S1 of a configuration data set for the configuration is performed, wherein the configuration data set comprises configuration characteristic data.

[0073] As a second method step there is provided S2 of a variant data set for variant configurations, the variant data set comprising article property data and identification data of each of a plurality of articles.

[0074] As a third method step, comparing S3 the configuration data set with the variant data set, wherein in case of a match of configuration property data of the configuration with article property data of a particular article of the variant data set, the identification data of the particular article of the variant data set is dynamically assigned to the configuration of the configuration data set; and as a fourth method step, generating S4 an article reference number in case of no match of configuration properties of the configuration with the article property data of the variant configurations and dynamically assigning the generated article reference number to the identification data of the configuration.

[0075] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a device for converting data from a digital customer interface of a computer network system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] The following systems are integrated into the process and can be coupled to the device 100.

[0077] A modular configurator for customer-specific product configuration may be integrated into the acquisition module 10 of the device 100 or coupled to the acquisition module 10, and may enable customer-specific product configuration and quotation generation via a product configurator.

[0078] An application server as a platform for integration processes may be coupled to the device 100 or integrated into the data processing module 30.

[0079] The device 100 may further be coupled to a product lifecycle management, PLM, software or a PLM application may be integrated into the data processing module 30.

[0080] The device 100 may further be coupled to software for managing business processes of an enterprise such as accounting, controlling, sales, purchasing, production, warehousing, and human resources, or such software architecture may be integrated into the data processing module 30.

[0081] FIG. 4 shows a comparison of the configuration result with known articles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0082] The configuration result is compared by the data processing module 30 with the contents of the catalog. For this purpose, the list of features evaluated in the configurator is transferred and compared with all known articles.

[0083] If an entry with exactly the requested value combination already exists, the material number is read from the database of the variant database 20 and returned to the configurator (“configuration already stored in reference database”).

[0084] If, on the other hand, this combination of values is not known, no material number is returned accordingly.

[0085] The existing data structure in the catalog of the variant database 20 is extended by a column that indicates the status of the known articles.

[0086] If it is an article that can be sold, the value “Verified” is displayed here, otherwise it is the status “Inquiry”. This status makes it possible to react differently to the user in the configurator.

[0087] An article that is not yet ready for sale cannot be added directly to the shopping cart, but can only be requested. Depending on the status of the item found, the customer can be shown either the option “add to shopping cart” or “request item”.

[0088] FIG. 5 shows an extension of the catalog of the variant database 20 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0089] FIG. 6 shows a request and a filing of newly generated material numbers according to an exemplary embodiment or example of the present invention.

[0090] When a configuration is requested, a new material number is assigned and returned to the configurator. This is stored directly by the configurator in the catalog for comparison with later configuration results.

[0091] FIG. 7 shows an adapted update process for the known article master of the variant database 20 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] The contents of the catalog of the variant database 20 are updated with current product master data. In methods not according to the present invention, this functions via a manual triggering of a software module implemented specifically for this purpose.

[0093] In this process, an XML file with the complete contents of the master data is derived. The software module creates a file in a predefined XML format from this, also with the help of other sources. This is subsequently imported into the database of variants catalog by exchanging the complete content.

[0094] The present invention makes here a fully automated data exchange possible, an autonomously taking place import into a delta adjustment are changed, so that in the catalog only the new or changed articles must be imported.

[0095] New articles get a new automatically generated entry, with the status “Verified”, changed articles are overwritten with the current content.

[0096] Should an article have had the status “Inquiry” and is updated this way, it changes the status to “Verified”.

[0097] Thus, the present invention further advantageously allows a delta update of the variant database to be performed instead of a complete update.

[0098] To determine the delta update, the last complete export is compared with the current export. This means that two states are always saved.

[0099] In this way, the file to be imported by the catalog will become significantly smaller in the future, so that in addition fewer restrictions on runtime operation are also to be expected.

[0100] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for providing a client-server method for dynamically assigning identification data for a customer-specific configuration of a product configuration system of a computer network system, in which a plurality of decentralized data processing devices are connected via a data network in a data transmission connection.

[0101] According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that at least one variant database is stored in a decentralized data processing device, which database provides a variant data set for variant configurations; wherein the variant data set contains article property data and identification data of an article.

[0102] According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a variant data set is defined for each article of the plurality of articles.

[0103] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that configuration properties of the customized configuration are captured in the form of a configuration data set, the configuration data set including configuration property data.

[0104] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that the configuration data set of the customer-specific configuration is compared with the variant data set of variant configurations.

[0105] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that in the event of a match of configuration property data of the customer-specific configuration with the article property data of the variant data record, the identification data of the variant data record is assigned to the customer-specific configuration of the configuration data record

[0106] According to one embodiment of the present invention, if the configuration property data of the configuration does not match the article property data of the variant data set, an article reference number is generated and the generated article reference number is dynamically assigned to the configuration.

[0107] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not limited thereto, but can be modified in a variety of ways. In particular, the invention can be changed or modified in a variety of ways without departing from the essence of the invention.

[0108] Additionally, it should be noted that “comprising” and “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, and “one” or “a” do not exclude a plurality.