Patent ID: 8694893
Filing Date: 2014-04-08
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of operating by a processor a constraint based product configurator comprising a plurality of constraints and variables, the method comprising: receiving a user choice during an interactive configuration session; subsequent to the user choice during the interactive configuration session, determining by the processor a structure that is adapted to be associated with one or more components; determining by the processor if an arbitrary association is possible for the structure, wherein the arbitrary association is possible when alternative configurations for the structure and components are available, and each of the alternative configurations comprise an assignment of a value to a variable that satisfies all of the constraints of the configurator; if an arbitrary association is possible, associating by the processor a first component with the structure by assigning the value to the variable; generating by the processor and storing in a memory a component association choice for the association, wherein the component association choice is an identity of the structure and the corresponding first component; receiving a request to remove the user choice; removing the arbitrary association before removing the user choice; and after removing the user choice and when the arbitrary association continues to be possible for the structure, reasserting the arbitrary association based on the stored component association choice so that the first component is again associated with the structure.