Abstract:
A system and method for providing custom engineered products. A customer may select from identified unavailable products, attributes, or variances stored in a memory or may input a desired specification. The processor may then be used to compare the customer selection to available products for alternative suggestions and for advanced material ordering among other uses. The processor may also be used to determine the cost of the resources required to provide the custom engineered product. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION p 1. Field of Invention  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of supplying custom engineered products. More specifically, the invention relates to a system and process for engineering products and services in rapid response to customer demand.  
           [0002]    2. Related Art  
           [0003]    Traditionally, when deciding what products to develop, a company will attempt to anticipate the needs or desires of a customer and design a product according to that plan. The planning often involves an evaluation of market surveys, research, and technical capabilities among other factors. To implement the plan, the company then generally completes a product development cycle that involves numerous steps of design, feedback, and redesign. External developments and mistakes can become very costly in such a design or engineering plan and process. Further, once a particular tool is designed, some products require numerous sizes or other modifications or line extensions. The engineering required to make the changes and line extensions can vary from relatively simple to complex.  
           [0004]    At the same time, customers have needs that may or may not be addressed by the plans of the product or service provider. Often, such market or customer needs may arise that require a swift reaction. To satisfy these customer needs and to improve their competitive position, companies are continually striving for ways to improve their responsiveness to customer demand.  
           [0005]    In one example, a computer manufacturer allows the customer to select from an array of off-the-shelf components. The manufacturer then assembles the computer based upon the customer&#39;s input. However, many products do not lend themselves to mere changes in assembled components, but require significant engineering and design to meet the customer&#39;s needs.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a system and process for rapidly responding to a client&#39;s or market&#39;s need for engineered or specialty products or services.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0007]    In general, according to one embodiment, the present invention provides such a system and process for rapidly responding to a client&#39;s or market&#39;s need for engineered or specialty products or services.  
           [0008]    Other features and embodiments will become apparent from the following description, the drawings, and the claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    The manner in which these objectives and other desirable characteristics can be obtained is explained in the following description and attached drawings in which:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 illustrates, in block form, a computer system.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 illustrates, in block form, a computer network/computer system.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 illustrates, in block form, an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention showing an interface.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 illustrates, in block form, an embodiment of the present invention showing a comparison.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 illustrates, in block form, an embodiment of the present invention and showing routing of information.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention showing obsolescence of a product.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 illustrates, in block form, an embodiment of the present invention and showing generation and use of a specification.  
         [0018]    It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 illustrates in block diagram form an embodiment of hardware that may be used to operate the representative embodiment of the present invention. A central processing unit (“CPU”)  10  is coupled to a memory  12 , an input device  14  (i.e., a user interface unit), and an output device  16  (i.e., a visual interface unit). By way of example, the CPU  10  may be a personal computer or other computer. The input device  14  may be a keyboard, mouse, voice recognition unit, or any other device capable of receiving instructions. It is through the input device  14  that the user may make a selection. The output device  16  may be a device that is capable of displaying or presenting data and/or diagrams to a user, such as a monitor. The memory  12  may be a primary memory, such as RAM, a secondary memory, such as a disk drive, a combination of those, as well as other types of memory. Note that the present invention may be implemented in a computer network  20 , using the Internet, or other methods of interconnecting computers. An example of a network of computers  22  is shown in block diagram form in FIG. 2. Therefore, the memory  12  may be an independent memory  12  accessed by the network, or a memory  12  associated with on or more of the computers. Likewise, the input device  14  and output device  16  may be associated with any one or more of the computers of the network. Similarly, the system may utilize the capabilities of any one or more of the computers and a central network controller  24 . Therefore, a reference to the components of the system herein may utilize any of the individual components in a network of devices. Any other type of computer system may be used. Therefore, when reference is made to “the CPU,” “the memory,” “the input device,” and “the output device,” the relevant device could be any one in the system of computers or network.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention. Customers may access an online catalog  30  on a computer system. The catalog may offer standard, or available, products  32  that may be selected by the customer. In addition, the customer may select unavailable products/attributes  34  (also referred to as nonstandard products/attributes). An unavailable product/attribute  34  is one that the seller does not currently offer and that requires engineering, testing, or both before it may be produced/sold. Generally, these types of products are machined products, although specialty materials may also fall within this category. Also, the unavailable product/attribute  34  may be a variance from an available product  32 . As used herein, the terms “customer” and “seller” are used broadly and include not only third party transactions but intercompany transaction in which the seller is one portion of a company and the customer is another portion of a company or organization.  
         [0022]    For example, a seller may offer a line of products such as valves via the online catalog  30 . The list  33  of standard products  32  identifies the thread types currently available from the seller. However, the online catalog  30  may also offer an unavailable attribute  34  in the form of a different thread not currently offered by the seller. Before the seller can sell the valve with the new thread, the seller must conduct engineering in the form of a drawing change or instructions to the manufacturer (e.g., machine shop).  
         [0023]    In another example, a seller offers downhole, oil well packers on the online catalog  30 . A customer may desire an unavailable attribute  34  in the form of a seal. The seller must perform engineering, which may comprise testing of the packer with the new seal, before the packer is sold to the customer.  
         [0024]    In yet another example, a seller offers a line of downhole, oilfield safety valves listing its standard, available sizes for a given product line (e.g., a tubing retrievable safety valve is offered in 2⅞ inch, 3½ inch, and 4½ inch sizes). In the online catalog  30 , the seller also lists an unavailable product  34  in the form of a size not currently available from the seller (e.g., a 7 inch tubing retrievable safety valve). However, before a seller can build the new size, it must be engineered and likely must be tested before delivery. By offering the unavailable size on the online catalog  30 , the seller is able to extend their line offering based upon actual market demand as opposed to simply building a new size in the hopes that someone will buy it.  
         [0025]    A seller may, as an example, list  35  other unavailable products  34  that are outside of its current offerings. For example, a seller offers a gravel packing service tool for a specific service or that offers certain functionality, but which is simply in the conceptual stage. As an alternative, the tool may be one that is currently being engineered or in the development plan for the seller. A customer order of that product may spur faster development of that tool. The seller may wish to allocate additional resources to development of that tool based upon the market demand. Further, conceptual ideas may be offered and built only after actual customer demand is present.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 illustrates a possible embodiment of the present invention in which the online catalog  30  offers a list  33  of standard/available products  32  and a list  35  of unavailable products  34 . The lists ( 33 , 35 ) are stored in memory  12  (e.g., as data records) and displayed on the output device  16 . A user/customer may select a product from either list ( 33 , 35 ) via the input device  14 . In addition to allowing a customer to select unavailable products  34  from a list  35 , the online catalog  30  may also provide another type of unavailable product/attribute selector  36  (the list  35  of unavailable products/attributes  34  being a first type). In one embodiment, the unavailable attribute/product selector  36  comprises an online form identified in FIG. 4 as a “Link to Online Order Form(s) for Nonstandard/Unavailable Products.” The online form requests the information from the customer that is pertinent to the type of tool requested (e.g., for a gravel pack service tool the form would request the size, thread, well environment, fluids processed, etc.).  
         [0027]    Referring again to FIG. 3, the online catalog  30  may have any form of order processing system which in one embodiment is a “shopping cart” ( 38 ) form of online order processing. If a customer orders an available product  32  (step  40 ), the order may be processed in a conventional manner. For example, the CPU  10  may during the ordering process display a price to the customer on the output device  16  and transmit an electronic transmission (step  42 ), such as an e-mail, a signal representative of the product. The signal may be a specification that is transmitted to a manufacturing group or other pertinent group or entity (e.g., a third party manufacturer). If the customer selects an unavailable product/attribute  34  (step  44 ), the following steps may be performed. Note that some of these steps may be skipped or omitted depending upon the sellers needs or the particular order. In one illustrative step, the unavailable product/attribute  34  ordered or customer requirement identified is compared to available products  32  and an alternative available product  32  is suggested (step  46 ) to the customer in its place. If the customer accepts the suggestion of the standard product  32 , the order may then be processed as an available product  32  as discussed above. However, if the customer rejects the suggestion, another step may be performed. The comparison may be accomplished in a variety of ways. In one example illustrated in FIG. 5, a comparison of the customers overall requirements (step  48 ) may be considered. Also, the CPU  10  may generate or retrieve from memory  12  a specification (step  50 ) associated with the unavailable product  34 . This specification may be compared (step  52 ) to those of the available products  32  (step  54 ) to determine the closest match(es) (e.g., those having characteristics similar to the unavailable product specification) which may then be suggested to the customer (see also FIG. 8). To facilitate the comparison, the CPU  10  may access a database of stored specifications (step  54 ) in memory  12 . In the comparison, the CPU  10  may also determine the variance (step  56 ) between the available product  32  and the specification of the unavailable product  34 . The variance may then be presented (step  58 ) to the customer via the output device  16  for consideration. Also, the variance may be assigned a category of design requirements as previously discussed.  
         [0028]    In a second exemplary step, a CPU  10  calculates a resource cost (step  60 ) for the unavailable product/attribute  34 . This may be accomplished using the specification generated by the CPU  10  and/or the identified variance from an available product  32  or a myriad of other variables (e.g., material costs, resource availability, delivery requirements, machining costs, testing costs, and actual/anticipated demand among other many variables). Determination of the cost may be facilitated using a cost heuristic  62  stored in the memory  12  that accounts for the desired variables and may take the form of a resource costing module implemented in the CPU  10 . The resource cost may be allocated in pure currency, man-hours, opportunity cost, or some other manner or combination. Once the resource cost is determined, it may be displayed (step  64 ) on the output device  16  or may be converted into a price to the customer that may then be displayed on the output device  16 .  
         [0029]    Additionally, the resource cost may be compared (step  66 ) to the available resources of the seller via the CPU  10 . Based upon the comparison, the seller may wish to reject  68  the request from the customer and advise (step  70 ) the customer of such via the output device  16  or electronic transmission from the CPU  10 . In one embodiment, the CPU  10  requires user intervention by the seller before rejecting the request from the customer. For example, the seller may determine during the comparison that it lacks sufficient resources (e.g., engineering personnel) to provide the unavailable products/attribute  34  in the time required by the customer. In that case, the seller may wish to reject the request. When making the rejection, the seller may include a counter-offer however (e.g., offer the product with a later delivery date or with reduced engineering/testing requirements).  
         [0030]    If accepted  72 , the seller, via the CPU  10 , may allocate (step  74 ) its available resources based at least in part on the resource costs required to complete or provide the unavailable product/attribute  34 . As an example, the seller may have a pool of engineers as its engineering resource. This engineering resource may be allocated so as to complete the design, engineering, and/or testing of the unavailable product/attribute  34  as well as the other projects required of the engineering resource. Similarly, base material inventory may be reallocated among projects or products to ensure on-time delivery of all projects and products.  
         [0031]    To facilitate pricing, allocation of resources, handling of the order, and for other purposes, the selected unavailable product/attribute  34  may be assigned a category of design requirements (step  76 ) which may be stored in memory  12  and associated with the unavailable product/attribute  34 .  
         [0032]    As examples:  
         [0033]    A thread change or other minor change may be assigned a first category because the work, and resource cost, required may be relatively lower than other requests.  
         [0034]    A designed product that requires testing only may be assigned to a second category.  
         [0035]    A conceptual idea that must be completely engineered and tested may be assigned a third category.  
         [0036]    Each category may have an associated man-hour requirement, cost, price, or other resource allocation (which may be fixed or a general range). The CPU  10  may select an address to which it sends an electronic transmission based upon the category. For example, for the first exemplary category above, the CPU  10  may send an e-mail to a manufacturing group who can make the thread change locally without engineering department intervention. Whereas, a product falling within the second exemplary category may result in an e-mail to the manufacturing group and a testing group and a product in the third exemplary category may flow to the engineering department. In another example, the e-mail is a signal representative of a request for quotation. FIG. 6 illustrates how the catalog request  80  may be routed to various departments, (e.g., purchasing  82 , manufacturing  84 , engineering  86 , supplier  88 , and other groups or teams  90 ) as required.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 4 illustrates another type of classification of the products. In one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the products are classified according to the current status of the product. For example, standard products  32  may fall into “Class 1”  92  which may be denoted by a moniker, by the color of the listing (e.g., green for available, red for unavailable), or other identifiable means. The classes may have subclasses as indicated by the notation “Class 1-B”  94  next to “Product N”  96  if desired. In that example, the subclass is indicated by the “B.” A subclass may identify, for example, that the associated product is from a preferred line or older line. Examples of classifications for unavailable products/attributes  34  are, inter alia, a “Class 2”  98  or other classification representing that the product is designed but requires testing, a classification representing that the product is currently being engineered, a classification representing that the product is in a conceptual stage, and a classification representing that the product is designed but obsolete. The nonstandard products  34  may also include subclasses if desired as indicated by the moniker “Class N-X”  100  adjacent the product “NS Product N”  102 . In that example, the subclass is indicated by the “X.” The classes and subclasses may be used by the CPU  10  in directing electronic transmissions (step  104 ) to various addresses associated with predetermined people, departments, or entities.  
         [0038]    In one embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 7, the online catalog  30  may be utilized to facilitate product rationalization and obsolescence. As shown in the figure, an available product  32  that the seller wishes to obsolete  105  is moved from the available product list  33  to the unavailable product list  35 . A customer desiring the obsolete product may be required, for example, to pay a premium for selecting the obsolete product over an available product  32  that has replaced that obsolete product. In this way, the seller can urge the customer to purchase the new product as opposed to the obsolete product.  
         [0039]    Another embodiment of the present invention facilitates advanced ordering and manufacture of parts as illustrated in FIG. 8. As previously discussed, the CPU  10  may generate a specification (step  50 ) for the unavailable product  34  or may retrieve such a specification from memory  12 . The CPU  10  may transmit (step  106 ) this specification to the appropriate predetermined group, individual, or entity as is also previously described. Further, the specification may be compared to the specifications or characteristics of the specifications for the available products  32 . The comparison may result in a suggestion (step  46 ) that one or more standard products  32  be considered rather than the selected unavailable product  34 . In addition, however, the comparison may be used to identify (step  108 ) the base materials in common between the unavailable product  34  and the similar available product  32 . The CPU  10 , for example, may retrieve a list of base materials  110  for the available product  32  from memory  12  and provide those base materials from that list that are common between the available and unavailable product  34 . For example, the CPU  10  may determine that a variance between the product specifications occurs only in one subcomponent. Thus, all of the other components are the same. In another example, the CPU  10  may identify that the diameter and length of the stock materials are the same between the parts. This information of common base components may then be used to advance order the base materials or the common subcomponents. The advance order may occur even before any engineering is conducted or, alternatively, may await such engineering and provide assistance thereto. As an example, the CPU  10  may send an electronic transmission of the common base materials to a predetermined address (e.g., a purchasing department, a manufacturing department, or third party supplier) to begin advance ordering of parts or base materials. As used herein, the term “base materials” comprises stock material as well as machined or prepared subcomponents.  
         [0040]    Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6 for any limitations of any of the claims herein, except for those in which the claim expressly uses the words ‘means for’ together with an associated function.