Abstract:
A method and structure for managing information objects is disclosed herein, wherein an item master is provided to logically link a BOM (bill of material) to one or more databases, thereby constituting an information relationship between the BOM and the one or more databases. In accordance with a version management rule, the user can rebuild a new item master and its logic link between the BOM and related one or more databases so as to maintain information correctness and manage the versions of the BOM.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to systems for automated management of electronic information. In particular, electronic information that is needed by a variety of users whether in original form, modified form, or a combination of original and modified forms.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    A conventional electronic information system has an item master for obtaining all information about a particular subject-matter. The subject-matter may be a particular product designed or produced by a company. Normally, a system designer links all kinds of information about the product to the item master. The linked information may include matters such as design, manufacture, quality, operation, and marketing. All such information related to the product can then be searched through the item master. The information system typically also comprises a so-called BOM (Bill of Material) information object. The BOM object is essentially a list of materials needed for manufacturing the product. In a conventional information system, the term “BOM” has been expanded to terms including DBOM (Design BOM), MBOM (Manufacturing BOM) and PBOM (Plan BOM). This definition of BOM refers to hierarchy structure in designing, manufacturing or programming. DBOM, MBOM and PBOM information objects are now commonly used in present-day information systems. If a BOM is defined as a hierarchy structure of an item master, then uses can find corresponding related information through choosing different kinds of BOMs.  
           [0005]    During development of a new product, materials needed for manufacturing the product frequently undergo change. For example, the structure or specifications of sub-components of the new product frequently undergo modification. Information relating to such sub-components is accordingly changed. Various users of an information system such as designers of the new product respectively need such information on the sub-components in original form, modified form, or a combination of original and modified forms. Conventional information systems do not adequately distinguish between different versions of modified information stored in the system, and do not adequately handle such versions as required by users. This is particularly so in very large systems where a very large number of users need to share any of numerous versions of the modified information with each other.  
           [0006]    A system and method for automated management of modified information that overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties is desired.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a version management method for information objects. This method is used to distinguish versions of information objects and maintain information correctness, after a user has changed the version of the BOM and some related information (e.g., all kinds of databases) in an information system.  
           [0008]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a management structure for information objects which can record clearly versions&#39; information of related information objects in an information system. Users can also search related versions&#39; information conveniently.  
           [0009]    As disclosed in the method of the present invention, the information relation between the BOM and the related information is created through a logical link to an item master, and this information relation is called exclusive link. The exclusive link can maintain coherence between the BOM and the related information. Once the user changes the BOM, according to the rule of version management, a version management module will rebuild an item master and an exclusive link of the changed version that exclusively links the BOM to the related information. With this method, correct versions between related information objects may be maintained and distinguished. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an information system used in conjunction with a management system of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a tree structure of BOM nodes of a BOM object of the information system of FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3A is a schematic illustration of information objects linked by exclusive links according to the information system of FIG. 1, in particular showing a one-to-many exclusive link relation as between a bill of material node and related database objects;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3B is similar to FIG. 3A, but in particular showing a many-to-many relation as between bill of material nodes and related database objects;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a version management rule and version management sub-rules of the management system of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a management method of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6A is a schematic illustration of an information object added into an information system used in conjunction with a management system of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6B is similar to FIG. 6A, but includes using of an old information object of the information system in accordance with the management system;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6C is similar to FIG. 6B, but includes referring of an information object of the information system in accordance with the management system; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6D is similar to FIG. 6C but includes modifying of an information object of the information system in accordance with the management system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]    A management system in accordance with the present invention operates in conjunction with an information system. The information system comprises many kinds of information objects related to each other. Each information object may be stored in any one of a variety of information storage devices of a computer. Such storage devices can include, for example, hard disk drives, CDs, and floppy diskettes. The information object may be a single file, a file directory comprising many files, or a tree structure. The type of information may be a document, database, video, image or audio.  
         [0021]    Referring to FIG. 1, the information system in the present invention has some information objects. The information objects include item master objects  30 , bills of material (BOM) objects  10 , and related information objects that are related to the BOMs  10 . The related information objects are stored in a database. Accordingly, the related information objects are hereinafter called DB objects  20 . A version management module  40  is used to manage original and modified forms of the information of all these various information objects.  
         [0022]    Referring also to FIG. 2, the BOM object  10  comprises a plurality of information nodes organized in a hierarchical tree structure. Each node is hereinafter called a BOM node  101 . To distinguish between various BOM nodes  101 , they are hereinafter designated as BOM node  101   a , BOM node  101   b , and so on. The nodes can store information about any subject-matter. For example, the subject-matter may be a product such as a computer mouse, a project such as a sales project, or a constitution of an organization such as a tree diagram of the organization&#39;s personnel. In the present invention, the BOM object  10  is not limited to the structure of a product. It could also, for example, include information about a plan, an item of software, an accessory of a product, and management of inventory, personnel or finances.  
         [0023]    Each DB object  20  is used to store many kinds of related information. The information may be stored in a variety of forms as indicated previously.  
         [0024]    Each item master  30  is used to connect and integrate all related information objects in the information system. In particular, the item master  30  is used to create the information between the BOM object  10  and the relational DB object  20 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIGS. 1 and 2 include examples of one BOM object  10 , one DB object  20  and one item master  30 . The examples help explain the structures of and interrelationships between these three information objects. The BOM object  10  is used to record the structure of a product such as a mouse. A user can find out about components of the mouse by referring to the hierarchical structure of the BOM nodes  101 . For example, an upper cover BOM node  101   a  provides information about the upper cover of the mouse, the chassis BOM node  101   b  provides information about the chassis of the mouse, and so on.  
         [0026]    Since the BOM object  10  comprises a tree structure of BOM nodes  101 , it may be used as an interface for users of the information system. Through every BOM node  101 , a user can find all information related to the BOM node  101  that is stored in the DB objects  20 . For example, a user can select an upper cover BOM node  101   a  by clicking on a monitor display of that node, and search information stored in the DB objects  20  that is related to the mouse&#39;s upper cover. Such related information may include a table of the mouse&#39;s structure, the material of the upper cover, and the price of the upper cover. In other words, through a BOM node  101 , a user can find all information logically related to that BOM node  101 . In the present invention, two types of logical links between the BOM nodes  101  and related information are configured. The first type is called an exclusive link. An exclusive link is automatically modified when a corresponding BOM node  101  is modified. The other type is called a reference link. A reference link only relates to reference information of a BOM node  101 . Reference information is described in more detail later on.  
         [0027]    Each exclusive link connects a BOM node  101  with a DB object  20  via a corresponding item master  30 . That is, the BOM node  101  and the related DB object  20  are respectively linked to the same item master  30  through the exclusive link. The item master  30  functions as a secretary of the BOM node  101 , by responding to all requests made by users at the BOM node  101 . For example, an item master  30  linked to an upper cover BOM node  101   a  is called an upper cover item master  30 .  
         [0028]    Exclusive links record the relation between the BOM node  101  and logically related information. The relation may be one to many, many to one, or many to many. For example, a product BOM node  101   a  may be linked to categories of information such as design ( 20   a ), manufacture ( 20   b ), price ( 20   c ), and specification ( 20   d ). If these categories of information are logically linked to the item master  30  of the BOM node  101   a , an exclusive link relation of one to many is created (see FIG. 3A).  
         [0029]    By contrast, a product BOM object  10  may be used in different projects. Such projects might include a product development project and a sales project. A BOM node  101   c  may be created for the development project, and a BOM node  101   d  may be created for the sales project. The created BOM nodes  101   c  and  101   d  are taken as different information objects. The BOM nodes  101   c  and  101   d  are still linked to the same item master  30  of the BOM object  10 . The BOM nodes  101   c  and  101   d  are thus linked to the same corresponding DB objects  20  via the same item master  30 . An exclusive link relation of many to many is created (see FIG. 3B).  
         [0030]    In the information system, users preferably use a BOM object  10  to create, search, manage, or modify any information related to an information object. Each B OM object  10  has a graphical user interface and a hierarchical tree structure of BOM nodes  101  to allow users to perform such tasks.  
         [0031]    The above description details the interrelationships between the BOM object  10 , the BOM node  101 , the DB object  20  and the item master  30 , and their respective functions. All related information of a product is stored in corresponding DB objects  20 . The actual structure of the product is represented by the tree structure of the BOM object  10 . All components of the product are represented by a plurality of BOM nodes  101  which are exclusively linked to corresponding DB objects  20  via the item masters  30 . When a user wants to add, modify or change a DB object  20 , he must perform such action on the BOM node  101  or a BOM object  10  which corresponds to that DB object  20 . Accordingly, the adding, modifying or changing of the DB object  20  can be directly seen in the user interface of the BOM node  101  or BOM object  10 . An action or operation on a BOM node  101  is classified into three types: adding a new BOM node, using an old BOM node, and modifying a BOM node.  
         [0032]    A user must perform any of the above-described operations according to a version management rule. The version management module  40  then automatically rebuilds or updates the item master  30  and the exclusive links of the item master  30 . The version management module  40  thus manages all versions of each information object.  
         [0033]    As shown in FIG. 4, the version management rule comprises:  
         [0034]    1: A sub-rule of adding a new BOM node  101 . This sub-rule applies only when a new BOM node is added. According to this sub-rule, when a new BOM node  101  is being added, the version management module  40  automatically performs one of the under-mentioned functions to add a new BOM node into the information system. The functions comprise: add an item master of a new product, use an old item master, log out the item master directly (hereinafter called “check out”), and log out the item master from branch (hereinafter called “branch out”).  
         [0035]    2: A sub-rule of using an old BOM node  101 . This sub-rule applies only when an old BOM node  101  which already exists in the information system is being used. According to this sub-rule, when a user continues to use an old BOM node  101 , the version management module  40  automatically performs one of the under-mentioned functions to use the old BOM node  101  already existing in the information system. The functions comprise: use an old BOM node, log out BOM node directly, and log out BOM node from branch.  
         [0036]    3: A sub-rule of modifying a BOM node. This sub-rule applies only when a user modifies a BOM node  101 . That is, for example, when the user modifies the structure or specifications of a subassembly of a BOM object  10  According to this sub-rule, when a user modifies a BOM node  101  already existing in an information system, the version management module  40  automatically performs one of the under-mentioned functions to modify a BOM node  101 . The functions comprise: “registration”, login, “check out”, “branch out”, authorization, and freeze.  
         [0037]    Each of the above-mentioned sub-rule functions are now described in more detail:  
         [0038]    1. Add a new BOM node: Adding a new BOM node which does not belong to the original information system.  
         [0039]    2. Login: A newly-created information object is transferred by the user from a local personal computer (PC) to an information system. Once the transfer is completed, the user loses the right to modify the information object.  
         [0040]    3. Logout: If the user at the local PC wants to modify the information transferred to the information system, he must ask the information system for permission of “logout”. After obtaining the permission, the user can modify the information and transfer the modified information to the information system by “login.” 
         [0041]    There are two ways to log out from a BOM node  101 : “check out” or “branch out.” In “check out”, when a user logs out from a particular BOM node  101 , no other user is permitted to log out from the same BOM node  101 . In “Branch out”, many users can log out from the same BOM node  101  simultaneously In this situation, each user must log out from the BOM node  101  by “branch out.” The modified data resulting from each “branch out” are independent from the modified data resulting from all other simultaneous “branch outs.” That is, the versions of the modified BOM objects resulting from “branch out” and login are distinguishable from each other. The item master  30  records the original version and all modified versions of each BOM object.  
         [0042]    4. Registration and authorization: If a user needs to upload an information object to the information system through “login”, the user has to get “registration” permission from the information system. The information system automatically assigns a registration number to the information object after the “login” has been performed.  
         [0043]    5. Freeze: An information object has been fixed in final form, so that no more modification is allowed. Therefore the version of the frozen information object is a final version.  
         [0044]    6. Use an old BOM node: This usually refers to using a BOM node  101  or a BOM object  10  which already exists in the information system. When a new BOM object is added by the user.  
         [0045]    If the user logs out from a BOM node  101 , the modified BOM node is subsequently transferred to the information system by using “login”. A new version of the BOM node  101  is then created in the information system. At the same time, a new version of all DB objects  20  and of all item masters  30  that the new version of the BOM node exclusively links to is created, and the relation with the old version is recorded. However, all reference files are retained unaltered.  
         [0046]    Referring to FIG. 5, the workflow of each information object in the whole information system is controlled by a version management module  40 . The workflow is now described in detail:  
         [0047]    At first, a user at a local PC creates a new record of information  51  which comprises a BOM object, several BOM nodes  101  and several related DB objects  20 . The user then asks the information system for “registration”. At this time, the new record of information  51  has not been assigned with a registration number. According to the rule of adding a new BOM node, the version management module  40  adds a new item master exclusively linked to a BOM node  101  and DB objects  20  in the information system. This is done via the function of adding a new item master. After obtaining permission from the information system, the new record of information  51  is assigned with a registration number. At this time the process of “login” has been finished, and the new record of information  51  is validated as a logged in information object  52 .  
         [0048]    Managers read and check the logged in information object  52 , and get “authorizing” permission from the information system. The information object  52  is thus validated as a published information object  53 . The published information object  53  is a formal version, and is said to be “issued.” If the published information object  53  requires no further modification, it is validated as a frozen information object  54  by the function “freeze”. The frozen information object  54  is a final version, and modifying or changing it is forbidden.  
         [0049]    If a user does not have “registration” permission from the information system, the user can modify the logged in information  51  by “check out” or “branch out.” The same principle to the published information  53 , after passing the managers&#39; checking, the users can still modify the formal version of published information objects  53  by using “check out” or “branch out”, then can use “login” to create another record of logined information.  
         [0050]    In addition to the function items described above, the version management module  40  has the following functions:  
         [0051]    1. Referring to a BOM node: A reference BOM node is defined as a BOM node in a newly created BOM object, whereby the BOM node continues using existing information in DB objects. Therefore, when a user selects the function item “referring to a BOM node”, the user has no right to modify the BOM node in this BOM object. The version management module  40  only links the BOM node information existing in the information system to the tree structure of the newly designed BOM object. The item master and DB objects linked to the reference BOM node are both in a state of formal version that is not allowed to be modified. Therefore, the user cannot modify the reference BOM node unless he applies for and obtains authority to modify from the information system.  
         [0052]    2. Copying a BOM node: When a user copies a BOM node which already exists in the information system, the related item master and the exclusively linked DB objects related to the BOM node are also automatically copied. Logical links among the new copied item master, the new copied BOM node and the new copied DB objects are thus established. At this time, a logic link between the original reference file and the new BOM node is established. Therefore, by copying, a new duplicate framework comprising the new BOM node, new item master, and new DB objects in the information system is created. The new BOM node and the old BOM node are linked to the same original reference file. The only difference is in that the new item master does not have registration from the system. That is, the new item master does not have a registration number, and is in a state of “adding”.  
         [0053]    3. Canceling a BOM node: There are two kinds of canceling actions for a BOM node. One is to delete a BOM node directly, and the other is to put a copied or logged out BOM node back into the information system. In the first canceling action, information of the BOM nodes is deleted from the information system. The item master and exclusive DB objects that the BOM node linked to would be retained unaltered. In the second canceling action, a copied or logged out BOM node is reverted to the state where the BOM node was not copied or logged out.  
         [0054]    Before getting a registration number, the new added BOM node can be deleted directly. Once the new BOM node has a registration number, a user must use the function of “put back” to delete the node, the item master and the exclusively linked DB objects that were created in the process of getting the registration number. When a BOM node and its corresponding item master are in the state of “adding”, they are not yet authorized to be formal versions. They cannot be consulted, copied or logged out by a new created BOM object or BOM node in other plans in the information system. So, the function of “put back” a particular BOM node is limited to the item master related to the node and all exclusive files in the same plan. If the user deletes a DB object that is exclusively linked, the information system automatically checks if there are other BOM nodes either exclusively or referentially linked to the DB object. If the result of such check is positive, the system automatically preserves the DB object.  
         [0055]    The effects of using the “delete” and “put back” functions on a reference link are similar. However, they differ regarding severing of the link between the node and the tree structure. The user cannot delete the reference node by using “delete” function, unless the user deletes the link as follows: As with deleting a formal version, in addition to getting authorization from the information system, the user must apply to the information system for modification. After the system grants authorization and modification, the user performs the “freeze” function on the reference BOM node. Since all the reference BOM nodes are formal versions, the “freeze” process is suitable for the reference BOM nodes.  
         [0056]    4. Deleting a link: In many cases in practice, each BOM node is referentially linked. To delete the link means to remove the BOM node from the tree structure. However, the BOM node itself is reserved in the information system. The information of the BOM node can still be referred to in other plans. Therefore when using the “delete link” finction, a user can only modify the tree structure of the selected BOM node in the user&#39;s particular plan. If other plans use the old version of the deleted BOM node tree structure, the other plans will not be affected by the “delete link” operation. This is because the tree structures of the modified BOM object referred to in other plans must be normal versions. If the user wants to modify the tree structures of the BOM object, he must apply to the information system for permission to “modify application”. After such permission is granted, the user uses a “new issue” function to log out the old version, and creates a new version of the BOM object. Without special commands, this new version will not be linked to the tree structures of BOM objects that have used the tree structure of the old version of the BOM object. The user can find all tree structures uplinked to the BOM object by using a “viewing” function provided by a related database management system. After using the “modify application” function and getting permission from the information system, the user can uplink the related structure to the new BOM object. This renews all the links related to the new BOM object. Finally, the user can check and publish the whole BOM structure.  
         [0057]    Four practical examples are now described to help explain the management system and method of the present invention.  
       EXAMPLE 1  
       [0058]    Referring to FIG. 6A, assume that on Oct. 1, 2000, a design engineer “A” created a new BOM node named “T-mouse BOM node  101   e .” The engineer “A” also produced a new product item master named “T-mouse item master  30   a ” in the information system. The 3D drawing  20   e  and 2D drawings  20   f  relating to “T-mouse BOM node  101   e ” were exclusively linked to “T-mouse item master  30   a .” Thus the information of the “T-mouse BOM node  101 ” was created.  
       EXAMPLE 2  
       [0059]    Referring to FIG. 6B, assume that on Oct. 10, 2000, as a design engineer “B” designed a PC. Engineer “B” wanted to use the latest version of the T-mouse with his designed PC, and have his designed PC incorporate updated versions of the T-mouse. Therefore, the engineer “B” made the “T-mouse BOM node  101 ” created by engineer “A” exclusively link to his newly-created “PC BOM” object  1 O a.    
       EXAMPLE 3  
       [0060]    Referring to FIG. 6C, assume that on Oct. 15, 2000, a design engineer “C” designed a PC server. Engineer “C” wanted to use a mouse with his newly-designed server. Engineer “C” searched many published product item masters  30  in the information system, and found the “T-mouse item master  30 ” created by engineer “A.” Engineer “C” felt that the T-mouse in “T-mouse item master  30 ” was suitable for his PC server. But engineer “C” did not want the latest updated design of the T-mouse to automatically replace the original design in his newly-designed PC server without him being shown the updated design in advance. So, engineer “C” created a new BOM node  101   f , named it “mouse BOM node for a server designed by engineer C”, and exclusively linked it to “T-mouse item master  30   a ”. The “mouse BOM node for a server designed by engineer C” and the “T-mouse BOM node” created by engineer A were thus linked to the same “T-mouse item master  30   a .” Nevertheless, the “mouse BOM node for a server designed by engineer C” and the “T-mouse BOM node” were otherwise independent BOM nodes. That is, each of these nodes could subsequently function within the information system as required by users and in accordance with the version management rule.  
       EXAMPLE 4  
       [0061]    Referring to FIG. 6D, assume that on Nov. 10, 2000, design engineer “A” redesigned the original T-mouse to create a new T-mouse. Engineer “A” had to ask the information system for permission to log out the previous “T-mouse&#39;s BOM node.” After getting authorization, engineer “A” logged out the “T-mouse item master” and all exclusively linked DB objects  20 , and carried out the redesigning. After finishing the redesigning, engineer “A” logged in the new 3D drawing DB objects  20   g , the “new T-mouse item master  30   b ” and a “new T-mouse&#39;s BOM node  101   g ” into the information system. At this time, the version management module  40  automatically cut off the exclusive link between the “PC BOM” object of engineer “B” and the original version of “T-mouse BOM node”, and created a new exclusive link between the “PC BOM” object and the “new T-mouse BOM node”. Thus engineer “B” automatically had the updated design of the T-mouse incorporated into his designed PC. The “new T-mouse item master” was automatically marked by the version management module  40  as being different from the original “T-mouse&#39;s item master.” Since the “mouse BOM node designed by engineer C” still exclusively linked to the original “T-mouse item master”, the PC server designed by engineer “C” still incorporated the original design of the T-mouse.  
         [0062]    Normally, an enterprise has to design and prepare several versions of a single product to meet customers&#39; various demands. By using the management system and method as disclosed in the present invention, users can conveniently manage and use a variety of versions of information objects relating to the product. In particular, after publishing of a formal version of the product, a project leader in charge of development of the product as well as design engineers can use “branch out” to modify the formal version of the created BOM object simultaneously. Such persons can simultaneously share all information created, as well as easily distinguish between different versions of the originally created BOM object without interfering with each other. This is accomplished by the version management rule of the present invention.