Patent ID: 8458050

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of operating a product configurator that comprises a constraint based network that comprises a plurality of nodes, the method comprising: receiving one or more user selections from a user during a configuration session; generating one or more automatic selections during the configuration session to form a complete configuration when combined with the user selections, wherein the automatic selections are generated by a computer and wherein the automatic selections comprise configuration-defining selections that define the complete configuration, and non-configuration defining selections that support the configuration session; wherein for at least one of the automatic selections, the at least one automatic selection is propagated throughout the constraint network and the propagation affects one or more constraints; saving a prior state of a changed node, wherein the changed node corresponds to an affected constraint; associating the saved prior state with the at least one automatic selection; receiving a request from the user to change the configuration after forming the complete configuration; in response to the change request, entering a solution adjustment mode comprising: for each of the automatic selections, determining by the computer if the automatic selection is a first configuration-defining selection, or a first non-configuration defining selection; retaining by the computer the determined configuration-defining selections; and retracting by the computer the determined non-configuration defining selections, wherein the retracting comprises restoring a prior state of all nodes that were affected by each non-configuration defining selection when each non-configuration defining selection was asserted.