Patent ID: 7127313

Claim:
A product configuration system ( 1 ) comprising: a memory device ( 2 ), in which possible product manufacturing alternatives are stored; a display device ( 3 ) for graphically displaying possible product configurations in the form of a product tree ( 4 ) extending vertically downwards and comprising a set of paths, each of which corresponds to a possible product configuration; and a selection device ( 5 ) for selecting a product configuration by selecting a path ( 6 ) on the product tree ( 4 ); wherein the product tree ( 4 ) has a common start or input point ( 7 ) arranged at the top of the product tree ( 4 ) and a common end or output point ( 8 ) arranged at the bottom of the product tree ( 4 ) so as each path corresponding to a possible product configuration starts at the same common start point ( 7 ) and ends at the same common end point ( 8 ); wherein the product tree ( 4 ) comprises a plurality of vertical levels, each of which corresponds to a product characteristic (I–VI) which can be selected from a number of alternatives (A–F); wherein in a vertical level the alternatives for the same product characteristic (I–VI) are graphically represented by vertical lines arranged parallel each other; wherein each vertical level has a top horizontal line and a bottom horizontal line, which bounds the vertical level; wherein two adjacent vertical levels are graphically connected by a single vertical line connecting the bottom horizontal line of the upper level and the top horizontal line of the lower level; and wherein the display device ( 3 ) comprises a processing device ( 9 ) for processing and recombining the information stored in the memory device ( 2 ) into a set of functional parts combinable by means of elementary logic functions, so as to translate the possible product manufacturing alternatives stored in the memory device ( 2 ) into the product tree ( 4 ); and the selection device ( 5 ) analyses the path ( 6 ) selected on the product tree ( 4 ), to translate the path ( 6 ) into a textual logic expression.