Claims
- 1. A method for integrating a first and a second knowledge base file into a single smaller integrated third file, comprising steps of:
(a) loading at least portions of the two files to a software integrating engine, and (b) merging all instances of each unique parameter in the loaded portions of the first and second files into a single composite parameter in the integrated third file.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the two files represent a unique characteristic of a particular abstract entity, the method further comprising a step (c) for adding constraints to each single composite parameter in the third file, indicating which unique characteristic designates each value.
- 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising a step (d) merging all common value and activity constraints from the loaded portions of the first and second files into a single constraint by forming a single constraint with the common left-side term and creating a new right-side term from the multiple right-side terms for each common left-side term.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second files are loaded and integrated in their entirety.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein any number of files are loaded and integrated.
- 6. A method for integrating multiple knowledge base files, each file representing a unique characteristic of a particular abstract entity, providing a single integrated file of smaller size than the size sum of the original multiple files, the method comprising steps of:
(a) merging all instances of each unique parameter in the multiple files into a single composite parameter in the resulting single file, designating each of the values of the separate unique parameters; (b) adding constraints to the single composite parameter, indicating which entry characteristic designates each value; and (c) merging all common value and activity constraints from the multiple files into a single value or activity constraint by forming a single constraint with the common left-side term and creating a new right-side term from the multiple right-side terms for each common left-side term.
- 7. The method of claim 6 comprising an additional step (d) for compressing the resulting single integrated file by conventional compression techniques.
- 8. The method of claim 6 wherein the multiple files represent different models of a single product.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the product is any product configured from logical or physical parts.
- 10. A software engine for integrating a first and a second knowledge base file into a single smaller integrated third file, comprising;
(a) an acquisition module for loading at least portions of the two files; and (b) a parameter merge module adapted for merging all instances of each unique parameter in the loaded portions of the first and second files into a single composite parameter in the integrated third file.
- 11. The software engine of claim 10 wherein each of the first and second files represent knowledge of different aspects of a common entity, the software engine further comprising a constraint differentiation module adapted for adding constraints to the single composite parameter, indicating which aspect of the common entity designates each value.
- 12. The software engine of claim 11 further comprising an optimization module adapted for merging all common value and activity constraints from the first and second files into a single value or activity constraint by forming a single constraint with the common left-side term and creating a new right-side term from the multiple right-side terms for each common left-side term.
- 13. A software engine for integrating multiple knowledge base files, each file representing a unique entry characteristic, providing a single integrated file of smaller size than the size sum of the original multiple files, comprising:
a parameter merge module adapted for merging all instances of each unique parameter in the multiple files into a single composite parameter in the resulting single file, designating each of the values of the separate unique parameters; a constraint differentiation module adapted for adding constraints to the single composite parameter, indicating which entry characteristic designates each value; and an optimization module adapted for merging all common value and activity constraints from the multiple files into a single value or activity constraint by forming a single constraint with the common left-side term and creating a new right-side term from the multiple right-side terms for each common left-side term.
- 14. The software engine of claim 13 additionally comprising a compression module for applying compression techniques to a file resulting from application of the parameter merge module, the constraint differentiation module, and the optimization module.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS
[0001] The present application is a divisional of copending application Ser. No. 09/037,398, filed on Mar. 9, 1998, which is a continuation-in-part application from copending patent application Ser. No. 08/962,594 filed on Oct. 31, 1997. The prior application is incorporated herein by reference.
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
09037398 |
Mar 1998 |
US |
| Child |
09770938 |
Jan 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
08962594 |
Oct 1997 |
US |
| Child |
09037398 |
Mar 1998 |
US |
Patent Application
20010007989
