Patent
Method of determining whether to develop products for potential customers
| العنوان: | Method of determining whether to develop products for potential customers |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 8,521,578 |
| تاريخ النشر: | August 27, 2013 |
| Appl. No: | 12/372143 |
| Application Filed: | February 17, 2009 |
| مستخلص: | A method is disclosed for determining whether to develop products for potential customers. The method may involve: identifying a plurality of potential products; identifying a plurality of potential customers; assessing salability attributes of the potential products from perspectives of the potential customers to generate attribute assessments; using an input device to enable a user to input the pluralities of potential products and potential customers, as well as the attribute assessments, to a processor; using the processor to determine, for each of the potential products, and using the attribute assessments, all possible implementation combinations in which at least n of the potential customers implement the product, where n is a positive whole number; using the processor to determine the probability of each implementation combination, for each product; and using the processor to assist in determining, based upon the probability determinations, which of the potential products to develop. |
| Inventors: | Hummel, Parl C. (Manchester, MO, US) |
| Assignees: | The Boeing Company (Chicago, IL, US) |
| Claim: | 1. A method of determining whether to develop products for potential customers, comprising: identifying a plurality of potential products; identifying a plurality of potential customers; assessing an affordability probability of the potential products; assessing a requirability probability of the potential customers; assessing a schedulability probability of the potential customers; assessing a reuse probability of the potential products, wherein the reuse probability is based on: at least one a first product of the plurality of products being implemented by a first customer of the plurality of customers; the affordability probability of the at least one first product; the requirability probability of a second customer of the plurality of customers, wherein the requirability probability of the second customer is the probability that the second customer will require the at least one first product and wherein the requirability probability of the second customer is dependent on the first product being implemented by the first customer; and the schedulability probability of the second customer; assessing salability attributes of the potential products from perspectives of the potential customers to generate attribute assessments; using an input device to enable a user to input said pluralities of potential products and potential customers, as well as the attribute assessments, to a processor; using said processor to determine, for each of the potential products, based on the attribute assessments, all possible implementation combinations in which at least n of the potential customers implement the product, where n is a positive whole number; using the processor to determine the probability of each said implementation combination, for each said product; and using said processor to consider the affordability probability of the potential products, the requirability probability of the potential customers, and the schedulability probability of the potential customers, and the reuse probability of potential customers to assist in determining, based upon the probability determinations, which of the potential products to develop. |
| Claim: | 2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said using the processor to assist in deciding which of the potential products to develop comprises: using said processor to combine, for each said potential product, the probabilities of the implementation combinations for each said potential product such that each said potential product has a corresponding probability combination; and using the processor to rank the probability combinations. |
| Claim: | 3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a display device in communication with said processor to provide a display of said ranked implementation combinations. |
| Claim: | 4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said processor includes a threshold line in said display that indicates a cutoff point demarcating first ones of said potential products to be developed and second ones of said potential products that are not to be developed. |
| Claim: | 5. A method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying a plurality of potential products comprises identifying one of a plurality of potential software products and potential hardware products. |
| Claim: | 6. A method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying a plurality of potential customers comprises identifying a plurality of different types of helicopters programs. |
| Claim: | 7. A method of claim 1 , wherein said using the processor to assist in determining which of said potential products to develop comprises using the processor to add together the probabilities of the implementation combinations for each said potential product. |
| Claim: | 8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: using the processor to determine, for each one of at least a plurality of the potential products and for each one of at least a plurality of the potential customers, the probability of the potential customer implementing the potential product. |
| Claim: | 9. A method of claim 1 , wherein said using said processor to determining the probability of each said implementation combination comprises: wherein determining the requirability probability includes determining that a probability that the potential customer requires the potential product; wherein determining an affordability probability includes determining that a probability that the potential customer is willing to pay for the potential product; wherein determining the schedulability probability includes determining that a probability that the potential product is available to the potential customer; and using the processor to multiply together the requirability probability, the affordability probability, and the schedulability probability. |
| Claim: | 10. A method comprising: identifying a plurality of potential products; identifying a plurality of potential customers; assessing an affordability probability of the potential products; assessing a requirability probability of the potential customers; assessing a schedulability probability of the potential customers; assessing a reuse probability of the potential products, wherein the reuse probability is based on: at least one a first product of the plurality of products being implemented by a first customer of the plurality of customers; the affordability probability of the at least one first product; the requirability probability of a second customer of the plurality of customers, wherein the requirability probability of the second customer is the probability that the second customer will require the at least one first product and wherein the requirability probability of the second customer is dependent on the first product being implemented by the first customer; and the schedulability probability of the second customer; assessing the salability attributes of the potential products from the perspective of the potential customers to generate attribute assessments; inputting information, including the attribute assessments, using an input device relating to said potential products and said potential customers to a processor; using said processor to determine, using the attribute assessments, and for each one of at least a plurality of the potential products and for each one of at least a plurality of the potential customers, the probability of the potential customer implementing the potential product; providing information relating to a threshold to the processor, the processor using the information to determine a location for the threshold demarcating a point separating a first quantity of said potential products to be developed and a different, second quantity of said potential products that are not to be developed; using the processor to assist in determining, based upon the processor determined probability determinations, which of the potential products to develop and to assign to said first quantity; and using the processor to provide a quantity of information relating to said first and second quantities of potential products to a display device such that said display device generates a visually readable table showing said potential products that said processor has classified in said first quantity of potential products and in said second quantity of potential products, with said first and second quantities being demarcated by said threshold. |
| Claim: | 11. A method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said using the processor to determine the probability of the potential customer implementing the potential product comprises: determining a requirability probability, the requirability probability being the probability that the potential customer requires the potential product; determining an affordability probability, the affordability probability being the probability that the potential customer is willing to pay for the potential product; and determining an availability probability, the availability probability being the probability that the potential product is available to the potential customer. |
| Claim: | 12. A method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein said using the processor to determine the probability of the potential customer implementing the potential product comprises multiplying together the requirability probability, the affordability probability, and the availability probability. |
| Claim: | 13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said using the processor to assist in determining which of the potential products to develop comprises: using said processor to determine, for each of the potential products, all possible implementation combinations in which at least n of the potential customers implement the potential product, where n is a positive whole number; and using the processor to determine the probability of each said implementation combination, for each said potential product. |
| Claim: | 14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said using the processor to assist in determining which of said potential products to develop comprises using the processor to add together the probabilities of the implementation combinations for each said potential product. |
| Claim: | 15. The method of claim 11 , wherein said generating a visually readable list using said display device comprises generating a visually readable table that includes: said requirability probability of each said potential customer for each of said potential products; said affordability probability of each said potential customer for each of said potential products; said availability probability of each said potential customer for each of said potential products; and a probability of reuse of each said potential product by each said potential customer. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 705/729 |
| Patent References Cited: | 7216087 May 2007 Thompson et al. 2003/0115025 June 2003 Lee et al. 2005/0010472 January 2005 Quatse et al. |
| Other References: | Kyle D. Chen & Warren H. Hausman, “Technical Note: Mathematical Properties of the Optimal Product Line Selection Problem Using Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis,” 46 Management Science 327-332 (2000). cited by examiner Paul E. Green & Abba M. Krieger, “Models and Heuristics for Product Line Selection,” 4 Marketing Science 1-19 (1985). cited by examiner Goker Aydin & Jennifer K. Ryan, “Product Line Selection and Pricing Under the Multinomial Logit Choice Model,” Apr. 30, 2000, pp. 1-49. cited by examiner Rajeev Kohli & R. Sukumar, “Heuristics for Product-Line Design Using Conjoint Analysis,” 36 Management Science 1464-1478 (1990). cited by examiner Ursula G. Kraus & Candace Arai Yano, “Product Line Selection and Pricing Under a Share-of-Surplus Choice Model,” 150 European Journal of Operations Research 653-671 (2003). cited by examiner Suresh K. Nair et al., “Near Optimal Solutions for Product Line Design and Selection: Beam Search Heuristics,” 41 Management Science 767-785 (1995). cited by examiner Winfried J. Steiner & Harald Hruschka, “A Probabilistic One-Step Approach to the Optimal Product Line Design Problem using Conjoint and Cost Data,” 1 Review of Marketing Science Working Papers (2002), pp. 1-40. cited by examiner Chen, Kyle D and Hausman, Warren H; “Technical Note: Mathematical Properites of the Optimal Product Line Selection PRoblem Using Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis,” vol. 46 Management Science, pp. 327-332, Feb. 2000. cited by examiner Green, Paul and Krieger, Abba, “Models and Heuristics for Product Line Selection,” Marketing Science vol. 4, pp. 1-19, Winter 1985. cited by examiner Boas, M. L. “Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences,” John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1966, pp. 672-719. cited by applicant |
| Assistant Examiner: | Gurski, Amanda |
| Primary Examiner: | Rines, R. David |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C. |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspgr.08521578 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| الوصف غير متاح. |