Manufacturing adaptive order load for complex configure to order products

Abstract

A data processing system (DPS) and a computer program product selectively modifies an existing production order based on a change request. An order configuration module (OCM) receives order specifications for a second order that replaces and/or modifies a first order, while the first order is being fulfilled. The OCM generates hash tag pairs respectively associated with various characteristics of the orders. For each hash tag pair, the OCM compares a first hash tag associated with the first order with a second hash tag associated with the second order, using an established pattern. If the hash tags match, the OCM includes within a second production order, an unchanged production specification corresponding to the first hash tag. If a match does not occur, the OCM initiates an order reload, which provides, within the second production order, new production specifications that are associated with the second hash tag.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A data processing system (DPS) configured for changing a production order, the DPS comprising:
 an order configuration module (OCM);   a memory system which stores the module;   a processor which executes the module to provide instructions for:
 receiving a first set of order specifications that can be used for fulfilling a first order; 
 initiating order fulfillment for the received first order using a first production order generated from the first set of order specifications; 
 receiving a second set of order specifications for a second order that replaces or modifies the first order, while the first order is being fulfilled; 
 generating a first set of hash tags from the received first set of order specifications; 
 generating a second set of hash tags from the received second set of order specifications; 
 saving the first production order as an initial, second production order corresponding to the second order; 
 selecting, using an established pattern, at least one pair of hash tags including an initial pair of hash tags from the first and second sets of hash tags; 
 comparing each pair of hash tags from the at least one pair of hash tags to identify matches and mismatches between respective pairings of hash tags; and 
 for each respective pairing of hash tags that match, maintaining, within the second production order, existing production specifications which are associated with the matching hash tags. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 for each respective pairing of hash tags that does not match, selectively modifying the second production order by initiating an order reload which provides, within the second production order, new production specifications which are associated with the second hash tag.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining a hierarchical arrangement for an identified set of hash tags generated for a corresponding order specification using a pre-established hierarchy of hash tags respectively associated with at least one of (a) one or more known specification characteristics associated with product configuration, and (b) one or more characteristic types, wherein the pre-established hierarchy is developed using functional relationships and dependencies between specification characteristics associated with different hash tags; and   identifying the matches and mismatches between a first set of hash tags and a second set of hash tags by sequentially comparing, using the determined hierarchical arrangement, hash tags from the first set of hash tags with hash tags having a same respective characteristic type from the second set of hash tags.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining, using the hierarchical arrangement, a next hash tag from the first set of hash tags to be compared to a corresponding hash tag from the second set of hash tags to determine whether the next hash tag represents a mismatch.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 identifying when there is at least one hash tag from the first set of hash tags for which there is no corresponding hash tag from the second set of hash tags to be compared against; and   in response to identifying that there is at least one hash tag from the first set of hash tags for which there is no corresponding hash tag from the second set of hash tags to be compared against: initiating an order reload that selectively removes from the second production order production specifications associated with the first hash tag; and providing production specifications to reverse executed actions associated with production specifications associated with the first hash tag.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said initiating order fulfillment further comprises:
 generating, using the first order specification, the first production order which provides specifications for actions and processes that are used for one or more of configuring a product, providing targeted modifications to a previous product configuration, testing a selected configuration and fulfilling the first order.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining whether there is at least one hash tag from the second set of hash tags for which there is no corresponding hash tag from the first set of hash tags to be compared against; and   in response to determining that there is at least one hash tag from the second set of hash tags for which there is no corresponding hash tag from the first set of hash tags to be compared against, providing within the second production order new production specifications corresponding to the at least one hash tag from the second set of hash tags.   
     
     
         15 . A computer program product executing within a processor of a data processing system and providing instructions for:
 receiving a first set of order specifications that can be used for fulfilling a first order;   initiating order fulfillment for the received first order using a first production order generated from the first set of order specifications;   receiving a second set of order specifications for a second order that replaces or modifies the first order, while the first order is being fulfilled;   generating a first set of hash tags from the received first set of order specifications;   generating a second set of hash tags from the received second set of order specifications;   saving the first production order as an initial, second production order corresponding to the second order;   selecting, using an established pattern, at least one pair of hash tags including an initial pair of hash tags from the first and second sets of hash tags;   comparing each pair of hash tags from the at least one pair of hash tags to identify matches and mismatches between respective pairings of hash tags; and   for each respective pairing of hash tags that match, maintaining, within the second production order, existing production specifications which are associated with the matching hash tags.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , said computer program product providing instructions for:
 for each respective pairing of hash tags that does not match, selectively modifying the second production order by initiating an order reload which provides, within the second production order, new production specifications which are associated with the second hash tag.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , said computer program product providing instructions for:
 determining a hierarchical arrangement for an identified set of hash tags generated for a corresponding order specification using a pre-established hierarchy of hash tags respectively associated with at least one of (a) one or more known specification characteristics associated with product configuration, and (b) one or more characteristic types, wherein the pre-established hierarchy is developed using functional relationships and dependencies between specification characteristics associated with different hash tags;   identifying the matches and mismatches between a first set of hash tags and a second set of hash tags by sequentially comparing, using the determined hierarchical arrangement, hash tags from the first set of hash tags with hash tags having a same respective characteristic type from the second set of hash tags; and   determining, using the hierarchical arrangement, a next hash tag from the first set of hash tags to be compared to a corresponding hash tag from the second set of hash tags to determine whether the next hash tag represents a mismatch.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , said computer program product providing instructions for:
 identifying when there is at least one hash tag from the first set of hash tags for which there is no corresponding hash tag from the second set of hash tags to be compared against; and   in response to identifying that there is at least one hash tag from the first set of hash tags for which there is no corresponding hash tag from the second set of hash tags to be compared against: initiating an order reload that selectively removes from the second production order production specifications associated with the first hash tag; and providing production specifications to reverse executed actions associated with production specifications associated with the first hash tag.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , said computer program product providing instructions for:
 generating, using the first order specification, the first production order which provides specifications for actions and processes that are used for one or more of configuring a product, providing targeted modifications to a previous product configuration, testing a selected configuration and fulfilling the first order.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , said computer program product providing instructions for:
 determining whether there is at least one hash tag from the second set of hash tags for which there is no corresponding hash tag from the first set of hash tags to be compared against; and   in response to determining that there is at least one hash tag from the second set of hash tags for which there is no corresponding hash tag from the first set of hash tags to be compared against, providing within the second production order new production specifications corresponding to the at least one hash tag from the second set of hash tags.