COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM FOR PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

• Main Authors: MCCOY, RICHARD A, NIBBELINK, MATTHEW, JENKINS, ANTHONY E, WANG, WEI, GLOTZBACH, PATRICK J, MORRELL, MICHAEL A, KREFMAN, STEPHEN D, LIETO, GREGORY S, GLOTZBACH, MARK E, EBROM, MATTHEW P, PAUSTIAN, MICHELE A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 25.02.2009
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; ELECTRICITY; PHYSICS; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

The invention relates to a software architecture that is implemented on and communicates over an internal communications network on an appliance, which connects the various physical components of the appliance. The software architecture performs multiple functions: identifying each of the components corresponding to a network node; identifying the capabilities of the components; identifying the status of the components; providing well defined command interfaces; and providing communication between internal and external software components. In this way, the SA functions to inform all of the nodes on the network of the presence, capabilities, and status of the other nodes.