| 摘要 |
The functionality of a networked physical product is defined as an abstraction, or a virtual product, in such a way that the product functionality can be interpreted and managed by a business enterprise system. A software application and data model spans isolated databases to store and maintain the functional data and contextual information of a networked physical product and the associated business data needed to manage the product. The functional and contextual data is managed by a purpose-built and optimized heterogeneous database environment, and the associated business data is managed separately in another purpose-built and optimized database environment. An electronic template, similar to a bill of materials, describes the functional and interactive elements of a networked virtual product that represents the networked physical products as they are created. A business enterprise system links business management software to the data and information generated by the networked product. |
| 主权项 |
1. A method for allowing a software application that executes on a processor to interact with a product, the product including software that defines one or more properties to control the functions of the product, the method comprising:
(a) providing an electronic template that spans a first and a second database and defines a virtual product that spans the first and a second database, the electronic template including a plurality of electronically controllable attributes, the virtual product representing the product; (b) maintaining by the software application the electronic template wherein the portion of the template in the first database includes:
(i) a template record which includes a unique identifier, and(ii) a plurality of attributes, each attribute having corresponding properties, wherein at least one of the properties is a unique attribute label, andwherein the portion of the template in the second database includes:(i) a template record which includes a unique identifier which is the same as the unique identifier in the first database, and(ii) a plurality of attributes, each attribute having corresponding properties wherein at least one of the properties is the unique attribute label; (c) maintaining by the software application a virtual product, wherein the portion of the virtual product in the first database includes:
(i) a virtual product record which includes a unique identifier for the virtual product, and(ii) a plurality of unique virtual product attributes, each unique virtual product attribute having corresponding properties, wherein at least one of the properties is the unique attribute label, andwherein the portion of the virtual product in the second database includes:(i) a virtual product record which includes a unique identifier for the virtual product which is the same as the unique identifier for the virtual product in the first database, and(ii) a plurality of unique virtual product attributes, each unique virtual product attribute having corresponding properties wherein at least one of the properties is the unique attribute label; and (d) the software application executing on the processor electronically updating a value of a property of a virtual product's unique virtual product attribute in the second database when a change occurs in the first database to a value of a corresponding property with the same attribute label for the same virtual product, thereby allowing the software application to interact with the product by communicating the new property value and its attribute label to the product that corresponds to the virtual product, wherein the value of the property controls a function of the product. |
