Intelligent part numbering system and method

An intelligent part number data storage and retrieval system comprising:

• a computer processor;
• and
• a computer memory coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory encoded with computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the system to perform any of the steps of :
• configuring the computer memory according to a database, the database including metadata organized according to a schema including:
• a manufacturer series file for storing information about one or more product series, the manufacturer series file including:
• a series identification field for storing a series identification number for each of the one or more product series:
• a section count field for storing a section count number for each of the one or more product series, the section count number indicating the number attributes associated with the product series identified by the series identification number;
• a series attribute file for storing information about each attribute in product series, the series attribute file being a child file to the manufacturer series file, the series attribute file including:
• an attribute identification field for storing an attribute identification number for each of the attributes associated with the product series;
• an attribute name field for storing a description of the attribute being referenced by the attribute identification number;
• a part number sections file for storing part number section information, the part number sections file being a child file to the series attribute file, the part number sections file including:
• a section identification field for storing a section identification number for each of the part number sections;
• an attribute identification field for storing the attribute identification number associated with each of the section identification numbers;
• a section position field for storing a location of the each of the part number sections within a final part number;
• storing one or more attributes of a part number family in database according to the metadata schema;
• receiving one or more user inputs, each user input indicating a selection of one of the attributes;
• determining a part number code associated with each of the selected attributes;
• and
• generating a part number based on the part number codes associated with each of the selected attributes.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions for an intelligent part numbering system that, when executed by one or more computer processors of a data storage and retrieval system, cause the data storage and retrieval system to perform the steps of:

• configuring the computer memory according to a database, the database including metadata organized according to a schema including:
• a manufacturer series file for storing information about one or more product series, the manufacturer series file including:
• a series identification field for storing a series identification number for each of the one or more product series;
• a section count field for storing a section count number for each of the one or more product series, the section count number indicating the number attributes associated with the product series identified by the series identification number;
• a series attribute file for storing information about each attribute in product series, the series attribute file being a child file to the manufacturer series file, the series attribute file including:
• an attribute identification field for storing an attribute identification number for each of the attributes associated with the product series;
• an attribute name field for storing a description of the attribute being referenced by the attribute identification number;
• a part number sections file for storing part number section information, the part number sections file being a child file to the series attribute file, the part number sections file including:
• a section identification field for storing a section identification number for each of the part number sections;
• an attribute identification field for storing the attribute identification number associated with each of the section identification numbers;
• a section position field for storing a location of the each of the part number section within a final part number;
• storing one or more attributes of a part family in the database according to the metadata schema;
• receiving one or more user inputs, each user input indicating a selection of one of the attributes;
• determining a part number code associated with each of the selected attributes;
• and
• generating a part number based on the part number codes associated with each of the selected attributes.