Medium-voltage cable expert system
AssigneeSouthwire Company
InventorsTina Renee Shockley, Eddie Lee Adams, Wayne Buford Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rule-based expert system in combination with a plurality of catalog specification databases, a program instruction set, and a computer comprise an apparatus and provide a method for identifying and then selecting from among standard or non-standard medium-voltage power cable specifications for preparing price quotations therefor.
Claims16
An expert system for identifying and selecting from a group of medium-voltage cable construction specifications a desired medium-voltage cable construction specification meeting a set of medium-voltage cable requirement specifications and producing a price quotation therefor, comprising:
- a data storage unit including stored data in at least one database;
- a knowledgebase including rules for selecting and pricing cables according to respective cable construction specifications;
- a computer;
- a program instruction set;
- means for entering data in response to inquiries from the program instruction set and the knowledgebase;
- means for calculating a price quotation for a selected, desired medium-voltage cable of specified length;
- and means for outputting the price quotation in human cognizable form;
- wherein the program instruction set is adapted for rule-based selection of the desired medium-voltage cable, for determination of the costs of manufacture of the selected medium-voltage cable, and for output of the price quotations,
- wherein the stored data includes medium-voltage cable construction specifications, raw and intermediate materials information and prices from which the desired medium-voltage cable is constructed, and availability and production data for various medium-voltage cable construction specifications.
A method of selecting a medium-voltage cable construction specification meeting a set of medium-voltage cable requirement specifications and producing a price quotation therefor in an expert system including a data storage unit having stored data in at least one database;
- a knowledgebase including rules for selecting and pricing medium-voltage cables;
- a computer;
- a program instruction set;
- means for entering cable requirement specification data in response to inquiries from the program instruction set and the knowledgebase;
- and means for output of the quotation in human cognizable form, comprising the steps of:
- a) entering a first series of responses to a plurality of data queries, including medium-voltage cable requirement specification responses;
- b) selecting from the database a medium-voltage cable construction specification by rule-based interrogation of the knowledgebase;
- c) determining the selected medium-voltage cable size;
- d) determining the selected medium-voltage cable materials and manufacturing cost per unit length;
- and
- e) generating for output a price quotation for the selected medium-voltage cable by computer reference to the responses, the stored database data, and the knowledgebase after selection of a particular construction specification for the cable.
An expert system for identifying and selecting from a group of medium-voltage cable construction specifications a desired medium-voltage cable construction specification meeting a set of medium-voltage cable requirement specifications needs and producing a price quotation therefor, comprising:
- a data storage unit including stored data in at least one database;
- a knowledgebase including rules for selecting and pricing cables according to respective cable construction specifications based on a plurality of material layers extending radially from the center of the cable;
- a computer;
- a program instruction set;
- means for entering data in response to inquiries from the program instruction set and the knowledgebase;
- means for calculating a price quotation for a selected, desired medium-voltage unitary cable of specified length;
- and means for outputting the price quotation in human cognizable form;
- wherein the program instruction set is adapted for rule-based selection of the desired medium-voltage cable, for determination of the costs of manufacture of the selected medium-voltage cable, and for output of the price quotation,
- wherein the stored data includes medium-voltage cable construction specifications, raw and intermediate materials information and prices from which the desired medium-voltage cable is constructed, and availability and production data for various medium-voltage cable construction specifications, and wherein the medium-voltage cables have only first and second ends.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.