Configuration caching

A method for configuring a configurable product wherein the method operates in a system having a configuration engine and a user interface coupled to a user interface generation unit, the method comprising:

• receiving a user input from the user interface;
• determining if the user input has been previously provided;
• responsive to the user input having been previously provided, retrieving user interface page information that is responsive to the user input from a memory that is coupled by a processor to the configuration engine, the user interface generation unit, and the user interface;
• responsive to the user input not having been previously provided, accessing the configuration engine and storing the user input in the memory;
• determining if a caching threshold that is fixed has been satisfied for the user input;
• responsive to the caching threshold being satisfied, storing the user input in a primary configuration information section of the memory;
• and
• storing a flag responsive to the user input in the primary configuration information section of the memory.

A method for configuring a configurable product wherein the method operates in a system having a configuration engine and a user interface coupled to a user interface generation unit, the method comprising:

• receiving a user input from the user interface;
• determining if the user input has been previously provided;
• responsive to the user input having been previously provided, retrieving user interface page information that is responsive to the user input from a memory that is coupled by a processor to the configuration engine, the user interface generation unit, and the user interface;
• responsive to the user input not having been previously provided, accessing the configuration engine and storing the user input in the memory;
• determining if a caching threshold has been satisfied for the user input by determining a frequency at which the user input was previously provided;
• responsive to the caching threshold being satisfied, determining a cache target;
• and
• setting and storing at least a flag in a primary configuration information section of the memory that indicates the cache target is to be stored the next time the user input is provided.

A method for configuring a configurable product, the method comprising:

• counting how many times a selected feature is selected over a fixed period of time;
• receiving data generated by a configuration engine in response to the selected feature of the configurable product being selected a first time;
• storing the data in a memory;
• storing the selected feature of the configurable product in a short-term frequency count section of the memory;
• maintaining and storing a first count in the short-term frequency count section that corresponds to the number of times the selected feature of the configurable product has been provided over a first time period;
• and
• responsive to the selected feature of the configurable product being selected a second time, retrieving the data from the memory.

A method for configuring a configurable product, the method comprising:

• counting how many times a selected feature is selected over a fixed period of time;
• receiving data generated by a configuration engine in response to the selected feature of the configurable product being selected a first time;
• storing the data in a memory;
• responsive to the selected feature of the configurable product being selected a second time, retrieving the data from the memory;
• determining if a caching threshold has been satisfied for the selected feature of the configurable product;
• responsive to the caching threshold being satisfied, storing the selected feature of the configurable product in a primary configuration information section of the memory;
• and
• storing user interface page information responsive to that selected feature in the primary configuration information section of the memory if a first criterion is met,
• storing a number of configuration engine computations responsive to that selected feature in the primary configuration information section of the memory if a second criterion is met,
• storing a conflict explanation responsive to that selected feature in the primary configuration information section of the memory if a third criterion is met, and
• storing a flag responsive to that selected feature in the primary configuration information section of the memory if a fourth criterion is met.

A method for configuring a configurable product, the method comprising:

• counting how many times a selected feature is selected over a fixed period of time;
• receiving data generated by a configuration engine in response to the selected feature of the configurable product being selected a first time;
• storing the data in a memory;
• responsive to the selected feature of the configurable product being selected a second time, retrieving the data from the memory;
• determining if a caching threshold has been satisfied for the selected feature of the configurable product;
• responsive to the caching threshold being satisfied, determining a cache target;
• and
• setting and storing a flag in a primary configuration information section of the memory that indicates the cache target is to be stored the next time the feature is selected if a first criterion is met, and
• retrieving the cache target from a second memory and storing it in the primary configuration information section of the memory if a second criterion is met.

A method for configuring a configurable product wherein the method operates in a system having a configuration engine and a user interface coupled to a user interface generation unit, the method comprising:

• receiving a user input from the user interface;
• determining if the user input has been previously provided;
• responsive to the user input having been previously provided, retrieving user interface page information that is responsive to the user input from a memory that is coupled by a processor to the configuration engine, the user interface generation unit, and the user interface;
• responsive to the user input not having been previously provided, accessing the configuration engine and storing the user input in the memory;
• determining if a caching threshold has been satisfied for another user input;
• responsive to the caching threshold being satisfied, determining a cache target;
• and
• retrieving the cache target from a second memory, and storing it in the primary configuration information section of the memory.

A method for configuring a configurable product wherein the method operates in a system having a configuration engine and a user interface coupled to a user interface generation unit, the method comprising:

• receiving a user input from the user interface;
• determining if the user input has been previously provided;
• responsive to the user input having been previously provided, retrieving user interface page information that is responsive to the user input from a memory that is coupled by a processor to the configuration engine, the user interface generation unit, and the user interface;
• responsive to the user input not having been previously provided, accessing the configuration engine and storing the user input in the memory;
• determining if a caching threshold has been satisfied for the user input;
• responsive to the caching threshold being satisfied, storing the user input in a primary configuration information section of the memory;
• and
• storing a conflict explanation responsive to the user input in the primary configuration information section of the memory.