Product network management system and method

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for managing product networks, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

• code for receiving a request to access one or more product files stored as database elements in a central database, wherein the database elements are produced from a multiplicity of different native authoring programs providing a multiplicity of different file types;
• code for retrieving the database elements from the central database;
• code for receiving information linking one or more requirement trees produced by requirement management software to the database elements;
• and
• code for generating a metafile according to a common metafile type configured to be viewed by users without the native authoring programs based on the database elements and the information linking the one or more requirement trees produced by the requirement management software to the database elements;
• wherein one or more sections of the metafile are configured to retrieve one or more portions of the one or more requirement trees produced by the requirement management software according to a requirements tree context manager evaluating a set of predetermined rules to determine which portions of the one or more requirements trees are exposed to the users;
• and
• wherein the code for the generating of the metafile according to the common metafile type configured to be viewed by users without the native authoring programs based on the database elements and the information linking the one or more requirement trees produced by the requirement management software to the database elements comprises code for exposing one or more subtrees of the one or more requirements trees.

A system for managing product networks, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory, in communication with the processor, and configured to store a set of instructions which when executed by the processor configure the processor to:
• receive a request to access one or more product files stored as database elements in a central database, wherein the database elements are produced from a multiplicity of different native authoring programs providing a multiplicity of different file types;
• retrieve the database elements from the central database;
• receive information linking one or more requirement trees produced by requirement management software to the database elements;
• and
• generate a metafile according to a common metafile type configured to be viewed by users without the native authoring programs based on the database elements and the information linking the one or more requirement trees produced by the requirement management software to the database elements;
• wherein one or more sections of the metafile are configured to retrieve one or more portions of the one or more requirement trees produced by the requirement management software according to a requirements tree context manager evaluating a set of predetermined rules to determine which portions of the one or more requirements trees are exposed to the users;
• and
• wherein the generating of the metafile according to the common metafile type configured to be viewed by users without the native authoring programs based on the database elements and the information linking the one or more requirement trees produced by the requirement management software to the database elements comprises exposing one or more subtrees of the one or more requirements trees.