US Patent 7568155 Visual configurator

A method, system, and computer program product for addressing a general class of configuration problems requiring visual placement. Such configuration problems are solved as a single group using a visual user interface which guides the users' behavior. The present invention may be implemented over the Internet for rapid and efficient distribution without any additional software on the client side other than a web browser. The inference engine may be on a remote server. The client side device may include a visual user interface as well as a small amount of user side intelligence. In one embodiment, a visual interface on the client device helps the user create a product comprised of selectable components, where each component is placed where the user wants it. Since the client device contains some amount of user intelligence, the client device does not need to send an entire web page to the inference engine, and receive an entire new web page from the inference engine, every time a user selects a component. Instead, once a user makes a selection, the client device can merely send over to the inference engine, the component selected, and the desired placement of the component. The inference engine, in turn, can merely send over information regarding which slots are constrained and how. The client device may include a web-browser, via which it can communicate with the inference engine over the Internet.