Caractheristics of Product Options

if(count($mainCharacteristics[$option->product_id][0])){
                                                       $optionsVariants = array();
                                                       $config =& hikashop_config();
                                                       if($config->get('characteristics_values_sorting')=='old'){
                                                               $order = 'characteristic_id';
                                                       }else{
                                                               $order = 'characteristic_value';
                                                       }
                                                       foreach($option->variants as $k2 => $variant){
                                                               $key = '';
                                                               foreach($variant->characteristics as $char){
                                                                       $key .= $char->characteristic_value.'_';
                                                               }
                                                               $optionsVariants[$key]=&$element->options[$k]->variants[$k2];
                                                       }
                                                       ksort($optionsVariants);
                                                       $element->options[$k]->variants=$optionsVariants;
                                               }

                               if(!empty($element->options)){
                                       foreach($element->options as $k => $option){
                                               if(!empty($option->variants)){
                                                       $this->addCharacteristics($element->options[$k],$mainCharacteristics,$characteristics);