Unified product catalog data retrieval and modification

• US 10,055,770 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Ogrinz, Michael Emil, Munro, Jennifer Elizabeth, Ammons, David Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilkey, Carrie S
• Application Number:
  US14/247,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20150286988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Embodiments for providing a unified catalog include systems and methods that import catalog data from one or more underlying catalog systems. The systems identify items from the catalog data and modify at least one of item descriptions, item names, product categories, and item identifiers associated with the identified items. The systems further provide a unified user interface to a user for browsing the items, receive a request for at least one product selected by the user from the items, and send an order for the at least one selected product to the one or more catalog systems.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a unified catalog, the method comprising:

sending, by a processor, data retrieval format requirements to two or more underlying catalog systems;

receiving, by a processor, an application programming interface from the two or more underlying catalog systems;

importing, by a processor, catalog data from the two or more underlying catalog systems using the application programming interface, wherein the two or more underlying catalog systems are disparate and independent catalog systems associated with a single entity;

identifying, by a processor, items from the catalog data;

determining, by a processor, a unique identifier associated with each of the items from the catalog data, wherein the unique identifier comprises a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU);

identifying, by a processor, duplicate items from multiple catalog systems of the two or more underlying catalog systems based on the unique identifier;

wherein identifying duplicate items comprises matching an SKU of a first duplicate item of a first underlying catalog system with an SKU of a second duplicate item of a second underlying catalog system,

wherein the first underlying catalog system did meet its service level agreement deadlines within a previous predetermined period of time, and

wherein the second underlying catalog system did not meet its service level agreement deadlines within the previous predetermined period of time;

determining, by a processor, a preferred catalog system between the first underlying catalog system and the second underlying catalog system, wherein determining the preferred catalog system comprises determining that the first underlying catalog system did meet its service level agreement deadlines within the previous predetermined period of time and that the second underlying catalog system did not meet its service level agreement deadlines within the previous predetermined period of time;

identifying, by a processor, between the first duplicate item and the second duplicate item, a preferred item associated with the preferred catalog system;

retaining, by a processor, in the unified catalog system, the preferred item;

removing, by a processor, all other duplicate items from the unified catalog;

identifying, an administrator, wherein the administrator is granted permission to make modifications to the imported catalog data;

receiving, by a processor, a request from the administrator to modify at least one of item descriptions, item names, product categories, and item identifiers associated with the identified items;

upon receiving the request to modify from the administrator, modifying, by a processor, at least one item information of item descriptions, item names, product categories, and item identifiers associated with the identified items;

providing, by a processor, a unified user interface to a user for browsing the items, wherein the user interface dynamically displays the modified at least one item information to the user;

receiving, by a processor, a request for at least one item selected by the user from the items; and

sending, by a processor, an order for the at least one selected item to the preferred catalog system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by a processor, a first product category comprising at least one category item; and

transferring, by a processor, the at least one category item to a second product category.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of related items having a plurality of different names;

assigning a synonym to each of the related items;

allowing the user to conduct an item search using one of the different names; and

displaying all of the related items in response to the search and based on the synonym assignment.

4. A system for providing a unified catalog, whereby the system collects, manages, and edits catalog data from disparate catalog systems, the system comprising:

a computer apparatus including a processor and a memory; and

a software module stored in the memory, comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to;

send data retrieval format requirements to two or more underlying catalog systems;

receive an application programming interface from the two or more underlying catalog systems;

import catalog data from the two or more underlying catalog systems into a unified catalog using the application programming interface, wherein the two or more underlying catalog systems are disparate and independent catalog systems associated with a single entity;

identify items from the catalog data;

determine a unique identifier associated with each of the items from the catalog data, wherein the unique identifier comprises a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU);

identify duplicate items from multiple catalog systems of the two or more underlying catalog systems,

wherein identifying duplicate items comprises matching an SKU of a first duplicate item of a first underlying catalog system with an SKU of a second duplicate item of a second underlying catalog system,

wherein the first underlying catalog system did meet its service level agreement deadlines within a previous predetermined period of time, and

wherein the second underlying catalog system did not meet its service level agreement deadlines within the previous predetermined period of time;

determine a preferred catalog system between the first underlying catalog system and the second underlying catalog system wherein determining the preferred catalog system comprises determining that the first underlying catalog system did meet its service level agreement deadlines within the previous predetermined period of time and that the second underlying catalog system did not meet its service level agreement deadlines within the previous predetermined period of time;

identify, between the first duplicate item and the second duplicate item, a preferred item associated with the preferred catalog system;

retain, in the unified catalog system, the preferred item;

remove all other duplicate items from the unified catalog;

identify an administrator, wherein the administrator is granted permission to make modifications to the imported catalog data in the unified catalog;

receive a request from the administrator to modify at least one of item descriptions, item names, product categories, and item identifiers associated with the identified items;

upon receiving the request to modify from the administrator, modify at least one item information of item descriptions, item names, product categories, and item identifiers associated with the identified items;

provide a unified user interface to a user for browsing the items, wherein the user interface dynamically displays the modified at least one item information to the user;

receive a request for at least one item selected by the user from the items in the unified catalog; and

send an order for the at least one selected item to the preferred catalog system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

identify a first product category comprising at least one category item; and

transfer the at least one category item to a second product category.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one category item appears in the first product category and the second product category.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

collapse the first product category.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

rename the first product category.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

identify related items associated with a product category from the catalog data;

create a product package comprising the related items; and

present the product package to the user via the user interface.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

set at least one of a service level agreement (SLA) time period, a user group, and approval requirements for the items.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

identify a plurality of related items having a plurality of different names;

assign a synonym to each of the related items;

allow the user to conduct an item search using one of the different names; and

display all of the related items in response to the search and based on the synonym assignment.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein the user is unaware that the order is fulfilled by the two or more underlying catalog systems.

13. A computer program product for providing a unified catalog, whereby the computer program product collects, manages, and edits catalog data from disparate catalog systems, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to send data retrieval format requirements to two or more underlying catalog systems;

computer readable program code configured to receive an application programming interface from the two or more underlying catalog systems;

computer readable program code configured to import catalog data from the two or more underlying catalog systems using the application programming interface, wherein the two or more underlying catalog systems are disparate and independent catalog systems associated with a single entity;

computer readable program code configured to identify items from the catalog data;

computer readable program code configured to determine a unique identifier associated with each of the items, wherein the unique identifier comprises a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU);

computer readable program code configured to identify duplicate items of a item from multiple catalog systems of the two or more underlying catalog systems,

wherein identifying duplicate items comprises matching an SKU of a first duplicate item of a first underlying catalog system with an SKU of a second duplicate item of a second underlying catalog system,

wherein the first underlying catalog system did meet its service level agreement deadlines within a previous predetermined period of time, and

wherein the second underlying catalog system did not meet its service level agreement deadlines within the previous predetermined period of time;

computer readable program code configured to determine a preferred catalog system between the first underlying catalog system and the second underlying catalog system, wherein determining the preferred catalog system comprises determining that the first underlying catalog system did meet its service level agreement deadlines within the previous predetermined period of time and that the second underlying catalog system did not meet its service level agreement deadlines within the previous predetermined period of time;

computer readable program code configured to identify, between the first duplicate item and the second duplicate item, a preferred item associated with the preferred catalog system;

computer readable program code configured to retain, in the unified catalog system, the preferred item;

computer readable program code configured to remove all other duplicate items from the unified catalog;

computer readable program code configured to identify an administrator, wherein the administrator is granted permission to make modifications to the imported catalog data;

computer readable program code configured to receive a request from the administrator to modify at least one of item descriptions, item names, product categories, and item identifiers with the identified items;

computer readable program code configured to, upon receiving the request to modify from the administrator, modify at least one item information of item descriptions, item names, product categories, and item identifiers associated with the identified items;

computer readable program code configured to provide a unified user interface to a user for browsing the items, wherein the user interface dynamically displays the modified at least one item information to the user;

computer readable program code configured to receive a request for at least one item selected by the user from the items; and

computer readable program code configured to send an order for the at least one selected item to the preferred catalog system.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer readable program code configured to identify a first product category comprising at least one category item and transfer the at least one category item to a second product category.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the at least one category item appears in the first product category and the second product category.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer readable program code configured to identify a plurality of related items having a plurality of different names;

assign a synonym to each of the related items;

allow the user to conduct an item search using one of the different names; and

display all of the related items in response to the search and based on the synonym assignment.