Universal file format for products that allows both parametric and textual searching

• US 20020184266A1
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Blessin, Stephen W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/513
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

The present invention, is a method of loading a database for a computerized procurement system in a standard format that will allow suppliers in varying industries that have and have not standardized their nomenclature. The first step is for a supplier to put data describing an item into the CAE format. This format easily accommodates ISO, non-ISO, and UNSPSC compliant suppliers. The format is then converted into XML which allows for easy transmittal of the information on a computerized network. Thus anyone with access to the internet can relay this information to anyone else on the internet. The information is then deconverted back into the CAE file format once it is received by someone with a procurement database. The data is then stripped from the CAE format using a parser and properly loaded into a procurement database.

Claims

1. A method of loading a database for a computerized procurement system in a standard format, said method comprising:

putting data describing an item in a standard file format;

converting the standard file format data into XML;

transmitting said XML data;

deconverting said XML data back into said standard file format;

parsing said standard file format to get said data describing an item; and

loading said data describing an item into said database.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the standard file format defines attribute characteristics as specified by ISO standards.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the standard file format defines the item as specified by UN/SPSC standards.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising permitting a user to search said database using a parametric search for said item.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising permitting a user to search said database using a textual search for said item.

6. A computer-readable medium having a plurality of sequences of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor cause said processor to perform the steps of:

putting data describing an item in a standard file format;

converting the standard file format data into XML;

transmitting said XML data;

deconverting said XML data back into said standard file format;

parsing said standard file format to get said data describing an item; and

loading said data describing an item into a database.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6 wherein the standard file format defines attribute characteristics as specified by ISO standards.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 6 wherein the standard file format defines the item as specified by UN/SPSC standards.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 6 further comprising permitting a user to search said database using a parametric search for said item.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 6 further comprising permitting a user to search said database using a textual search for said item.

11. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a plurality of sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to transmit data describing an item by performing the steps of:

putting data describing an item in a standard file format;

converting the standard file format data into XML;

transmitting said XML data;

deconverting said XML data back into said standard file format;

parsing said standard file format to get said data describing an item; and

loading said data describing an item into a database.

12. The computer data signal of claim 11 wherein the standard file format defines attribute characteristics as specified by ISO standards.

13. The computer data signal of claim 11 wherein the standard file format defines the item as specified by UN/SPSC standards.

14. The computer data signal of claim 11 further comprising permitting a user to search said database using a parametric search for said item.

15. The computer data signal of claim 11 further comprising permitting a user to search said database using a textual search for said item.

17. The apparatus for loading a database of claim 16 further comprising:

means for encoding data in ISO format.

18. The apparatus for loading a database of either claim 16 or claim 17 further comprising:

means for decoding data from an ISO format.

20. The apparatus for loading a database of claim 19 further comprising:

an ISO encoder for encoding said data about said item in ISO format.

21. The apparatus for loading a database of either claim 19 or claim 20 further comprising:

an ISO decoder for decoding said data about said item from an ISO format.

16. An apparatus for loading a database for a computerized procurement system in a standard format comprising:

putting data describing an item in a standard file format;

converting the standard file format data into XML;

transmitting said XML data;

deconverting said XML data back into said standard file format;

parsing said standard file format to get said data describing an item; and

loading said data describing an item into said database.

19. An apparatus for loading a database for a computerized procurement system in a standard format comprising:

a data aggregator for putting data describing an item in a standard file format;

an XML converter that encodes said standard file format in XML;

a processor for transmitting said XML data;

an XML parser for deconverting said XML data into said standard file format;

a Java Parser for parsing said data describing an item from said standard file format; and

a database loader for loading said data into said database.