Customer Specific Catalogs Based on a Set of Standart Catalogs

• US 20060106683A1
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mihai, Constantin, Vaidya, Gautam, Fisher, Craig, Tadas, Vinayak, Husmann, Harlan Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/275,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106683A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

Generating and/or managing customer specific catalogs based on a set of standard catalogs are described. In one aspect, a catalog is generated or managed in view of a catalog schema data structure. The catalog schema data structure includes a first table The first table includes first, second, and third data fields. the first data field indicates a product, category, or variant of a base catalog to include or exclude from a virtual catalog that is derived at least in part from the base catalog. The second data field specifies an inclusion or exclusion rule to apply to the base catalog, product, category, or variant identified in the first data field. The third date if field provides an object ID of the product, category or variant.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium including computer-program instructions executable by a processor, the computer-program instructions comprising instructions for generating or managing a catalog with a catalog schema data structure, the catalog schema data structure including a first table, the first table comprising:

a first data field indicating a product, category, or variant of a base catalog to include or exclude from a virtual catalog that is derived at least in part from the base catalog;

a second data field specifying an inclusion or exclusion rule to apply to the base catalog, product, category, or variant identified in the first data field; and

a third data field providing an object ID of the product, category or variant.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a second table comprising a first data field providing a reference to any dependent virtual catalog that depends on the base catalog, a dependent virtual catalog being referenced in the virtual catalog.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a third table comprising:

a first data field identifying the base catalog;

a second data field providing an object ID corresponding to an object indicated by the base catalog; and

a third data field indicating an evaluated list price for the object.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a fourth table to represent a catalog taxonomy comprising:

a first data field indicating a substantially unique identification to assign to respective objects in the base catalog;

a second data field providing a catalog name of the base catalog;

a third data field identifying a unique child ID of a child product, category, or variant;

a fourth data field specifying a child catalog name; and

wherein the substantially unique identification, the catalog name, the unique child ID, and a child catalog name, indicate a product hierarchy in the virtual catalog.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a fifth table for indicating pricing rules, the fifth table comprising:

a first data field for indicating a catalog name corresponding to a particular rule;

a second data field indicating an object ID of a catalog, category, product, or variant to which the particular rule applies;

a third data field identifying a rule type; and

a fourth data field specifying an amount to determine a new price for the catalog, category, product, or variant.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the rule type comprises a percentage on/off rule, a fixed on/off rule, a set amount rule, or a no-change rule.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the new price is based on a list price indicated in the base catalog.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

generating or managing a catalog with a catalog schema data structure, the catalog schema data structure including a first table, the first table comprising;

a first data field indicating a product, category, or variant of a base catalog to include or exclude from a virtual catalog that is derived at least in part from the base catalog;

a second data field specifying an inclusion or exclusion rule to apply to the base catalog, product, category, or variant identified in the first data field; and

a third data field providing an object ID of the product, category or variant.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a second table comprising a first data field providing a reference to any dependent virtual catalog that depends on the base catalog, a dependent virtual catalog being referenced in the virtual catalog.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the catalog schema data structure farther comprises a third table comprising:

a first data field identifying the base catalog;

a second data field providing an object ID corresponding to an object indicated by the base catalog; and

a third data field indicating an evaluated list price for the object.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a fourth table to represent a catalog taxonomy comprising:

a first data field indicating a substantially unique identification to assign to respective objects in the base catalog;

a second data field providing a catalog name of the base catalog;

a third data field identifying a unique child ID of a child product, category, or variant;

a fourth data field specifying a child catalog name; and

wherein the substantially unique identification, the catalog name, the unique child ID, and a child catalog name, indicate a product hierarchy in the virtual catalog.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a fifth table for indicating pricing rules, the fifth table comprising:

a first data field for indicating a catalog name corresponding to a particular rule;

a second data field indicating an object ID of a catalog, category, product, or variant to which the particular rule applies;

a third data field identifying a rule type; and

a fourth data field specifying an amount to determine a new price for the catalog, category, product, or variant.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the rule type comprises a percentage on/off rule, a fixed on/off rule, a set amount rule, or a no-change rule.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the new price is based on a list price indicated in the base catalog.

15. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising computer-program instructions executable by the processor for generating or managing a catalog with a catalog schema data structure, the catalog schema data structure including a first table, the first table comprising;

a first data field indicating a product, category, or variant of a base catalog to include or exclude from a virtual catalog that is derived at least in part from the base catalog;

a second data field specifying an inclusion or exclusion rule to apply to the base catalog, product, category, or variant identified in the first data field; and

a third data field providing an object ID of the product, category or variant.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a second table comprising a first data field providing a reference to any dependent virtual catalog that depends on the base catalog, a dependent virtual catalog being referenced in the virtual catalog.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a third table comprising:

a first data field identifying the base catalog;

a second data field providing an object ID corresponding to an object indicated by the base catalog; and

a third data field indicating an evaluated list price for the object.

18. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a fourth table to represent a catalog taxonomy comprising:

a first data field indicating a substantially unique identification to assign to respective objects in the base catalog;

a second data field providing a catalog name of the base catalog;

a third data field identifying a unique child ID of a child product, category, or variant;

a fourth data field specifying a child catalog name; and

wherein the substantially unique identification, the catalog name, the unique child ID, and a child catalog name, indicate a product hierarchy in the virtual catalog.

19. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the catalog schema data structure further comprises a fifth table for indicating pricing rules, the fifth table comprising:

a first data field for indicating a catalog name corresponding to a particular rule;

a second data field indicating an object ID of a catalog, category, product, or variant to which the particular rule applies;

a third data field identifying a rule type; and

a fourth data field specifying an amount to determine a new price for the catalog, category, product, or variant.

20. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the rule type comprises a percentage on/off rule, a fixed on/off rule, a set amount rule, or a no-change rule.