Customer Specific Catalogs Based on a Set of Standard Catalogs

• US 20060111928A1
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mihai, Constantin, Fisher, Craig, Vaidya, Gautam, Tadas, Vinayak, Husmann, Harlan Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/275,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20060111928A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/328
• 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

Customer specific catalogs based on a set of standard catalogs are described. In one aspect, a computer-readable medium includes computer-program-instructions executable by a processor. The computer-program instructions are for implementing an application programming interface (API) to design and/or maintain an electronic catalog that is based on one or more base catalogs. the API includes a create catalog interface comprising a parameter to indicate that a catalog to be created is to be the electronic catalog, the electronic catalog being a virtual catalog.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium including computer-program instructions executable by a processor, the computer-program instructions for implementing an application programming interface (API) to design and/or maintain an electronic catalog that is based on one or more base catalogs, the API comprising:

a create catalog interface comprising a parameter to indicate that a catalog to be created is to be the electronic catalog, the electronic catalog being a virtual catalog.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the API further comprises an add-virtual-catalog rule interface to add a catalog, product, category, or variant inclusion or exclusion rule into the virtual catalog.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the APT further comprises a remove virtual catalog rule interface to remove a catalog, product, category, or variant inclusion or exclusion rule from the virtual catalog.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the API further comprises a get virtual catalog rules interface to return to record set of any catalog, product, category, or variant rules that are included or excluded in the virtual catalog.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the API further comprises a rebuild virtual catalog interface to rebuild the virtual catalog and or rebuild any dependent child virtual catalogs, a virtual catalog being rebuilt by reevaluating all inclusion and exclusion rules, reevaluating all pricing rules, and re-creating any virtual catalog views or tables.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the API further comprises a remove price rule interface to remove a custom price rule from the virtual catalog.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the API further comprises an add price rule interface to add a custom price rule for a catalog, product, variant, or category in the virtual catalog.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the custom price rule corresponds to a percentage on/off of a specified list price, a constant currency amount on/off the specified list price, an indication to set the list price to a specific currency amount, or an indication to not change the price.

9. A computer-implemented method comprising implementing an application programming interface (API) to design and maintain an electronic catalog that is based on one or more base catalogs, the API comprising a create catalog interface comprising a parameter to indicate that a catalog to be created is to be the electronic catalog, the electronic catalog being a virtual catalog.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the API further comprises an add-virtual-catalog rule interface to add a catalog, product, category, or variant inclusion or exclusion rule into the virtual catalog.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the API further comprises a remove virtual catalog rule interface to remove a catalog, product, category, or variant inclusion or exclusion rule from the virtual catalog.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the API further comprises a get virtual catalog rules interface to return to record set of any catalog, product, category, or variant rules that are included or excluded in the virtual catalog.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the API further comprises a rebuild virtual catalog interface to rebuild the virtual catalog and or rebuild any dependent child virtual catalogs, a virtual catalog being rebuilt by reevaluating all inclusion and exclusion rules, reevaluating all pricing rules, and re-creating any virtual catalog views or tables.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the API further comprises a remove price rule interface to remove a custom price rule from the virtual catalog.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the API further comprises an add price rule interface to add a custom price rule for a catalog, product, variant, or category in the virtual catalog.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the custom price rule corresponds to a percentage on/off of a specified list price, a constant currency amount on/off the specified list price, an indication to set the list price to a specific currency amount, or an indication to not change the price.

17. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory couple to the processor, the memory comprising computer-program instructions executable by the processor to implement an application programming interface (API) to design and maintain an electronic catalog that is based on one or more base catalogs; and

wherein the API comprises a create catalog interface comprising a parameter to indicate that a catalog to be created is to be the electronic catalog, the electronic catalog being a virtual catalog.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the API further comprises an add-virtual-catalog rule interface to add a catalog, product, category, or variant inclusion or exclusion rule into the virtual catalog.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the API further comprises a remove virtual catalog rule interface to remove a catalog, product, category, or variant inclusion or exclusion rule from the virtual catalog.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the API further comprises one or more of:

a get virtual catalog rules interface to return to record set of any catalog, product, category, or variant rules that are included or excluded in the virtual catalog;

a rebuild virtual catalog interface to rebuild the virtual catalog and or rebuild any dependent child virtual catalogs, a virtual catalog being rebuilt by reevaluating all inclusion and exclusion rules, reevaluating all pricing rules, and re-creating any virtual catalog views or tables;

a remove price rule interface to remove a custom price rule from the virtual catalog; and

an add price rule interface to add a custom price rule for a catalog, product, variant, or category in the virtual catalog.