Catalog taxonomy for storing product information and system and method using same

• US 20060282339A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 1WorldSync, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CBS Interactive Inc. (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Inventors: Musgrove, Timothy A., Walsh, Robin Hiroko
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2246 Trees, e.g. B+trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/12 Symbolic schematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H

Abstract

A catalog taxonomy organized in a tree-like configuration including at least one first tier product category having at least one first tier attribute associated with products in the first tier category, and a plurality of second tier product categories branching from the first tier product category and defining subcategories, at least one of the plurality of second tier product categories having a second tier attribute associated with products in a subcategory defined by the plurality of second tier product categories, wherein each of the second tier product categories inherits the first tier attribute of the first tier product category from which the plurality of second tier product categories branches. In addition, a system and method utilizing such catalog taxonomy.

Claims

1. A system for organizing product information in accordance with a catalog taxonomy, said system comprising:

a processor;

an input/output module adapted to allow inputting and outputting of product information associated with a plurality of products; and

a database for storing said product information, said database having a catalog taxonomy structure organized in a tree-like configuration having;

at least one first tier product category having at least one first tier attribute associated with products in said at least one first tier category; and

a plurality of second tier product categories branching from one of said at least one first tier product category and defining subcategories of said at least one first tier product category, at least one of said plurality of second tier product categories having at least one second tier attribute associated with products in a subcategory defined by said at least one of said plurality of second tier product categories;

wherein each of said second tier product categories inherits said at least one first tier attribute of said first tier product category from which said plurality of second tier product categories branches.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said database further includes a plurality of third tier product categories branching from one of said plurality of second tier product categories and defining subcategories of said second tier product category from which said plurality of third tier product categories branches, at least one of said plurality of third tier product categories having at least one third tier attribute associated with products in a subcategory defined by said at least one of said plurality of third tier product categories.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of third tier product categories inherits said at least one second tier attribute of said second tier product category from which said plurality of third tier product categories branches.

4. A system for storing and retrieving product information regarding a plurality of products in a database of an electronic catalog, said system comprising:

an input/output module adapted to receive input of product information associated with a plurality of products;

a database for retrievably storing said inputted product information associated with said plurality of products;

a processor electronically connected to said input/output module to process said inputted product information and store said product information in said database in accordance with a catalog taxonomy structure organized in a tree-like configuration, said processor generating in said database, at least one first tier product category having at least one first tier attribute associated with product information of said at least one first tier category, and generating in said database, a plurality of second tier product categories branching from one of said at least one first tier product category and defining subcategories of said at least one first tier product category, at least one second tier product category having at least one second tier attribute associated with product information of said second tier product category;

wherein said processor retrieves product information from said database in response to said query, said product information of said second tier product categories inheriting said at least one first tier attribute of said first tier product category from which said second tier product categories branches when said product information of said second tier product categories is retrieved.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said input/output module further outputs said retrieved product information in response to a query.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said processor determines common attributes of said inputted product information, and associates the common attributes with said first tier product category as said at least one first tier attribute.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein said at least one first tier product category has a plurality of first tier attributes associated with product information of said at least one first tier product category.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said processor determines common attributes of said product information of said first tier product category, and associates the common attributes with said at least one second tier product category as said at least one second tier attribute.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein said plurality of second tier product categories have a plurality of second tier attributes associated with product information.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein said database further comprises a plurality of third tier product categories branching from one of said plurality of second tier product categories and defining subcategories of said second tier product category from which said plurality of third tier product categories branches, at least one of said plurality of third tier product categories having at least one third tier attribute associated with products information of at least one third tier product category.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said product information of said third tier product categories inherit said at least one second tier attribute of said second tier product category from which said plurality of third tier product categories branches when said product information of said third tier product categories is retrieved.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein in said database, said at least one first tier attribute includes a first tier scalar index value associated therewith.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said first tier scalar index value is user editable.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said first tier scalar index value is editable based on a usage parameter of products of said at least one first tier product category.

15. The system of claim 4, wherein in said database, said at least one second tier attribute includes a second tier scalar index value associated therewith.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said second tier scalar index value is user editable.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said second tier scalar index value is editable based on a usage parameter of products of at least one second tier product category.

18. The system of claim 4, wherein said at least one first tier product category is a plurality of first tier product categories, said at least one first tier attribute is a plurality of first tier attributes, and said processor further generates a derivative first tier product category in said database that is derived from said plurality of first tier product categories.

19. The system of claim 4, wherein said at least one first tier attribute is a plurality of first tier attributes, and said processor further generates a derivative first tier product category in said database that is derived from said plurality of first tier attributes.

20. The system of claim 4, wherein said processor further generates a derivative second tier product category in said database that is derived from said plurality of second tier product categories.

21. The system of claim 4, wherein in said database, said at least one second tier attribute is a plurality of second tier attributes, and said processor further generates a derivative second tier product category in said database based on said plurality of second tier attributes.

22. An electronic catalog system with an electronic database for storing and retrieving product information regarding a plurality of products comprising:

a processor;

an input/output module electronically connected to said processor and adapted to receive input of product information regarding a plurality of products; and

a database electronically connected to said processor for retrievably storing said inputted product information regarding said plurality of products, said database having a catalog taxonomy structure organized in a tree-like configuration, said processor generating in said database;

a plurality of first tier product categories having at least one first tier attribute associated with product information of said first tier category; and

a plurality of second tier product categories branching from said first tier product categories and defining subcategories of said first tier product categories, said second tier product categories having at least one second tier attribute associated with product information of said second tier product categories;

wherein said input/output module further outputs product information regarding at least one of said plurality of products retrieved from said database in response to a query.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein in said database, said at least one first tier attribute includes an editable first tier scalar index value associated therewith that is edited based on a usage parameter of products in one of said plurality of first tier product categories.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein in said database, said at least one second tier attribute includes an editable second tier scalar index value associated therewith that is edited based on a usage parameter of products in one of said plurality of second tier product categories.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein said at least one first tier attribute is a plurality of first tier attributes, and said processor further generates a derivative first tier product category in said database that is derived from said plurality of first tier attributes.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein said at least one second tier attribute is a plurality of second tier attributes, and said processor further generates a derivative second tier product category in said database that is derived from said plurality of second tier attributes.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein product information retrieved from each of said second tier product categories inherits said at least one first tier attribute of said first tier product category from which said plurality of second tier product categories branches.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein said processor further generates in said database, a plurality of third tier product categories branching from said plurality of second tier product categories and defining subcategories of said second tier product categories, said plurality of third tier product categories having third tier attributes associated with product information of said third tier product categories.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein product information retrieved from each of said third tier product categories inherits said at least one second tier attribute of said second tier product categories from which said plurality of third tier product categories branches.

30. A method of organizing a catalog having product information of a plurality of products in a tree-like configuration, said method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one first tier product category having plurality of products;

associating at least one first tier attribute with products in said at least one first tier category;

providing a plurality of second tier product categories branching from one of said at least one first tier product category and defining subcategories of said at least one first tier product category, at least one of said plurality of second tier product categories having a plurality of products;

associating at least one second tier attribute with products said subcategory defined by said at least one of said plurality of second tier product categories; and

each of said second tier product categories inheriting said at least one first tier attribute of said first tier product category from which said plurality of

31. A method of retrieving product information from an electronic catalog with a database having product information regarding a plurality of products, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving input of product information associated with a plurality of products for storage in the database;

generating in the database, at least one first tier product category having at least one first tier attribute;

associating the at least one first tier attribute with product information of said at least one first tier category;

generating in the database, a plurality of second tier product categories branching from said at least one first tier product category to define subcategories of said at least one first tier product category;

associating the second tier attributes with product information of said second tier product categories; and

retrieving product information of said second tier product categories so that said at least one first tier attribute of said first tier product category is inherited.

32. A computer readable media having computer executable instructions for retrieving product information from an electronic catalog with a database having product information regarding a plurality of products comprising:

instructions for receiving input of product information associated with a plurality of products for storage in the database;

instructions for generating in the database, at least one first tier product category having at least one first tier attribute;

instructions for associating the at least one first tier attribute with product information of said at least one first tier category;

instructions for generating in the database, a plurality of second tier product categories branching from said at least one first tier product category to define subcategories of said at least one first tier product category;

instructions for associating the second tier attributes with product information of said second tier product categories; and

instructions for retrieving product information of said second tier product categories so that said at least one first tier attribute of said first tier product category is inherited.