System and method for facilitating use of a selection guide
First Claim
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1. A computer-readable media having computer executable instructions for facilitating access to one or more items of interest in an electronic catalog, the instructions performing steps comprising:
- receiving a search query provided for the purpose of identifying the one or more items of interest, the search query being comprised of a plurality of search terms;
identifying each of the plurality of search terms within the search query; and
determining if an identified search term corresponds to a keyword in a keyword index whereby;
when an identified search term matches a keyword within the keyword index the instructions perform the further steps of providing access to a selection guide having a plurality of parametric data entry fields used to specify requirements for the one or more items of interest;
accepting input that functions to populate the one or more of the plurality of parametric data entry fields; and
providing the requirements specified within the populated one or more of the plurality of parametric data entry fields to a search engine to thereby locate items within the electronic catalog; and
when an identified search term fails to match a keyword within the keyword index the instructions perform the further steps of providing the search query to a search engine to thereby locate items within the electronic catalog.
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Abstract
A system and method functions to automatically invoke a selection guide when the search term(s) provided in a freeform search query are determined to be associated with a category of item for which a selection guide will provide the most efficient means for the user to locate items of interest.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer-readable media having computer executable instructions for facilitating access to one or more items of interest in an electronic catalog, the instructions performing steps comprising:
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receiving a search query provided for the purpose of identifying the one or more items of interest, the search query being comprised of a plurality of search terms;
identifying each of the plurality of search terms within the search query; and
determining if an identified search term corresponds to a keyword in a keyword index whereby;
when an identified search term matches a keyword within the keyword index the instructions perform the further steps of providing access to a selection guide having a plurality of parametric data entry fields used to specify requirements for the one or more items of interest;
accepting input that functions to populate the one or more of the plurality of parametric data entry fields; and
providing the requirements specified within the populated one or more of the plurality of parametric data entry fields to a search engine to thereby locate items within the electronic catalog; and
when an identified search term fails to match a keyword within the keyword index the instructions perform the further steps of providing the search query to a search engine to thereby locate items within the electronic catalog. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable media having computer executable instructions for facilitating access to one of plural selection guides each having a plurality of parametric data entry fields used to specify requirements for the one or more items of interest and each relating to a category of items, the instructions performing steps comprising:
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receiving a search query provided for the purpose of identifying the one or more items of interest, the search query being comprised of a plurality of search terms;
identifying each of the plurality of search terms within the search query;
determining from the search terms within the search query a category for the one or more items of interest; and
providing access to a one of the plural selection guides having a related category of items which corresponds to the determined category of the one or more items of interest. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification