Source- and venue-specific inventory data processing and identification system

• US 20070282711A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CDK Global Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ADP Dealer Services Incorporated (CDK Global Incorporated)
• Inventors: Worsham, Brian T., Ullman, Matthew Royce
• Granted Patent: US 8,055,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

An inventory manager processes and assigns data from data records for a product in accordance with rule set that correspond to a source and venue associate with the product. The inventory manager may delete, modify, and create data within a data record. The data may be selectively made available for use by a venue based on the rule set. The inventory manager may include a style identification manager to determine a product style value for the venue based on the data currently available for possible use by the venue and on instructions and logic within the rule set.

Claims

1. A system to process and assign product data including values for a product data record corresponding to a product, comprising:

a network interface to receive a product data record over a network from a source; and

a memory having stored thereon computer readable instruction code, including,

a rule set including rules associated with the product data record, and

a processing manager to apply the rules to the product data record and determine availability of values to a venue, the processing manager including an assignment manager to determine the values in the product data record to assign and make available to the venue based on the rules.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing manager further includes a transformation manager to modify values in the product data record that are assigned and available to the venue based on the rules.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a rules engine activated by the transformation manager to process rules and modify values in the product data record.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the rules are configured by the source.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the rules are configured by the venue.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing manager further includes an augmentation manager to add values in the product data record and assign and make available to the venue.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a rules engine activated by the augmentation manager to add values to the product data record.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further includes a master data record generated by the assignment manager, the master data record including values corresponding to the product.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a rules engine activated by the assignment manager to process rules and determine the values in the product data record to assign and make available to the venue.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules include a determination of an association between the source and the venue.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules include a determination of an association between a manufacturer of the product and the source.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules include a determination of an association between a manufacturer of the product and the venue.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the determination includes whether the manufacturer sponsors the venue.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules include a determination of an association between the product and the venue.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules are configured by the source and determine available values to the-venue.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules are configured by the venue and determine available values to the venue.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the assignment manager further determines values available for actual use and viewing by the venue.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the venue is a website accessible over a network and the assignment manager determines which values may be accessed by the venue and which values are actually used and viewed by users accessing the website.

19. A method for processing and assigning values for a product data record corresponding to a product, comprising:

receiving a product data record over a network from a source, the product data record including a plurality of values corresponding to a product;

providing rules associated with the product data record;

applying the rules to the product data record to assign the values to a venue over the network; and

applying the rules to the product data record to determine the availability of each value in the product data record to a venue over the network.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising modifying values in the product data record based on the rules.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the source configuring the rules.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the venue configuring the rules.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

adding a new value to the product data record;

assigning the new value to the venue; and

determining the availability of the new value to the venue based on the rules.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating a master data record corresponding to the product, the master data record including the plurality of values.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein applying the rules to the product data record to determine the availability of each value in the product data record to a venue over the network includes determining an association between the source and the venue.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein applying the rules to the product data record to determine the availability of each value in the product data record to a venue over the network includes determining an association between a manufacturer of the product and the source.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein applying the rules to the product data record to determine the availability of each value in the product data record to a venue over the network includes determining an association between a manufacturer of the product and the venue.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein determining the association includes whether the manufacturer sponsors the venue.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein applying the rules to the product data record to determine the availability of each value in the product data record to a venue over the network includes determining an association between the product and the venue.

30. The method of claim 19, further comprising the source configuring the rules.

31. The method of claim 19, further comprising the venue configuring the rules.

32. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining which values are available for actual use and viewing by the venue.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the venue comprises a website accessible over a network and further comprising determining which values are accessible by the website and which values are actually used and viewed by users accessing the website.

34. A computer readable medium having computer readable instruction code stored thereon for performing a method for processing and assigning values for a product data record corresponding to a product, the method comprising:

receiving a product data record over a network from a source, the product data record including a plurality of values corresponding to a product;

providing rules associated with the product data record;

applying the rules to the product data record to assign the values to a venue over the network; and

applying the rules to the product data record to determine the availability of each value in the product data record to a venue over the network.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises modifying values in the product data record based on the rules.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises the source configuring the rules.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises the venue configuring the rules.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises:

adding a new value to the product data record;

assigning the new value to the venue; and

determining the availability of the new value to the venue based on the rules.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises generating a master data record corresponding to the product, the master data record including the plurality of values.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein applying the rules to the product data record to determine the availability of each value in the product data record to a venue over the network includes determining an association between the source and the venue.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein applying the rules to the product data record to determine the availability of each value in the product data record to a venue over the network includes determining an association between a manufacturer of the product and the source.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein applying the rules to the product data record to determine the availability of each value in the product data record to a venue over the network includes determining an association between a manufacturer of the product and the venue.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein determining the association includes whether the manufacturer sponsors the venue.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein applying the rules to the product data record to determine the availability of each value in the product data record to a venue over the network includes determining an association between the product and the venue.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises the source configuring the rules.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises the venue configuring the rules.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises determining which values are available for actual use and viewing by the venue.

48. The computer readable medium of claim, wherein the venue comprises a website accessible over a network and wherein the method further comprises determining which values are accessible by the website and which values are actually used and viewed by users accessing the website.

49. A system to process a product data record including data fields having corresponding values for a product, comprising:

a network interface to receive a product data record over a network from a source; and

a memory having stored thereon computer readable instruction code, including,

a rule set including rules associated with the product data record,

a rule engine to process the rules, and

a processing manager to filter values in the product data record based on the rules to thereby delete and modify values, the processing manager further to determine availability of values to a venue based on the rules.