Product search

• US 20130179468A1
• Filed: 01/10/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Inventors: Westphal, Geoffry A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,732,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90344 by using string matching techniques

Abstract

A system and method for searching a product model number database having a plurality of product model numbers stored therein receives a string to be searched in the product model number database from a client device. Multiple queries are then created based on the string and the model number database is queried using the created queries. Query results responsive to the created queries are then received from the model number database and transmitted to the client device.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium embodied in a non-transient, physical memory device having stored thereon computer executable instructions for searching a product model number database comprising a plurality of product model numbers, the instructions performing steps comprising:

receiving a string to be searched in the product model number database from a client device;

creating multiple queries based on the string;

querying the model number database using the created queries;

receiving query results from the model number database responsive to the created queries; and

transmitting the query results to the client device.

2. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two of the queries are selected from the group consisting of:

a search for product model numbers beginning with the string;

a search for product model numbers ending with the string;

a search for product model numbers containing the string;

or

a search for product model numbers beginning with one or more leading zeroes followed by the string.

3. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein creating multiple queries based on the string comprises:

creating a first query comprising a search for product model numbers beginning with the string;

creating a second query comprising a search for product model numbers ending with the string; and

creating a third query comprising a search for product model numbers containing the string.

4. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 3, wherein creating multiple queries based on the string further comprises:

creating a fourth query comprising a search for product model numbers beginning with one or more leading zeroes followed by the string.

5. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the string to be searched comprises successively receiving each character of the string.

6. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 5 further comprising repeating said creating, querying, receiving query results and transmitting steps each time a character is received.

7. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

creating a modified search string by removing one or more characters from the beginning of the string, the end of the string, or a combination thereof;

creating multiple modified queries based on the modified search string;

querying the model number database using the modified queries; and

receiving query results from the model number database responsive to the modified queries.

8. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the query results comprise product information concerning at least one product model responsive to the created queries.

9. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the product information comprises a product model number, a brand name, a price and a product image associated with the at least one product model responsive to the created queries.

10. A computer-readable medium embodied in a non-transient, physical memory device having stored thereon computer executable instructions for searching a product model number database comprising a plurality of product model numbers, the instructions performing steps comprising:

receiving a string to be searched in the product model number database from a client device;

creating multiple queries based on the string, at least two of the queries being selected from the group consisting of;

a search for product model numbers beginning with the string;

a search for product model numbers ending with the string;

a search for product model numbers containing the string;

or

a search for product model numbers beginning with one or more leading zeroes followed by the string;

querying the model number database using the created queries;

receiving query results from the model number database responsive to the created queries; and

transmitting the query results to the client device.

11. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein at least three of the queries are selected from the group consisting of:

a search for product model numbers beginning with the string;

a search for product model numbers ending with the string;

a search for product model numbers containing the string;

or

a search for product model numbers beginning with one or more leading zeroes followed by the string.

12. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein at least four of the queries are selected from the group consisting of:

a search for product model numbers beginning with the string;

a search for product model numbers ending with the string;

a search for product model numbers containing the string;

or

a search for product model numbers beginning with one or more leading zeroes followed by the string.

13. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein receiving the string to be searched comprises successively receiving each character of the string.

14. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13 further comprising repeating said creating, querying, receiving query results and transmitting steps each time a character is received.

15. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

creating a modified search string by removing one or more characters from the beginning of the string, the end of the string, or a combination thereof;

creating multiple modified queries based on the modified search string;

querying the model number database using the modified queries; and

receiving query results from the model number database responsive to the modified queries.

16. A computer-readable medium embodied in a non-transient, physical memory device having stored thereon computer executable instructions for searching a product model number database comprising a plurality of product model numbers, the instructions performing steps comprising:

receiving a string to be searched in the product model number database from a client device;

creating a first query comprising a search for product model numbers beginning with the string;

creating a second query comprising a search for product model numbers ending with the string;

creating a third query comprising a search for product model numbers containing the string;

creating a fourth query comprising a search for product model numbers beginning with one or more leading zeroes followed by the string;

querying the model number database using the first, second, third and fourth queries;

receiving query results from the model number database responsive to the first, second, third and fourth queries; and

transmitting the query results to the client device.

17. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein receiving the string to be searched comprises successively receiving each character of the string.

18. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17 further comprising repeating each of said creating steps, said querying step, said receiving query results step and said transmitting step each time a character is received.

19. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

creating a modified search string by removing one or more characters from the beginning of the string, the end of the string, or a combination thereof;

creating multiple modified queries based on the modified search string;

querying the model number database using the modified queries; and

receiving query results from the model number database responsive to the modified queries.