Dynamic generation and display of catalogs

• US 5,890,175 A
• Filed: 09/25/1996
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IXL Enterprises, Inc. (Scient, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IXL Enterprises, Inc. (Scient, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Garland, van Lydegraf, Eric, Pipp, Randall
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US08/719,561
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501, 707/505, 707/506, 707/507, 707/512, 707/513, 707/514, 707/515, 707/517, 707/520, 707/526, 707/530, 707/3, 707/10, 707/102, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 715/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A computerized method for dynamically generating and displaying a catalog including a plurality of items, each item being classified by at least group information and product information is disclosed. The method allows a merchant user to generate a catalog by classifying new items by entering into pre-defined fields at least group and product information text for each item, and by optionally specifying a multimedia object associated with the new item, where each field optionally has an associated link to a linked object. The user selects a display template which defines a pre-designed catalog page layout having generally designated areas for placement of text and multimedia objects relating to an associated item. After the user inputs information regarding an item into the form fields, the field contents are associated with corresponding areas of the selected template. The field contents are then stored as a part of a page of the catalog. Upon receiving a request to display a page, the stored field contents are retrieved and checked as to whether the requested page includes any multimedia objects. If so, the logical framing for each area designated for placement of multimedia objects is adjusted to accommodate all of the multimedia objects. The retrieved field contents, including any associated links to linked objects, of the requested page are then combined with the display template to generate a display page, which is displayed to a consumer.

Claims

1. A computerized method for dynamically generating and displaying a catalog comprising a plurality of items, each item being classified by at least group information and product information, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) accepting a request from a user to generate such a catalog;

(b) presenting a form to the user, the form having a plurality of fields for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into the fields at least group information text and product information text for the item, and by optionally specifying multimedia objects associated with the new item, each field optionally having an associated link to a linked object;

(c) presenting a plurality of display templates to the user, each display template defining a pre-designed catalog page layout having generally designated areas for placement of text and multimedia objects relating to an associated item;

(d) accepting input from the user selecting one of the plurality of display templates;

(e) accepting input from the user into the fields of the form;

(f) associating the contents of the fields of the form with corresponding areas of the selected display template;

(g) storing, as a part of a page of the catalog, the field contents associated with the selected display template;

(h) repeating steps (b) through (g) for each item to be entered into the catalog;

(i) accepting a request from a consumer to display a page of the catalog;

(j) retrieving the field contents of the requested page from storage;

(k) determining if the requested page includes any multimedia objects, and if so, then adjusting, in the selected display template, logical framing for each area designated for placement of multimedia objects;

(l) combining the retrieved field contents, including any associated links to linked objects, of the requested page with the selected display template to generate a display page;

(m) displaying the display page to the consumer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each item is further classified by at least aisle information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field aisle information text.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each item is further classified by at least shelf information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field shelf information text.

4. A computerized system for dynamically generating and displaying a catalog comprising a plurality of items, each item being classified by at least group information and product information, the system comprising:

(a) means for accepting a request from a user to generate such a catalog;

(b) means for presenting a form to the user, the form having a plurality of fields for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into the fields at least group information text and product information text for the item, and by optionally specifying multimedia objects associated with the new item, each field optionally having an associated link to a linked object;

(c) means for presenting a plurality of display templates to the user, each display template defining a pre-designed catalog page layout having generally designated areas for placement of text and multimedia objects relating to an associated item;

(d) means for accepting input from the user selecting one of the plurality of display templates;

(e) means for accepting input from the user into the fields of the form;

(f) means for associating the contents of the fields of the form with corresponding areas of the selected display template;

(g) means for storing, as a part of a page of the catalog, the field contents associated with the selected display template;

(h) means for accepting a request from a consumer to display a page of the catalog;

(i) means for retrieving the field contents of the requested page from storage;

(j) means for determining if the requested page includes any multimedia objects, and if so, then adjusting, in the selected display template, logical framing for each area designated for placement of multimedia objects;

(k) means for combining the retrieved field contents, including any associated links to linked objects, of the requested page with the selected display template to generate a display page;

(l) means for displaying the display page to the consumer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each item is further classified by at least aisle information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field aisle information text.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each item is further classified by at least shelf information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field shelf information text.

7. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for dynamically generating and displaying a catalog comprising a plurality of items, each item being classified by at least group information and product information, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

(a) accept a request from a user to generate such a catalog;

(b) present a form to the user, the form having a plurality of fields for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into the fields at least group information text and product information text for the item, and by optionally specifying multimedia objects associated with the new item, each field optionally having an associated link to a linked object;

(c) present a plurality of display templates to the user, each display template defining a pre-designed catalog page layout having generally designated areas for placement of text and multimedia objects relating to an associated item;

(d) accept input from the user selecting one of the plurality of display templates;

(e) accept input from the user into the fields of the form;

(f) associate the contents of the fields of the form with corresponding areas of the selected display template;

(g) store, as a part of a page of the catalog, the field contents associated with the selected display template;

(h) repeat actions (b) through (g) for each item to be entered into the catalog;

(i) accept a request from a consumer to display a page of the catalog;

(j) retrieve the field contents of the requested page from storage;

(k) determine if the requested page includes any multimedia objects, and if so, then adjust, in the selected display template, logical framing for each area designated for placement of multimedia objects;

(l) combine the retrieved field contents, including any associated links to linked objects, of the requested page with the selected display template to generate a display page;

(m) display the display page to the consumer.

8. The computer program of claim 7, wherein each item is further classified by at least aisle information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field aisle information text.

9. The computer program of claim 8, wherein each item is further classified by at least shelf information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field shelf information text.