Market research database containing separate product and naked product information

• US 6,092,069 A
• Filed: 12/19/1997
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ACNielsen Corporation (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Martin, James Charles, Rabolt, Kenneth Francis, Healy, Keri Anderson, Johnson, Barbara Elizabeth, Berzkalns, Ilga Anita, Byron, Danielle Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Application Number:
  US08/994,924
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/103, 705/1, 705/14, 705/20, 705/26, 235/375, 395/611
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A market research database includes industry code information containing industry codes (such as UPCs), naked product information containing information about naked products, package information containing information about packages, and product definition information linking naked product information, package information, and industry codes. Accordingly, the storage of information in the database is not dependent upon UPCs or other industry codes, making access to product related information difficult. The use of naked product information, together with the way of identifying products, facilitate a third normal form database.

Claims

1. A market research database comprising:

industry code information including industry codes;

naked product information linking naked product codes and naked product definition codes, wherein a naked product code is a code related to a naked product, and wherein a naked product is a substance absent a package; and

,

product definition information linking product definition codes, naked product codes, and industry codes.

2. The market research database of claim 1 wherein the product definition information links product definition codes with characteristic codes.

3. The market research database of claim 2 further comprising characteristic information linking characteristic codes with product characteristics.

4. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising characteristic information linking product definition codes with characteristic types.

5. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising characteristic information linking product definition codes with characteristic values.

6. The market research database of claim 1 wherein the product definition information links naked product definition codes and product characteristics.

7. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising characteristic information linking naked product codes with characteristic types.

8. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising characteristic information linking naked product codes with characteristic values.

9. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising package information including package codes, wherein the product definition information links product definition codes with package codes.

10. The market research database of claim 9 wherein the package information links package codes with characteristic codes.

11. The market research database of claim 10 wherein the naked product information links naked product codes with characteristic codes.

12. The market research database of claim 11 further comprising characteristic information linking characteristic codes with characteristic types and values.

13. The market research database of claim 10 wherein the product definition information links product definition codes with characteristic codes.

14. The market research database of claim 13 further comprising characteristic information linking characteristic codes with characteristic types and values.

15. The market research database of claim 13 wherein the naked product information links naked product codes with characteristic codes.

16. The market research database of claim 15 further comprising characteristic information linking characteristic codes with characteristic types and values.

17. The market research database of claim 9 wherein the package information links package codes with characteristic types and values.

18. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising characteristic information linking package codes with characteristic types.

19. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising characteristic information linking package codes with characteristic values.

20. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising brand name information linking brand name codes, to product definition codes.

21. The market research database of claim 20 wherein the brand name codes are linked to the product definition codes through the naked product codes.

22. The market research database of claim 20 further comprising package information including package codes, wherein the product definition information links product definition codes with package codes.

23. The market research database of claim 22 wherein the package information links package codes with characteristic codes.

24. The market research database of claim 23 further comprising characteristic information linking characteristic codes with characteristic types and values.

25. The market research database of claim 23 wherein the naked product information links naked product codes with characteristic codes.

26. The market research database of claim 25 further comprising characteristic information linking characteristic codes with characteristic types and values.

27. The market research database of claim 23 wherein the product definition information links product definition codes with characteristic codes.

28. The market research database of claim 27 further comprising characteristic information linking characteristic codes with characteristic types and values.

29. The market research database of claim 27 wherein the naked product information links naked product codes with characteristic codes.

30. The market research database of claim 29 further comprising characteristic information linking characteristic codes with characteristic types and values.

31. The market research database of claim 20 wherein the product definition information links product definition codes with characteristic codes.

32. The market research database of claim 31 further comprising characteristic information linking characteristic codes with characteristic types and values.

33. The market research database of claim 20 wherein the naked product information links naked product codes with characteristic codes.

34. The market research database of claim 33 further comprising characteristic information linking characteristic codes with characteristic types and values.

35. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising business enterprise information linking business enterprise codes with product definition codes.

36. The market research database of claim 35 further comprising brand name information linking brand name codes with product definition codes.

37. The market research database of claim 36 wherein the brand name codes are linked with product definition codes through naked product codes, and wherein the business enterprise codes are linked with product definition codes through brand name codes and naked product codes.

38. The market research database of claim 36 further comprising package information linking package codes with product definition codes.

39. The market research database of claim 38 wherein the package information links package codes with characteristic codes.

40. The market research database of claim 35 further comprising package information linking package codes with product definition codes.

41. The market research database of claim 40 wherein the package information links package codes with characteristic codes.

42. The market research database of claim 35 wherein the naked product information links naked product codes with product definition codes.

43. The market research database of claim 42 wherein the naked product information links naked product codes with characteristic codes.

44. The market research database of claim 35 wherein the product definition information links product definition codes with characteristic codes.

45. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising time dependent links so that product related information may be tracked through time.

46. The market research database of claim 1 wherein the product definition information includes time dependent links to naked products and product characteristics so that product related information may be tracked through time.

47. The market research database of claim 1 wherein the product definition information includes a first product name and a second product name, and further comprising redefine information linking the first and second product names with a product redefine date on which the first product name was changed to the second product name.

48. The market research database of claim 1 wherein the industry code information includes a first industry code and a second industry code, and further comprising redefine information linking the first and second industry codes with a code redefine date on which the first industry code was changed to the second industry code.

49. The market research database of claim 1 wherein the naked product information includes a first naked product and a second naked product, and further comprising redefine information linking the first and second naked products with a naked product redefine date on which the first naked product was changed to the second naked product.

50. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising:

brand name information including a first brand name and a second brand name; and

,

redefine information linking the first and second brand names with a brand name redefine date on which the first brand name was changed to the second brand name.

51. The market research database of claim 1 further comprising:

business enterprise information including a first business enterprise and a second business enterprise; and

,

redefine information linking the first and second business enterprises with a business enterprise redefine date on which the first business enterprise was changed to the second business enterprise.

52. The market research database of claim 1 wherein the product definition information includes a first product name and a second product name, wherein the industry code information includes a first industry code and a second industry code, wherein the naked product information includes a first naked product and a second naked product, and wherein the market research database further comprises:

brand name information including a first brand name and a second brand name;

business enterprise information including a first business enterprise and a second business enterprise; and

,

redefine information (i) linking the first and second product names with a product redefine date on which the first product name was changed to the second product name, (ii) linking the first and second industry codes with a code redefine date on which the first industry code was changed to the second industry code, (iii) linking the first and second naked products with a naked product redefine date on which the first naked product was changed to the second naked product, (iv) linking the first and second brand names with a brand name redefine date on which the first brand name was changed to the second brand name, and (v) linking the first and second business enterprises with a business enterprise redefine date on which the first business enterprise was changed to the second business enterprise.

53. The market research database of claim 52 wherein the brand names are linked to naked products, and wherein business enterprises are linked to brand names.

54. The market research database of claim 1 wherein the product definition information includes a first product name and a second product name, wherein the naked product information includes a first naked product and a second naked product, and wherein the market research database further comprises:

brand name information including a first brand name and a second brand name;

business enterprise information including a first business enterprise and a second business enterprise; and

,

redefine information (i) linking the first and second product names with a product redefine date on which the first product name was changed to the second product name, (ii) linking the first and second naked products with a naked product redefine date on which the first naked product was changed to the second naked product, (iii) linking the first and second brand names with a brand name redefine date on which the first brand name was changed to the second brand name, and (iv) linking the first and second business enterprises with a business enterprise redefine date on which the first business enterprise was changed to the second business enterprise.

55. The market research database of claim 54 wherein the brand names are linked to naked products, and wherein business enterprises are linked to brand names.

56. The market research database of claim 1 wherein the product definition information includes a first product name and a second product name, wherein the industry code information includes a first industry code and a second industry code, and wherein the market research database further comprises:

brand name information including a first brand name and a second brand name;

business enterprise information including a first business enterprise and a second business enterprise; and

,

redefine information (i) linking the first and second product names with a product redefine date on which the first product name was changed to the second product name, (ii) linking the first and second industry codes with a code redefine date on which the first industry code was changed to the second industry code, (iii) linking the first and second brand names with a brand name redefine date on which the first brand name was changed to the second brand name, and (iv) linking the first and second business enterprises with a business enterprise redefine date on which the first business enterprise was changed to the second business enterprise.

57. The market research database of claim 56 wherein brand names are linked to naked products, and wherein business enterprises are linked to brand names.

58. The market research database of claim 1 further comprises:

brand name information including a first brand name and a second brand name;

business enterprise information including a first business enterprise and a second business enterprise; and

,

redefine information (i) linking the first and second brand names with a brand name redefine date on which the first brand name was changed to the second brand name, and (ii) linking the first and second business enterprises with a business enterprise redefine date on which the first business enterprise was changed to the second business enterprise.

59. The market research database of claim 58 wherein brand names are linked to naked products, and wherein business enterprises are linked to brand names.

60. The market research database of claim 1 wherein the product definition information includes a first product name and a second product name, and wherein the market research database further comprises:

brand name information including a first brand name and a second brand name;

business enterprise information including a first business enterprise and a second business enterprise; and

,

redefine information (i) linking the first and second product names with a product redefine date on which the first product name was changed to the second product name, (ii) linking the first and second brand names with a brand name redefine date on which the first brand name was changed to the second brand name, and (iii) linking the first and second business enterprises with a business enterprise redefine date on which the first business enterprise was changed to the second business enterprise.

61. The market research database of claim 60 wherein brand names are linked to naked products, and wherein business enterprises are linked to brand names.

62. A market research database comprising:

a first information set including information about products;

a second information set including information about brands;

a third information set including information about business enterprises; and

,

time related links between the first, second, and third information sets, the time related links being arranged to permit tracking of evolutionary relationships between the products, the brands, and the business enterprises.

63. A market research database comprising:

a first information set including brand information;

a second information set including business enterprise information; and

,

time related links between the first and second information sets, the time related links being arranged to permit tracking of evolutionary relationships between the brand information and the business enterprise information.

64. A market research database comprising:

a first information set including product definition information;

a second information set including naked product information;

a third information set including brand information;

a fourth information set including business enterprise information; and

,

time related links between the first, second, third, and fourth information sets, the time related links being arranged to permit tracking of evolutionary relationships between the product definition information, the naked product information, the brand information, and the business enterprise information.