Automated database publishing and integrated marketing system and program

• US 7,213,031 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alamo Distribution LLC
• Original Assignee: Alamark Technologies, L.P.
• Inventors: Filipowsky, Pedro G., Savoie, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MERILYN P
• Application Number:
  US09/844,970
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/103.R, 707/1, 707/3, 707/4, 707/102, 707/200, 707/203, 715/515, 715/513, 715/517, 715/525, 715/500, 715/523, 715/530, 705/10, 705/27, 705/26, 345/667
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A system to assist a seller in creating product catalogues using a database and a separate pagination program. Information regarding specific, desired products is collected from the database. It is modified by Markup Interchange Format (“MIF”) code wherein directives are added that determine what information will be included in the final catalogue. The MIF code file is formatted so that it is compatible with the pagination program, and the resulting file is flowed directly to the pagination program. This method and computer program reduces the likelihood of errors, redundant work, and costs for automated processing of catalogues. The resulting file provides data and the specifications useful for creating a formatted, printable or viewable output.

Claims

1. A method for creating a computer file readable by a pagination program for generating an output, comprising:

accessing a computer database;

identifying a record stored in said computer database;

adding a field directive to said record, wherein said field directive contains an instruction to said pagination program directing how said pagination program will format said output;

retrieving said record from said computer database;

adding computer code to said record to create said computer file, wherein said computer code makes said computer file readable by said pagination program;

transferring said computer file to said pagination program where said output can be generated;

identifying a first recipient of said output;

obtaining said first recipient'"'"'s address information;

determining a number of orders made by said first recipient;

determining a monetary value of orders made by said first recipient;

determining a recency of orders made by said first recipient;

storing said number of orders;

storing said monetary value of orders;

storing said recency of orders;

calculating a first set of statistics regarding said number of orders, monetary value of orders, and recency of orders;

determining whether to transfer said output to said first recipient based upon said first set of statistics;

identifying a second recipient of said output;

obtaining said second recipient'"'"'s address information;

determining a number of orders made by said second recipient;

determining a monetary value of orders made by said second recipient;

determining a recency of orders made by said second recipient;

storing said number of orders made by said second recipient;

storing said monetary value of orders made by said second recipient;

storing said recency of orders made by said second recipient; and

calculating a second set of statistics regarding said second recipient'"'"'s number of orders, said second recipient'"'"'s monetary value of orders, and said second recipient'"'"'s recency of orders;

ranking said first recipient versus said second recipient based upon said first and second sets of statistics; and

transferring said output to the higher ranked as between said first recipient and said second recipient.

2. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a program having control logic stored therein, said control logic, when executed, enabling a computer to generate a computer file containing a record received from a computer database, add a field directive to said computer file, and convert said computer file to be compatible with a pagination program to develop an output, said control logic comprising:

accessing means for enabling said computer to access said record from said computer database;

coding means for identifying said record contained in said computer database;

coding means for adding at least one field directive to said record, wherein said field directive provides an instruction to said pagination program directing how said pagination program will format said output;

coding means for converting said record into a computer file readable by said pagination program;

coding means for transferring said computer file to said pagination program;

coding means to identify a first recipient of said output;

coding means to obtain said first recipient'"'"'s address information;

coding means to determine a number of orders made by said first recipient;

coding means to determine a monetary value of orders made by said first recipient;

coding means to determine a recency of orders made by said first recipient;

coding means to store said number of orders;

coding means to store said monetary value of orders;

coding means to store said recency of orders;

coding means to calculate a first set of statistics regarding said number of orders, monetary value of orders, and recency of orders;

coding means to determine whether to transfer said output to said first recipient based upon said statistics;

coding means to identify a second recipient of said output;

coding means to obtain said second recipient'"'"'s address information;

coding means to determine a number of orders made by said second recipient;

coding means to determine a monetary value of orders made by said second recipient;

coding means to determine a recency of orders made by said second recipient;

coding means to store said number of orders made by said second recipient;

coding means to store said monetary value of orders made by said second recipient;

coding means to store said recency of orders made by said second recipient; and

coding means to calculate a second set of statistics regarding said second recipient'"'"'s number of orders, said second recipient'"'"'s monetary value of orders, and said second recipient'"'"'s recency of orders;

coding means to rank said first recipient versus said second recipient based upon said first and second sets of statistics; and

coding means to transfer said output to the higher ranked as between said first recipient and said second recipient.

3. A method of converting a record of a first product stored in a computer database into a computer file readable by a pagination program, comprising:

controlling a computer system to create a file template;

controlling said computer system to select said record of said first product from among multiple product records stored in said computer database;

using said file template to add a field directive to said record of said first product, said field directive containing instructions used by said pagination program for formatting an output;

adding computer code to said record of said first product in order to create a computer file that is readable by said pagination program;

transferring said computer file to said pagination program;

said file template further comprising;

a first field directive containing Aframe information, wherein said Aframe information comprises a computer file name of an image stored in said database and associated with said first product, a computer path to said image, and an Aframe identification code;

a second field directive containing table information, wherein said table has instruction used by said pagination program to set the number of columns of said output, the widths of each of said columns, the contents of a header of each of said columns, the contents of a row, a subheading title, closing tags for said table, and a table identification code; and

a third field directive containing text flow information, wherein said text flow information comprises said first product'"'"'s manufacturer, said first product'"'"'s group, said first product'"'"'s subheading, said first product'"'"'s sales point, said first product'"'"'s features, said first product'"'"'s Aframe identification code, and said first product'"'"'s table identification code.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

adding said first field directive, said second field directive, and said third field directive to each of a group of records of at least 20 products stored in said computer database and converting said group of records into a computer file readable by said pagination program.

5. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for controlling a computer system for adding field directives to a record of a product stored in a computer database readable by a pagination program, comprising:

controlling said computer system to create a file template, wherein said file template contains;

a first field directive containing Aframe information, wherein said Aframe information comprises a file name of an associated image stored in said database, a path to said associated image, and an Aframe identification code;

a second field directive containing table information, wherein said table information comprises a number of columns of said output, widths of each of said columns, contents of a header of each of said columns, contents of a row, a subheading title, closing tags for said table, and a table identification code; and

a third field directive containing text flow information, wherein said text flow information comprises said product'"'"'s manufacturer, said product'"'"'s group, said product'"'"'s subheading, said product'"'"'s sales point, said product'"'"'s features, said product'"'"'s Aframe identification code, and said product'"'"'s table identification code;

controlling said computer system to select said record;

using said file template to add said first field directive, said second field directive, and said third field directive to said record;

controlling said computer system to select said record contained in said computer database to be converted;

adding computer code to said record in order that said computer file is readable by said pagination program; and

transferring said computer file to said pagination program.