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Use of data patterns for rapid search of complex rules in a rules-based search engine

  • US 8,204,905 B2
  • Filed: 03/05/2009
  • Issued: 06/19/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for facilitating retrieval of pricing rules stored in a database, the method comprising:

  • receiving, at one or more computer systems, information identifying a plurality of pricing rules stored in a database, at least some pricing rules in the plurality of pricing rules are configured to provide base prices for items and at least some pricing rules in the plurality of pricing rules are configured to modify the base prices for the items, each pricing rule in the plurality of pricing rules having an attribute-value structure;

    determining, with one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, an attribute group for each pricing rule in the plurality of pricing rules, the attribute group for a pricing rule incorporating a name of each of one or more attributes of the pricing rule;

    generating, with the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, a mapping between each attribute group generated for each pricing rule in the plurality of pricing rules and at least one unique identifier;

    determining, with the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, a data pattern for each pricing rule in the plurality of pricing rules, a data pattern of a pricing rule incorporating one or more values of one or more attributes of the pricing rule;

    generating, with the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, a mapping between each data pattern generated for each pricing rule in the plurality of pricing rules and the unique identifier of at least one attribute group;

    receiving, at the one or more computer systems, a request for pricing information associated with an item;

    determining, with the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, an attribute group for the request based on one or more attributes in the request for pricing information associated with the item, the attribute group for the request incorporating a name of each of one or more attributes in the request;

    determining, with the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, a match between at least one attribute group determined for the plurality of pricing rules and the attribute group associated with the request;

    identifying, with the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, a subset of the data patterns determined for the plurality of pricing rules that are associated with the unique identifier mapped to the matched at least one attribute group;

    determining, with the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, a data pattern for the request based on one or more values of the one or more attributes in the request for pricing information associated with the item;

    identifying, with the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, at least one pricing rule associated with at least one of the subset of data patterns based on a match between the determined data pattern associated with the request and at least one of the subset of data patterns; and

    generating, with the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, information configured for retrieving the at least one identified pricing rule from the database.

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