Knowledge-based e-catalog procurement system and method
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for locating information in a collection of one or more electronic data stores, including:
- constructing by a processor a find-tree, which includes a tree composed of nodes and branches, having a root node, and some number of intermediate and terminal or leaf nodes, wherein each node denotes a single term used in a search, that is, in an attempt to locate information in said collection of one or more electronic data stores, and each branch denotes a connection between two nodes, such that each path in said find-tree represents a sequence of terms used in said search, and said find-tree represents one or more paths taken in said search, including alternative paths to the same information, partial or incomplete paths, and paths that lead to different information, so that said find-tree depicts one or more sequences of terms, including the intermediate steps, in which each sequence comprises a search path employed in finding, or attempting to find, information in said collection of electronic data stores;
retrieving and navigating an existing said find-tree or any previous tree to locate desired information in said electronic data stores; and
changing, augmenting or extending said find-tree at any point in the process.
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Abstract
A flexible, intelligent electronic procurement method and system that emulates and learns from the adaptive behavior of a user trying to find a product in an electronic catalog. In contrast to existing methods and systems, the invention allows for searching heterogeneous catalogs in virtually any format, and does not require pre-defined hierarchies, nor the pre-loading of vendor catalog contents, nor the scrubbing of vendor data. It does not impose fixed structures on the user, it does not require the user to start ‘from scratch’ when looking for a new item, and it does not force the user to think like someone else. Instead, the invention allows the user to choose his own way to navigate catalogs of items, and then, by remembering successful search scenarios, and storing that knowledge in a dynamic, growing database (or ‘forest’) of collected search paths, or ‘find-trees’, the invention grows and improves, that is, it evolves organically over time. As the collection of find-trees can be accessed by other users, the utility of the invention increases over time once implemented in a given environment. Further, the invention is able to do this in a time- and space-efficient manner (that is, without the forest growing too tangled, dense or large) not only because of its method and architecture, but also through the use of autonomous background processes that continually prune and update the tree structures for optimum storage and navigation.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for locating information in a collection of one or more electronic data stores, including:
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constructing by a processor a find-tree, which includes a tree composed of nodes and branches, having a root node, and some number of intermediate and terminal or leaf nodes, wherein each node denotes a single term used in a search, that is, in an attempt to locate information in said collection of one or more electronic data stores, and each branch denotes a connection between two nodes, such that each path in said find-tree represents a sequence of terms used in said search, and said find-tree represents one or more paths taken in said search, including alternative paths to the same information, partial or incomplete paths, and paths that lead to different information, so that said find-tree depicts one or more sequences of terms, including the intermediate steps, in which each sequence comprises a search path employed in finding, or attempting to find, information in said collection of electronic data stores; retrieving and navigating an existing said find-tree or any previous tree to locate desired information in said electronic data stores; and changing, augmenting or extending said find-tree at any point in the process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for locating information in a collection of one or more electronic data stores, the system comprising:
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a first storage device for storing information retrieved from said electronic data stores, and for storing a plurality of previously submitted find-trees; a processor connected to the first storage device, with the processor configured for; constructing a find-tree, which includes a tree composed of nodes and branches, having a root node, and some number of intermediate and terminal or leaf nodes, wherein each node denotes a single term used in a search, that is, in an attempt to locate information in said collection of one or more electronic data stores, and each branch denotes a connection between two nodes, such that each path in said find-tree represents a sequence of terms used in said search, and said find-tree represents one or more paths taken in said search, including alternative paths to the same information, partial or incomplete paths, and paths that lead to different information, so that said find-tree depicts one or more sequences of terms, including the intermediate steps, in which each sequence comprises a search path employed in finding, or attempting to find, information in said collection of electronic data stores; retrieving and navigating an existing said find-tree or any previous tree to locate desired information in said electronic data stores; and changing, augmenting or extending said find-tree at any point in the process. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A program product apparatus for locating information in a collection of one or more electronic data stores, said apparatus comprising:
- a computer useable memory with computer program logic stored therein, to enable the locating of information in said electronic data stores;
a first storage device for storing information retrieved from said electronic data stores, and for storing a plurality of previously submitted find-trees; a processor connected to the first storage device, with the processor configured to enable said apparatus to; construct a find-tree, which includes a tree composed of nodes and branches, having a root node, and some number of intermediate and terminal or leaf nodes, wherein each node denotes a single term used in a search, that is, in an attempt to locate information in said collection of one or more electronic data stores, and each branch denotes a connection between two nodes, such that each path in said find-tree represents a sequence of terms used in said search, and said find-tree represents one or more paths taken in said search, including alternative paths to the same information, partial or incomplete paths, and paths that lead to different information, so that said find-tree depicts one or more sequences of terms, including the intermediate steps, in which each sequence comprises a search path employed in finding, or attempting to find, information in said collection of electronic data stores; retrieving and navigating an existing said find-tree or any previous tree to locate desired information in said electronic data stores; and changing, augmenting or extending said find-tree at any point in the process. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
- a computer useable memory with computer program logic stored therein, to enable the locating of information in said electronic data stores;
Specification