Flexible request and response communications interfaces
First Claim
1. A method for providing access to a database using a custom interface, the method comprising:
- providing a first interface to a remote first supplier over a network, the first interface allowing the first supplier to define a customized second interface based on a particular set of products or services offered by the first supplier, the first interface associated with a first data record format, the customized second interface associated with a second data record format, the first data record format comprising a subset of the second data record format;
receiving from the first supplier (a) a product or service category and (b) a set of parameter definitions comprising parameter names and parameter data types, wherein the product or service category and the parameter definitions describe the particular set of products or services offered by the first supplier;
creating a new request type in a database based on the product or service category, and associating the set of parameter names and parameter data types with the new request type, wherein the customized second interface is defined by the first supplier and based on the new request type;
receiving from the first supplier a first supplier link for sending product or service requests to the first supplier;
associating the first supplier link with the newly created request type; and
presenting the customized second interface defined by the first supplier to one or more other remote suppliers to allow the one or more remote suppliers to extend the customized second interface by (c) adding further parameter definitions to further describe one or more other products or services offered by the one or more other suppliers, the products and services offered by the first supplier in about the same product or service category as the products or services offered by the second supplier, and (d) adding one or more supplier links of the one or more other suppliers;
receiving a from a user, the request associated with items of interest among the products or services offered by the suppliers using the extended customized second interface, and allowing user requests for items of interest to be sent to the suppliers via the supplier links;
displaying the extended customized second interface to the user;
sending the user request to at least one of the other suppliers;
receiving a response from the other suppliers, the response including data in the form of the customized second interface.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for database storage allowing subscriber entities to create specialized interfaces for storing different classes of information based on subscribed-defined categories and parameters, allowing for efficient search and retrieval of the information by users using the subscriber-defined categories and parameters. A method for processing a search request comprises receiving from a user a set of search terms, retrieving from a database a set of records satisfying the search terms, sending the search terms to one or more suppliers as indicated by supplier links associated with the records, receiving a set of results from the one or more suppliers, and sending the set of results to the user. A method for information storage comprises sending an interface to a supplier over a network, receiving from the supplier a supplier-defined category, a set of supplier-defined parameters associated with the category, and a supplier link, and adding a record comprising the category, the supplier link, and the set of parameters to a database, thereby allowing the database to be searched for the supplier as a provider according to the category and the parameters, and allowing the supplier to be queried via the supplier link for results according to the category and the parameters.
17 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for providing access to a database using a custom interface, the method comprising:
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providing a first interface to a remote first supplier over a network, the first interface allowing the first supplier to define a customized second interface based on a particular set of products or services offered by the first supplier, the first interface associated with a first data record format, the customized second interface associated with a second data record format, the first data record format comprising a subset of the second data record format; receiving from the first supplier (a) a product or service category and (b) a set of parameter definitions comprising parameter names and parameter data types, wherein the product or service category and the parameter definitions describe the particular set of products or services offered by the first supplier; creating a new request type in a database based on the product or service category, and associating the set of parameter names and parameter data types with the new request type, wherein the customized second interface is defined by the first supplier and based on the new request type; receiving from the first supplier a first supplier link for sending product or service requests to the first supplier; associating the first supplier link with the newly created request type; and presenting the customized second interface defined by the first supplier to one or more other remote suppliers to allow the one or more remote suppliers to extend the customized second interface by (c) adding further parameter definitions to further describe one or more other products or services offered by the one or more other suppliers, the products and services offered by the first supplier in about the same product or service category as the products or services offered by the second supplier, and (d) adding one or more supplier links of the one or more other suppliers; receiving a from a user, the request associated with items of interest among the products or services offered by the suppliers using the extended customized second interface, and allowing user requests for items of interest to be sent to the suppliers via the supplier links; displaying the extended customized second interface to the user; sending the user request to at least one of the other suppliers; receiving a response from the other suppliers, the response including data in the form of the customized second interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for allowing a supplier of products or services to define a customized interface based on a particular set of products or services offered by the supplier, wherein the customized interface is extensible by other suppliers to accommodate similar products or services offered by the other suppliers, and wherein the extended customized interface is used by users to search for items of interest among the products or services offered by the suppliers, the system comprising:
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a processor; and
a memory,the processor to; provide a first interface to a first supplier over a network, the first interface allowing the first supplier to define a customized second interface based on a particular set of products or services offered by the first supplier; receive from the first supplier (a) a product or service category and (b) a set of parameter definitions comprising parameter names and parameter data types, wherein the product or service category and the parameter definitions describe the particular set of products or services offered by the first supplier; create a new request type in a database based on the product or service category, and associating the set of parameter names and parameter data types with the new request type, wherein the customized second interface is based on the new request type; receive from the first supplier a first supplier link for sending product or service requests to the first supplier; associate the first supplier link with the newly created request type; and
present the customized second interface to one or more other suppliers to allow them to extend the customized second interface by (c) adding further parameter definitions to further describe one or more other products or services offered by the one or more other suppliers in the same product or service category, and (d) adding one or more supplier links of the one or more other suppliers;thereby allowing a user to search the database for items of interest using the extended customized second interface, and allowing user requests for items of interest to be sent to the suppliers via the supplier links; and display the extended customized second interface to the user; send the user request to at least one of the other suppliers; and receive a response from the other suppliers, the response including data in the form of the customized second interface. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification