Dynamic generation and display of catalogs

Claim 2

A computerized method for dynamically generating and displaying a catalog comprising a plurality of items, each item being classified by at least group information and product information, the method comprising the steps of: (a) accepting a request from a user to generate such a catalog; (b) presenting a form to the user, the form having a plurality of fields for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into the fields at least group information text and product information text for the item, and by optionally specifying multimedia objects associated with the new item, each field optionally having an associated link to a linked object; (c) presenting a plurality of display templates to the user, each display template defining a pre-designed catalog page layout having generally designated areas for placement of text and multimedia objects relating to an associated item; (d) accepting input from the user selecting one of the plurality of display templates; (e) accepting input from the user into the fields of the form; (f) associating the contents of the fields of the form with corresponding areas of the selected display template; (g) storing, as a part of a page of the catalog, the field contents associated with the selected display template; (h) repeating steps (b) through (g) for each item to be entered into the catalog; (i) accepting a request from a consumer to display a page of the catalog; (j) retrieving the field contents of the requested page from storage; (k) determining if the requested page includes any multimedia objects, and if so, then adjusting, in the selected display template, logical framing for each area designated for placement of multimedia objects; (l) combining the retrieved field contents, including any associated links to linked objects, of the requested page with the selected display template to generate a display page; (m) displaying the display page to the consumer.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein each item is further classified by at least aisle information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field aisle information text.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2, wherein each item is further classified by at least shelf information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field shelf information text.

Claim 5

A computerized system for dynamically generating and displaying a catalog comprising a plurality of items, each item being classified by at least group information and product information, the system comprising: (a) means for accepting a request from a user to generate such a catalog; (b) means for presenting a form to the user, the form having a plurality of fields for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into the fields at least group information text and product information text for the item, and by optionally specifying multimedia objects associated with the new item, each field optionally having an associated link to a linked object; (c) means for presenting a plurality of display templates to the user, each display template defining a pre-designed catalog page layout having generally designated areas for placement of text and multimedia objects relating to an associated item; (d) means for accepting input from the user selecting one of the plurality of display templates; (e) means for accepting input from the user into the fields of the form; (f) means for associating the contents of the fields of the form with corresponding areas of the selected display template; (g) means for storing, as a part of a page of the catalog, the field contents associated with the selected display template; (h) means for accepting a request from a consumer to display a page of the catalog; (i) means for retrieving the field contents of the requested page from storage; (j) means for determining if the requested page includes any multimedia objects, and if so, then adjusting, in the selected display template, logical framing for each area designated for placement of multimedia objects; (k) means for combining the retrieved field contents, including any associated links to linked objects, of the requested page with the selected display template to generate a display page; (l) means for displaying the display page to the consumer.

Claim 6

A computerized system for dynamically generating and displaying a catalog comprising a plurality of items, each item being classified by at least group information and product information, the system comprising: (a) means for accepting a request from a user to generate such a catalog; (b) means for presenting a form to the user, the form having a plurality of fields for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into the fields at least group information text and product information text for the item, and by optionally specifying multimedia objects associated with the new item, each field optionally having an associated link to a linked object; (c) means for presenting a plurality of display templates to the user, each display template defining a pre-designed catalog page layout having generally designated areas for placement of text and multimedia objects relating to an associated item; (d) means for accepting input from the user selecting one of the plurality of display templates; (e) means for accepting input from the user into the fields of the form; (f) means for associating the contents of the fields of the form with corresponding areas of the selected display template; (g) means for storing, as a part of a page of the catalog, the field contents associated with the selected display template; (h) means for accepting a request from a consumer to display a page of the catalog; (i) means for retrieving the field contents of the requested page from storage; (j) means for determining if the requested page includes any multimedia objects, and if so, then adjusting, in the selected display template, logical framing for each area designated for placement of multimedia objects; (k) means for combining the retrieved field contents, including any associated links to linked objects, of the requested page with the selected display template to generate a display page; (l) means for displaying the display page to the consumer.

Claim 7

The system of claim 4, wherein each item is further classified by at least aisle information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field aisle information text.

Claim 8

The system of claim 5, wherein each item is further classified by at least shelf information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field shelf information text.

Claim 9

A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for dynamically generating and displaying a catalog comprising a plurality of items, each item being classified by at least group information and product information, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to: (a) accept a request from a user to generate such a catalog; (b) present a form to the user, the form having a plurality of fields for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into the fields at least group information text and product information text for the item, and by optionally specifying multimedia objects associated with the new item, each field optionally having an associated link to a linked object; (c) present a plurality of display templates to the user, each display template defining a pre-designed catalog page layout having generally designated areas for placement of text and multimedia objects relating to an associated item; (d) accept input from the user selecting one of the plurality of display templates; (e) accept input from the user into the fields of the form; (f) associate the contents of the fields of the form with corresponding areas of the selected display template; (g) store, as a part of a page of the catalog, the field contents associated with the selected display template; (h) repeat actions (b) through (g) for each item to be entered into the catalog; (i) accept a request from a consumer to display a page of the catalog; (j) retrieve the field contents of the requested page from storage; (k) determine if the requested page includes any multimedia objects, and if so, then adjust, in the selected display template, logical framing for each area designated for placement of multimedia objects; (l) combine the retrieved field contents, including any associated links to linked objects, of the requested page with the selected display template to generate a display page; (m) display the display page to the consumer.

Claim 10

A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for dynamically generating and displaying a catalog comprising a plurality of items, each item being classified by at least group information and product information, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to: (a) accept a request from a user to generate such a catalog; (b) present a form to the user, the form having a plurality of fields for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into the fields at least group information text and product information text for the item, and by optionally specifying multimedia objects associated with the new item, each field optionally having an associated link to a linked object; (c) present a plurality of display templates to the user, each display template defining a pre-designed catalog page layout having generally designated areas for placement of text and multimedia objects relating to an associated item; (d) accept input from the user selecting one of the plurality of display templates; (e) accept input from the user into the fields of the form; (f) associate the contents of the fields of the form with corresponding areas of the selected display template; (g) store, as a part of a page of the catalog, the field contents associated with the selected display template; (h) repeat actions (b) through (g) for each item to be entered into the catalog; (i) accept a request from a consumer to display a page of the catalog; (j) retrieve the field contents of the requested page from storage; (k) determine if the requested page includes any multimedia objects, and if so, then adjust, in the selected display template, logical framing for each area designated for placement of multimedia objects; (l) combine the retrieved field contents, including any associated links to linked objects, of the requested page with the selected display template to generate a display page; (m) display the display page to the consumer.

Claim 11

The computer program of claim 7, wherein each item is further classified by at least aisle information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field aisle information text.

Claim 12

The computer program of claim 8, wherein each item is further classified by at least shelf information, and wherein the form further includes at least one field for receiving information from the user classifying a new item by entering into such at least one field shelf information text.