US6324534B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sequential subset catalog search engine
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1999-09-10
•
Granted: 2001-11-27
•
Expires: 2019-09-10
Abstract
Abstract An electronic catalog search engine is configurable to optimize the search process by identifying the desired item from the most advantageous supplier, while efficiently utilizing computing resources. The search engine comprises a configurable search and data subset creation mechanism. The system accepts search terms from a user, and then executes a sequence of search strategies on subsets of the database which may include a proximity search, a word count search, and a fuzzy logic search. Subsets can be searched in any order and different search strategies can be applied to different subsets. The sequences are terminated when search steps have uncovered at least one match. Each database entry has a corresponding product category. A list of categories from each of the matching products is dynamically compiled and displayed to the user. The user can page through the list of displayed matches, or alternatively can create a subset of the list by selecting only the items within one of the categories. In addition, the user can further refine the list of items by selecting those items having a particular attribute. The invention has the advantage that users with a wide range of skills and/or familiarity with products can quickly find the products that they need. The system has the additional feature of creating electronic requisitions for the products listed in the database.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Renn Neal
- 👤 James Michael Wilmsen
- 👤 Christopher Wade Beall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 18:41
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/953; G06F16/951; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943; Y10S707/99944
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of selecting data records in a computer readable database, each data record having at least one classification, the method comprising the steps of: designating a plurality of subsets of data records in a database; designating at least a first and a second search strategy, wherein each search strategy comprises a search methodology preselected to operate upon at least one of the plurality of subsets to search for at least one match; forming a search hierarchy comprised of the first search strategy followed by the second search strategy; inputting a search string, comprising at least one search term, to a user interface; executing the search hierarchy, wherein said search string is applied by a succession of said search strategies; terminating said search hierarchy upon finding said at least one match; displaying said at least one match.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of selecting data records in a computer readable database, each data record having at least one classification, the method comprising the steps of: designating a plurality of subsets of data records in a database; designating at least a first and a second search strategy, wherein each search strategy comprises a search methodology preselected to operate upon at least one of the plurality of subsets to search for at least one match; forming a search hierarchy comprised of the first search strategy followed by the second search strategy; inputting a search string, comprising at least one search term, to a user interface; executing the search hierarchy, wherein said search string is applied by a succession of said search strategies; terminating said search hierarchy upon finding said at least one match; displaying said at least one match.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of subsets is a vendor catalog.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said search methodology is a fuzzy logic search.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said search methodology is a soundex search.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said search methodology is a stem search.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein at least the first search strategy, when executed, fails to yield a matching result, and wherein the second search strategy, when executed, yields a matching result.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein a first subset represents items available in-stock, and a second subset represents items not available in-stock.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of reordering said search hierarchy.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of displaying a classification of said at least one match.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
169 words
A system for selecting data records in a computer readable database, each data record having a classification, the database accessible to a computer, the system comprising: a plurality of subsets of data records in the database; at least a first and a second search strategy encoded within said computer, wherein each search strategy comprises a search methodology preselected to operate upon at least one of the plurality of subsets to search for at least one match; an algorithm within said computer, said algorithm comprising a search hierarchy comprised of said first search strategy followed by said second search strategy; a user interface connected to said computer, said user interface having an input for a search string, said input comprising at least one search term; wherein executing the search hierarchy causes said search string to be applied by a succession of said search strategies, and wherein said algorithm terminates said search hierarchy upon finding said at least one match, and displays said at least one match on said user interface.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
169 words
A system for selecting data records in a computer readable database, each data record having a classification, the database accessible to a computer, the system comprising: a plurality of subsets of data records in the database; at least a first and a second search strategy encoded within said computer, wherein each search strategy comprises a search methodology preselected to operate upon at least one of the plurality of subsets to search for at least one match; an algorithm within said computer, said algorithm comprising a search hierarchy comprised of said first search strategy followed by said second search strategy; a user interface connected to said computer, said user interface having an input for a search string, said input comprising at least one search term; wherein executing the search hierarchy causes said search string to be applied by a succession of said search strategies, and wherein said algorithm terminates said search hierarchy upon finding said at least one match, and displays said at least one match on said user interface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of said plurality of subsets is a vendor catalog.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 10 , wherein at least the first search strategy, when executed, fails to yield a matching result, and wherein the second search strategy, when executed, yields a matching result.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of selecting items in a computer readable electronic catalog, each item having a classification, the method comprising the steps of: designating a plurality of subsets of data records in a database, wherein each subset corresponds to a different supplier; designating at least a first and a second search strategy, wherein each search strategy comprises a search methodology preselected to operate upon at least one of the plurality of subsets to search for at least one match; forming a search hierarchy comprised of the first search strategy followed by the second search strategy; inputting a search string, comprising at least one search term, to a user interface; executing the search hierarchy, wherein said search string is applied by a succession of said search strategies according to a preselected order of said suppliers; terminating said search hierarchy upon finding said at least one match; displaying said at least one match.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of selecting items in a computer readable electronic catalog, each item having a classification, the method comprising the steps of: designating a plurality of subsets of data records in a database, wherein each subset corresponds to a different supplier; designating at least a first and a second search strategy, wherein each search strategy comprises a search methodology preselected to operate upon at least one of the plurality of subsets to search for at least one match; forming a search hierarchy comprised of the first search strategy followed by the second search strategy; inputting a search string, comprising at least one search term, to a user interface; executing the search hierarchy, wherein said search string is applied by a succession of said search strategies according to a preselected order of said suppliers; terminating said search hierarchy upon finding said at least one match; displaying said at least one match.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4468728A
Cited
US6014659A
Cited
US5781772A
Cited
US5630125A
Cited
US5706497A
Cited
US5832526A
Cited
US6259451B1
Cited
US6111578A
Cited
US5924090A
Cited
US5806061A
Cited
US6012053A
Cited
US6230154B1
Cited
US6018735A
Cited
US5995971A
Cited
US6026398A
Cited
US6157922A
Cited
US6125361A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-11-26 | 2005-05-28 | 2005-11-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-26 | 2009-05-28 | 2009-11-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-26 | 2013-05-28 | 2013-11-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |