Computer-implemented procurement of items using parametric searching

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for procuring one or more items includes, in response to user-provided data and after user selection of a search module using a client system, providing an item category. Based on user selection of the item category using the client system, one or more attributes associated with all items in the item category are provided. Based on user input identifying an attribute value for at least one attribute, search results including one or more items matching the attribute value are generated. In response to user selection of a particular item from among the search results using the client system, an order request for the selected item is then generated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer-implemented system for parametric searching of one or more item catalogs, comprising a server associated with one or more software components collectively operable to: 
 receive a keyword specifying one or more attribute values common to all items in a corresponding class, one or more attributes common to all items in the corresponding class being left unconstrained by the keyword;    determine which one or more attributes common to all items in the corresponding class are left unconstrained by the keyword;    receive attribute values for one or more attributes that are left unconstrained by the keyword;    parametrically search an item catalog based on the attribute values specified by the keyword and the attribute values received for the attributes that are left unconstrained by the keyword;    generate search results according to the parametric search, each of the search results comprising an item with attribute values matching all those specified by the keyword and all those received for the attributes that are left unconstrained by the keyword; and    receive a selection of an item from among the search results.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a database containing at least a portion of an item catalog to be searched, the database comprising: 
 an item table identifying all items in the portion of the item catalog and identifying attribute values for all searchable attributes of each item, each item being linked to its attribute values using the item table; and    a keyword table identifying one or more keywords that each correspond to a class of items, each keyword being linked to one or more searchable attribute values common to all items in the corresponding class using the keyword table;    the parametric search being performed using the item table and the keyword table.    
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the database includes both one or more internal catalogs and one or more external catalogs.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more software components are further operable to receive a selection of either an internal item catalog for an enterprise associated with a user for whom searching is being performed or an external item catalog associated with another enterprise and to restrict the parametric search accordingly.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more software components are further operable to receive a selection of a search module from among a plurality of available search modules comprising a keyword search module, a manufacturer search module, and a global search module.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the one or more software components are operable to allow the user to navigate a hierarchically organized keyword tree to select the keyword, the keyword being a first keyword at a first level of the keyword tree, the first keyword corresponding to a first class of items and being linked to first attribute values common to all items in the first class; and    the keyword tree comprises a second keyword at a second level of the keyword tree, the second keyword corresponding to a second class of items and being linked to second attribute values common to all items in the second class, the second level being hierarchically higher than the first level within the keyword tree, the second class being a superset of the first class, and the second attribute values being a subset of the first attribute values.    
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the attribute values for attributes that are left unconstrained by the keyword are received using corresponding attribute menus, each menu comprising all acceptable attribute values for the corresponding unconstrained attribute and from which the user may select a particular attribute value for the unconstrained attribute to specify its attribute value.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the attribute values for attributes that are left unconstrained by the keyword are received using corresponding attribute fields, each field corresponding to an unconstrained attribute and into which the user may input an attribute value for the unconstrained attribute to specify its attribute value.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is operable to: 
 receive a logon request from a client system associated with a user, the user being one of multiple concurrent users associated with multiple client systems; and    communicate the one or more software components for operation on the client system in response to the logon request, the software components being operable to parametrically search the item catalog independent of the server.    
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one software component comprises an applet.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more software components are further operable to: 
 retrieve a cached image of the selected item; and    generate a display for presentation on a client system associated with a user, the display comprising at least the image of the selected item.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the software components are further operable to generate an order request for the selected item in response to a user associated with a client system selecting the item from among the search results.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the software components are further operable to send the order request for fulfillment in response to electronic approval of the order request by one or more supervisors of the user.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the software components are further operable to generate an approval and routing status of the order request in response to the user selecting an order status module.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein generating the order request varies according to whether the item is selected from an internal or an external catalog.  
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented system for parametric searching of one or more item catalogs, comprising: 
 means for receiving a keyword specifying the one or more attribute values common to all items in the corresponding class, one or more attributes common to all items in the class being left unconstrained by the keyword;    means for determining which one or more attributes common to all items in the class that are left unconstrained by the keyword;    means for receiving attribute values for one or more attributes that are left unconstrained by the keyword;    means for parametrically searching at least a portion of an item catalog according to the attribute values specified by the keyword and the attribute values received for the attributes left unconstrained by the keyword;    means for generating search results according to the parametric search, each search result comprising an item with attribute values matching all those specified by the keyword and all those received for the attributes left unconstrained by the keyword; and    means for receiving a selection of an item from among the search results.    
     
     
         17 . A method of searching a database, comprising: 
 performing a textual search on the database;    obtaining results from the textual search as a list of items;    selecting an item from the list of items generated according to the textual search;    viewing all related attributes for the selected item.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising viewing all acceptable attribute values for the related attributes.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the database includes both internal and external catalogs.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the textual search is entered as a number, a text string, a name, a description, or a part number of an item.  
     
     
         21 . A relational database, comprising: 
 a keyword table comprising a primary key keyword_id comprising member data fields keyword, parent_keyword_id, keyword_path, and last_in_chain;    a keyword_char table comprising a primary key keyword_char_id comprising member data fields keyword_id, char_id, and char_valid_values;    a parts table comprising a primary key part_id comprising member data fields part_number and keyword_id;    a part_char table comprising primary key part_char_id comprising member data fields part_id, char_id, char_value, characteristic, and keyword_id; and    a characteristic table comprising a primary key char_id comprising member data fields characteristic and numeric.    
     
     
         22 . The relational database of  claim 21 , wherein the keyword table further comprises a multimedia member data field.  
     
     
         23 . The relational database of  claim 21 , wherein the parts table further comprises one or more member data fields selected from the group consisting of: 
 a price member data field;    a part_desc member data field;    a unit_of_measure data field;    a bulk data field;    a stock keeping unit (SKU) member data field;    a location member data field; and    a mfg_id member data field.    
     
     
         24 . The relational database of  claim 21 , wherein the part_char table further comprises one or more member data fields selected from the group consisting of: 
 a char_ordinal member data field;    a mfg_id member data field; and    a conversion member data field.    
     
     
         25 . The relational database of  claim 21 , further comprising one or more additional tables selected from the group consisting of: 
 a manufacturer table;    a multimedia table;    a keyword_multimedia table;    a part _multimedia table; and    a mfg_keyword table.    
     
     
         26 . A computer-implemented method for procuring one or more items, comprising: 
 in response to user-provided data and after user selection of a search module using a client system, providing an item category;    based on user selection of the item category using the client system, providing one or more attributes associated with all items in the item category;    based on user input identifying an attribute value for at least one attribute, generating search results comprising one or more items matching the attribute value; and    in response to user selection of a particular item from among the search results using the client system, generating an order request for the selected item.