Catalog taxonomy for storing product information and system and method using same

Abstract

A catalog taxonomy organized in a tree-like configuration including at least one first tier product category having at least one first tier attribute associated with products in the first tier category, and a plurality of second tier product categories branching from the first tier product category and defining subcategories, at least one of the plurality of second tier product categories having a second tier attribute associated with products in a subcategory defined by the plurality of second tier product categories, wherein each of the second tier product categories inherits the first tier attribute of the first tier product category from which the plurality of second tier product categories branches. In addition, a system and method utilizing such catalog taxonomy.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A catalog taxonomy organized in a tree-like configuration recorded on media for organization of product information in a catalog, said catalog taxonomy comprising: 
 at least one first tier product category having at least one first tier attribute associated with products in said at least one first tier category; and    a plurality of second tier product categories branching from one of said at least one first tier product category and defining subcategories of said at least one first tier product category, at least one of said plurality of second tier product categories having at least one second tier attribute associated with products in a subcategory defined by said at least one of said plurality of second tier product categories;    wherein each of said second tier product categories inherits said at least one first tier attribute of said first tier product category from which said plurality of second tier product categories branches.    
     
     
         2 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 1 , wherein said one first tier product category and said plurality of second tier product categories branching therefrom are expressed as a schema.  
     
     
         3 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 1 , wherein said media is computer readable.  
     
     
         4 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one first tier attribute includes a first tier scalar index value associated therewith.  
     
     
         5 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 4 , wherein said first tier scalar index value is editable.  
     
     
         6 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 5 , wherein said first tier scalar index value is edited based on a usage parameter of products in said at least one first tier product category.  
     
     
         7 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 4 , wherein each of said plurality of second tier product categories inherits said first tier scalar index value associated with said at least one first tier attribute.  
     
     
         8 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one second tier attribute includes a second tier scalar index value associated therewith.  
     
     
         9 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 8 , wherein said second tier scalar index value is editable.  
     
     
         10 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 9 , wherein said second tier scalar index value is edited based on a usage parameter of products in one of said plurality of second tier product categories.  
     
     
         11 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of third tier product categories branching from one of said plurality of second tier product categories and defining subcategories of said second tier product category from which said plurality of third tier product categories branches, at least one of said plurality of third tier product categories having at least one third tier attribute associated with products in a subcategory defined by said at least one of said plurality of third tier product categories.  
     
     
         12 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 11 , wherein each of said plurality of third tier product categories inherits said at least one second tier attribute of said second tier product category from which said plurality of third tier product categories branches.  
     
     
         13 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of third tier product categories branching from one of said plurality of second tier product categories and defining subcategories of said second tier product category from which said plurality of third tier product categories branches, at least one of said plurality of third tier product categories having at least one third tier attribute associated with products in a subcategory defined by said at least one of said plurality of third tier product categories.  
     
     
         14 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 13 , wherein each of said plurality of third tier product categories inherits said at least one second tier attribute of said second tier product category from which said plurality of third tier product categories branches.  
     
     
         15 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one first tier product category are a plurality of first tier product categories, said at least one first tier attribute is a plurality of first tier attributes, and said catalog taxonomy further comprises a derivative first tier product category that is derived from said plurality of first tier product categories.  
     
     
         16 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 15 , wherein said derivative first tier product category is derived based on said plurality of first tier attributes.  
     
     
         17 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 1 , further comprising a derivative second tier product category that is derived from said plurality of second tier product categories.  
     
     
         18 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 17 , wherein said at least one second tier attribute is a plurality of second tier attributes, and said derivative second tier product category is derived based on said plurality of second tier attributes.  
     
     
         19 . A catalog taxonomy organized in a tree-like configuration recorded on media for organization of product information in a catalog, said catalog taxonomy comprising: 
 a plurality of first tier product categories, at least one of said first tier product categories having at least one first tier attribute corresponding to products in said first tier category; and    a plurality of second tier product categories branching from one of said plurality of first tier product categories and defining a subcategory of said first tier product category from which said second tier product category branches, at least one of said second tier product categories having at least one second tier attribute corresponding to products in a subcategory defined by said second tier product category.    
     
     
         20 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of third tier product categories branching from one of said plurality of second tier product categories and defining subcategories of said second tier product category from which said plurality of third tier product categories branches, at least one of said plurality of third tier product categories having at least one third tier attribute associated with products in a subcategory defined by said third tier product category.  
     
     
         21 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 19 , wherein said plurality of first tier product categories and said plurality of second tier product categories branching therefrom are expressed as a schema.  
     
     
         22 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 19 , wherein said media is computer readable.  
     
     
         23 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 19 , wherein said at least one first tier attribute includes an editable first tier scalar index value associated therewith that is edited based on a usage parameter of products in one of said plurality of first tier product categories.  
     
     
         24 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 19 , wherein said at least one second tier attribute includes an editable second tier scalar index value associated therewith that is edited based on a usage parameter of products in one of said plurality of second tier product categories.  
     
     
         25 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 19 , wherein said at least one first tier attribute is a plurality of first tier attributes, and said catalog taxonomy further comprises a derivative first tier product category that is derived from said plurality of first tier attributes.  
     
     
         26 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 19 , wherein said at least one second tier attribute is a plurality of second tier attributes, and said catalog taxonomy further comprises a derivative second tier product category that is derived from said plurality of second tier attributes.  
     
     
         27 . A catalog taxonomy organized in a tree-like configuration recorded on media for organization of product information in a catalog, said catalog taxonomy comprising: 
 a plurality of first tier product categories, at least one first tier product category having at least one first tier attribute associated with products in said first tier category; and    a plurality of second tier product categories branching from one of said plurality of first tier product categories, at least one second tier product category having at least one second tier attribute that is associated with products in said at least one second tier product category.    
     
     
         28 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 27 , further comprising a plurality of third tier product categories branching from one of said plurality of second tier product categories, at least one third tier product category having at least one third tier attribute that is associated with products in said at least one third tier product category.  
     
     
         29 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 27 , wherein said plurality of first tier product categories and said plurality of second tier product categories are expressed as a schema.  
     
     
         30 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one first tier attribute includes an editable first tier scalar index value associated therewith that is edited based on a usage parameter of products in one of said plurality of first tier product categories.  
     
     
         31 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one second tier attribute includes an editable second tier scalar index value associated therewith that is edited based on a usage parameter of products in one of said plurality of second tier product categories.  
     
     
         32 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one first tier attribute is a plurality of first tier attributes, and said catalog taxonomy further comprises a derivative first tier product category that is derived from said plurality of first tier attributes.  
     
     
         33 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one second tier attribute is a plurality of second tier attributes, and said catalog taxonomy further comprises a derivative second tier product category that is derived from said plurality of second tier attributes.  
     
     
         34 . A catalog taxonomy organized in a tree-like configuration recorded on media for organization of product information in a catalog, said catalog taxonomy comprising: 
 a plurality of first tier product categories each having a plurality of first tier attributes associated with products in said first tier category; and    a plurality of second tier product categories branching from said plurality of first tier product categories, said second tier product categories having a plurality of second tier attributes associated with products in said second tier product categories.    
     
     
         35 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 34 , further comprising a plurality of third tier product categories branching from said second tier product categories, said plurality of third tier product categories having third tier attributes that are associated with products in said third tier product categories.  
     
     
         36 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 34 , wherein said plurality of first tier product categories and said plurality of second tier product categories are expressed as a schema.  
     
     
         37 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 34 , wherein said plurality of first tier attributes each includes an editable first tier scalar index value associated therewith that is edited based on a usage parameter of products in said plurality of first tier product categories.  
     
     
         38 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 34 , wherein said at least one second tier attribute includes an editable second tier scalar index value associated therewith that is edited based on a usage parameter of products in said plurality of second tier product categories.  
     
     
         39 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 34 , wherein said catalog taxonomy further comprises a derivative first tier product category that is derived from said plurality of first tier attributes.  
     
     
         40 . The catalog taxonomy of  claim 34 , wherein said catalog taxonomy further comprises a derivative second tier product category that is derived from said plurality of second tier attributes.  
     
     
         41 . A system for organizing product information in accordance with a catalog taxonomy, said system comprising: 
 a processor;    an input/output module adapted to allow inputting and outputting of product information associated with a plurality of products; and    a database for storing said product information, said database having a catalog taxonomy structure organized in a tree-like configuration having: 
 at least one first tier product category having at least one first tier attribute associated with products in said at least one first tier category; and  
 a plurality of second tier product categories branching from one of said at least one first tier product category and defining subcategories of said at least one first tier product category, at least one of said plurality of second tier product categories having at least one second tier attribute associated with products in a subcategory defined by said at least one of said plurality of second tier product categories;  
 wherein each of said second tier product categories inherits said at least one first tier attribute of said first tier product category from which said plurality of second tier product categories branches.  
   
     
     
         42 . A method of organizing a catalog having product information of a plurality of products in a tree-like configuration, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing at least one first tier product category having plurality of products;    associating at least one first tier attribute with products in said at least one first tier category;    providing a plurality of second tier product categories branching from one of said at least one first tier product category and defining subcategories of said at least one first tier product category, at least one of said plurality of second tier product categories having a plurality of products;    associating at least one second tier attribute with products said subcategory defined by said at least one of said plurality of second tier product categories; and    each of said second tier product categories inheriting said at least one first tier attribute of said first tier product category from which said plurality of second tier product categories branches.