System and method for interacting with item catalogs

Abstract

A system and method are provided for presenting large numbers of items on a display screen. In particular, a display is created of a set of items in a catalog containing item information such as item image data and item description. The method includes generating the set of items based on a first relationship, such as a function that maximizes similarity, and storing them as a set of ordered items; selecting a first item and storing it in a set of placed items; placing image data for the first item in the display; and for each of the remaining items, selecting a next item and placing the image data for the next item at a position in the display according to a second relationship between a description of the next item and descriptions of the set of placed items.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method for creating a display of a set of items in a catalog containing item information, the item information consisting of at least item image data and item description, the display having a display geometry, comprising the steps of:
 generating the set of items based upon a first relationship and storing them into a set of ordered items;   selecting a first item from the set of generated items, and storing it in a set of placed items;   placing the image data for the first item in the display;   for each of the remaining items in the set of generated items;
 selecting a next item from the set of generated items; 
 placing the next item image data in the display in a position according to a second relationship between the description of the next item with the descriptions of the set of placed items, the next item thus becoming part of the set of placed items; 
   whereby the display contains image data for the set of items.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the item description contains information selected from the set containing price, color, size, manufacturer, availability, location, and material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the first relationship is a function that maximizes similarity. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the second relationship is a function that maximizes similarity based upon the position relative to the set of placed items. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the second relationship is further weighted by locational information. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the weighted by locational information maximizes the display geometry to a preferred geometry. 
     
     
         21 - 25 . (canceled)