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

Abstract

Systems for organizing product information in accordance with a catalog taxonomy including: a database storing product information, and a processor configured to receive input of product information associated with a plurality of products, store at least one of the plurality of products in a catalog, associate at least one first tier attribute with a first tier category, the first tier attribute being common to products in the first tier category and being inherited by products in a second tier category, associate at least one second tier attribute with the second tier category, the second tier attribute being common to the products in the second tier category, retrieve second tier attributes of at least two second tier categories, determine at least one common attribute of the second tier categories, generate a first tier attribute group, and associate the at least one common attribute with the first tier attribute group.

1 . A system for organizing product information in accordance with a catalog taxonomy, said system comprising:
 a database storing said product information, said database having a catalog taxonomy structure organized in a tree-like configuration; and   a processor configured to:
 receive input of product information associated with a plurality of products; 
 store at least one of the plurality of products in a catalog; 
 associate at least one first tier attribute with a first tier category, the first tier attribute being common to products in the first tier category and being inherited by products in a second tier category; 
 associate at least one second tier attribute with the second tier category, the second tier attribute being common to the products in the second tier category; 
 retrieve second tier attributes of at least two second tier categories; 
 determine at least one common attribute of the second tier categories; 
 generate a first tier attribute group; and 
 associate the at least one common attribute with the first tier attribute group. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said database further includes a plurality of third tier categories branching from one of said second tier categories and defining subcategories of said second tier category from which said plurality of third tier categories branch, at least one of said plurality of third tier 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 categories. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein each of said plurality of third tier categories inherits said at least one second tier attribute of said second tier category from which said plurality of third tier categories branch. 
     
     
         4 . An electronic catalog system with an electronic database for storing and retrieving product information regarding a plurality of products comprising:
 a computer-readable medium having a database stored thereon, the database electronically adapted to store inputted product information regarding a plurality of products, said database having a catalog taxonomy structure organized in a tree-like configuration; and   a processor adapted to:
 receive the input of product information; 
 store at least one of the plurality of products in a catalog; 
 associate at least one first tier attribute with a first tier category, the at least one first tier attribute being common to products in the first tier category and being inherited by products in plural second tier categories; 
 associate at least one second tier attribute with at least one second tier category, the second tier attribute being common to the products in the at least one second tier category; 
 retrieve second tier attributes of at least two second tier categories; 
 determine at least one common attribute of the second tier categories; 
 generate a first tier attribute group; and 
 associate the at least one common attribute with the first tier attribute group. 
   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein in said database said at least one first tier attribute includes an editable first tier scalar index value associated therewith that is configured to be edited based on a usage parameter of products in one of said at least one first tier product category. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein in said database said at least one second tier attribute includes an editable second tier scalar index value associated therewith that is configured to be edited based on a usage parameter of products in one of said plural second tier categories. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one first tier attribute is a plurality of first tier attributes, and said processor is further adapted to generate a derivative first tier category in said database that is derived from said plurality of first tier attributes. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one second tier attribute is a plurality of second tier attributes, and said processor is further adapted to generate a derivative second tier category in said database that is derived from said plurality of second tier attributes. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said processor is further adapted to generate in said database a plurality of third tier categories branching from said plural second tier categories and defining subcategories of said second tier categories, said plurality of third tier categories having third tier attributes associated with product information of said third tier categories. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said third tier categories inherit said at least one second tier attribute of said second tier categories from which said plurality of third tier categories branch.