WO2000079409A2 - Product catalogue production system - Google Patents

Product catalogue production system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2000079409A2
WO2000079409A2 PCT/GB2000/002384 GB0002384W WO0079409A2 WO 2000079409 A2 WO2000079409 A2 WO 2000079409A2 GB 0002384 W GB0002384 W GB 0002384W WO 0079409 A2 WO0079409 A2 WO 0079409A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
product
data
classification
attribute
code
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2000/002384
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2000079409A3 (en
Inventor
Wijeyaratnam Shantharuban
Peter David Roper Landale
Original Assignee
Zygon Systems Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Zygon Systems Ltd. filed Critical Zygon Systems Ltd.
Priority to EP00942201A priority Critical patent/EP1221107A2/en
Priority to AU56910/00A priority patent/AU5691000A/en
Publication of WO2000079409A2 publication Critical patent/WO2000079409A2/en
Publication of WO2000079409A3 publication Critical patent/WO2000079409A3/en

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Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F16/00Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
    • G06F16/20Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor of structured data, e.g. relational data
    • G06F16/28Databases characterised by their database models, e.g. relational or object models
    • G06F16/284Relational databases

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a product catalogue production
  • the database storing a plurality of attributes for a product
  • product data may be organised into a hierarchical category structure.
  • the products are classified into sections, sub-sections, groups within sub-
  • a product may fall into a plurality of
  • a category may include a plurality of products.
  • category storage table 56 store data records for each respective classification
  • section table 52 includes, in each sub-section record, a pointer to the section
  • section storage table 50 to sub-section storage table 52. Similar one-to-many
  • a category-product storage table 58 stores relationships
  • Figure 7 illustrates the product storage table 60, and its associated
  • the product storage table 60 is
  • Each row 64 provides one
  • each hierarchical level limit the number and structure of classification
  • the system may be used in a variety of product catalogue production contexts.
  • catalogue production system comprising a data storage means for storing
  • product data in the form of product codes and associated product attribute data
  • said data storage means having a data structure allowing a plurality of
  • data items are associated with a given product code, in the form of a plurality
  • Figure 1 schematically illustrates a product catalogue production
  • Figure 2 illustrates a set of product storage tables, and relationships
  • Figure 3 illustrates in further detail fields present in a product storage
  • Figure 4 illustrates fields present in a classification control storage
  • Figure 5 illustrates fields present in a classification detail storage table
  • Figure 6 illustrates a set of data storage tables used in prior art product
  • Figure 7 illustrates a product storage table and an attributes control
  • Figure 1 schematically illustrates a product catalogue production
  • a software platform 2 including a relational database 8 and several
  • relational database 8 may be run on any SQL 92-compliant data server, such as
  • software applications 10-18 may be run on an appropriate server facility such as
  • the system also includes a plurality of plug-
  • TM Microsoft NT
  • catalogue output devices 6 which may include a Web
  • the catalogue production software applications include a core data
  • the core data manager 10 is responsible by the functionality of the core data manager.
  • client workstation for capturing and retrieving both key product information and further product information including multimedia data files, text data files
  • a catalogue compiler software application 12 constructs a data set
  • Query criteria are entered by an operator of the system,
  • SQL Structured Query Language
  • a catalogue layout designer software application 14 includes media- neutral routines for laying out catalogue data and media-specific routing for providing templates for defining the navigational and look and feel rules for generating data to be used in the production of paper-format catalogues and
  • a catalogue production manager software application 16 creates laid- out catalogues by presenting core data as selected by the catalogue compiler 12.
  • a catalogue update manager software application 18 ensures that any changes made to core data are reflected automatically in the catalogues
  • a first plug-in module 19 is an Internet catalogue publishing module.
  • catalogue is accessed by users via an Internet interface device 26.
  • a second catalogue publishing module 20 produces a master CD-
  • the CD-ROM module 20 takes data from the catalogue
  • the master CD-ROM may
  • a third catalogue publishing module 22 provides a paper catalogue.
  • the paper module 22 interfaces with Quark Xpress (trade mark) and provides
  • catalogue update manager 18 The output data is loaded onto a storage
  • a fourth catalogue publishing module 24 which may be implemented
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the data storage tables implemented by the core
  • the data storage tables include an attribute control table 100 which
  • a product stores control data about all product and classification attributes.
  • detail table 200 stores product detail data in records consisting of a reference
  • An attribute value table 300 stores the actual values of attributes
  • a product control table 400 stores
  • control data about all products a single record being provided per product.
  • a classification-product-link table 500 stores relationships between
  • the table consists of records including a single
  • product code being a unique product identifier, and a single classification
  • a plurality of such records may
  • the classification-product-link table may store
  • a classification control table 600 stores control data about all
  • classifications including all classifications at different hierarchical levels.
  • the classification control table 600 also defines the vertical relationships
  • a classification detail table 700 stores classification detail data in the
  • attribute value data stored in attribute control table 100 and the attribute value
  • table may be related to both product records and classification records.
  • classification may be related to many classification detail records.
  • a product structure control table 800 stores control data about product
  • One product structure can be used by any of a number of different
  • a product structure detail table 900 stores product structure detail data
  • the product attribute references are references to records stored in the
  • Each product structure may be related to many
  • Rules may be defined in the system
  • levels of classification may be merged to produce a combined product
  • the product detail table 200 is capable of storing and manipulating an
  • Each product detail record includes five fields.
  • a product code field is a product code field.
  • P-Code product code
  • An attribute code field 204 stores a unique identifier, the attribute
  • A-Code which is a pointer to an attribute control record stored in the
  • a data type field 206 stores a type identifier (D-
  • attribute value data may consist of one of four types, namely either a memo
  • a text field (consisting of a large amount of text data), a text field (consisting of a
  • an object field consisting of multimedia-type data, such as a picture file or a Power Point (trademark) file
  • multimedia-type data such as a picture file or a Power Point (trademark) file
  • a value code field 208 stores the value code (N-Code), which is a
  • S-Code numerical sort code
  • the attribute control table 100 includes a data field 102 for storing a
  • attribute code A-Code
  • description field 104 stores a name (A-Desc) for each attribute.
  • the attribute value table 300 includes a value code field 302, whereby
  • An attribute value data item may be related to one, or a plurality of,
  • a classification control table includes five fields
  • the classification control table is
  • a child classification is defined in the hierarchy to
  • PA-Code parent code
  • a classification code field 602 stores the classification code (C-Code),
  • parent classification may thus be inherited by its one or more child
  • a sequence code field 610 stores a numerical sort code (S-Code) used
  • a classification description field 604 stores a name (C-Desc) for the
  • a product structure code field 608 stores a product structure
  • PS-Code which is a unique identifier for a product structure record
  • the product structure control table 800 includes a product structure
  • the product structure record is related to a classification control record.
  • classification control record is related to a limit of one product structure
  • a product structure record may be related to one or many
  • a product structure description field 804 contains a name of the product structure (PS-Desc), for
  • the product structure detail table 900 includes a product structure
  • a plurality of product structure detail records may contain the same
  • product structure detail record includes a single attribute code field 904,
  • a sequence code field 906 stores a numerical sort code (S-Code) allowing a
  • the product structure detail table 900 thus stores one or many attribute
  • the classification detail table 700 is capable of
  • Each classification has attributes associated with the classification in records.
  • detail record contains fields identical with the product detail records stored in product detail table 200, and having the same fimctionality, except that a
  • classification code (C-Code), uniquely identifying the classification, is stored
  • Field 704 stores an attribute code (A-
  • field 706 stores a data type (D-
  • field 708 stores a value code (N-Code) pointing to an attribute value
  • S-Code for sorting the classification attributes, where a number of
  • classification detail records include the same classification code in field 702,
  • attribute control data and attribute value data may be associated only with one
  • values may be associated with a product. That is to say, the data structure itself does not limit the number of attributes which may be associated with a
  • control table 100 and/or the attribute value table 300 are control tables 100 and/or the attribute value table 300.
  • attribute as used herein is intended to include any types of data which may

Abstract

A product catalogue production system comprising a data storage means for storing product data in the form of product codes and associated product attribute data items, said data storage means having a data structure allowing a plurality of product attribute data items to be associated with a product code, said data structure structuring the product data, when a plurality of product attribute data items are associated with a given product code, in the form of a plurality of product data records each including the given product code and an associated product attribute data item.

Description

PRODUCT CATALOGUE PRODUCTION SYSTEM
The present invention relates to a product catalogue production
system, in particular one in which product catalogue data is stored in a
database, the database storing a plurality of attributes for a product and
product data may be organised into a hierarchical category structure.
A typical prior art data structure for a database used in a product
catalogue production system is schematically illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.
The products are classified into sections, sub-sections, groups within sub-
sections and categories within groups. A product may fall into a plurality of
categories, and a category may include a plurality of products. Figure 6
shows the data storage tables used in the database to store the product data,
and the interrelationships between the data storage tables. Each of a section
storage table 50, a sub-section storage table 52, a group storage table 54 and a
category storage table 56 store data records for each respective classification
at the hierarchical level for which the storage table is responsible. The sub¬
section table 52 includes, in each sub-section record, a pointer to the section
record pertaining to the section which each sub-section falls under. This is
thus a one-to-many relationship, as indicated by the arrows fanning out from
section storage table 50 to sub-section storage table 52. Similar one-to-many
relationships occur between the sub-section storage table 52 and the group
storage table 54, and the group storage table 54 and the category storage table 56, respectively. A category-product storage table 58 stores relationships
between the categories for which data is stored in category storage table 56
and the products for which product data is stored in product storage table 60.
Each of the category storage table 56 and the product storage table 60 bearing
one-to-many relationship to the category-product storage table 58.
Figure 7 illustrates the product storage table 60, and its associated
attribute control file 70, in greater detail. The product storage table 60 is
organised into a predetermined number of columns 62 and a row 64 for each
product for which attribute data is to be stored. Each row 64 provides one
product record, storing an attribute data item in each field. The attribute name for each field is stored in the corresponding field 72 of the attribute control
file.
The following problems apply to the above-described typical data
structures. Firstly, the number of hierarchical classifications of the products is
limited, and identical for each product. In the example shown in Figure 6,
there are four such classification levels. Fixed data structures associated with
each hierarchical level limit the number and structure of classification
attributes which may be associated with each classification level.
Furthermore, where a product catalogue requires the existence of large
numbers of product attributes, and where there are large numbers of products
in the catalogue, the number of cells which are empty within the product table
60 becomes very large, since many attributes will not be associated with the majority of the products. For example, if a product catalogue includes one
million products, one thousand different attributes are defined for those
products, and the average number of attributes defined for each product
individually is 20, 98% of the cells would be empty. This leads to
inefficiencies in the data storage structure.
It would be desirable to provide a data storage structure for a product
catalogue production system which is well adapted to handle complex product
structures and data relating to very large numbers of products.
Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide an architecture for a
product catalogue production system which is relatively simple to use for an
operator of the system whilst allowing flexibility, and in particular, multi-
configurability, in the product structures and product data to be stored, so that
the system may be used in a variety of product catalogue production contexts.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a product
catalogue production system comprising a data storage means for storing
product data in the form of product codes and associated product attribute data
items, said data storage means having a data structure allowing a plurality of
product attribute data items to be associated with a product code, said data
structure structuring the product data, when a plurality of product attribute
data items are associated with a given product code, in the form of a plurality
of product data records each including the given product code and an
associated product attribute data item. Accordingly, the number of product attribute data items which may be
associated with the given product data reference is not determined by the
number of product attribute data items associated with a different product data
reference, nor by the data structure itself.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 schematically illustrates a product catalogue production
system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 illustrates a set of product storage tables, and relationships
therebetween, used in a database in accordance with this embodiment of the
invention;
Figure 3 illustrates in further detail fields present in a product storage
table, an attributes control storage table and an attributes values table, in
accordance with this embodiment of the invention;
Figure 4 illustrates fields present in a classification control storage
table, a product structure control storage table and a product structure detail
storage table, in accordance with this embodiment of the invention;
Figure 5 illustrates fields present in a classification detail storage table
and the attributes control storage table and the attributes value storage table of
this embodiment of the invention;
Figure 6 illustrates a set of data storage tables used in prior art product
catalogue production systems; and Figure 7 illustrates a product storage table and an attributes control
file, used in prior art product catalogue production system.
Figure 1 schematically illustrates a product catalogue production
system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The system
includes a software platform 2 including a relational database 8 and several
interworking catalogue production software applications 10-18. The
relational database 8 may be run on any SQL 92-compliant data server, such
as an Oracle (TM) or Sybase (TM) data server. The catalogue production
software applications 10-18 may be run on an appropriate server facility such
as a Microsoft NT (TM) server. The system also includes a plurality of plug-
in media-specific catalogue publishing software applications 4, which may
also be run on an appropriate server facility, such as a Microsoft NT (TM)
server, and a number of catalogue output devices 6, which may include a Web
server.
The catalogue production software applications include a core data
manager 10, which enables product details to be stored in attributes defined
using structured meta data which allows for inheritance of the product
characteristics. The storage architecture of the relational database is handled
by the functionality of the core data manager. The core data manager 10
provides the infrastructure used by an operator of the system, working on a
client workstation, for capturing and retrieving both key product information and further product information including multimedia data files, text data files
containing technical specifications, etc.
A catalogue compiler software application 12 constructs a data set
used for a catalogue. Query criteria are entered by an operator of the system,
working on a client workstation, using selection screens on a data input device which generates Structured Query Language (SQL) interactions to select the
sub-set of the core data to be used in the catalogue to be produced.
A catalogue layout designer software application 14 includes media- neutral routines for laying out catalogue data and media-specific routing for providing templates for defining the navigational and look and feel rules for generating data to be used in the production of paper-format catalogues and
electronic-format catalogues, respectively.
A catalogue production manager software application 16 creates laid- out catalogues by presenting core data as selected by the catalogue compiler 12.
A catalogue update manager software application 18 ensures that any changes made to core data are reflected automatically in the catalogues
produced in the system.
Four exemplary plug-in software applications are illustrated in Figure
A first plug-in module 19 is an Internet catalogue publishing module. The
module takes data from the catalogue layout designer 14, the catalogue
production manager 16 and the catalogue update manager 18 and formats same as an on-line Internet catalogue held on a Web server. The Internet
catalogue is accessed by users via an Internet interface device 26.
A second catalogue publishing module 20 produces a master CD-
ROM catalogue. The CD-ROM module 20 takes data from the catalogue
layout designer 14 and the catalogue production manager 16 and provides a
catalogue in the form of a binary database which is loaded onto a master CD-
ROM via a CD-ROM output device 28. The master CD-ROM may
subsequently be copied for mass-production of CD-ROM product catalogues.
A third catalogue publishing module 22 provides a paper catalogue.
The paper module 22 interfaces with Quark Xpress (trade mark) and provides
for the automatic creation of paper catalogues using data provided by the
catalogue layout designer 14, the catalogue production manager 16 and the
catalogue update manager 18. The output data is loaded onto a storage
medium, such as magnetic tape, on a data output device 30. The output data
may subsequently be used at a printing facility for the mass-production of
paper product catalogues.
A fourth catalogue publishing module 24 which may be implemented
on the system is a user-specific catalogue production module, allowing users
to design suitable catalogues and output those catalogues onto any desired
media, via a desired media output device 32.
Figure 2 illustrates the data storage tables implemented by the core
data manager 10 for data stored in the relational database 8. The data storage tables include an attribute control table 100 which
stores control data about all product and classification attributes. A product
detail table 200 stores product detail data in records consisting of a reference
to product attributes and attribute values. There can be many product detail
records for each product.
An attribute value table 300 stores the actual values of attributes
related to each product and classification. A product control table 400 stores
control data about all products, a single record being provided per product.
A classification-product-link table 500 stores relationships between
classifications and products. The table consists of records including a single
product code, being a unique product identifier, and a single classification
code, being a unique classification identifier. A plurality of such records may
include the same product code, and a plurality of the records may contain the
same classification code. Thus, the classification-product-link table may store
more than one classification for each product, and more than one product for
each classification.
A classification control table 600 stores control data about all
classifications, including all classifications at different hierarchical levels.
The classification control table 600 also defines the vertical relationships
between different classifications, in the form of child-parent interlinking.
A classification detail table 700 stores classification detail data in the
form of records consisting of a reference to a classification attribute and the corresponding attribute values stored in the attribute control table 100 and the
attribute value table 300, respectively. Thus, the attribute control data and
attribute value data stored in attribute control table 100 and the attribute value
table may be related to both product records and classification records. Each
classification may be related to many classification detail records.
A product structure control table 800 stores control data about product
structures. One product structure can be used by any of a number of different
classifications at any of the hierarchical levels within the database.
A product structure detail table 900 stores product structure detail data
in the form of records consisting of a reference to product attributes and sort
order. The product attribute references are references to records stored in the
attribute control table 100. Each product structure may be related to many
product structure detail records.
The product structures defined in the product structure tables 800, 900
are intended to be inherited by products classified within the classifications to
which the relevant product structures are related. This allows all product
records within a classification to inherit a defined list of attribute types,
defined in the attribute control table 100, without yet defining the actual
values which those attributes are to take. Rules may be defined in the system
by a user as to the way in which product structures are inherited when two or
more levels of classification exist for a product. For example, the product
may inherit only the product structure of the lowest level of classification in which the product is grouped. Alternatively, the product structures of all
levels of classification may be merged to produce a combined product
structure list to be inherited by all products within a low-level product
classification.
Reference is now made to Figure 3, in which the fields of each of the
product detail table, the attribute control table 100 and the attribute value table
300 is shown in greater detail.
The product detail table 200 is capable of storing and manipulating an
unlimited (other than by way of the total amount of storage available in the
table) number of attributes for a given product. Therefore, for a given product
control record there can be one or many product detail records stored
depending on the number of product attributes to be associated with a
respective product.
Each product detail record includes five fields. A product code field
202 stores the product code (P-Code), which is a unique identifier for each
product. An attribute code field 204 stores a unique identifier, the attribute
code (A-Code), which is a pointer to an attribute control record stored in the
attribute control table 100. A data type field 206 stores a type identifier (D-
Type) for the attribute value data identified in the product detail record. The
attribute value data may consist of one of four types, namely either a memo
field (consisting of a large amount of text data), a text field (consisting of a
relatively small amount of text data), an object field (consisting of multimedia-type data, such as a picture file or a Power Point (trademark) file),
or a number field, which stores for example price data.
A value code field 208 stores the value code (N-Code), which is a
unique pointer to an attribute value record stored in the attribute value table
300, which contains the actual value data for the attribute. A sequence code
field 210 stores a numerical sort code (S-Code) allowing the product attributes
to be sorted in order.
The attribute control table 100 includes a data field 102 for storing a
unique identifier for an attribute, the attribute code (A-Code). An attribute
description field 104 stores a name (A-Desc) for each attribute.
The attribute value table 300 includes a value code field 302, whereby
an attribute data item (N-Nalue), stored in field 304 of the attribute value
table, is related to a product detail record by means of the value code (N-
Code). An attribute value data item may be related to one, or a plurality of,
product detail records. The relationship is set by including the appropriate
value code in the appropriate product detail record(s).
Referring to Figure 4, a classification control table includes five fields
for storing classification control data. The classification control table is
capable of storing multiple and various configurations of classification
hierarchies, which are configurable both vertically and horizontally in the
ways they are interrelated. A child classification is defined in the hierarchy to
which it belongs by storing a unique identifier, the parent code (PA-Code), of the immediate upper level classification being a parent classification. Only
the highest level of classification is an exception to this rule.
A classification code field 602 stores the classification code (C-Code),
which is a unique identifier for each classification record. It is the
classification code of the parent classification related to the entry stored in the
parent code field 606, of a child classification. The attributes defined for a
parent classification may thus be inherited by its one or more child
classification(s), via the parent code/classification code relationship.
A sequence code field 610 stores a numerical sort code (S-Code) used
to sort the order of the child classifications for a given parent classification.
A classification description field 604 stores a name (C-Desc) for the
classification. A product structure code field 608 stores a product structure
code (PS-Code), which is a unique identifier for a product structure record
stored in the product structure control table 800.
The product structure control table 800 includes a product structure
code field 802, which stores the product structure code (PS-Code) whereby
the product structure record is related to a classification control record. Each
classification control record is related to a limit of one product structure
record. Conversely, a product structure record may be related to one or many
different classification control records, since the same product structure code
may be stored in many classification control records. A product structure description field 804 contains a name of the product structure (PS-Desc), for
maintenance purposes.
The product structure detail table 900 includes a product structure
code field 902, which stores the product structure code (PS-Code) whereby a
product structure detail record is related to the product structure control
record. A plurality of product structure detail records may contain the same
product structure code in field 902, thereby relating a plurality of product
structure detail records to a single product structure control record. Each
product structure detail record includes a single attribute code field 904,
referring to an attribute control record stored in the attribute control table 100.
A sequence code field 906 stores a numerical sort code (S-Code) allowing a
plurality of attributes to be sorted for a given product structure.
The product structure detail table 900 thus stores one or many attribute
codes for a product structure without any limitation on the number of
attributes which may be associated with a particular product structure.
Referring to Figure 5, the classification detail table 700 is capable of
storing references to an unlimited (other than by way of the total amount of
storage available in the table) number of attributes for a given classification.
For a given classification control record there may be one or many related
classification detail records, depending on the number of classification
attributes associated with the classification in records. Each classification
detail record contains fields identical with the product detail records stored in product detail table 200, and having the same fimctionality, except that a
classification code (C-Code), uniquely identifying the classification, is stored
in field 702 rather than a product code. Field 704 stores an attribute code (A-
Code) for a related attribute control record, field 706 stores a data type (D-
Type), field 708 stores a value code (N-Code) pointing to an attribute value
record stored in attribute value table 300, and field 710 stores a numerical sort
code (S-Code) for sorting the classification attributes, where a number of
classification detail records include the same classification code in field 702,
that is to say where a classification is provided with a plurality of attributes.
The attribute control table fields and attribute value table fields
illustrated in Figure 5 are the same as those illustrated in Figure 3. Notably,
attribute control data and attribute value data may be associated only with one
or more products, only with one or more classifications, or with both one or
more products and one or more classifications. Whether the attribute control
data or attribute value data is associated with a product or a classification, the
relevant data is stored in the same table, namely either the attribute control
table 100 or the attribute value table 300.
It will be appreciated, that using the data structure described above
with reference to Figures 2 to 5 allows considerable flexibility in the product
structures defined for the relational database 8 of the product catalogue
product system of the present invention. In particular, any number of attribute
values may be associated with a product. That is to say, the data structure itself does not limit the number of attributes which may be associated with a
particular product. In order to add one or more attributes for a particular
product, all that is required, where the attribute control data and attribute
value data already exists in the attribute control table 100 and the attribute
value table 300, respectively, is an additional product detail record stored in
current detail table 200. Where the attribute value and/or the attribute control
data is as yet undefined, additional records are produced in the attribute
control table 100 and/or the attribute value table 300. The number of
attributes which may be defined for a particular product are therefore only
limited by any rules implemented in the core data manager 10, and/or the
storage capacity of the product catalogue production system.
It is to be appreciated that the term "attribute" as referred to herein is
not in any way limiting as to the type of data referred to. Indeed, the term
"attribute" as used herein is intended to include any types of data which may
be associated with a product for catalogue production purposes.
It is to be appreciated that the above description is not intended to be
in any way limiting. It is envisaged that various modifications and variations
may be employed by the person skilled in the art, without departing from the
scope of the present invention, which is defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A product catalogue production system comprising a data
storage means for storing product data in the form of product codes and
associated product attribute data items, said data storage means having a data
structure allowing a plurality of product attribute data items to be associated
with a product code, said data structure structuring the product data, when a
plurality of product attribute data items are associated with a given product
code, in the form of a plurality of product data records each including the
given product code and an associated product attribute data item.
2. A product catalogue production system according to claim 1,
wherein the attribute data item is an attribute code associated with an attribute
value, and the attribute value is associated with the attribute code in a separate
data record.
3. A product catalogue production system according to claim 1 or
2, wherein said plurality of product data records are stored in one storage table
of a relational database.
4. A product catalogue production system according to any
preceding claim, wherein said data storage means is further for storing product classification data in the form of classification data records associated
with said product codes.
5. A product catalogue production system according to claim 4,
wherein said product code/classification data association is a many-to-many
association.
6. A product catalogue production system according to claim 4 or
5, wherein said storage means is further for storing product structure data,
whereby a set of possible attributes is defined for a product falling within a
product classification, and product structure control data, whereby a product
structure is associated with a product classification.
7. A product catalogue production system according to claim 6,
wherein said product structure data is in the form of a plurality of product
structure data records each including a product structure code and an
associated product attribute control data item.
8. A product catalogue production system according to claim 7,
wherein said product data records include a field for storing an attribute
control data item stored in an associated product structure record.
9. A product catalogue production system according to any of
claims 4 to 8, wherein a classification data record is for storing a pointer to a
further classification data record, to define a relationship in a classification
hierarchy.
10. A product catalogue production system according to claim 9,
wherein said pointer is a pointer to a parent classification data record.
11. A product catalogue production system according to any of
claims 4 to 10, wherein said classification data records are for storing
classification data in the form of classification codes and associated
classification attribute data items, said data storage means having a data
structure allowing a plurality of classification attribute data items to be
associated with a classification code, said data structure structuring the
classification data, when a plurality of classification attribute data items are
associated with a given classification code, in the form of a plurality of
classification data records each including the given classification code and an
associated classification attribute data item.
12. A product catalogue production system according to claim 11,
wherein said plurality of classification data records are stored in one storage
table of a relational database.
13. A product catalogue production system according to claim 11
or 12, wherein the classification attribute data item is an attribute code
associated with an attribute value, and the attribute value is associated with
the attribute code in a separate data record.
14. A product catalogue production system according to claim 13,
wherein the attribute values associated with a classification record in the data
storage means may also be associated with an otherwise unrelated product
record, by means of said attribute code.
15. A product catalogue production system substantially as
hereinbefore described.
16. A data store for a product catalogue production system, said
data store having a data storage structure substantially as hereinbefore
described, in particular with reference to any of Figures 2 to 5 of the
accompanying drawings.
PCT/GB2000/002384 1999-06-21 2000-06-20 Product catalogue production system WO2000079409A2 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP00942201A EP1221107A2 (en) 1999-06-21 2000-06-20 Product catalogue production system
AU56910/00A AU5691000A (en) 1999-06-21 2000-06-20 Product catalogue production system

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9914471.9 1999-06-21
GB9914471A GB2351368A (en) 1999-06-21 1999-06-21 Product catalogue production system

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000079409A2 true WO2000079409A2 (en) 2000-12-28
WO2000079409A3 WO2000079409A3 (en) 2002-05-02

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EP (1) EP1221107A2 (en)
AU (1) AU5691000A (en)
GB (1) GB2351368A (en)
WO (1) WO2000079409A2 (en)

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US6871198B2 (en) 2001-12-21 2005-03-22 Requisite Technology, Inc. Composing and cataloging item configuration data

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2377771A (en) * 2001-03-09 2003-01-22 Zygon Systems Ltd Electronic information storage and retrieval system

Citations (5)

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EP0360387A2 (en) * 1988-09-23 1990-03-28 International Business Machines Corporation Data base management system
US5295256A (en) * 1990-12-14 1994-03-15 Racal-Datacom, Inc. Automatic storage of persistent objects in a relational schema
EP0797160A2 (en) * 1996-03-22 1997-09-24 Pilot Software Inc Computer system and computer-implemented process for classifying records in a computer database
GB2315576A (en) * 1996-07-19 1998-02-04 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M Telecommunications one-dimensional database structure
US5907846A (en) * 1996-06-07 1999-05-25 Electronic Data Systems Corporation Method and system for accessing relational databases using objects

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US5295256A (en) * 1990-12-14 1994-03-15 Racal-Datacom, Inc. Automatic storage of persistent objects in a relational schema
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US5907846A (en) * 1996-06-07 1999-05-25 Electronic Data Systems Corporation Method and system for accessing relational databases using objects
GB2315576A (en) * 1996-07-19 1998-02-04 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M Telecommunications one-dimensional database structure

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU5691000A (en) 2001-01-09
GB9914471D0 (en) 1999-08-18
WO2000079409A3 (en) 2002-05-02
EP1221107A2 (en) 2002-07-10
GB2351368A (en) 2000-12-27

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