WO2001004775A2 - Procédé pour construire un catalogue électronique homogène - Google Patents

Procédé pour construire un catalogue électronique homogène Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001004775A2
WO2001004775A2 PCT/IL2000/000417 IL0000417W WO0104775A2 WO 2001004775 A2 WO2001004775 A2 WO 2001004775A2 IL 0000417 W IL0000417 W IL 0000417W WO 0104775 A2 WO0104775 A2 WO 0104775A2
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
database
catalog
supplier
fields
homogenous
Prior art date
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PCT/IL2000/000417
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English (en)
Other versions
WO2001004775A3 (fr
Inventor
Tsvika Ben Porat
Luz Erez
Ziv Ofek
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Paragon B.V.
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.)
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Publication date
Application filed by Paragon B.V. filed Critical Paragon B.V.
Priority to AU58431/00A priority Critical patent/AU5843100A/en
Publication of WO2001004775A2 publication Critical patent/WO2001004775A2/fr
Publication of WO2001004775A3 publication Critical patent/WO2001004775A3/fr

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F16/00—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
    • G06F16/20—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor of structured data, e.g. relational data
    • G06F16/21—Design, administration or maintenance of databases

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the generation and use of electronic catalogs.
  • a typical concept list includes: item id (standing for a key field that uniquely identifies each item) item name (e.g. Air Jordan shoe); item info (e.g. sport shoe for running).
  • item id standing for a key field that uniquely identifies each item
  • item info e.g. sport shoe for running
  • the concepts include also categories such as sport shoe which include properties, e.g. size, color etc.
  • the user has no knowledge on the identity of the relevant suppliers (or at least not on all the relevant suppliers), and hence he/she must conduct the search across the
  • the user invokes a query using a search engine utility (e.g. the known Yahoo) and provides query parameters that identify the desired product, category and/or property of interest.
  • a search engine utility e.g. the known Yahoo
  • the search engine finds a site or sites that include data that match the sought parameters, the data (e.g. relevant html pages) are retrieved and downloaded to the user.
  • the so retrieved data are often sorted by some relevance ranking, which is intended to approximate the degree of relevance of the resulting data to the query.
  • An exemplary (yet not exclusive) Al-based concept harmonization technique includes automatic learning of the "logic" which governs the classification of category.
  • Methods belonging to this approach utilize a set of training data, for which the correct categories are known in advance (usually as the result of manual classification of these categories).
  • a learning method may then include a learning phase, in which some model of the category is constructed.
  • a model may include terms that are highly associated with the category, and possibly some weights that quantify the degree of correlation between each term and the category.
  • a learning method may be memory based, in which case the learning method simply stores the training data in some useful format. Then, when a new item (say product) is given for classification, the method classifies it automatically by consulting or applying the category model (or by simply comparing the new data item to the training data, in case of a memory based approach).
  • Relational Model (or Database): The relational model, introduced by Codd, is a landmark in the history of database development.
  • an abstract concept has been introduced, according to which the data is represented by tables (referred to as entity or relationship “relations") in which the columns represent the fields and rows represent the records.
  • Field A column in a table of a relational database which represents an attribute of a data record (standing for a product) in the table, for example color, size, price in a table that represents clothing.
  • a product is represented by some or all of its fields.
  • Category Hierarchical structure of concepts represented as category values, to which products or group of products are classified. In the present invention, products are, typically (although not necessarily) classified to category values taken from the leaf nodes of the hierarchy;
  • Property A specific field type which signifies a characteristic of given product or products and which is normally not common to all the products in the catalog. As will be shown below, a property is assigned with property values.
  • a technique to construct a homogeneous knowledge base (constituting a homogeneous catalog) from a plurality of dispersed knowledge bases, each of which constitutes a separate catalog.
  • all or some of the fields are mapped to corresponding fields in the homogeneous catalog (constituting homogenous catalog field structure).
  • the catalog field structure which, as will be explained in greater detail below, includes, preferably, fields of "field type", "category type” and "property type"
  • the category values and property values of the separate catalogs are mapped to the homogeneous catalog.
  • a 'catalog import' step in which the contents of the supplier database is mapped to the homogenous catalog.
  • mapping selected fields in the supplier catalog database to corresponding fields in the homogenous catalog database include “field type” fields, "property type” fields and “category type” fields;
  • mapping category values in said supplier catalog database to corresponding category values in the homogenous catalog database include "field type” fields, "property type” fields and "category type” fields;
  • mapping property values in said supplier catalog database to corresponding property values in the homogenous catalog database mapping property values in said supplier catalog database to corresponding property values in the homogenous catalog database; and transferring data contained in said fields from said supplier catalog database to said homogenous catalog database.
  • the category values of the source supplier database are mapped to respective category values in the homogenous catalog using, preferably a "group by" function.
  • additional separate catalogs are mapped to the same homogeneous catalog.
  • the catalog stores in a unified and homogenous manner, data originated from said separate catalogs.
  • the knowledge base is arranged in accordance with the relational model database.
  • a typical, yet not exclusive example of a communication network being the Internet.
  • the catalog may be subject to queries, utilizing e.g. conventional query languages such as SQL.
  • the query that is applied to the homogeneous catalog uses terms which are identical (or substantially identical) to those that constitute the homogeneous catalog, and therefore the prospects of missing data due to inconsistent definitions are substantially reduced or even eliminated.
  • the specified terms may be chosen to be field names - (of field, category and/or property type), category values, and /or property values). Other terms may also be used, all as required and appropriate.
  • Fig. 1 is a generalized system architecture in accordance with the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a generalized sequence of operation, in accordance with the invention
  • Fig. 3 is a generalized flow chart illustrating a field mapping sequence in accordance with one embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 4A-B illustrate exemplary user interface screens for realizing the field mapping sequence of Fig. 3
  • Fig. 5 is a generalized flow chart illustrating category values mapping sequence in accordance with one embodiment of the invention
  • Figs. 6A-B illustrate exemplary user interface screens for realizing the category values mapping sequence of Fig. 5;
  • Fig. 7 illustrates a typical hierarchy of categories
  • Fig. 8 is a generalized flow chart illustrating a property mapping sequence in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
  • Figs. 9A-C illustrates the resulting homogeneous catalog after mapping the fields, category values and property values, represented in an efficient manner, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
  • the system (10) includes a homogenous catalog site (12) and a supplier catalog site (14), inter-linked by means of Internet network (16).
  • the separate catalog (18) (coupled to conventional desktop 19) at the supplier site (14) is mapped, in a convenient semi-automatic procedure, into homogenous catalog (20) (coupled to desktop 21) at the remote site (12), using a mapping protocol over the internet (16).
  • each catalog is held in one physical storage medium, the invention is not bound to any particular physical and/or logical representation of the catalog sites.
  • Fig. 2 there is shown a flow chart illustrating a generalized sequence of operation, in accordance with the invention.
  • the supplier (14) logs into the homogenous catalog (standing for the server) site (12) and after undergoing known per se admittance control steps (30 to 32), the server catalog "accesses" the supplier's site (standing for the client), and by means of e.g. known per se ODBC driver (33) links to the client's database.
  • the catalog database at the client's site is arranged in accordance with the relational model.
  • the invention is by no means bound by any particular high-level or low-level model for representing data.
  • a flat model where all the data is held in one table is utilized.
  • the fields (34) are mapped (including field type, category type and property type). Having mapped the fields (to thereby constitute a field structure), there follows category values mapping (35) followed by property values mapping (36). Having mapped category values and property values, the contents of the supplier catalog is mapped to the homogenous catalog (referred to as catalog import step (37), and thereafter integrity checking steps (38) and (39) are performed, in which errors are rejected (38) and an optional manual modification step is provided (39) (e.g. for inputting missing data, such as contents of fields, say the value of color field for the product jeans trouser). The process terminates by providing a status summary report (39') (e.g. success or error, and in the latter case also indicating the error type).
  • a status summary report 39'
  • Fig. 3 there is shown a generalized flow chart illustrating a field mapping sequence in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
  • the supplier identifies the tables which are subject to mapping (and which constitute the supplier's catalog).
  • the fields of the catalog table or tables and also the contents thereof can be easily identified, all as known er se.
  • the fields of the client's catalog are mapped into fields at the server's catalog (41).
  • the fields mapping is then tested (42 and 43) and thereafter the catalog and properties (44 and 45) are mapped (see below).
  • Figs. 4A-B illustrate an exemplary user interface screens for realizing the field mapping sequence of Fig. 3.
  • the communication protocol program that links the client and server sites identifies the appropriate relational tables in the server catalog and client catalog that are subject to mapping
  • ItemName is mapped to the corresponding client catalog field name ProdName.
  • the homogenous catalog field SizeName is mapped to the corresponding client catalog field name CategorName
  • the homogenous catalog field SmallPicture is mapped to the corresponding client catalog field name SmallPic.
  • the client is not obliged to map all the existing fields of the catalog into corresponding fields in his local catalog. Put differently, only those fields that are of interest are mapped.
  • fields of all types are mapped, normally, "fields”, “category” and “property” (and if desired possibly also others, all as required and appropriate, depending upon the particular application).
  • H-Catalog stands for the homogenous catalog side and Data Source Field stands for the supplier's fields as appearing in his/her local database. Focusing now on the h-catalog side, the fields 1,2 and 3 stand for "fields", since they are common attributes to all products. Put differently, every product must have a name (field no. 1), a catalog number (field number 2) and a price (field number 3). Field number 4 stands for "category” (as will be explained in greater detail below).
  • Fields 5 and 6 stand for "property".
  • property is, as a rule, an attribute of one or more products, but not of all of them.
  • size and color are attributes of some products such as shoes and shirts, but not of others, such as tyres (for cars).
  • the latter may have other properties such as (tyre) width and (tyre) diameter.
  • Category value mapping is illustrated in Figs. 6A and 6B.
  • Fig. 6A the category list as extracted from the table of the client catalog is displayed (in the left column under the title Supplier Category), and is mapped manually to corresponding category value (in the right column under the title h- category - designated also as e-FES category ) in the homogenous catalog at the server site.
  • the resulting mapping is shown in Fig. 6B.
  • the h-category category value Teamclothing trousers/men is mapped to the supplier (client) category value Trousers long Unisex/men.
  • Fig. 7 illustrating the hierarchy (tree) of categories (70), of the supplier end.
  • the hierarchy tree is a non-limiting form of representing categories.
  • the most generalized definition of categories resides (at the top of the hierarchy -referred to also as root node) and more specific definitions reside in lower levels of the tree.
  • root (71) represents the general category definition clothing.
  • Nodes (72) and (73), lower in the hierarchy, represent more specific category definition (youth clothing and kids' clothing).
  • the category values residing at the lowest level of the hierarchy represent the most specific category definition.
  • (74) represents sport pants for youth
  • category value (75) represents elegant pants for youth.
  • a category value may be viewed as concatenation of the nodes from root to leaf.
  • clothing -> youth -> pants -> sport corresponds to category value (74).
  • the category values In order to map the category values, it is first required to "flatten" the hierarchical representation of categories in order to obtain a list of category values that are subject to mapping (from the supplier catalog to the h-catalog database).
  • the flattening results in extracting only the category values of interest, and in the specific example of Fig. 7, this means category values (74 to 78). Whilst in the specific example of Fig. 7 only leaf nodes were extracted (for category value mapping purposes), this is not necessarily always the case. Thus, by an alternative embodiment, higher levels in the hierarchy of categories may also or alternatively be used.
  • the flattening procedure is implemented manually, or in a semi-automatic manner.
  • the mapping of category values is implemented basically in the same manner as mapping the fields.
  • mapping results of some of the category values is illustrated in table 2 below:
  • a preliminary "group by" function may be utilized in order to improve the efficiency of the category values mapping.
  • a catalog at the supplier end that holds X items all classified to the Sport pants for youth category value and additional Y items all classified to the Jeans trousers for youth category value.
  • the table includes X repetitions of the Sport pants for youth category value and Y repetitions of the Jeans trousers for youth category value.
  • the property mapping may involve a preliminary "group by" function in order to extract unique property values and avoid repetitions. Having mapped the fields, the category values and the property values, the contents of the catalog at the supplier end may now be imported to the h-catalog database (step 37 in Fig. 2) so as to construct the h-catalog catalog database.
  • the data import is realized using known er se data transfer techniques. Of course, the data in the server catalog are organized under the field names of the homogeneous catalog.
  • the original catalog (at the supplier site, Table 6), and the mapped catalog (at the h-catalog site, Table 5) are, accordingly, as follows:
  • Figs. 9A-C illustrate one out of many possible variants for representing data in the h-catalog site in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
  • the category field is represented as an integral part of table (91).
  • Table (92) (Fig. 9B) stands for category table and it includes the key field Category Id and category name. The contents of the category table is, as shown, the distinct category values, i.e. "Sport pants for youth”, “Jeans trousers for youth”, and "Swimsuits and light summer clothing for youth”.
  • Fig. 9C stands for "property” having "color” and “size” properties and their respective values green, blue and yellow (for color) and 40, 38 and 32 for size.
  • the representation of data in accordance with Fig. 9A-C is, of course, only one out of many known per se manners of representing data and by way of alternative non limiting embodiment the known ERD model may be used. As is well known, the latter enables efficient 1 :N relationship (e.g. a category can be assigned to more than one product) and N:M representation.
  • the procedure described with reference to a supplier catalog database is not bound to any specific order or scope.
  • the entire database may be mapped in one time or, if desired, the procedure described above may be applied successively to database portions, e.g. applied to each database table separately.
  • the procedure described with reference to Figs. 1 to 9 is repeated for each supplier who wishes to subscribe to the homogenous catalog.
  • the data of all the separate catalogs are represented in a unified manner in the homogenous catalog and, accordingly, querying the homogenous catalog using the common field, category and/or property nomenclature, will bring about consistent results as compared to the alternative of querying the inconsistent separate catalogs of the suppliers.
  • the actual representation of data in the h-catalog and suppler may be one in any known per se manner taking in account depending on e.g. volume and performance considerations.
  • Alphabetic characters and roman symbols used to designate method steps are used for convenience of explanation only and do not necessarily imply any particular order steps.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Data Mining & Analysis (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé permettant de construire une base de données pour un catalogue électronique homogène à partir de plusieurs bases de données distinctes de catalogues fournisseurs, ce procédé se déroulant selon les étapes suivantes, pour tenir compte de chaque catalogue fournisseur. La première étape consiste à lier la base de données homogène à la base de données de catalogues fournisseurs, à l'aide d'un protocole de communication, puis à établir une correspondance entre certains champs de cette base de données de catalogues fournisseurs et des champs correspondants dans ladite base de données de catalogue homogène. Ces champs peuvent notamment concerner le type de «champ», d'«attribut», et de «catégorie». L'étape suivante consiste à établir une correspondance entre des valeurs de catégorie dans la base de données de catalogues fournisseurs et des valeurs de catégorie correspondantes dans la base de données de catalogue homogène. Puis on établit une correspondance entre les valeurs d'attribut de la base de données de catalogues fournisseurs et des valeurs d'attribut correspondantes dans la base de données de catalogue homogène. Le procédé de cette invention consiste enfin à transférer les données contenues dans lesdits champs de la base de données de catalogues fournisseurs vers la base de données de catalogue homogène.
PCT/IL2000/000417 1999-07-14 2000-07-14 Procédé pour construire un catalogue électronique homogène WO2001004775A2 (fr)

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AU58431/00A AU5843100A (en) 1999-07-14 2000-07-14 A method for constructing a homogeneous electronic catalog

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Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1241597A2 (fr) * 2001-03-14 2002-09-18 Aktiebolaget SKF Produit logiciel d'assistance à un utilisateur dans son choix d'unités d'information parmi plusieurs unités d'information structurées concernant des roulements et des joints
US6871198B2 (en) 2001-12-21 2005-03-22 Requisite Technology, Inc. Composing and cataloging item configuration data
US7039645B1 (en) 2002-09-26 2006-05-02 Requisite Technology, Inc. Managing content of an electronic catalog by collaboration with another electronic catalog
US7979324B2 (en) * 2007-02-27 2011-07-12 Microsoft Corporation Virtual catalog
US8838592B2 (en) 2007-06-13 2014-09-16 Mlslistings Inc. Methods and systems for developing a data repository for heterogeneous MLS systems
CN113986362A (zh) * 2021-10-22 2022-01-28 山东云海国创云计算装备产业创新中心有限公司 一种raid卡及其控制方法、服务器主机

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Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1241597A2 (fr) * 2001-03-14 2002-09-18 Aktiebolaget SKF Produit logiciel d'assistance à un utilisateur dans son choix d'unités d'information parmi plusieurs unités d'information structurées concernant des roulements et des joints
EP1241597A3 (fr) * 2001-03-14 2005-12-21 Aktiebolaget SKF Produit logiciel d'assistance à un utilisateur dans son choix d'unités d'information parmi plusieurs unités d'information structurées concernant des roulements et des joints
US6871198B2 (en) 2001-12-21 2005-03-22 Requisite Technology, Inc. Composing and cataloging item configuration data
US7039645B1 (en) 2002-09-26 2006-05-02 Requisite Technology, Inc. Managing content of an electronic catalog by collaboration with another electronic catalog
US7979324B2 (en) * 2007-02-27 2011-07-12 Microsoft Corporation Virtual catalog
US8838592B2 (en) 2007-06-13 2014-09-16 Mlslistings Inc. Methods and systems for developing a data repository for heterogeneous MLS systems
CN113986362A (zh) * 2021-10-22 2022-01-28 山东云海国创云计算装备产业创新中心有限公司 一种raid卡及其控制方法、服务器主机
CN113986362B (zh) * 2021-10-22 2024-01-23 山东云海国创云计算装备产业创新中心有限公司 一种raid卡及其控制方法、服务器主机

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WO2001004775A3 (fr) 2003-01-09

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