Patent ID: 7299202
Filing Date: 2007-11-20
Classification: G06Q,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented intelligent catalog system for electronic creation, management and viewing of product information using a multimedia display system comprising: (a) a database repository storing information including executable object model code on a computer readable medium about products from one or more vendors, where the product information is stored according to an object model representing the product information, the object model including parametric objects, graphic objects, document objects, configuration business rules objects and procurement rule objects, where the object model handles an unrestricted number of objects for each product; (b) the configuration business rules objects being stored according to a hierarchy by: (c) the database using a meta data system describing the product information, the meta data system dynamically reconfiguring user applications when new product types are added to the database; (d) an executable content translator stored on a computer readable medium, in communication with the database, converting unstructured product content into structured product content based on the object model and the meta data system, where the content translator indexes the structured product content in the database to create at least a portion of the product information; (e) executable user applications stored on a computer readable medium, in communication with the database, using the object model and the meta data system, the user applications including a catalog application and a bill of materials application; and (f) one or more of the user applications configuring and designing a product solution based on the configuration business rules objects, where the product solution being configured and designed includes one or more products each containing one or more sub-products, the architecture of the user applications enabling changes to be made to the configuration business rules objects without any custom reprogramming by storing the configuration business rules objects separate from application code of the user applications.