Patent ID: 6728696
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A computer-implemented method for searching for items in an electronic catalog, said method comprising the steps:(a) providing a catalog category table comprising a plurality of entries, each entry containing a category name along with information defining a position within a hierarchical structure of categories; (b) providing a product table comprising a plurality of entries, each entry containing an identifier for a particular item in said electronic catalog along with a pointer referencing an entry in said catalog category table, thereby associating each item in the electronic catalog with one of said categories; (c) searching the catalog category table to find words that appear in the category names, and generating a category words array comprising a list of said words along with pointers referencing respective entries in said catalog category table, thereby associating each of said words at any level of the hierarchy with at least one of said categories; (d) displaying the list of words to a user, and allowing a user to select a word from the list; and (e) displaying a list of items from said electronic catalog to the user.