# Patent

## Title
Rule-based on-line product selection

## Abstract

Systems and methods that assist users in the selection of products such as clothing and accessories are provided. A database of rules for selecting combinations of clothing and accessories is coupled to an inference engine server. A user may transmit a search request to the inference engine server. The inference engine server then access the rules and the search request and performs the search in accordance with the rules. The results of the search may then be displayed to the user as recommendations.

## Background
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/798,232, entitled “Online Wardrobe” and filed on Mar. 2, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,428, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.


FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to inference engines and the identification of consumer products that satisfy a set of rules. More particularly, the invention provides methods and systems for making product selection decisions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For some people, purchasing and selecting clothing to wear can be time-consuming tasks. It is often difficult for people to optimize the number of possible clothing combinations consumers have in their current wardrobe. Similarly, it can also be difficult for consumers to select clothing to purchase. There are a number of different decisions that are made when selecting clothing to wear and purchase. Factors such as, color, style and weather must be taken into account. Furthermore, it can be time consuming and difficult to stay informed about current fashion trends to ensure that one is dressed properly and makes proper purchasing decisions.
It can be prohibitively time consuming to evaluate every possible combination of clothing in a person's wardrobe to select a combination to wear. Time can be saved by not spending much time evaluating a clothing combination that a person wishes to wear or purchase. Unfortunately, this can lead to the person wearing or purchasing a combination of clothing that is not desirable.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a system and methods that assist a user in selecting clothing combinations to purchase and wear in a timely manner.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides systems and methods that assist users in selecting clothing to wear and purchase. Among other advantages, the disclosed systems and methods reduce the time required by users to select clothing and accessories.
In one embodiment, the advantages of the present invention are realized by a method of identifying clothing combinations. The method includes the step of identifying a first article of clothing and a search request. A set of rules for selecting clothing combinations is also identified. Next, the identification of the first article of clothing, the search request and the identification of the set of rules are transmitted to a rules engine. An identification of a second article of clothing that satisfies the set of rules is then received.
The set of rules may include any type of rules, such as, for example, rules for permissible color combinations, permissible pattern combinations, and permissible style combinations.
In another embodiment of the invention, a method of selecting clothing combinations is provided. The method includes the step of receiving from an input device a query including characteristics of a first article of clothing, the identification of a user and a search request. A set of rules associated with the user and for determining permissible clothing combinations are accessed. Next, the rules and the characteristics of the first article of clothing are utilized to identify a second article of clothing that forms an appropriate clothing combination with the first article of clothing. An identification of the second article of clothing may be transmitted to the input device.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, a method of selecting clothing that may be of interest to a user is provided. The method comprises the step of receiving from an input device a query including the identification of a user and a search request. A set of rules associated with the user and for determining desirable clothing combinations are accessed and the rules and the search request are utilized to identify an appropriate clothing combination. Then, an identification of clothing combination is transmitted to the input device.
The rules may require elements comprising the clothing combination to be intended for the same gender, to be intended for the same occasion, to be of the same style and/or to be intended for the same body type.
A method of selecting clothing that may be of interest to a user is disclosed in another embodiment of the invention. The method includes receiving clothing attributes for a clothing combination selected by a user and generating a rule for the selection of additional clothing combinations based on the attributes of the clothing combination selected by the user. A query including the identification of a user and a search request is received from an input device and a set of rules associated with the user and that includes the generated rule are accessed. Next, the set of rules and the search request are utilized to identify an appropriate clothing combination and an identification of clothing combination is transmitted to the input device.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:
FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art workstation and communication connections.
FIG. 2 illustrates a system that may be used to assist a user in selecting clothing combinations to wear and purchase in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates a method of selecting an article of clothing in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 shows a graphical user interface that may be used to assist users in selecting clothing in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates the relationships between product, customer and situational specific attributes.
FIG. 6 illustrates a method of selecting clothing based on the attributes of a piece of clothing in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7 illustrates a method of selecting clothing based on the identification of a user and a search request in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 8 illustrates a method of selecting clothing based on a rule generated by a user in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Elements of the present invention may be implemented with computer systems, such as the system 100 shown in FIG. 1. Computer 100 includes a central processor 110, a system memory 112 and a system bus 114 that couples various system components including the system memory 112 to the central processor unit 110. System bus 114 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The structure of system memory 112 is well known to those skilled in the art and may include a basic input/output system (BIOS) stored in a read only memory (ROM) and one or more program modules such as operating systems, application programs and program data stored in random access memory (RAM).
Computer 100 may also include a variety of interface units and drives for reading and writing data. In particular, computer 100 includes a hard disk interface 116 and a removable memory interface 120 respectively coupling a hard disk drive 118 and a removable memory drive 122 to system bus 114. Examples of removable memory drives include magnetic disk drives and optical disk drives. The drives and their associated computer-readable media, such as a floppy disk 124 provide nonvolatile storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for computer 100. A single hard disk drive 118 and a single removable memory drive 122 are shown for illustration purposes only and with the understanding that computer 100 may include several of such drives. Furthermore, computer 100 may include drives for interfacing with other types of computer readable media.
A user can interact with computer 100 with a variety of input devices. FIG. 1 shows a serial port interface 126 coupling a keyboard 128 and a pointing device 130 to system bus 114. Pointing device 128 may be implemented with a mouse, track ball, pen device, or similar device. Of course one or more other input devices (not shown) such as a joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, touch sensitive screen or the like may be connected to computer 100.
Computer 100 may include additional interfaces for connecting devices to system bus 114. FIG. 1 shows a universal serial bus (USB) interface 132 coupling a video or digital camera 134 to system bus 114. An IEEE 1394 interface 136 may be used to couple additional devices to computer 100. Furthermore, interface 136 may configured to operate with particular manufacture interfaces such as FireWire developed by Apple Computer and i.Link developed by Sony. Input devices may also be coupled to system bus 114 through a parallel port, a game port, a PCI board or any other interface used to couple and input device to a computer.
Computer 100 also includes a video adapter 140 coupling a display device 142 to system bus 114. Display device 142 may include a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), field emission display (FED), plasma display or any other device that produces an image that is viewable by the user. Additional output devices, such as a printing device (not shown), may be connected to computer 100.
Sound can be recorded and reproduced with a microphone 144 and a speaker 166. A sound card 148 may be used to couple microphone 144 and speaker 146 to system bus 114. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the device connections shown in FIG. 1 are for illustration purposes only and that several of the peripheral devices could be coupled to system bus 114 via alternative interfaces. For example, video camera 134 could be connected to IEEE 1394 interface 136 and pointing device 130 could be connected to USB interface 132.
Computer 100 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers or other devices, such as a server, a router, a network personal computer, a peer device or other common network node, a wireless telephone or wireless personal digital assistant. Computer 100 includes a network interface 150 that couples system bus 114 to a local area network (LAN) 152. Networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks and home computer systems.
A wide area network (WAN) 154, such as the Internet, can also be accessed by computer 100. FIG. 1 shows a modem unit 156 connected to serial port interface 126 and to WAN 154. Modem unit 156 may be located within or external to computer 100 and may be any type of conventional modem such as a cable modem or a satellite modem. LAN 152 may also be used to connect to WAN 154. FIG. 1 shows a router 158 that may connect LAN 152 to WAN 154 in a conventional manner.
It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other ways of establishing a communications link between the computers can be used. The existence of any of various well-known protocols, such as TCP/IP, Frame Relay, Ethernet, FTP, HTTP and the like, is presumed, and computer 100 can be operated in a client-server configuration to permit a user to retrieve web pages from a web-based server. Furthermore, any of various conventional web browsers can be used to display and manipulate data on web pages.
The operation of computer 100 can be controlled by a variety of different program modules. Examples of program modules are routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The present invention may also be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCS, minicomputers, mainframe computers, personal digital assistants and the like. Furthermore, the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.
FIG. 2 illustrates a system that assists a user in selecting clothing to purchase and/or wear. An inference engine server 202 receives requests for the identification of clothing and clothing combinations. A rule database 204 may contain one or more rules used by inference engine server 202 to select clothing. There are a number of conventional software platforms that receive queries, access rules and produce a response to the query based upon the information contained in the rules. Examples of suitable software platforms that can be used to implement aspects of the present invention are offered for sale by Blaze Software and Blue Martini. A wardrobe database 206 may be included to store the identification of clothing owned by a user and associated clothing attributes. Retailers may provide clothing information to wardrobe database 206 at the time that users purchase clothing. Alternatively, users may provide clothing information to wardrobe database 206. The operation of inference engine 202, rule database 204 and wardrobe database 206 will be described in detail below.
One skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous different web sites and sources of information may be connected to the Internet 208. FIG. 2 shows a retail web site 210 and a weather web site 214 coupled to Internet 208. Retail web site 210 may offer clothing items for sale and may be coupled to a clothing database 212 that may contain the identification of clothing offered for sale and associated clothing attributes. A weather web site 214 may provide weather information. Of course, a single web site may offer clothing for sale and provide weather information.
A computer 216 may be utilized to interface with inference engine server 202. A database of clothing 218 may be coupled to computer 216. In an alternative embodiment, database 218 can be removed and clothing information is stored in a remote database, such as wardrobe database 206. In embodiments in which computer 216 is implemented with a portable wireless device, database 218 and/or database 206 may be coupled to computer 216 via the Internet. In alternative embodiment of the invention, computer 216 may be included in the wardrobe closet disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/798,232, entitled “Online Wardrobe” and may be configured to perform some or all of the functions of inference engine server 202.
One or more conventional brick and mortar stores 220 that allow consumers to view merchandise in person may also be connected to the Internet 208. Brick and mortar store 220 may offer clothing for sale in the store and/or on-line to users connected to the Internet 208. Brick and mortar store 220 may be coupled to a store clothing database 222 that contains the identification of clothing offered for sale and associated clothing attributes. Database 222 illustrates an example of the type of information that may be included in databases, 206, 212, 218 and 222. Two shirts, having item numbers 06041998 and 10121999, are shown under a shirts heading 222a. Several attributes of item number 06041998 are listed under an attributes heading 222b. Of course, additional attributes, shirts as well as additional clothing types and accessories may also be included.
FIG. 3 illustrates a method for assisting a user in selecting articles of clothing. First, in step 302, an article of clothing and a search request are identified. The article of clothing may be identified by selecting an item in a database, reading a tag embedded in the clothing, entering identifying information into a computer terminal or any other manner.
FIG. 4 illustrates a web page that may be used as an interface for identifying clothing and a search request. The item may be identified by entering a product number 402. A list of potential attributes for the identified product are shown in an attributes section 404. However, any attributes can be used. The attributes shown in FIG. 4, as well as additional attributes will be described in detail below. The user may select a Match It button 406 to find another article of clothing with common attributes of gender, occasion, style and body type and a different attribute or category. For example, the user may desire to find pants that match the identified shirt. A Find Similar button 408 may be selected to locate clothing with common attributes of gender, occasion and style. This option may be used when shopping to determine if the user already owns a similar article of clothing. A Wardrobe Search button 410 may be selected to locate clothing that meets required criteria. A user may use this option to confirm that they own a particular article of clothing. For example, the user may identify a shirt in brick and mortar store 220 and search their wardrobe to determine if they own a similar shirt.
A search section 412 allows the user to search their existing wardrobe, new clothing or both. A user may desire to search his or her existing wardrobe when selecting clothes to wear in the near future. The new clothing option may be selected when the user desires to search web sites selling clothing. In one embodiment of the invention, the user identifies web sites to search when the new clothing option is selected.
Returning to FIG. 3, in step 304, a set of rules are identified. The set of rules may be identified by the user explicitly identifying the rules or may be inferred from the information provided by the user. In one embodiment, the user may provide: the user's identification, an identification of clothing or clothing attributes, and the type of search request. Inference engine server 202 may use this information to retrieve a set of rules and the order of the rules. Alternatively, the set of rules may be identified by identifying the user and associating the user with a set of rules. The set of rules may be used to select clothing based on: one or more attributes of the clothing, one or more attributes of the user and/or one or more attributes of the situation in which the clothing will be worn.
FIG. 5, illustrates the relationship between exemplary product attributes 502, customer attributes 504 and situational specific attributes 506. One skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present invention can be implemented with methods that utilize a variety of different product, customer and situational specific attributes. Attributes that may be used include: gender (male, female, unisex), skin tone, hair and eye colors, occasion (formal events, work, casual, evening events), general style (classic, global, romantic, natural, urban, casual), price and pattern (solid, patterned). Users may also choose a body type that is most closely related to their shape. Females may choose from: rectangle (balanced hip and shoulder, no defined waist), pear (shoulder narrower than hips, small waist, full hips), hourglass (balanced hip and shoulder width, defined waist), triangle (shoulder narrower than hips, full waist), inverted triangle (shoulder wider than hips) and round (wide shoulders, round back, thin legs). Males may choose from: slim (slender), regular (proportional), portly (bulky) and athletic (muscular).
Articles of clothing may also be assigned an attribute value indicating an appropriate climate to utilize the clothing. The values may include cold (45° F. or less), mild (45° F.-65° F.), warm (65° F.-75° F.), hot (75° F. or above) and all-year (all temperatures). Category attributes may include outerwear (jackets, coats), tops (blouses, shirts, casual tops, sweaters), bottoms (dress pants, casual pants, skirts), outfits (suits, dresses, one-piece coordinates), accessories (belts, handbags, scarves, wraps, hosiery, hats, jewelry, gloves) and shoes (sandal, boot, loafer, dress, athletic). Subcategory attributes may include:













Outerwear:



Blazers
sports jacket often with notched collar and patch pockets


Outerwear
worn over an outfit to protect from elements


Tops:


Blouses
BLOUSE: a usually loose-fitting garment especially for


and
women that covers the body from the neck to the waist


Shirts
SHIRT: a cloth garment usually having a collar, sleeves, a



front opening, and a tail long enough to be tucked inside



trousers or a skirt


Casual Tops
a top, generally from cotton, cotton blend, lycra or spandex


Sweaters
a knitted or crocheted jacket or pullover


Sweatshirts
a loose collarless pullover usually of heavy cotton jersey


Bottoms:


Dress Pants


Casual Pants


Skirts
a garment hanging from the waist and worn by women



and girls


Outfits:


Suits
a set of matching outer garments, especially one consisting



of a coat with trousers or a skirt


Dresses
a girl's or woman's one-piece garment consisting of a



blouse connected to the waist of a skirt


One piece


coordinates


Accessories:


Belts
a strip of flexible material worn especially around the waist


Handbags
a bag held in the hand or hung from a shoulder strap and



used for carrying small personal articles and money


Scarves/
a long piece of cloth worn about the head, neck, or


Wraps
shoulders


Hosiery
socks and stockings; hose


Hats
a covering for the head, especially one with a shaped



crown and brim


Jewelry
ornaments such as rings, bracelets, and necklaces,



sometimes set with jewels; jewels or jewel-set ornaments



collectively


Gloves
a covering for the hand, usu. made of cloth or leather and



having separate sections for each finger and the thumb


Shoes:


Sandal
a shoe consisting of a sole strapped to the foot


Boot
a covering for the foot and all or some of the leg, usu. made



of leather or rubber and worn for protection


Loafer
a trademark used for a low leather step-in shoe with an



upper resembling a moccasin but with a broad, flat heel


Dress


Athletic
a cloth sports shoe with a sole made of rubber or similar



material









Each item may also be assigned one or more clothing attributes. A “color” attribute may correspond to colors defined by the National Retail Federation. Patterned items may be assigned a color attribute corresponding to the predominate color of the item.
Material attributes may correspond to the material makeup of the item as listed by the manufacturer or store. Values are included in the following table and may be used to assign climate attributes.













Acrylic
artificial fiber made from a special group of vinyl



compounds, primarily acrylonitrile. Acrylic fibers are



thermoplastic (i.e., soften when heated, reharden upon



cooling), have low moisture regain, are low in density,



and can be made into bulky materials. They wash and



dry easily and are dimensionally stable. They are



resistant to bleaches, dilute acids, and alkalies,



and to weathering and microbiological attack


Angora
the hair of the angora goat or of the angora rabbit


Beaded
to furnish, adorn, or cover with beads or beading


Boucle
an uneven yarn of three plies one of which forms loops at



intervals


Blend
a mixture of 2 or more materials


Camelhair
a soft tan cloth made with the hair of a camel


Canvas
strong rough cloth made from cotton, hemp or jute, used for



making tents, sails, bags or strong clothes


Cashmere
very soft, expensive woollen material that is made from



the hair of goats from kashmir


Chenille
a wool, cotton, silk, or rayon yarn with protruding pile;



also: a pile-face material with a filling of this yarn


Chiffon
a very thin, almost transparent cloth of silk or nylon


Corduroy
a durable usually cotton pile material with vertical ribs



or wales


Cotton
(the thread or cloth made from) the fibre surrounding the



seeds of a tall plant which is cultivated esp. in the USA,



China and India


Crepe
a light crinkled material woven of any of various fibers


Crocodile
the skin or hide of a crocodile


Denim
a thick strong cotton cloth, often blue in colour, used esp.



for making jeans


Diamond
a geometric shape with four equal straight sides, two equal,



opposed acute angles, and two equal, opposed obtuse angles


Down
the fine, soft, fuzzy feathers that cover a young bird or that



are found on the underside of adult birds


Faux Fur
synthetic material imitating the skin of an animal


Felt
a non-woven material made of matted, compressed animal



fibers, another matted material resembling it, or an article



made of it


Flannel
a soft, heavy material made of wool, cotton, synthetics, or a



blend of these, used esp. for warm clothing or bed covering


Fur
or the hair-covered skin(s) of animals, removed from their



bodies


Gold
a metallic yellow color like that of gold metal


Jersey
a plain weft-knitted material made of wool, cotton, nylon,



rayon, or silk and used especially for clothing


Lace
a decorative cloth which is made by weaving thin thread in



delicate patterns with holes in them


Leather
animal skin treated in order to preserve it, and used to make



shoes, bags, clothes, equipment, etc.


Linen
strong cloth that is woven from the fibres of the flax plant



and lasts a long time, or sheets, cloths and clothing made



from this or from a similar material such as cotton


Lizard
the skin of a lizard made into leather


Lycra
used for a spandex synthetic fiber


Mohair
(a soft cloth made from) the silky outer hair of angora goats


Nylon
an artificial substance used esp. to make clothes, ropes and



brushes


Organza
a sheer, stiff material of silk or synthetic material used for



trimming, neckwear, or evening dresses


Patent
leather that is treated in a formerly patented process to



achieve a hard, glossy, usu. black finish


Polyester
any of numerous synthetic polymers produced chiefly by



reaction of dibasic acids with dihydric alcohols and used



primarily as light, strong, weather-resistant resins in boat



hulls, textile fibers, adhesives, and molded parts


Poplin
a ribbed material of silk, rayon, wool, or cotton, used in



making clothing and upholstery


Rayon
any of several synthetic textile fibers produced by forcing a



cellulose solution through fine spinnerets and solidifying



the resulting filaments


Satin
a smooth material that is shiny on one side and dull on the



other


Seersucker
a light thin material, generally cotton or rayon, with a



crinkled surface and a usually striped pattern


Shantung
a heavy material with a rough nubby surface, made of spun



wild silk


Silk
a fine lustrous fiber composed mainly of fibroin and



produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons,



especially the strong, elastic, fibrous secretion of



silkworms used to make thread and material


Silk Knit
to interlock or join silk together cohesively


Silk Thick
silk that is relatively great in the measure of the smallest



dimension from one side to the opposite side


Snakeskin
the skin of a snake, or leather made from this


Spandex
a synthetic fiber or material made from a polymer



containing polyurethane, used in the manufacture of



elastic clothing


Straw
stalks of threshed grain, used as bedding and food for



animals, for thatching, and for weaving or braiding,



as into baskets


Suede
a soft napped leather, or a similar-looking material


Synthetic
material weaved from man-made materials


Fibers


Tulle
a fine, often starched net of silk, rayon, or nylon, used



especially for veils, tutus, or gowns


Tweed
a coarse, rugged, often nubby woolen material made in any



of various twill weaves and used chiefly for casual suits



and coats


Velvet
a soft material, such as silk, rayon, or nylon, having a



smooth, dense pile and a plain underside


Wool
fiber made from the fleece of the domestic sheep


Wool Crepe
wool material with a wrinkled or ridged surface


Wool Knit
to interlock or join wool together cohesively


Wool
thin wool material


Lightweight









Length attributes may also be assigned to pants, skirts, tops, dresses, suits and outerwear. Pants may be assigned values of short (ends at least 2 inches above knee), clamdigger (ends 3-5 inches above the ankle), capri (end below the knee to mid-calf), ankle (end at ankle), regular (end 1-2 inches below ankle) or long (end more than 2 inches below ankle). Skirts may be assigned values of: above knee, at knee, below knee or ankle. Tops and suits may be assigned values of: 3⁄4 (sleeve ends between wrist and elbow), elbow (sleeve ends at elbow joint), S/S (sleeve ends between shoulder and elbow), L/S (sleeve ends at wrist) or sleeveless (sleeve ends at shoulder). Dresses may be assigned values of: above knee, at knee, below knee and ankle. Outerwear may be assigned values of: waist (ends at waist), hips (ends at hips), thigh (ends mid thigh), knee (ends at knee) or full (ends at ankle)
Fit attributes may be determined by an item's silhouette. Exemplary values for pants, skirts, tops, dresses, suits and outerwear are found in the following tables.













Pants:



Slim
cut close to body


Baggy
cut loosely


Straight
pant leg same length throughout


Boot Leg
cut with slight flair at bottom of leg


Tapered
slightly inverted at bottom of leg


Bellbottom
cut with substantial flair at bottom of leg


Skirts:


A-line
cut in triangle


Straight
same shape throughout


Full
skirt is fuller at the bottom


Flared
straight until bottom where skirt becomes full


Tailored
skirt is custom fit to curves of body


Wrapped
skirt is wound 11⁄2 times around body


Pleated
small vertical folds throughout material


Tops:


Wrapped
more than one fold of Material across chest


Fitted
tight cut close to body


Tunic
a long, plain, sleeved or sleeveless blouse


Regular
fit in general style of the season


Boxy
square but, loose fit


Belted
cinched at waist


Dresses:


A-line
cut in shape of a triangle; ends at or above knee


Straight
cut without curves


Full
loosely cut


Trapeze
material gathered at chest or above falling in tent like shape



around body


Contoured
shaped to curves of body


Belted
cinched at waist


Wrapped
dress folds at least 11⁄2 times around body


Suits:


Tailored
custom fitted to curves of body


Boxy
broad shoulders, straight cut


Contoured
fitted to show curves of body


Belted
cinched at waist


Loose
flowing, not shaped


Outerwear:


Boxy
cut straight


Belted
cinched at the waist


Fitted
cut to hug curves of body


Tunic
a long, plain, close-fitting military jacket, usually with a



stiff high collar


Flared
straight at top with more material at bottom









Finally, all tops and dresses may be assigned neckline attributes as follows:













Butterfly
large collar


Collarless
no collar


Spread


Notched


Buttoned
collar is secured to shirt by buttons


Ruffled
collar has gathered material around neck


Turtleneck
collar comes up to chin and folds over


V-neck
neck is shaped like inverted triangle


Strapless
shirt is held up under arm pits and around chest


Scoop
neck of shirt is rounded and falls several inches below



neck


Tank
a sleeveless shirt


Funnel


Square
neckline in two 90 degree angles


NormalRound
circular collar at base of neck


NormalCollar
the portion of a garment that goes around the neck and is



sometimes folded over


Low V
neck is inverted triangle to or between breasts


MockTurtle
neck comes up to chin


Tabbed
a small, flat projection, such as a loop, strap, or flap









Rules database 204 may contain a variety of different rules for selecting clothing and clothing accessories. The rules may include color, body type and climate rules. There are a variety of different color rules that may be utilized. Some rules may apply to all users and others may be tailored to a subset of users or a particular individual user. In one embodiment of the invention, the following color rules are used as a default set of color rules. A user may be given the option of modifying or adding color rules.













COLOR
DOES NOT MATCH
COLOR
DOES NOT MATCH







Rust/Copper
red, dark red, medium red,
Green
bright blue, turquoise/aqua,



bright red, light pastel red,

light pastel blue, red, dark



open red, pink, dark pink,

red, medium red, bright red,



medium pink, bright pink,

light pastel red, open red,



light pastel pink, open pink

pink, dark pink, medium





pink, bright pink, light pastel





pink, open pink, yellow,





dark yellow, medium





yellow, bright yellow, light





pastel yellow, open yellow,





orange, dark orange,





medium orange, bright





orange, light pastel orange,





open orange


Dark green
bright blue, turquoise/aqua,
Medium
bright blue, turquoise/aqua,



light pastel blue, red, dark
green
light pastel blue, red, dark



red, medium red, bright red,

red, medium red, bright red,



light pastel red, open red,

light pastel red, open red,



pink, dark pink, medium

pink, dark pink, medium



pink, bright pink, light

pink, bright pink, light pastel



pastel pink, open pink,

pink, open pink, yellow,



yellow, dark yellow,

dark yellow, medium



medium yellow, bright

yellow, bright yellow, light



yellow, light pastel yellow,

pastel yellow, open yellow,



open yellow, orange, dark

orange, dark orange,



orange, medium orange,

medium orange, bright



bright orange, light pastel

orange, light pastel orange,



orange, open orange

open orange


Bright green
bright blue, turquoise/aqua,
Light pastel
bright blue, red, dark red,



light pastel blue, red, dark
green
medium red, bright red, light



red, medium red, bright red,

pastel red, open red, pink,



light pastel red, open red,

dark pink, medium pink,



pink, dark pink, medium

bright pink, open pink,



pink, bright pink, light

yellow, dark yellow,



pastel pink, open pink,

medium yellow, bright



yellow, dark yellow,

yellow, open yellow, orange,



medium yellow, bright

dark orange, medium



yellow, light pastel yellow,

orange, bright orange, light



open yellow, orange, dark

pastel orange, open orange



orange, medium orange,



bright orange, light pastel



orange, open orange


Open green
bright blue, turquoise/aqua,
Blue
yellow, dark yellow,



light pastel blue, red, dark

medium yellow, bright



red, medium red, bright red,

yellow, light pastel yellow,



light pastel red, open red,

open yellow, orange, dark



pink, dark pink, medium

orange, medium orange,



pink, bright pink, light

bright orange, light pastel



pastel pink, open pink,

orange, open orange



yellow, dark yellow,



medium yellow, bright



yellow, light pastel yellow,



open yellow, orange, dark



orange, medium orange,



bright orange, light pastel



orange, open orange


Dark blue
yellow, dark yellow,
Navy
yellow, dark yellow,



medium yellow, bright

medium yellow, bright



yellow, light pastel yellow,

yellow, light pastel yellow,



open yellow, orange, dark

open yellow, orange, dark



orange, medium orange,

orange, medium orange,



bright orange, light pastel

bright orange, light pastel



orange, open orange

orange, open orange


Medium blue
yellow, dark yellow,
Bright blue
green, dark green, medium



medium yellow, bright

green, bright green, light



yellow, light pastel yellow,

pastel green, open green,



open yellow, orange, dark

red, dark red, medium red,



orange, medium orange,

bright red, light pastel red,



bright orange, light pastel

open red, yellow, dark



orange, open orange

yellow, medium yellow,





bright yellow, light pastel





yellow, open yellow, orange,





dark orange, medium





orange, bright orange, light





pastel orange, open orange


Turquoise/aqua
green, dark green, medium
Light pastel
green, dark green, medium



green, bright green, open
blue
green, bright green, open



green, red, dark red,

green, red, dark red, medium



medium red, bright red,

red, bright red, light pastel



light pastel red, open red,

red, open red, orange, dark



orange, dark orange,

orange, medium orange,



medium orange, bright

bright orange, light pastel



orange, light pastel orange,

orange, open orange



open orange


Open blue
green, dark green, medium
Purple
red, dark red, medium red,



green, bright green, light

bright red, light pastel red,



pastel green, open green,

open red, yellow, dark



red, dark red, medium red,

yellow, medium yellow,



bright red, light pastel red,

bright yellow, light pastel



open red, yellow, dark

yellow, open yellow, orange,



yellow, medium yellow,

dark orange, medium



bright yellow, light pastel

orange, bright orange, light



yellow, open yellow,

pastel orange, open orange



orange, dark orange,



medium orange, bright



orange, light pastel orange,



open orange


Dark purple
red, dark red, medium red,
Medium
red, dark red, medium red,



bright red, light pastel red,
purple
bright red, light pastel red,



open red, yellow, dark

open red, yellow, dark



yellow, medium yellow,

yellow, medium yellow,



bright yellow, light pastel

bright yellow, light pastel



yellow, open yellow,

yellow, open yellow, orange,



orange, dark orange,

dark orange, medium



medium orange, bright

orange, bright orange, light



orange, light pastel orange,

pastel orange, open orange



open orange


Bright purple
red, dark red, medium red,
Light pastel
red, dark red, medium red,



bright red, light pastel red,
purple
bright red, light pastel red,



open red, yellow, dark

open red, yellow, dark



yellow, medium yellow,

yellow, medium yellow,



bright yellow, light pastel

bright yellow, open yellow,



yellow, open yellow,

orange, dark orange,



orange, dark orange,

medium orange, bright



medium orange, bright

orange, light pastel orange,



orange, light pastel orange,

open orange



open orange


Open purple
red, dark red, medium red,
Red
rust/copper, green, dark



bright red, light pastel red,

green, medium green, bright



open red, yellow, dark

green, light pastel green,



yellow, medium yellow,

open green, bright blue,



bright yellow, light pastel

turquoise/aqua, light pastel



yellow, open yellow,

blue, open blue, purple, dark



orange, dark orange,

purple, medium purple,



medium orange, bright

bright purple, light pastel



orange, light pastel orange,

purple, open purple, pink,



open orange

dark pink, medium pink,





bright pink, light pastel pink,





open pink, yellow, dark





yellow, medium yellow,





bright yellow, light pastel





yellow, open yellow, orange,





dark orange, medium





orange, bright orange, light





pastel orange, open orange


Dark red
rust/copper, green, dark
Medium
rust/copper, green, dark



green, medium green, bright
red
green, medium green, bright



green, light pastel green,

green, light pastel green,



open green, bright blue,

open green, bright blue,



turquoise/aqua, light pastel

turquoise/aqua, light pastel



blue, open blue, purple,

blue, open blue, purple, dark



dark purple, medium

purple, medium purple,



purple, bright purple, light

bright purple, light pastel



pastel purple, open purple,

purple, open purple, pink,



pink, dark pink, medium

dark pink, medium pink,



pink, bright pink, light

bright pink, light pastel pink,



pastel pink, open pink,

open pink, yellow, dark



yellow, dark yellow,

yellow, medium yellow,



medium yellow, bright

bright yellow, light pastel



yellow, light pastel yellow,

yellow, open yellow, orange,



open yellow, orange, dark

dark orange, medium



orange, medium orange,

orange, bright orange, light



bright orange, light pastel

pastel orange, open orange



orange, open orange


Bright red
rust/copper, green, dark
Light pastel
rust/copper, green, dark



green, medium green, bright
red
green, medium green, bright



green, light pastel green,

green, light pastel green,



open green, bright blue,

open green, bright blue,



turquoise/aqua, light pastel

turquoise/aqua, light pastel



blue, open blue, purple,

blue, open blue, purple, dark



dark purple, medium

purple, medium purple,



purple, bright purple, light

bright purple, light pastel



pastel purple, open purple,

purple, open purple, pink,



pink, dark pink, medium

dark pink, medium pink,



pink, bright pink, light

bright pink, light pastel pink,



pastel pink, open pink,

open pink, yellow, dark



yellow, dark yellow,

yellow, medium yellow,



medium yellow, bright

bright yellow, light pastel



yellow, light pastel yellow,

yellow, open yellow, orange,



open yellow, orange, dark

dark orange, medium



orange, medium orange,

orange, bright orange, light



bright orange, light pastel

pastel orange, open orange



orange, open orange


Open red
rust/copper, green, dark
Pink
rust/copper, green, dark



green, medium green,

green, medium green, bright



bright green, light pastel

green, light pastel green,



green, open green, bright

open green, red, dark red,



blue, turquoise/aqua, light

medium red, bright red, light



pastel blue, open blue,

pastel red, open red, yellow,



purple, dark purple,

dark yellow, medium



medium purple, bright

yellow, bright yellow, light



purple, light pastel purple,

pastel yellow, open yellow,



open purple, pink, dark

orange, dark orange,



pink, medium pink, bright

medium orange, bright



pink, light pastel pink,

orange, light pastel orange,



open pink, yellow, dark

open orange



yellow, medium yellow,



bright yellow, light pastel



yellow, open yellow,



orange, dark orange,



medium orange, bright



orange, light pastel orange,



open orange


Dark pink
rust/copper, green, dark
Medium
rust/copper, green, dark



green, medium green, bright
pink
green, medium green, bright



green, light pastel green,

green, light pastel green,



open green, red, dark red,

open green, red, dark red,



medium red, bright red,

medium red, bright red, light



light pastel red, open red,

pastel red, open red, yellow,



yellow, dark yellow,

dark yellow, medium



medium yellow, bright

yellow, bright yellow, light



yellow, light pastel yellow,

pastel yellow, open yellow,



open yellow, orange, dark

orange, dark orange,



orange, medium orange,

medium orange, bright



bright orange, light pastel

orange, light pastel orange,



orange, open orange

open orange


Bright pink
rust/copper, green, dark
Light pastel
rust/copper, green, dark



green, medium green, bright
pink
green, medium green, bright



green, light pastel green,

green, open green, red, dark



open green, red, dark red,

red, medium red, bright red,



medium red, bright red,

light pastel red, open red,



light pastel red, open red,

yellow, dark yellow,



yellow, dark yellow,

medium yellow, bright



medium yellow, bright

yellow, open yellow, orange,



yellow, light pastel yellow,

dark orange, medium



open yellow, orange, dark

orange, bright orange, light



orange, medium orange,

pastel orange, open orange



bright orange, light pastel



orange, open orange


Open pink
rust/copper, green, dark
Yellow
green, dark green, medium



green, medium green, bright

green, bright green, light



green, light pastel green,

pastel green, open green,



open green, red, dark red,

blue, dark blue, navy,



medium red, bright red,

medium blue, bright blue,



light pastel red, open red,

open blue, purple, dark



yellow, dark yellow,

purple, medium purple,



medium yellow, bright

bright purple, light pastel



yellow, light pastel yellow,

purple, open purple, red,



open yellow, orange, dark

dark red, medium red, bright



orange, medium orange,

red, light pastel red, open



bright orange, light pastel

red, pink, dark pink, medium



orange, open orange

pink, bright pink, light pastel





pink, open pink, orange,





dark orange, medium





orange, bright orange, light





pastel orange, open orange


Dark yellow
green, dark green, medium
Medium
green, dark green, medium



green, bright green, light
yellow
green, bright green, light



pastel green, open green,

pastel green, open green,



blue, dark blue, navy,

blue, dark blue, navy,



medium blue, bright blue,

medium blue, bright blue,



open blue, purple, dark

open blue, purple, dark



purple, medium purple,

purple, medium purple,



bright purple, light pastel

bright purple, light pastel



purple, open purple, red,

purple, open purple, red,



dark red, medium red,

dark red, medium red, bright



bright red, light pastel red,

red, light pastel red, open



open red, pink, dark pink,

red, pink, dark pink, medium



medium pink, bright pink,

pink, bright pink, light pastel



light pastel pink, open pink,

pink, open pink, orange,



orange, dark orange,

dark orange, medium



medium orange, bright

orange, bright orange, light



orange, light pastel orange,

pastel orange, open orange



open orange


Bright yellow
green, dark green, medium
Light pastel
green, dark green, medium



green, bright green, light
yellow
green, bright green, open



pastel green, open green,

green, blue, dark blue, navy,



blue, dark blue, navy,

medium blue, bright blue,



medium blue, bright blue,

open blue, purple, dark



open blue, purple, dark

purple, medium purple,



purple, medium purple,

bright purple, open purple,



bright purple, light pastel

red, dark red, medium red,



purple, open purple, red,

bright red, light pastel red,



dark red, medium red,

open red, pink, dark pink,



bright red, light pastel red,

medium pink, bright pink,



open red, pink, dark pink,

open pink, orange, dark



medium pink, bright pink,

orange, medium orange,



light pastel pink, open pink,

bright orange, open orange



orange, dark orange,



medium orange, bright



orange, light pastel orange,



open orange


Open yellow
green, dark green, medium
Orange
green, dark green, medium



green, bright green, light

green, bright green, light



pastel green, open green,

pastel green, open green,



blue, dark blue, navy,

blue, dark blue, navy,



medium blue, bright blue,

medium blue, bright blue,



open blue, purple, dark

turquoise/aqua, light pastel



purple, medium purple,

blue, open blue, purple, dark



bright purple, light pastel

purple, medium purple,



purple, open purple, red,

bright purple, light pastel



dark red, medium red,

purple, open purple, red,



bright red, light pastel red,

dark red, medium red, bright



open red, pink, dark pink,

red, light pastel red, open



medium pink, bright pink,

red, pink, dark pink, medium



light pastel pink, open pink,

pink, bright pink, light pastel



orange, dark orange,

pink, open pink, yellow,



medium orange, bright

dark yellow, medium



orange, light pastel orange,

yellow, bright yellow, light



open orange

pastel yellow, open yellow


Dark orange
green, dark green, medium
Medium
green, dark green, medium



green, bright green, light
orange
green, bright green, light



pastel green, open green,

pastel green, open green,



blue, dark blue, navy,

blue, dark blue, navy,



medium blue, bright blue,

medium blue, bright blue,



turquoise/aqua, light pastel

turquoise/aqua, light pastel



blue, open blue, purple,

blue, open blue, purple, dark



dark purple, medium

purple, medium purple,



purple, bright purple, light

bright purple, light pastel



pastel purple, open purple,

purple, open purple, red,



red, dark red, medium red,

dark red, medium red, bright



bright red, light pastel red,

red, light pastel red, open



open red, pink, dark pink,

red, pink, dark pink, medium



medium pink, bright pink,

pink, bright pink, light pastel



light pastel pink, open pink,

pink, open pink, yellow,



yellow, dark yellow,

dark yellow, medium



medium yellow, bright

yellow, bright yellow, light



yellow, light pastel yellow,

pastel yellow, open yellow



open yellow


Bright orange
green, dark green, medium
Light pastel
green, dark green, medium



green, bright green, light
orange
green, bright green, light



pastel green, open green,

pastel green, open green,



blue, dark blue, navy,

blue, dark blue, navy,



medium blue, bright blue,

medium blue, bright blue,



turquoise/aqua, light pastel

turquoise/aqua, light pastel



blue, open blue, purple,

blue, open blue, purple, dark



dark purple, medium

purple, medium purple,



purple, bright purple, light

bright purple, light pastel



pastel purple, open purple,

purple, open purple, red,



red, dark red, medium red,

dark red, medium red, bright



bright red, light pastel red,

red, light pastel red, open



open red, pink, dark pink,

red, pink, dark pink, medium



medium pink, bright pink,

pink, bright pink, light pastel



light pastel pink, open pink,

pink, open pink, yellow,



yellow, dark yellow,

dark yellow, medium



medium yellow, bright

yellow, bright yellow, open



yellow, light pastel yellow,

yellow



open yellow


Open orange
green, dark green, medium



green, bright green, light



pastel green, open green,



blue, dark blue, navy,



medium blue, bright blue,



turquoise/aqua, light pastel



blue, open blue, purple,



dark purple, medium



purple, bright purple, light



pastel purple, open purple,



red, dark red, medium red,



bright red, light pastel red,



open red, pink, dark pink,



medium pink, bright pink,



light pastel pink, open pink,



yellow, dark yellow,



medium yellow, bright



yellow, light pastel yellow,



open yellow









A rule may be added to indicate that the following colors match everything: gold, black, oxford, charcoal, grey, dark grey, medium grey, silver, light pastel grey, open grey, white, natural, open white, brown, dark brown, medium brown, light pastel brown, open brown, beige/khaki, dark beige, medium beige, light beige and open beige.
The following category rules may be used to match different articles of clothing and accessories. A value of “1” corresponds to the items forming a strong match, while “2” corresponds to the items sometimes forming a match and “3” corresponds to the items never forming a match.
























Sweaters
Casual Tops
Blouses
Dress Pants
Blazers
Skirts
Casual Pants
Outerwear
Suits
Dresses
Shoes
Accessories




























Sweaters
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1


Casual Tops
2
1
3
3
3
1
1
1
3
2
1
1


Blouses & Shirts
2
3
3
1
1
1
2
1
1
3
1
1


Dress Pants
1
3
1
3
1
3
3
1
3
3
1
1


Blazers
1
3
1
1
3
1
2
1
3
3
1
1


Skirts
1
1
1
3
1
3
3
1
3
3
1
1


Casual Pants
1
1
2
3
2
3
3
1
3
3
1
1


Outerwear
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1


Suits
1
3
1
3
3
3
3
1
3
3
1
1


Dresses
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
1
3
3
1
1


Shoes
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1


Accessories
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1









Body type attributes have been described above. Inference engine server 202 may apply the following body type rules based on the body type attribute provided by the user. A value of “1” corresponds to the items strongly matching the body type, while “2” corresponds to the items sometimes matching the body type and “3” corresponds to the items never matching the body type.






















Inverted




Pear
Triangle
Round
Hourglass
Triangle
Rectangle
















Pants


(1) Looks best if medium to tall


(2) Looks best with a long top













Slim
1
3
2(2)
1
1
2(2)


Baggy
2(1)
3
2(1)
2(1)
2(1)
2(1)


Straight
3
3
2(2)
3
1
1


Bootleg
3
3
3
2(1)
2(1)
3


Tapered
1
1
2(2)
1
3
2(2)


Bellbottom
3
3
3
2(1)
2(1)
3







Skirts


(1) Looks best if medium to tall


(2) Looks best with long top













A-Line
1
3
3
2(1)
2(1)
3


Straight
2(2)
2(2)
2(2)
1
2(2)
1


Full
3
3
3
1
3
3


Flared
1
3
3
1
2(2)
1


Tailored
1
3
2(2)
1
1
2(2)


Wrapped
1
1
3
1
1
1


Pleated
2(2)
2(2)
2(2)
3
2(2)
2(2)







Tops













Wrapped
1
3
3
1
1
1


Fitted
1
3
3
1
3
3


Tunic
1
1
1
1
1
1


Regular
1
3
3
1
1
3


Boxy
1
1
3
1
3
3


Belted
1
3
3
1
1
1







Dresses


(1) Looks best if medium to tall













A-Line
1
3
3
1
1
3


Straight
3
3
1
3
1
1


Full
3
1
1
3
2(1)
1


Trapeze
3
1
1
3
3
1


Contoured
3
3
3
1
3
3


Belted
2(1)
3
3
2(1)
1
3


Wrapped
1
1
1
1
1
1







Suits













Tailored
1
1
1
3
1
1


Boxy
1
3
3
1
1
3


Contoured
3
3
3
1
3
3


Belted
1
3
3
1
1
3


Loose
3
1
1
3
1
1







Outerwear













Boxy
1
3
3
1
1
3


Belted
1
3
3
1
1
3


Fitted
1
1
1
3
1
1


Tunic
1
1
1
1
1
1


Flared
3
1
1
3
1
1









Climate rules may be utilized to match clothing having predetermined material attributes with the current or predicted weather conditions. In one embodiment of the invention, rules database 204 may include rules for matching a climate attribute of “cold” with clothing having a material attribute of: velvet, thick wools, fur, leather, camelhair, mohair, wool, cashmere, nylon, acrylic, rayon, polyester, denim, blend or silk. A climate attribute of “mild” may be used to select clothing having a material attribute of: wool, cashmere, angora, mohair, silk, cotton, nylon, acrylic, rayon, polyester, denim or blend. A climate attribute of “warm” may be used to select clothing having a material attribute of: wool lightweight, tweed, cashmere, wool knit, wool crepe, silk thick, silk knit, synthetic fibers, cotton, chiffon, organza, tulle, lace, nylon, acrylic, rayon, polyester, denim, blend, silk or wool. A climate attribute of “hot” may be used to select clothing having a material attribute of: linen, shantung, cotton, silk, nylon, straw, poplin, seersucker, spandex, canvas, nylon, acrylic, rayon, polyester, denim or blend. Clothing having a material attribute of wool gabardine or cotton broadcloth may correspond to a climate attribute of “all-year.” In one embodiment of the invention, there are no rules for selecting accessories and shoes based on climate attributes.
Returning to FIG. 3 again, in step 306, the user transmits the identification of a first article of clothing and a set of rules to the rules engine. The identification may include a product identification number, one or more attributes a user identification and the type of search. In an alternative embodiment, the user may transmit the identification of an article of clothing and one or more rules to the rules engine. Finally, in step 308, the user receives an identification of a second article of clothing that satisfies the set of rules. Of course, the user may receive the identification of several articles of clothing that form a coordinated outfit. The identification may be in the form of an image of the second article of clothing, an image of the first and second articles of clothing, a product number or any other identifying information.
FIG. 6 illustrates a method of selecting clothing that may be performed by inference engine server 202. In step 602, inference engine server 202 receives from an input device a query including characteristics of a first article of clothing, the identification of a user and a search request. The input device may be implemented the computer 216 and may include a user application that includes a graphical user interface. Of course, inference engine server 202 may be directly coupled to computer 216 or computer 216 may perform the functions described above with reference to inference engine server 202. Next, in step 604, inference engine server 202, accesses a set of rules associated with the user and for determining permissible clothing combinations The rules may be based at least in part on the attributes described above. Inference engine server 202 then utilizes the rules and the characteristics of the first article of clothing to identify a second article of clothing that forms an appropriate clothing combination with the first article of clothing in step 606 and transmits an identification of the second article of clothing to a display device in step 608. Finally, in step 610, images of the first and second articles of clothing may be displayed on a display device. The display device may form part of the input device. Alternatively, the display device may be separate from the input device. For example, the input device may be implement with a wireless handheld device and the display device may form part of a kiosk included in a store.
The present invention is not limited to selecting articles of clothing that match an article of clothing selected by the user. FIG. 7 illustrates another method that may be performed to select clothing. In step 702, inference engine server 202 receives from the input device a query including the identification of a user and a search request. The search request may identify an occasion, an image of clothing worn by a celebrity or any other request for the inference engine to select a clothing combination. Next, in step 704, inference engine server 202 accesses a set of rules associated with the user and for determining desirable clothing combinations. The rules and the search request are utilized to identify an appropriate clothing combination in step 706. An identification of the clothing combination is transmitted to the display device in step 708. Finally, in step 710, the clothing combination may be displayed on the display device.
The system illustrated in FIG. 2 may also allow users to edit or create rules. FIG. 8 illustrates one method that may be implemented by inference engine server 202 to select clothing based on user-generated rules. In step 802, inference engine server 202 receives clothing attributes for a clothing combination selected by a user. The attributes may relate to clothing combinations the user likes or dislikes. For example, the user may indicate that the user does not like to wear black shirts with blue pants. The user may also provide information from a person pictured in a magazine. In step 804, inference engine server 202 generates a rule for the selection of additional clothing combinations based on the attributes of the clothing combination selected by the user. Inference engine server 202 may display a list of attributes of the selected clothing combination and prompt the user to identify which attributes the user likes or dislikes. Next, in step 806, a query that includes the identification of the user and a search request may be received from an input device in the manner described above. A set of rules associated with the user is accessed in step 808. The set of rules includes the generated rule. The search is performed in step 810. In step 812, an identification of the clothing combination is transmitted to a display device.
In addition to the disclosed uses, the present invention may be used to train clothing sales personnel. In one embodiment, the sales personnel may select clothing combinations after reviewing an image of a consumer. The selected combination may be transmitted to inference engine server 202 to determine if the clothing is appropriate for the attributes of the consumer. Of course, the sales personnel may be presented with more than one image and may also receive a list of attributes. Similarly, the disclosed systems and methods may be used to determine whether the inventory or assortment within a store matches the desires of the targeted consumers.
While the present invention has been described in connection with the illustrated embodiments, it will be appreciated and understood that modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. For example, a local area network or wide area network may be substituted for the Internet 208 (shown in FIG. 2). Furthermore, elements of the disclosed invention may be used to select home furnishings, consumer electronics and/or other products.

## Claims

1. A method of identifying clothing combinations, the method comprising:
(a) identifying a first article of clothing and a search request by reading a tag embedded in a material of the first article of clothing;
(b) identifying a set of rules for selecting clothing combinations;
(c) transmitting a first article identification of the first article of clothing that is associated with a corresponding clothing category, the search request and an identifier that identifies the set of rules to a rules engine, wherein the identifier identifies one of a plurality of rule sets;
(d) receiving a second article identification of a second article of clothing that satisfies the set of rules and that has a largest level of category matching for all category attribute pairs related to the corresponding clothing category, the set of rules providing an associated level of matching for each said category attribute pair, the second article of clothing being associated with a different clothing category than the corresponding clothing category; and
(e) obtaining a selected identification of a selected clothing combination by comparing other attribute pairs that are related to the second article of clothing and that relate a first attribute and a second attribute, each said other attribute pair having an associated degree of matching, the selected clothing combination having a largest degree of matching of all said other attribute pairs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of rules includes rules for permissible color combinations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of rules include rules for permissible pattern combinations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises selecting the first article of clothing from a selection of clothing in a brick and mortar store.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises selecting the first article of clothing from a selection of clothing offered for sale by a web site.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second articles of clothing are owned by the same person.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first article of clothing is part of a user's current wardrobe and the second article of clothing is not part of the user's current wardrobe.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first article of clothing is not owned by a user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) comprises identifying an owner of the first article of clothing and associating the owner with the set of rules.

10. The method of claim 1, further including:
(e) receiving the identification of a third article of clothing that satisfies the search request.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
(e) editing the set of rules based on an input from a user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification includes associated information selected from the group consisting of a product identification number, at least one attribute, a user identification, and a type of search.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification of the second article of clothing is based on the set of rules and at least one characteristic of the first article of clothing.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag is woven in the material of the first article of clothing.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
(f) summing amounts of matching for associated attribute pairs for one of the clothing combinations;
(g) repeating (f) for another clothing combination; and
(h) in response to (f) and (g), determining the selected clothing combination.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
(e) presenting, to a user, a plurality of search request types;
(f) obtaining, from the user, a selected search request type from the plurality of search request types; and
wherein (b) comprises:
(b)(i) determining the set of rules from the selected search request type.