Patent ID: 7330852

Claim:
A computer-implemented system for parametric searching of one or more item catalogs, comprising a server associated with one or more software components collectively configured to: provide a hierarchically organized keyword tree comprising a first level and a second level, the first level being higher than the second level; allow a user to navigate the keyword tree to select a keyword specifying one or more attributes common to all items in a corresponding class, the keyword being at the second level of the keyword tree; receive the keyword specifying the one or more attributes common to all items in the corresponding class, the one or more common attributes being left unconstrained by the keyword; determine, based on the keyword, one or more of the common attributes that are left unconstrained by the keyword; receive attribute values for one or more of the determined common attributes, wherein at least one of the received attribute values is received using a corresponding attribute field, the field corresponding to an unconstrained attribute and into which the user may input an attribute value for the unconstrained attribute to specify its attribute value; parametrically search an item catalog based on the received keyword and the received attribute values; generate search results according to the parametric search, the search results comprising a table listing a plurality of items, each listed item having attributes matching the attributes specified by the keyword and attribute values matching the received attribute values, the table further listing, for each item, attribute values for the item; and receive a selection of an item from among the search results.