Item database creation based on negotiated values

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10825080-B2
Application number	US-201815963723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2018
Priority date	Apr 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a plurality of attribute headings for a product and storing the product and the associated attribute headings as part of a negotiation. A request for products associated with the negotiation is received and in response, a user interface listing at least one of the attribute headings for the product and providing controls for entering an attribute value for the listed at least one attribute heading is generated and transmitted. An attribute value for the listed attribute heading is received as part of a bid during the negotiation and is stored. An indication that the negotiation is complete is received and in response, the attribute value for the listed attribute heading is locked. An instruction to create a new item in an item database is received and in response to the received instruction, a request is sent to retrieve the locked attribute value and store the locked attribute value in an item database used by retail systems to acquire information about products for sale in a retail enterprise.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving a plurality of attribute headings for a product and storing the product and the associated attribute headings in a negotiation database;
receiving a request for products associated with a negotiation;
in response to the received request for products, generating and sending a user interface listing at least one of the attribute headings for the product and providing controls for entering an attribute value for the listed at least one attribute heading;
receiving an attribute value for the listed attribute heading as part of a bid during the negotiation and storing the attribute value in the negotiation database;
receiving an indication that the negotiation is complete and in response locking the attribute value for the listed attribute heading in the negotiation database;
receiving a control input requesting all attribute headings required to add a new item to an item database;
storing additional attribute headings for the stored product in the negotiation database such that all attribute headings required to add a new item to the item database are stored in the negotiation database;
receiving an attribute value for each of the additional attribute headings after the negotiation is complete; and
receiving an instruction to create a new item in the item database and in response to the received instruction, sending a request to retrieve the locked attribute value and the attribute values for each of the additional attribute headings and to store the locked attribute value and the attribute values for each of the additional attribute headings in the item database used by retail systems to acquire information about products for sale in a retail enterprise.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein receiving the plurality of attribute headings comprises:
receiving an identifier for a product in the item database;
requesting all attribute headings and attribute values for the product from the item server using the identifier for the product; and
receiving all attribute headings and attribute values for the product.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein receiving the plurality of attribute headings comprises:
transmitting a selectable list of all attribute headings available for all products; and
receiving an indication that a plurality of attribute headings in the list of all attribute headings has been selected for the product.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein receiving the plurality of attribute headings further comprises:
receiving a request to define a custom attribute for the product;
transmitting a user interface with controls to set parameters of the custom attribute including the attribute heading; and
receiving the parameters of the custom attribute including the attribute heading.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein receiving an attribute value for the listed attribute heading as part of a bid during the negotiation comprises receiving the attribute value from a first vendor, the method further comprising:
receiving a second request for products associated with the negotiation;
in response to the received second request for products, generating and sending a user interface listing at least one of the attribute headings for the product and providing controls for entering an attribute value for the listed at least one attribute heading;
receiving a second attribute value for the listed attribute heading from a second vendor as part of a second bid during the negotiation and storing the second attribute value; and
receiving a request to compare the bid and the second bid and in response to the request transmitting a user interface showing the bid, the second bid, an identifier for the first vendor, and an identifier for the second vendor.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 further comprising preventing the first vendor from viewing the second bid.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising performing multiple rounds of bidding during the negotiation wherein each round of bidding comprises:
receiving a respective request for products associated with the negotiation;
in response to the received respective request for products, generating and sending a user interface listing at least one of the attribute headings for the product, a current attribute value for the listed at least one attribute heading and controls for altering the attribute value for the listed at least one attribute heading;
receiving a new attribute value for the listed attribute heading as part of the round of bidding and storing the attribute value together with an identifier for the round of bidding.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 further comprising:
receiving a request to view a history of attribute values for an attribute heading;
retrieving attribute values and a date when the attribute value was received; and
transmitting a user interface showing a history of the attribute values for the attribute heading with each attribute value displayed with the associated date when the attribute value was received.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein the history of attribute values includes attribute values received for a prior negotiation.

10. A method comprising:
receiving an indication that a negotiation for the production of a retail item has concluded;
locking stored attribute values for the retail item that were negotiated during the negotiation and that are stored in a negotiation database;
requesting all attribute headings required to add a new item to an item database that is used by a retail enterprise to provide information about retail items that are sold by the retail enterprise, wherein the item database was actively being used by the retail enterprise while the negotiation was taking place;
storing additional attribute headings for the retail item in the negotiation database so that all the attribute headings required to add the new item to the item database are stored for the retail item;
receiving and storing attribute values for each additional attribute heading in the negotiation database after the negotiation has concluded;
receiving an instruction to add the retail item to the item database; and
in response to the received instruction, retrieving the locked attribute values and the attribute values added after the negotiation concluded from the negotiation database and using the locked attribute values and the attribute values added after the negotiation concluded to add the retail item to the item database.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein each stored attribute value is stored together with an indication of a round of bidding during which the attribute value was provided by a vendor.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising before receiving the indication that the negotiation has concluded, receiving a request to view a history of attribute values for a particular attribute of the retail item and in response transmitting a list of attribute values for the particular attribute with each attribute value shown together with a date when the attribute value was provided.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the history of attribute values comprises at least one attribute value provided during a prior negotiation.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein each stored attribute value is further stored together with an indication of which of a plurality of vendors provided the attribute value.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
receiving a request to compare stored attrib

Assignees

• Target Brands Inc

Inventors

• Shah Jayesh
• Ramanathan Jayabarathi
• Govindrao Prakash
• Lander Rory
• Chandramohan Chennupati
• Rooney Brian
• Olson Jon
• Harkenrider Dave
• Muralidhar Raghunandan

Classifications

• G06Q30/0641 Primary

  utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping · CPC title

• G06F16/2343

  Locking methods, e.g. distributed locking or locking implementation details · CPC title

• G06F16/2428

  Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms (G06F16/2423 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06Q30/08

  Auctions · CPC title

• G06Q30/0633

  Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087) · CPC title