IP Library Granted Patent US 8,678,272
Granted Patent B1
US 8,678,272 · App. 13/627,372 · Granted Mar 25, 2014

Dimensional translator

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,678,272
App. No.
13/627,372
Filed
Sep 26, 2012
Granted
Mar 25, 2014
Kind
B1
Art Unit
2887
USPC
235/375
Abstract

A dimensional translator may automatically translate a dimension from an entity to a different dimension of another entity. The dimensional translator may do so by comparing attributes of the input dimension (the dimension to be translated) to attributes of a target data structure. An attribute may include, for example, hierarchy of a data structure, relationships of a data structure, a keyword associated with a data structure, and a data value associated with the data structure. The dimensional translator may automatically determine how a target entity would categorize the item. In particular, a Universal Product Code dimension of an item provided by an entity may be translated into a data structure of a target entity such as a retailer in order to determine how an item identified by the UPC will be categorized by the retailer.

Claims (27)

1. A computer-implemented method of determining how a target entity would categorize an item based on information known about the item from a providing entity, the method being implemented on a computer that comprises a physical processor executing one or more computer executable instructions which, when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:

obtaining, by the computer, an item identifier that identifies the item, an item attribute from the providing entity that describes the item, and an identification of the target entity;

obtaining, by the computer, a data structure of the target entity that comprises a plurality of target attributes corresponding to a plurality of items offered by the target entity;

comparing, by the computer, the item attribute from the providing entity with the plurality of target attributes corresponding to the plurality of items offered by the target entity; and

determining, by the computer, a target category in which the target entity would categorize the item based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the item identifier comprises a Universal Product Code.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data structure of the target entity does not include the item before the target category is determined.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the target category comprises:

determining, by the computer, a match between the item attribute and the at least one of the plurality of target attributes, wherein the target category comprises a category of at least one of the plurality of items.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of target attributes comprises a first attribute that comprises a Universal Product Code (UPC) of a related item that the providing entity places in the target category, the method further comprising:

comparing, by the computer, the UPC of the related item to UPCs stored by the data structure of the target entity.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the target category comprises:

determining, by the computer, a match between the UPC of the related item and a UPC stored by the data structure of the target entity, wherein the target category comprises a category of the matching UPC stored by the data structure of the target entity.

7. A system for determining how a target entity would categorize an item based on information known about the item from a providing entity, comprising:

a computer comprising a physical processor programmed to execute one or more computer executable instructions which, when executed, cause the processor configured to:

obtain an item identifier that identifies the item, an item identifier from the providing entity that describes the item, and an identification of the target entity;

obtain a data structure of the target entity that comprises a plurality of target attributes corresponding to a plurality of items offered by the target entity;

compare the item attribute from the providing entity with the plurality of target attributes corresponding to the plurality of items offered by the target entity; and

determine a target category in which the target entity would categorize the item based on the comparison.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the item identifier comprises a Universal Product Code.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the data structure of the target entity does not include the item before the target category is determined.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further caused to:

determine a match between the item identifier and at least one of the plurality of target attributes, wherein the target category comprises a category of at least one of the plurality of items.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of target attributes comprises a first attribute that comprises a Universal Product Code (UPC) of a related item that the providing entity places in the target category, the processor further caused to:

compare the UPC of the related item to UPCs stored by the data structure of the target entity.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further caused to:

determine a match between the UPC of the related item and a UPC stored by the data structure of the target entity, wherein the target category comprises a category of the matching UPC stored by the data structure of the target entity.