Item Attribute Normalization for Cross-Scale Classification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Online merchants face challenges in efficiently managing and comparing product attributes across different scales of measurement, leading to difficulties in item classification and search functionality, especially when products have varying attributes and multiple sizes or styles.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a networked environment with item attribute normalization applications that map attributes to a normalized scale, allowing for efficient storage and comparison of item attributes, and enabling item classification generation and search applications to translate and match attribute options across different scales, facilitating efficient online merchandising and product recommendations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If merchants store and manage product attributes using multiple different scales of measurement (e.g., different size systems, width measurements), then they can accommodate diverse product variations and customer preferences, but it becomes difficult to compare attributes across different products and generate accurate classifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a normalized scale as an intermediary representation that mediates between different attribute scales. The system stores original attribute values (e.g., shoe sizes in different systems) and creates normalized representations that enable direct comparison. This intermediary layer allows the system to maintain diverse product attributes while simplifying comparison operations through a unified normalized scale.
2Loss of information
If the system stores detailed attribute information for each item variation (e.g., each size and width combination), then it can provide comprehensive product information, but it increases the complexity of item classification and search operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the attribute data into two parts: the original attribute values (stored for completeness) and the normalized attribute representations (used for comparison and classification). This segmentation allows the system to preserve all detailed product information while using a simplified normalized representation for search and classification operations, reducing operational complexity without losing information.
3Measurement precision
If the system uses multiple scales of measurement for product attributes, then it can represent real-world product variations accurately, but it becomes difficult to translate and match attribute options across different scales
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms attribute values by changing their parameter representation from multiple different scales to a unified normalized scale. The system maintains the original precise measurements but creates transformed representations that enable easy translation and matching. This parameter transformation allows accurate representation of real-world variations while simplifying the operation of comparing and matching attributes across different product types.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various embodiments for generating classifications for items from normalized item attributes. Multiple attribute options are maintained for an item. Each of the attribute options is associated with a respective range of values on a normalized scale for an attribute. Multiple item classifications are generated for one of the attribute options by mapping the respective range of values for the one of the attribute options to one or more item classifications on each of multiple scales of classification for the attribute.