Product Matching System Using Linked Attribute Records
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing product matching systems face challenges in accurately matching product descriptions across different websites due to insufficient information, leading to incomplete or incorrect product matching.
Innovation Solution
A product matching system that stores a database of product records with associated attributes, compares incoming product records to these records, and links matching attributes, while also considering attributes from linked records to enhance matching accuracy and provide a confidence score, along with user-defined access restrictions and importance scoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If product matching is performed using only the original database records, then the matching process is simple and fast, but the matching accuracy is insufficient due to incomplete product information
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and storing product information from multiple sources (original database, linked records, and external websites) before the matching process. This pre-collection of comprehensive product data enables more accurate matching without increasing the complexity of the matching algorithm itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of linked records that connect original database records with additional product information from multiple sources. These intermediaries facilitate the transfer and integration of product attributes, enabling accurate matching while maintaining system modularity.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive product information is collected from multiple sources, then the completeness of product data is improved, but the data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments product information management by maintaining separate linked records for different information sources while connecting them to original database records through defined relationships. This segmentation allows comprehensive data collection while managing complexity through modular organization of product attributes and their sources.
3Adaptability or versatility
If all product records are made accessible to users, then the information availability is maximized, but the security and access control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by implementing differential access control where different users have different levels of access to product information based on their roles and permissions. The access control mechanism is applied locally to specific records and attributes rather than uniformly across all data, enabling versatile information availability while managing security requirements efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
A product matching system, comprising a memory configured to store a database of first product records, each record associated with values of one or more first attributes describing a respective product corresponding to the record. In addition, the system includes an input interface configured to receive a second product record associated with values of one or more second attributes describing a given product. A processing unit adapted to compare the values of the second attributes of second product records received through the input interface to the attributes associated with first product records in the database, to link the second attributes of second records determined to match a first record with the matching first database record, and to use the second attributes of the second records determined to match a first record, in comparing the first database record to further product records that are subsequently received through the input interface.