Product Path Navigation for Catalog Search Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in efficiently navigating large online product catalogs due to the time-consuming process of keyword searching, which often results in numerous irrelevant items and fails to directly lead to the desired product.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing product paths with path indicators on a user interface, allowing users to navigate through a product search structure by swiping, tapping, or pinching on a touch screen, which guides them to the desired product information by displaying related products and enabling movement between different levels of detail, optimizing the search process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If keyword searching is used to locate items in a large product catalog, then the search can cover all products, but the number of results becomes excessively large and time-consuming to review
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the product catalog into hierarchical categories and subcategories, allowing users to navigate through structured groups rather than reviewing all products at once. This segmentation reduces the effective search space at each step while maintaining comprehensive coverage of the entire catalog.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces category pages as intermediary elements between the search query and individual product listings. These category pages act as mediators that filter and organize results, presenting a manageable subset of products that match the search criteria within specific categories.
2Loss of information
If the product catalog includes extensive listings of items with detailed variations, then comprehensive product information is available, but navigation becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments product information into hierarchical levels (category → subcategory → product family → individual products), allowing users to progressively narrow down their search. This segmentation maintains complete product information availability while reducing navigation time by eliminating the need to review all products simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary organization of products into categories and subcategories before the user searches. This pre-structuring allows users to quickly navigate to relevant sections without having to filter through unorganized product lists, significantly reducing search time while preserving all product details.
3Adaptability or versatility
If keyword searching is used with common descriptor words, then broad product coverage is achieved, but the search returns many irrelevant items
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments search results by category, so that common descriptor words like 'bolt' return results organized within specific hardware categories rather than across the entire catalog. This segmentation improves result relevance by limiting the search scope to appropriate categories while maintaining broad coverage within those categories.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different search relevance criteria to different categories. For example, a search for 'bolt' in the hardware category uses category-specific attributes for relevance ranking, while the same term in other categories would use different criteria. This local quality approach improves precision by tailoring search behavior to each category's characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer device such as a tablet computer accesses a server to search a product catalog. The catalog is displayed as a broad classifications of products, which when selected result in the display of sub-classifications within the classification. Levels of searching are provided to the product level, and movement within each level is possible.