Product Source Identification via Segmented Reference Libraries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies face challenges in accurately identifying product sources for retailers, as they often rely on incomplete or outdated data, leading to difficulties in determining manufacturer information for Universal Product Codes (UPCs) without matching references.
Innovation Solution
A product source management server system that compares unidentified UPCs to libraries of reference data, using manufacturer identification, brand identification, and product description data to determine the manufacturer, and updates these libraries with new information from electronic data sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single library of reference UPCs is used for identifying manufacturers, then the system is simple to operate, but it cannot accurately identify products when direct UPC matches are not found
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the reference data into multiple segmented libraries: a first library containing reference UPCs and manufacturer information, a second library containing reference brands and manufacturer information, and a third library containing reference product descriptions and manufacturer information. This segmentation allows the system to query different libraries based on the type of information available, improving identification accuracy while maintaining manageable complexity through modular organization.
2Measurement precision
If multiple libraries with different types of reference data are used, then product source identification accuracy is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines which library to query based on the available input data. When a UPC is provided, it first queries the first library; when only brand information is available, it queries the second library; when only product descriptions are available, it queries the third library. This self-service approach allows the system to handle different data types without requiring manual configuration or complex user decisions, maintaining ease of operation while utilizing multiple libraries for improved accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If static reference data is used in the libraries, then the system is reliable and stable, but it cannot adapt to new products or updated manufacturer information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system receives unidentified UPCs, queries the libraries, and when matches are found, updates the corresponding libraries with the newly identified manufacturer information. This feedback loop ensures that the reference data is continuously refined and updated with accurate information from actual product identifications, improving adaptability to new products while maintaining reliability through verified data updates.
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies for identifying product sources include a product source management server. The product source management server receives an unidentified Universal Product Code (UPC) corresponding to a product of a manufacturer. The unidentified UPC is compared to a library including reference Universal Product Codes (UPCs) and corresponding manufacturer identification data to identify the manufacturer of the product. A brand of the product is determined when the product manufacturer is not identified via the reference UPCs. The determined brand is compared to another library including reference brands and corresponding manufacturer identification data to identify the product manufacturer. When the determined brand does not match one of the reference brands, the product source management server compares product description data corresponding to the product to a different library including reference product description strings. The product manufacturer may be determined based on a matching reference product description string. Other embodiments are described and claimed.