Sales Catalog Engine Control Architecture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sales catalog systems lack the ability to control the display of detailed information, as they often require specific engines to be running, which can limit user flexibility and efficiency in accessing and filtering product data.

Innovation Solution

A more efficient architecture that allows users to selectively enable or disable engines, such as pricing, eligibility, and territory management engines, to control the display of detailed information, enabling flexible data access and filtering based on user context and preferences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If engines (pricing, eligibility, territory management) are always running to provide detailed information, then information completeness is improved, but system complexity and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetailed information completenessVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts engine operation status based on user context and preferences. Users can selectively enable or disable specific engines (pricing, eligibility, territory management) through interface controls, allowing the system to transition between different operational states - from lightweight mode with minimal engines running to comprehensive mode with all engines active, thus balancing information completeness with system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Different user contexts receive different levels of engine processing. The system provides localized information quality tailored to user needs - for example, a sales representative may need full pricing and eligibility details while a manager may only need summary data. This allows detailed information to be provided only where necessary, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining information completeness for those who need it

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If all engines are running to provide comprehensive data, then data accuracy is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements partial action by running only the subset of engines necessary for the current user context rather than all engines simultaneously. Users can select which engines to activate based on their specific needs - for instance, enabling only pricing engine for quick price checks or adding eligibility and territory management engines when comprehensive product availability information is required. This reduces processing time while maintaining data accuracy for the selected engines

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows users to periodically toggle engine activation based on changing requirements. Engines can be enabled or disabled as users navigate different catalog sections or change their information needs, optimizing the balance between data accuracy and processing time for each interaction phase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Ease of operation

If engines are disabled to reduce complexity, then ease of operation is improved, but information completeness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser flexibilityVSAvoiddetailed information availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides universal access to multiple information modes through a single interface. The same sales catalog interface can serve both users who need simple product browsing (with minimal engines running) and users who require comprehensive analysis (with all engines running). Users can switch between these modes using interface controls, ensuring ease of operation while maintaining the capability to access complete information when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Loss of information

If detailed information is always displayed, then information completeness is improved, but data processing load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation display completenessVSAvoiddata processing load

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the operational parameters of engines based on user preferences and context. Users can adjust which engines are active and to what extent, thereby controlling the processing load. For example, a user might enable pricing engine at high precision for accuracy-critical applications but disable territory management engine when working in regions where such data is not relevant, optimizing the balance between information completeness and processing load

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9953353B2Method and system for implementing an architecture for a sales catalog

Publication Date: 2018.04.24 ORACLE INT CORP

AI summary

A sales catalog interface, wherein the architecture allows the user the ability to controllably view the data with certain engines either running or not running, so that certain items of detailed information is either displayed or not displayed to the user. Data from engines may include, price, eligibility, and availability, may be retrieved synchronously or asynchronously, and may be based upon consumer context, such as account type, geography, etc.