Dynamic XSD Tree for E-Commerce Quoting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current e-commerce systems face challenges in dynamically generating questions for quoting selling prices without requiring unique tables for each product family, leading to inefficient iterations between buyers and sellers for made-to-specification products, and lack easy modification and addition of new products without programmer intervention.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves using an XSD tree to dynamically display input questions with defined rules and error messages, allowing for real-time graphic design integration and user-defined computations for pricing, shipping, and sales tax, while storing selection options in a single XML document database table, enabling easy administration and search across both inventory and made-to-specification components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hard-coded questions are written for each product family, then the system can handle made-to-specification products, but the system complexity increases and requires programmer intervention for modifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal question generation system that uses XSD schemas to define product specifications. Instead of hard-coding separate question sets for each product family, the system traverses the XSD tree structure to dynamically generate appropriate questions based on the selected product family and its specifications. This single universal mechanism handles all product families, eliminating the need for separate hard-coded question sets and reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically generates questions by traversing the XSD tree structure at runtime based on the selected product family. The questions are not static or hard-coded but are generated on-the-fly based on the product specification hierarchy defined in the XSD schemas. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to different product families without requiring programmer intervention for adding or modifying products.
2Loss of information
If multiple query iterations are used to determine final quoted price, then complete product specification can be gathered, but the quoting process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-defining the complete product specification hierarchy and all possible questions in the XSD schemas before the quoting process begins. The system traverses the entire XSD tree structure in advance to identify all required specification elements. This allows the system to present all necessary questions to the user in a single comprehensive form, eliminating the need for multiple iterative queries and reducing the overall quoting process time while ensuring complete specification gathering.
3Adaptability or versatility
If unique tables are created for each product family, then product-specific questions can be stored, but the database complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all product family specifications and questions into a unified XSD-based hierarchical structure. Instead of maintaining separate tables for each product family, the system uses a single standardized XSD schema framework that can represent any product family's specification hierarchy. This unified approach simplifies database maintenance because adding or modifying product families only requires updating the appropriate XSD schema files rather than creating or modifying multiple database tables.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses parameter changes in the XSD schema definitions to accommodate different product families. By modifying the parameters and structure within the XSD schemas (such as adding new elements, changing data types, or adjusting hierarchy), the system can easily adapt to new product families without changing the underlying database structure or creating unique tables. This makes database maintenance straightforward as it reduces to schema file updates.
4Stability of the object's composition
If programmers are required to add or modify products, then system consistency is maintained, but the ease of operation decreases and requires technical expertise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service capability by enabling non-programmer users to add and modify product families through the graphical user interface. The system provides tools that allow users to define new product families by specifying their specification hierarchies using the standardized XSD framework. The system automatically generates the appropriate questions and forms based on the user-defined specifications, maintaining system consistency through the standardized XSD traversal mechanism while eliminating the need for programmer intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
Defining product specifications via XSD/XSL/DTD file with responses to option variable questions. The option selections have user defined interrelationship and cross checking between options. XSL file includes functions to compute selling price, shipping cost, sales tax and other fields. System provides links to assist with input. Responses and Real time Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) layout are retained in XML format in a single table within the database. The final checout order occurs when update cart has been successfully completed without errors. A system defined allowed number of suppliers can be selected to provide quotes. The returned quoted price is displayed to the buyer who selects the supplier and awards the contract. The buyer continues on to the awarded supplier's site for completion of credit processing information to complete the commerce transaction. The portal will retian historical information of the transactions.