CA2202481C - Method and system for executing a guided parametric search - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for indentifying a single item from a family in which a user is presented with a feature screen having a series of groupings (611). Each grouping represents a feature having a set of alternatives (613) from which to select. Selected alternatives are used as selection criteria in a search operation. Results of the search operation are used in a revised feature screen indicating alternatives that remain available to the user. The feature screen and search process therefore, present the us er with a guided nonhierarchical parametric search to identify matching items based on user specified criteria and priorities.

Description

PARAMETRIC SEARCH

Increased memory and remote electronic data storage 6 capacity offers access to large amounts of data in a very 7 convenient form and physical size. Data may be available on 8 diskette, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, and on line to a centrally 9 located computer and memory storage medium. The challenge remains to extract information from the data simply and 11 efficiently and to have confidence in the result that all 12 relevant items have been uncovered. The widespread use of 13 computers and electronic searching has attracted the 14 attention of large manufacturers offering a vast array of products in an increasingly competitive environment. In an 16 effort to offer product that closely matches customer needs, 17 manufacturers proliferate product and product feature 18 alternatives. This proliferation of product offerings 19 provides the customer with more options from which to choose, however, it also increases the difficulty of finding the one 21 product offering that best addresses a specific customer's 22 needs. Manufacturer's response has been to offer a series of 23 specialized glossy catalogs and trained sales personnel to 24 aid customers in their product selection effort. To a manufacturer, these catalogs are costly to create, 26 distribute, and update. To a consumer, these catalogs are 27 cumbersome to use and store. In order to further breakdown 28 obstacles between a customer's need to obtain a product and 29 purchase of the right product, a manufacturer may offer what is typically a large catalog or series of catalogs of product 31 offerings, electronically. An electronic catalog offers the 32 convenience of compact physical size coupled with automated 33 search and retrieval.
34 One known search method of automated search and retrieval employs Boolean logic and keyword searching. The 36 Boolean logic keyword search is appropriate for locating 37 concepts discussed in textbased references. The Boolean 38 search is based on certain words or word relationships WO 96/12238 PCf/US95113466 1 contained in a relevant collection of materials. Formulating 2 an accurate and efficient Boolean search requires a certain 3 level of knowledge about the structure of the data, the type 4 of material being searched, the classification of the data if there is one, and any keywords or standard terminology likely 6 to be used to express the concepts being searched. The 7 Boolean logic keyword search is beneficial because it permits 8 a user to formulate a search. that accurately reflects certain 9 priorities for the search. The Boolean logic keyword search, however, is inappropriate for locating a particular mix of il feature alternatives within a database of product 12 information. One searching for certain information may not 13 be familiar with the terminology used in selecting a 14 particular product. Multiple products may use different but synonymous terms. A concept expressed by a standard industry 16 term in one industry may be different from a standard 17 industry term in a different industry. A keyword search 18 would require searching on all synonyms used in order to 19 ensure a complete and accurate result.
Other interactive user interfaces use a hierarchial 21 search. Hierarchial searches may also be referred to as tree 22 searches and are a form of guided search. A variation of the 23 hierarchical search is disclosed in U.S. patent 4,821,211 to 24 Torres. A hierarchial search method offers a list of alternatives from which to select. The first list of 26 alternatives has the highest priority and defines the profile 27 of or relates to the remaining alternatives. Once selected, 28 the system branches to another screen or lower level screen 29 with another list of alternatives. The next list of alternatives having a lower priority. The system branches 31 down through the various menus of alternatives having 32 decreasing priority levels. There are known various methods 33 of presenting graphical representations of a hierarchy to a 34 user to help a user understand the current position within the hierarchy and the options for further movement within the 36 hierarchy. A hierarchial search is appropriate for narrowing 37 down to a subset of items from which to select based on 38 alternatives having a fixed or necessarily depending priority 1 level. Using this method, the available alternatives shown 2 on any screen depend upon prior alternative selections. The 3 hierarchial search is beneficial in that it is guided. A
4 guided search meaning that use of the search does not require knowledge of the terminology used within the database due to 6 the fact that terms for the available concepts are offered to 7 a user. A user then makes a selection before proceeding to 8 the next level. The hierarchial search, however, is 9 cumbersome unless the selection of one alternative obviates the availability of other alternatives. Unless a user knows 11 exactly what he or she wants and with what priority, each 12 "branch" in the tree must be explored in order to gather an 13 understanding of how certain selections affect remaining 14 alternatives. In the case of a list of product offerings, given a set of alternative features for a single product, a 16 number of people will have differing priorities for those 17 alternatives and the priorities will have varying weights.
18 Another disadvantage of the hierarchial search is that the 19 greater the number of alternatives and permutations of alternative selections, the more levels there are from which 21 to select additional alternatives. Multiple levels of 22 screens increase the time and complexity of the search and 23 are not as user-friendly or as intuitive to use as a simpler 24 single screen user interface. The need for a nonhierarchial guided parametric search is based on the principle that given 26 a family of items having certain features associated 27 therewith each feature having respective alternatives, the 28 number of products actually offered by a manufacturer is less 29 than the number of possible permutations of alternatives.
For the purposes of a simple illustration, a family of items 31 may be cars in which features include color, number of doors, 32 transmission style, braking style, etc. If a feature of a 33 car is color, respective alternatives may be red, white, and 34 blue. If a feature is transmission styles, respective alternatives may be automatic, three speed, four speed, and 36 five speed. The vast number of permutations coupled with the 37 fact that only a subset of the permutations are actually 38 offered for sale as products is a source of frustration to a 1 customer with a given set of needs. For instance red cars 2 may come only with manual transmission and not automatic 3 transmission. As features and alternatives proliferate, so 4 does the level of frustration in isolating the one desired item. Accordingly, there is a need for a method to aid a 6 user in identifying an item among a family of items based on 7 selections of alternatives among features associated with the 8 items.
9 Different customers have different preferences, and in many cases a customer is somewhat flexible concerning the 11 product to buy as long as the customer is informed as to how 12 the selection of one alternative affects the availability of 13 another alternative. In addition, one customer may want a 14 red car and accept manual transmission, while another customer must have automatic transmission and color is 16 unimportant. Accordingly, there is a need for a search 17 method that provides information interactively as to how 18 certain alternative selections affect the number of remaining 19 alternatives and/or matching items and allows a user to modify selection priorities during the course of the search.
21 There remains a need, therefore, for an automated search 22 and retrieval system that can assist a user in finding a 23 product having appropriate features to address identified 24 needs and priorities of needs.
Associated with some known electronic search and 26 retrieval systems is a certain amount of frustration when the 27 defined search does not identify a single item. The user is 28 obliged to further widen the field of search or modify a 29 search criteria in order to identify any parts. The need to oblige the user to widen the field of search is due to the 31 fact that hierarchial and keyword Boolean searches do not 32 have any information in the search criteria to permit 33 automatic adjustment of the field of search. There is a need 34 therefore, for a electronic search method that is able to guarantee a user that at least one item will be identified.

1 It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a 2 guided parametric search to isolate a subfamily of items 3 within a family of items based on alternatives associated 4 with each item.
It is a further object of the invention to organize the 6 alternatives into groupings visually relating a feature and 7 respective alternatives.
8 It is a further object of the invention to provide an 9 automated search that interactively indicates how selected alternatives affects availability of remaining alternatives.
11 It is a further object of the present invention to 12 provide an automated search method that can guarantee 13 identification of at least one item for each search.
14 It is a feature of the present invention that a user is assisted in identifying a subfamily of items within a family 16 of items by: providing a computer readable data file of 17 stored information representing at least one family of items, 18 the data file identifying at least one alternative for each 19 item, reading the data file, displaying a feature screen indicating said alternatives represented in the family, 21 accepting selected alternatives, determining the subfamily of 22 items where each item in the subfamily satisfies the selected 23 alternatives, determining available alternatives represented 24 in the subfamily and unavailable alternatives unrepresented in the subfamily, and revising the feature screen indicating 26 the available alternatives as distinct from the unavailable 27 alternatives.
28 It is an advantage of the invention that revision of the 29 feature screen provides an indication to the user as to how selected alternatives, or selection criteria, affect the 31 profile of the subfamily satisfying the selection criteria.
32 The revision answers the question; How does the selection of 33 one alternative affect my remaining alternatives?
34 It is a feature of the invention that the process may be implemented in a server and client configuration for use on 36 the Internet.
37 It is an advantage of the invention that an Internet 38 configuration may be used as an electronic catalog, providing an electronic alternative to updating and distributing product and/or service information.
According to one aspect the present invention provides a method for operating a computer system having a CPU, a memory, and a display in order to assist a user to identify a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising the steps of providing to said computer memory a computer readable data file of stored information representing at least one family of items, said data file identifying at least one alternative for each item, reading by said CPU said data file, displaying a feature screen indicating said alternatives represented in the family, accepting by said CPU at least one selected alternative, said at least one selected alternative, said at least one selected alternative defining a selection criteria, determining by said CPU the subfamily of items, wherein each said item in the subfamily satisfies said selection criteria, the improvement comprising the steps of:
determining by said CPU available alternatives represented in the subfamily and unavailable alternatives unrepresented in the subfamily, and revising by said CPU said feature screen to display said available alternatives as distinct from said unavailable alternatives.
According to another aspect the present invention provides a system for assisting a user in identifying a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising a computer having memory, a display device, a user input device and an interactive pointer; a computer readable data file stored in said memory, said date file representing at least one family of items and identifying at least one alternative for each item; a feature screen displayed on said display device, said feature screen indicating available alternatives represented in the family; and said computer accepting at least one selected alternative selected with said user input device, wherein said computer determines a subfamily of items wherein each said item in said subfamily contains said selected alternatives, wherein the improvement comprises: said display device revises said feature screen to display said available alternatives represented in the subfamily as distinct from unavailable alternatives unrepresented in the subfamily.
According to another aspect the present invention provides a method of allowing a selection of a subset of items from a set of items using a server and a database, the server being coupled to the database, the method comprising: (a) responsive to receiving a first request, accessing the database, the database defining a set of groups, each group in the set of groups having a corresponding set of alternatives, the database defining at least one alternative for each item in the set of items, and wherein the set of groups includes at least one group having more than one alternative; (b) transmitting a first response, the first response including first formatting information to display the set of groups and a first corresponding sets of alternatives, the first formatting information including instructions to simultaneously display at least two alternatives from the at least one group; (c) responsive to receiving a second request, accessing the database to determine the subset of items, the second request corresponding to a selection of at least an alternative from the set of groups, the subset of items all including the selected alternative; and (d) transmitting a second response, the second response including second formatting information to display the set of groups and a second corresponding sets of 6a alternatives, the second corresponding sets of alternatives being determined from the subset of items and including at least one unavailable alternative, the second formatting information including instructions to display the unavailable alternative and any available alternatives in the second set of alternatives.
According to yet another aspect the present invention provides a system for assisting a user in identifying a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising the steps of: (a) means for providing a computer readable data file of stored information representing at least one family of items, wherein the family has features associated therewith and each said feature has alternatives associated therewith, the family comprising a plurality of items wherein each said item has one said alternative associated with each said feature; (b) means for displaying said features and said alternatives on a feature screen; (c) means for accepting at least one selected alternative; (d) means for determining the subfamily wherein each item in the subfamily satisfies said selected alternatives; (e) means for determining available alternatives and unavailable alternatives represented by the subfamily; and (f) means for revising said feature screen to reflect said available alternatives as distinct from said unavailable alternatives.
According to still another aspect the present invention provides a system for assisting a user in identifying a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising: (a) a database, the database representing at least one family of items and identifying at least one alternative for each item;
and (b) a computer system, being coupled to the database, 6b having a first program to display available alternatives represented in the family, the computer system having an input to receive selected alternatives, the computer system further having a second program to determine a subfamily of items wherein each said item in said subfamily contains the selected alternatives, and wherein the first program revises the display to display said available alternatives represented in the subfamily as distinct from unavailable alternatives unrepresented in the subfamily.
According to still another aspect the invention provides a method for assisting a user in identifying a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a computer readable data file of stored information representing at least one family of items, said data file identifying at least one alternative for each item;
(b) reading said data file; (c) displaying a feature screen indicating said alternatives represented in the family; (d) accepting a first selection criteria of at least one alternative; (e) determining a first subfamily of items wherein each said item in the first subfamily satisfies said first selection criteria; (f) determining available alternatives represented in the first subfamily; (g) revising said feature screen to indicate the available alternatives of the first subfamily; (h) accepting a second selection criteria comprising the alternative or alternatives of the first selection criteria plus at least one alternative selected from the revised feature screen; (i) determining a second subfamily of items of the family wherein each item in the second subfamily satisfies said second selection criteria; (j) determining available alter-natives represented in the second subfamily; and (k) revising 6c said feature screen to indicate the available alternatives of the second subfamily.
According to a final aspect the present invention provides a method for assisting a user in identifying a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a computer readable data file of stored information representing at least one family of items, said data file identifying at least one alternative for each item;
(b) reading said data file; (c) displaying a feature screen indicating said alternatives represented in the family; (d) accepting a selection criteria of more than one of said alternatives; (e) determining the subfamily of items wherein each said item in the subfamily satisfies said selection criteria; (f) in the event the subfamily comprises zero items, deselecting the most recently selected alternative of that selection criteria; (g) determining the subfamily of items wherein each said item in the subfamily satisfies said selection criteria as modified by the deselecting of the most recently selected alternative; and (h) revising said feature screen to indicate the available alternatives of the subfamily.
Other advantages and results of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description by way of example, from accompanying drawings, and from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a view of a Main Menu screen.
Figure 2 is a view of an Alphabetical Search screen.
6d Figure 3 is a view of a second level Picture Search screen.
Figure 4 is a view of a View catalogue screen.
Figure 5 is a view of a Catalogue page screen.
Figure 6 is a view of a View part number information screen.
Figure 7 is a view of a feature screen prior to selections of alternatives having been made by a user.
Figure 8 is a view of a feature screen subsequent to a single selection of an alternative and completion of a search initiated by a user after revision based upon the results of the search.
Figure 9 is a view of a revised feature screen subsequent to a second selection of an alternative from the revised feature screen shown in Figure 8 and completion of a search initiated by a user after revision based upon the results of the search which has identified a single item.
Figure 10 is a view of a Property screen for the item identified in the feature screen in Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a graphical representation of the Database Organization Datafile and example data records therein.
Figure 12 is a graphical representation of the Part Number Features Datafile and example data records therein.
6e Figure 13 is a graphical representation of the feature screen Group Datafile and example data records therein.
Figure 14 is a graphical representation of the feature screen Description Datafile and example data records therein.
6f 1 Figure 15 is a graphical representation of the Feature 2 Name Datafile and example data records therein.
3 Figure 16 is a graphical representation of the Feature 4 Value Datafile and example data records therein.
Figure 17 is a graphical representation of the feature 6 screen Image Datafile and example data records therein.

7 Figure 18 is a graphical representation of the Part 8 Number Properties Datafile and example data records therein.

9 Figure 19 is a graphical representation of the Extra Properties Datafile and example data records therein.
11 Figure 20 is a graphical representation of the Screen 12 Title Datafile and example data records therein.
13 Figure 21 is a graphical representation of the program 14 flow of an embodiment of the feature screen creation operation labeling the groupings for a unique feature screen.
16 Figure 22 is a graphical representation of the program 17 flow of an embodiment of the feature screen creation 18 operation labeling the alternatives.
19 Figure 23 is a graphical representation of the program flow of an embodiment of the Search operation initiated from 21 the feature screen.
22 Figure 24 is a graphical representation of the program 23 flow of an embodiment of the feature screen revision 24 operation.
Figure 25 is a representation of a server and client 26 configuration and the flow of data therebetween.
27 Figure 26 is a feature screen used in a preferred 28 embodiment of the invention in an Internet environment.
29 Figure 27 is a feature screen revised from the feature screen of Figure 26 and having "Non-Insulation Support" and 31 "None" for the "Specials" feature as selected alternatives 32 and is updated with available alternatives underlined and 33 unavailable alternatives not underlined.
34 Figure 28 is a further revision of the feature screen of Figure 27 narrowing down the subfamily to thirteen items.
36 Figure 29 is a further revision of the feature screen of 37 Figure 28 narrowing down the subfamily to one item.

1 Figure 30 is a property screen used in a preferred 2 embodiment of the invention in the Internet environment.
3 Figure 31 is a main menu used in a preferred embodiment 4 of the invention in the Internet environment.
Figure 32 is an alphabetical search menu used in a 6 preferred embodiment of the invention in the Internet 7 environment.
8 Figure 33 and 34 is a first and second level picture 9 search menu respectively used in a preferred embodiment of the invention in the Internet environment.
11 Figure 35 is a view part number menu used in a preferred 12 embodiment of the invention in the Internet environment.

A nonhierarchial guided parametric search is executed on 16 a computer and permits a user to select a family of items 1 17 from among a plurality of families of electrical connectors, 18 via a Main Menu 40. A family of items 1 could be any 19 commercial product or service offering with a common set of features 5 and alternatives 6, associated therewith.
21 Preferably, the alternatives 6 are item qualifiers and 22 related to customer purchase options and criteria. In a 23 preferred embodiment, an example of a family of items 1 is 24 FASTON Receptacles - Uninsulated. FASTON in a trademark of AMP Incorporated. Alternative embodiments may include a 26 family 1 of service providers having features 5 and 27 alternatives 6 relating to provider qualifications. It is 28 apparent, therefore, that "family" as used herein is broadly 29 defined as a collection of offerings with specific qualifiers and/or attributes, where one would want to identify an 31 offering by specifying its qualifiers and/or attributes. The 32 preferred embodiment, however, is adapted to a family of 33 physical items, specifically electrical connectors.

MAIN MENU
36 An example of the Main Menu 40 is shown in Figure 1.
37 The Main Menu 40 offers an interactive pick for an 38 Alphabetical Search 41, a Picture Search 42, a View Catalog WO 96/12238 PCTlUS95/13466 1 43, or a Get Part Number Information 44 as methods for 2 identifying a single family of items 1. The About pick 49 3 provides administrative information about the vendor such as 4 telephone number, address, and facsimile phone number. The Exit pick 50 exits to the computer operating system.

7 An example of an Alphabetical Search menu is shown in 8 Figure 2. The Alphabetical Search pick 41 provides to the 9 user a list box 15 comprising alphabetical listbox entries 16 of industry standard terms and proprietary terms for product 11 families 1 that are available on a data file to be searched.
12 Each listbox entry 16 in the Alphabetical Search menu 13 represents either a subfamily 2, a family of items 1 or a 14 cluster of families 4. The user selects an alphabetical entry 16 and OK pick 51. If the selected listbox entry 16 16 represents a cluster of families 4, the system branches to a 17 picture search 42 described herein below. The user further 18 delineates the family of items 1 that is of interest by 19 further selection within the cluster 4 using a hierarchical selection method. If the alphabetical entry 16 requires no 21 further delineation, the system branches to a feature screen 22 9. The cancel pick 52 returns the user to the Main menu 40.

24 The user enters a Picture Search Menu via either the picture search pick 42 from the Main Menu 40 or by selecting 26 an alphabetical entry 16 from the Alphabetical Search Menu 41 27 that requires further delineation before identifying a single 28 family of items 1. A picture search provides to the user a 29 display of a series of pictures 17, each picture 17 representing either a family cluster 4 or a family of items 1 31 that are available to be searched. A series of picture 17 32 appears on one or more display pages. A page marker 58 33 indicates the current page and the total number of pages in 34 the display. Prior screen pushbutton 201 returns the user to the prior screen. Home pushbutton 202 returns the user to 36 the Main Menu 40. Help pushbutton 203 provides help text for 37 the picture screen. The user, via a mouse or other pointing 38 device, moves an interactive pointer 39 from picture to 1 picture 17. As the pointer 39 passes over each picture 17, a 2 picture subtitle 48a, indicating the name of the family 1 or 3 cluster of families 4 represented by the picture 17, changes 4 accordingly. The user selects a family 1 or cluster of families 4, by clicking the mouse as the pointer 39 is 6 positioned over the desired representative picture 17. If 7 the selected picture represents a family cluster 4, the 8 system branches to a lower level picture search. An example 9 of a second level picture search menu is shown in Figure 3.
In the lower level picture search, the system provides to the 11 user a display of a series of pictures that further 12 delineates the families 1 available within the selected 13 family cluster 4. The user again selects one of the pictures 14 presented and continues in this hierarchial fashion until isolating a selection that represents a single family of 16 items 1. If the selected picture represents a single family 17 1, the system branches directly to the feature screen 9.

19 The View Catalog pick 43 provides the user with one of three types of free field entry. The user selects a radio 21 button 23 to identify the nature of a free field entry 21.
22 In a preferred embodiment, the user may select to enter by a 23 part number 18, by a code associated with a part number that 24 is identified by AMP Incorporated as a FaxCode 19, or a catalog number 20. The user enters an identifying number in 26 the free field entry 21. Upon entry, the system 27 electronically displays a catalog page for the identified 28 item. An example of a catalog page is in Figure 5. Once an 29 item is selected, the system permits the user to branch to a display of tools and other items related to the identified 31 item 3 by selecting the view option 53. A user may choose 32 the zoom option 54 to display the catalog page in a size that 33 is one hundred percent of the original size of the actual 34 paper based catalog page. Zoom is purely a scaling function of the existing screen display. A user may choose the page 36 option 55 to page through electronic displays of catalog 37 pages as one might page through a paper based catalog system.

1 The Get Part Number Information pick 44 provides the 2 user with a part number entry 22. The user enters a part 3 number indicative of a single item 3. The user selects the 4 radiobutton 23 to choose either a feature screen display or a Detailed Information Screen display for the item entered. If 6 the part number is an item within the data file, the system 7 retrieves the item 3 and identifies the family 1 associated 8 with the part number and branches to the selected screen.
9 The process up to this point identifies a family 1 of items using conventional hierarchical techniques. Other 11 methods of identifying a family 1 are equally appropriate.

13 Upon identification of a family 1 to search, the system 14 provides to the user the feature screen 9. Identification of a subfamily or item is processed from the same feature screen 16 9. The minimum computing system required to run the process 17 disclosed hereinafter has an Intel 80386 microprocessor or 18 compatible upgrade with 4MBytes of RAM memory, MS DOS
19 revision 6.0 or compatible upgrade, Microsoft Windows revision 3.1 or compatible upgrade, a mouse or other pointing 21 device, a hard disk with 2MBytes of free disk space, and a 22 Windows compatible CD-ROM drive.

24 The feature screen 9, as shown in Figures 7 through 9, provides a display of a series of groupings 13 associated 26 with the selected family 1. Each grouping 13 comprises one 27 of the features 5 and a plurality of respective alternatives 28 6, each feature 5 and respective alternatives being 29 represented within the family 1. Each feature 5 generally describes a category of subject of the respective 31 alternatives 6. The grouping 13 visually relates the feature 32 5 to its respective alternatives 6 by the proximity of 33 feature 5 to respective alternatives and by a frame 24 34 enclosing them. Each grouping 13 contains either a plurality of the radiobuttons 23 or one listbox 15. Each alternative 36 6 has associated therewith, a user selector. The user 37 selector may be in the form of a radiobutton 23 that is white 38 to denote nonselection ("off") and partially filled in black 1 to denote selection ("on"). A user selector may also be in 2 the form of a listbox entry 16 that is in a standard font to 3 denote nonselection ("off") and is in a reverse font to 4 denote selection ("on"). The alternatives 6 may be selected or deselected via the radiobuttons 23 or listbox entries 16 6 to create selected alternatives 37. The feature screen 9, 7 therefore, provides a guided search in that it presents 8 terminology for the features 5 and the alternatives 6 to the 9 user prior to a search. A screen title 4s appears centered at the top of the display and the representative picture 17 11 appears in the upper right corner of the display. A matching 12 quantity box 47 and part number identification box 46 appear 13 at the upper left corner of the display.
14 Positioning the interactive pointer 39 and clicking the mouse once, toggles a radiobutton 23 or listbox entry 16 to 16 select ("on") or deselect ("off") an alternative 6. While in 17 the feature screen 9, the user may select and deselect 18 turning radiobuttons 23 and listbox entries 16 "on" and "off"
19 as desired. In response to a user initiated signal to perform a search, the system retrieves information concerning 21 which user selectors 16, 23 are turned "on" and to which 22 alternatives 6 the user selectors 16, 23 that are turned "on"
23 relate. The alternatives 6 turned "on" are the selected 24 alternatives 37 and constitute the selection criteria 14 used in the search to generate a subfamily 2. In a preferred 26 embodiment of the system, a double mouse click on a user 27 selector 23 or 16 that is turned "off" selects the 28 alternative 6 and then performs a search using the selection 29 criteria 14.
A series of pushbuttons 201 through 208 are positioned 31 below the matching quantity box 47 and part number 32 identification box 46. Actuation of any one of the 33 pushbuttons 201 through 208 via a mouse click performs a 34 different system function. The prior screen pushbutton 201 returns the user to the prior screen. The home pushbutton 36 202 returns the user to the Main Menu 40. Help pushbutton 37 203 provides the user with help information concerning the 38 current screen. Criteria hold pushbutton 204 "holds" or 1 memorizes the current selection criteria 14 for later use.
2 Criteria apply pushbutton 205 "applies" the selection 3 criteria 14 most recently "held" using the criteria hold 4 pushbutton 204. Advantageously, a selection criteria 14 "held" while working with one family may be "applied" while 6 working with a different family.
7 Erasure pushbutton 206 resets all currently selected 8 alternatives 37. Detail view pushbutton 207 displays a 9 property screen 12. An example of the property screen 12 is shown in Figure 10. Search pushbutton 208 performs a search 11 according to the selection criteria 14.

13 When the user initiates a search via the search 14 pushbutton 208 or a double mouse click, the system gathers the selection criteria 14 from the user selectors 16, 23 that 16 are toggled "on", indicating the selected alternatives 37.
17 Using the selection criteria 14, the system searches the 18 family 1 for items 3 that satisfy the selection criteria 14.
19 A result of the search is a subfamily 2 of items, each item 3 within the subfamily 2 having alternatives 6 that match the 21 selection criteria 14. The system then searches the 22 subfamily 2 to identify those alternatives 6 that remain 23 available for further selection, available alternatives 7, 24 and those alternatives 6 that are available within the family 1, but are mutually exclusive with the selection criteria 14 26 that generated the subfamily 2, unavailable alternatives 8.

28 Based on the available alternatives 7, the system 29 revises the feature screen 9. A feature screen revised accordingly is shown in Figure 8. In Figure 8, the feature 31 screen of Figure 7 is revised after selection of alternative 32 6 "Magnet Wire" in the grouping associated with the feature 5 33 "Wire Type". Each selected alternative 37 is displayed in a 34 bold font and underlined. Each available alternative 7 within the subfamily 2 is displayed in a bold font and is not 36 underlined. The radiobutton 23 for each selected alternative 37 37 and each available alternative 7 is enabled, meaning that 38 they may be toggled in order to modify the current selection 1 criteria 14. An exception exists if one of the groupings 13 2 comprises only one available alternative 7. In that case, 3 the available alternative 7 is a forced alternative 34 and is 4 turned "on", and the associated radiobutton 23 is disabled meaning it may not be deselected. A forced alternative 34 6 indicates that for the selection criteria 14, all items 7 necessarily have the forced alternative 34, and that there is 8 no item satisfying the selection criteria 14 without the 9 forced alternative 34. In Figure 8, an example of a "forced"
alternative is "None" in the "Specials" grouping 13. This 11 indicates that for all items 3 having "Magnet Wire" as a 12 "Wire Type" there are no other "Specials" alternatives 6 13 other than "None". Each unavailable alternative 8 within the 14 subfamily 2 is displayed on the feature screen 9 and within the grouping 13, but is displayed in a grey shaded font. A
16 radiobutton 23 associated with each unavailable alternative 8 17 is disabled. In the case of a grouping 13 that comprises one 18 of the listboxes 15, only available alternatives 7 are listed 19 as listbox entries 16. The feature screen 9 also displays the quantity of items in the subfamily 2 in a matching 21 quantity box 47.

23 After the feature screen is revised, the user may choose 24 to modify the selection criteria 14 by selecting one or more available alternatives 7 or deselecting a selected 26 alternative 37. Unavailable alternatives 8 may not be 27 selected to modify the selection criteria 14 as their 28 associated radiobuttons 23 are disabled. Similarly, forced 29 alternatives 34 may not be deselected. This impairs the user's ability to select mutually exclusive alternatives 6.
31 The user may select one or more available alternatives 7 32 and then initiate a search by clicking twice or using the 33 search pushbutton 208. The system performs an identical 34 search to the one disclosed hereinabove and revises the feature screen accordingly. By virtue of the fact that 36 selected alternatives 37 are added to the selection criteria 37 14, the subfamily 2 that satisfies the selection criteria 14 38 necessarily has fewer items 3. A search and revision of the 1 feature screen 9 after each selected alternative 37 provides 2 to the user an indication of how selection of one alternative 3 affects the availability of remaining alternatives 6.
4 Presentation of the affect of selected alternatives guides the user in selecting appropriate alternatives 6 according to 6 the user's priorities. Iterative selections, searches, and 7 revisions progressively narrows the subfamily 2 to isolate 8 and identify a manageable number of items according to user 9 priorities. A narrowing of the subfamily 2 from the feature screen 9 shown in Figure 8 is shown in Figure 9 and 11 identifies a single item 3.

13 If the user has turned more than one user selector "on"
14 prior to processing a search, it is conceivable that the selection criteria 14 contains mutually exclusive 16 alternatives and will produce a subfamily 2 containing zero 17 items 3. In the event of a zero item subfamily 2, an 18 embodiment of the system indicates that no items are 19 identified, and returns the user to the feature screen prior to initiating a search. As a zero item subfamily situation 21 is considered undesirable, when there are no items in a 22 subfamily 2, in a preferred embodiment the system will 23 deselect a most recently selected alternative 37 and perform 24 the search with a revised selection criteria 14. The deselection process will iterate, automatically deselecting 26 the most recently selected alternative until there is at 27 least one item 3 in the subfamily 2. Sequential deselection 28 will provide a prioritized approach of automatically revising 29 the selection criteria 14 and guaranteeing identification of at least one item for every search initiated. Automated 31 deselection is based on the assumption that the alternative 32 selected first in time is the highest priority in the 33 selection criteria 14, with subsequent selections of 34 alternatives 6 having descending priority to the user.
USER DESELECTION
36 The user may also modify the selection criteria 14 by 37 deselecting one of the selected alternatives 37.
38 Deselecting is accomplished by clicking the mouse once with 1 the mouse pointer on one of the selected alternatives 37 to 2 toggle the associated radiobutton 23 "off". User deselection 3 of one of the selected alternatives 37 not part of the 4 selection criteria 14 simply toggles the associated radiobutton 23 to "OFF". User deselection of one of the 6 selected alternatives 37 that was part of the selection 7 criteria 14 toggles the associated radiobutton 23 to "OFF"
8 and, automatically initiates a search process to update the 9 subfamily 2 and revise the feature screen 9 accordingly.
User deselection and search is particularly helpful after 11 identifying a family 1 via the Get Part Number Information 12 Pick 44. Using the Get Part Number Information Menu and user 13 deselection, the user, starting with a single part, may 14 easily find a similar item by deselecting one or more of the selected alternatives 37.

17 In certain cases, a grouping 13 logically applies only 18 if an alternative from a different grouping is selected. In 19 this case, selection of a trigger alternative (not shown) within one grouping, will give rise to available alternatives 21 7 in a dependant grouping (not shown). Selection of one of 22 the alternatives 6 in the dependant grouping will further 23 refine the trigger alternative selection. With respect to 24 cars for example, one grouping may be "transmission style"
having "automatic transmission" and "manual transmission" as 26 alternatives 6. The trigger alternative, "manual 27 transmission", will give rise to the dependant grouping, 28 "number of speeds" having alternatives 6 "three speed", "four 29 speed", and "five speed". The alternatives 6 in the dependant grouping are not applicable to the users selection 31 criteria 14 unless the trigger alternative is selected. In a 32 preferred embodiment, therefore, the dependant grouping will 33 not be displayed until selection of the trigger alternative.
34 Although this is part of a preferred embodiment, it is not included in the source code disclosed herein.

37 Alternatively, in a less preferred embodiment, all of 38 the groupings 13 for a feature screen are initially 1 displayed. If, as a result of a search and for a subfamily 2 2, all of the alternatives 6 within one of the groupings 13 3 are unavailable alternatives 8, the grouping 13 is hidden and 4 is not displayed. An example of a hidden grouping is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 wherein the "Line" feature has 6 no available alternatives 7 for the selection criteria 14 7 comprising "Magnet Wire".

9 At any point in the feature screen 9, a user may select the detail view pushbutton 207 to branch to the property 11 screen 12. An example of the property screen 12 is shown in 12 Figure 10. The property screen 12 displays the feature 5 and 13 specific alternatives for a single item 3 in a tabular 14 format, a feature table 32. The property screen 12 further displays additional properties 28 associated with the item 3 16 in a tabular format a property table 33. Also displayed is a 17 picture display of a line art 29 associated with the item 3, 18 a comment area 30 and a subfamily part number list 31. A
19 user may select any one of the part number entries 16 in the subfamily part number listbox 31 for display in the property 21 screen 12.
22 The prior screen pushbutton 201, home pushbutton 202, 23 and help pushbutton 203 are available from the property 24 screen 12. View catalog pushbutton 209 branches the user to a screen with a representation of a catalog page for the item 26 identified. In the embodiment of an electronic catalog for 27 electrical connectors, the view catalog pushbutton 209 28 branches to the screen an example of which is shown in Figure 29 5. Print pushbutton 210 prints out the property screen 12.
DATAFILES
31 The feature screen 9 and the processing associated 32 therewith is a piece of an overall electronic catalog system 33 which includes additional operations such as the Alphabetical 34 search, Picture search, View Catalog, and Get Part Number Information. Only those datafiles and operations associated 36 with the feature screen 9 and property screen 12 will be 37 described hereinafter.

1 A Database Organization Datafile 60 defines the features 2 5 used in each unique feature screen 9 and the features 5 and 3 properties 28 used in each unique property screen 12. A
4 graphical representation of records in the Database Organization Datafile 60 is shown in Figure 11. Each record 6 in the Database Organization Datafile 60 defines a set of 7 features or properties and has seventeen fields: screen type 8 601, screen 602, and feature one through feature fifteen 603.
9 The screen type field 601 contains a value of "F" if the record defines features 5 and a value of "P" if the record il defines properties 28. The screen field 602 contains a 12 numerical value that represents each feature screen 9 or 13 Property screen 12. If the screen type field 601 contains a 14 value of "F", the feature one field 603 through feature fifteen field 603 each contains a value that represents one 16 unique feature 5 associated with one of the groupings 13 on 17 the feature screen 9. If the screen type field 601 contains 18 a value of "P", the feature one field 603 through feature 19 fifteen field 603 each contains a value representing one of the properties 28 to be listed on the property screen 12.
21 The property screen 12 also uses the information in the 22 record defining the feature screen 9 having the same value in 23 the screen field 602 to display features 5 in the feature 24 table 32. There are fifteen feature fields 603 per record.
The feature screen 9, therefore, may contain up to fifteen 26 features 5 and the property screen 12 may contain up to 27 fifteen features 5 in the feature table 32 and up to fifteen 28 properties 28 in the property table 33. If one or more of 29 the feature fields 603 is blank, then the feature screen 9 or property screen 12 represented by the record will contain a 31 number of groupings 13 less than fifteen and a property 32 screen represented by the record will have fewer than 15 33 features in the feature table 32 and/or fewer than fifteen 34 properties in the property table 33.
PART NUMBER FEATURES DATAFILE
36 A Part Number Features Datafile 61 indicates the 37 alternatives 6 for each feature 5 represented by an item 3.
38 A graphical representation of records in the Part Number 1 Features Datafile 61 is shown in Figure 12. Each record in 2 the Part Number Features Datafile 61 has eighteen fields:
3 screen 611, item 612, alternative one 613 through alternative 4 fifteen 613, and locate 614. The Part Number Features Datafile screen field 611 contains a value representing one 6 feature screen 9. All records within the Part Number 7 Features Datafile 61 having the same value in the screen 8 field 611 constitute a family of items 1. The value 9 contained within the Part Number Features Datafile screen field 611 is used to cross reference to the Database 11 Organization Datafile 62 screen field 602 having the same 12 value and having a screen type field 601 containing a value 13 of "F" for feature screen type. The feature one through 14 feature fifteen fields 603 of the Database Organization Datafile 60 correspond directly to alternative one through 16 alternative fifteen fields 613 in the Part Number Features 17 Datafile 61. The item field 612 contains a part number that 18 represents a single item 3 in a family 1. The alternative 19 one field 613 through alternative fifteen field 613 each contain a value representing one alternative 6 that is 21 associated with the item 3 represented by one record. Each 22 item 3 may be defined by up to fifteen alternatives 6. If 23 any of the alternative one 613 through alternative fifteen 24 fields 613 does not contain a value, then the field is unused and the alternative does not apply to the item. The locate 26 field 614 contains a duplicate representation of the values 27 contained in the feature screen field 611 and the alternative 28 one through alternative fifteen fields 613, in a single 29 field.
In order to determine which alternatives 6 relate to 31 each item 3, cross reference is made between the Database 32 Organization Datafile 60 and the Part Number Features 33 Datafile 61. Each record in the Part Number Features 34 Datafiles 61, defines one item 3. Associated with the item, by virtue of being contained in the same record, is a value 36 contained within the screen field 611. Cross reference is 37 made to the Database Organization Datafile 60 screen 38 field 602 having the same value as the Part Number Features 1 Datafiles 61 screen field 611 value and a screen type 601 2 value of "F". Values in the feature one 603 through feature 3 fifteen fields 603 correspond to values in the alternative 4 one 613 through alternative fifteen fields 613 to define which alternative 6 within each of the up to fifteen defined 6 features 5 is represented by the item 3. In this way, 7 therefore, each item 3 is defined as comprising a 8 characteristic set of alternatives 6.

The Feature Screen Group Datafile 62 defines a profile 11 of each feature screen 9 and the groupings 13 contained 12 therein. A graphical representation of records in the 13 feature screen Group Datafile 62 is shown in Figure 13. Each 14 record of the feature screen Group Datafile 62 has four fields: a screen 621, a grouping sequence 622, selection type 16 623, and feature 624. The screen field 621 contains a value 17 representing one feature screen. This number represents the 18 same feature screen as is represented in all data files 19 having a screen field 602, 611, 621, 631, 692, 661, 671 and is used for cross referencing purposes. The feature field 21 624 contains a unique number associated with one feature 5 22 and the grouping sequence field 622 contains a value 23 representing a placement sequence of the grouping 13 on the 24 feature screen 9. The selection type field 623 contains a value of "R" if alternatives 6 associated with the grouping 26 13 are selected via radio buttons 23 or a value of "L" if 27 alternatives associated with the grouping 13 are selected via 28 listbox entries 16. Although not implemented in a preferred 29 embodiment, alternatives 6 may also be selected via a checklist (not shown), in which case the selection type field 31 623 will have a value of "C".

33 The feature screen Description Datafile 63 defines the 34 profile of the alternatives 6 f or each feature 5 for a particular feature screen 9. A graphical representation of 36 records in the feature screen Description Datafile 63 is 37 shown in Figure 14. Each record of the feature screen 38 Description Datafile 63 has four fields: screen 631, feature WO 96/12238 PC~'/US95113466 1 632, alternative sequence 633, and alternative 634. The 2 screen field 631 and feature field 632 contain values 3 representing one feature screen 9 and feature 6 respectively 4 similar to those found in the feature screen Group Datafile 62 screen field 621 and feature field 624. The alternative 6 field 634 contains a value representing an alternative 6 of 7 the feature 5 specified in feature field 632. The 8 alternative sequence field 633 represents the sequential 9 position of the alternative 6 listed in alternative field 634 if the grouping 632 has a selection type 623 of radio button, 11 "R", or checklist "C".

13 The Feature Name Datafile 64 cross references an 14 alphanumeric name for each feature 5. A graphical representation of records in the Feature Name Datafile 64 is 16 shown in Figure 15. Each record has two fields: feature 641 17 and name 642.

19 The Feature Value Datafile 65 cross references numbers representing features 5 and alternatives 6 with an 21 alphanumeric name. A graphical representation of records in 22 the Feature Value Datafile 65 is shown in Figure 16. Each 23 record in the Feature Value Datafile 65 has three fields:
24 feature 651, alternative 652, and name 653. The system uses the value in the name field 653 to appropriately caption 26 alternatives 6 within the groupings 13 on the feature screen 27 9.

29 The feature screen Image Datafile 66 defines an image file name of the picture 17 that is displayed in the upper 31 right hand corner of the feature screen 9. A graphical 32 representation of records in the feature screen Image 33 Datafile 66 is shown in Figure 17. Each record in the 34 feature screen Image Datafile 66 has two fields: a screen 661 and an image file name 662. The value contained within the 36 screen field 661 specifies the feature screen 9. The value 37 contained within the image file name field 662 is the name of 38 a data file from which the system may retrieve a bitmapped 1 representation of the representative picture 17 associated 2 with the family of items 1 being searched in the specified 3 feature screen 9.

A Part Number Properties Datafile 67 indicates the 6 alternatives 6 represented for each item 3 for use with the 7 Property Screen 12. A graphical representation of records in 8 the Part Number Properties Datafile 67 is shown in Figure 18.
9 Each record in the Part Number Properties Datafile 67 has seventeen fields; screen 671, item 672, and alternatives one 11 673 through alternative fifteen 673. The Part Number 12 Properties Datafile screen field 671 contains a value 13 representing one property screen 12. The value contained 14 within the Part Number Properties Datafile screen field 671 is used to cross reference to the Database Organization 16 Datafile 60 screen field 602 having the same value and having 17 a screen type field 601 containing a value of "P" for 18 property screen. The item field 672 contains a part number 19 that represents a single item 3. The alternative one field 673, alternative two field 673 through alternative fifteen 21 field 673 each contain a value representing a single 22 alternative 6 that is associated with the item 3 represented 23 by one record. One item 3 is defined by up to fifteen 24 alternatives. If any of the alternative one through alternative fifteen fields 673 does not contain a value, then 26 the field is unused and the alternative does not apply.

28 An Extra Properties Datafile 68 defines additional 29 characteristics for each item 3 for display in the Property Screen 12. A graphical representation of records in the 31 Extra Properties Datafile 68 is shown in Figure 19. The 32 additional characteristics do not represent alternatives and 33 may not be searched, they are, however, displayed in the 34 comment area 30 on the Property screen 12 as additional item information. Each record has three fields; item 681, 36 comment 682, and image 683. The item field 681 contains a 37 number representing one item 3.

1 The Screen Tltle Dataille 69 cross references the screen 2 number and screen type with an alphanumeric string. A
3 graphical representation of records in the Screen Title 4 Datafile 69 is shown in Figure 20. Each record in the Screen Title Datafile 69 has three fields: screen type 691, screen 6 692, and title 693. The system uses the value in the title 7 field 693 to appropriately label Screens with the identifying 8 title 48 at the top of all system screens.

The minimum system requirements for development of 11 software to implement the process herein disclosed includes 12 all hardware required for the system to use the software as 13 well as Microsoft Visual Basic 3.0 Professional Edition and 14 Accusoft Image Library VBX.
There are three program level files associated with the 16 feature screen; FEATURES.FRM , GLOBAL.BAS , DATA.BAS, and 17 PROPERTI.FRM. The PROPERTI.FRM is used to process property 18 screen forms. FEATURES.FRM contains variable declarations and 19 subroutines used to process feature screen forms. GLOBAL. BAS
contains variable declarations global to the entire 21 electronic catalog application software. DATA. BAS contains 22 subroutines, global to the entire application software, that 23 are executed by FEATURES.FRM, PROPERTI.FRM as well as other 24 application forms. There are three main operations executed by FEATURES.FRM; feature screen Creation, Search, and feature 26 screen Revision. Central to all three operations is a 27 Framelnfo data array having one to fifteen elements.
28 GLOBAL. BAS defines the global variable FrameInfo having 29 a data structure of FrameInfoType. FrameInfoType is also defined in GLOBAL.BAS. In a preferred embodiment, the 31 FrameInfoType data structure, includes; Feature, Type, 32 CurSelection, DBColumn, DBFeatureNum, RBFeatVal array from 0 33 to 7 elements, RBStatus array from 0 to 7 elements, 34 SelectionOrder and NotApplicable, and is initialized to zero at the start of the feature screen operation. The executable 36 code for the feature screen also uses a form, FRM 101, which 37 is defined off line using the Visual Basic software tool.
38 FRM 101 defines, among other things, an interactive screen 1 having fifteen frames and all relevant pushbuttons 25, each 2 frame 24 containing eight radiobuttons 23 and a listbox 15.
3 FRM 101 is a general and consistent screen structure adapted 4 by FrameInfo data to display a particular feature screen 9.
After identifying a particular family of items 1 to 6 search using the Alphabetical Search, the Picture Search, the 7 Get Part Number Information, or other identification system, 8 the system uses FEATURES.FRM passing to it a global variable 9 ScreenNum 102. ScreenNum 102 indicates a numerical code for the appropriate feature screen 9 and is associated with one 11 family of items 1 to be searched. ScreenNum 102 is the value 12 contained in the screen fields 602, 611, 621, 631, 661, 671 13 and 692 associated with a particular feature screen 9.

The feature screen creation operation comprises an 16 iterative loop that loads the FrameInfo data array in proper 17 sequential grouping order with the appropriate data. A
18 graphical representation of an embodiment of the feature 19 screen creation operation flow to provide the grouping captions 57 is shown in Figure 21. A loop repeats for each 21 grouping 13 defined for the feature screen 9 incrementing an 22 ordinate 103 for each iteration. The number of groupings 13 23 and hence the number of iterations of the loop is up to 24 fifteen in a preferred embodiment, although the system does not preclude modification of this number. For each 26 sequential grouping 13, the system accesses the feature 27 screen Group Datafile 62 to locate the record having a value 28 in the screen field 621 and grouping sequence field 622 equal 29 to ScreenNum 102 and the current FrameInfo ordinate 103 respectively. For the record located, 31 FrameInfo(ordinate).Type is set equal to the value in the 32 selection type field 623 and FrameInfo(ordinate).Feature is 33 set equal to the value in the feature field 624. If 34 FrameInfo(ordinate).Type is equal to "L", then the listbox 15 for the grouping 13 identified in the grouping sequence field 36 622 is made visible. In a preferred embodiment, if there are 37 more than eight alternatives 6 associated with one of the 38 groupings 13, the grouping 13. comprises a listbox 15. The WO 96!12238 PCT/US95/13466 1 system uses the value in FrameInfo(ordinate).Feature to cross 2 reference the Feature Name Datafile 64 and locates the record 3 having the same value in the feature field 641. The caption 4 57 of the grouping 13 is set equal to the string value in the name field 642 of the record. The above operation continues, 6 the result of which is to provide the caption 57 or name, 7 representing a feature 5, for each grouping 13 on the feature 8 screen 9.
9 The feature screen creation operation further comprises interating a FrameInfo ordinate 103 from one to as many 11 groupings 13 that exist for the feature screen 9. A
12 graphical representation of an embodiment of the feature 13 screen creation operation program flow labeling the 14 alternatives 6 is shown in Figure 22. A nested operation iterates a count 104 corresponding to the number of 16 alternatives 6 within the grouping 13 from zero to as many 17 records as are found. When no matching records are found, 18 the count is reset to zero, and the ordinate increments. The 19 system uses ScreenNum 102, FrameInfo(ordinate).Feature, and count 104 plus one to cross reference the feature screen 21 Description Datafile 63 and locate the record having matching 22 values in the screen field 631, feature field 632, and 23 alternative sequence field 633 respectively. The system uses 24 FrameInfo(ordinate).Feature and alternative field 634 in the matching record in the feature screen Description Datafile 63 26 to cross reference the Feature Value Datafile 65 and locate a 27 record having a match with the feature 651 and alternative 28 652 fields respectively. The name field 653 of the located 29 record is used to label the respective alternative 6.
If FrameInfo(ordinate).Type is equal to "R", meaning 31 that the grouping 13 is a set of radiobuttons 23, 32 FrameInfo(ordinate).RBFeatVal(count) is set equal to the 33 value in the alternative field 634 of the matching record in 34 the feature screen Description Datafile 63. The radiobutton 23 is labeled with the string value in the name field 653 of 36 the matching record in the Feature Value Datafile 65.
37 If the FrameInfo(ordinate).Type has a value of "L", 38 meaning that the grouping 13 is a listbox 15, the same cross 1 referencing and locating a matching record in the feature 2 screen Description Datafile 63 and the Feature Value Datafile 3 65 as in the case of the radiobutton 23 described hereinabove 4 applies. In the case of a listbox 15, however, the Visual Basic system organizes listbox entries 16 alphabetically.
6 The string value in the name field 653 is inserted as a 7 listbox entry 16 for the grouping 13. The value in the 8 alternative field 634 is stored in an ItemData array (not 9 shown) associated with the listbox 15. The ItemData array is inherent to Microsoft Windows and is part of a conventional il listbox definition and building operation of Visual Basic.
12 The result of the operation is properly captioned 13 alternatives 6, as either radiobuttons 23 or listbox entries 14 16 for each grouping 13 used in the feature screen 9. In a preferred embodiment, if there are more than 8 alternatives 6 16 for one of the feature 5 in the family 1, the grouping 13 17 comprises a listbox. This particular distinction between the 18 appropriate grouping style is a matter of design choice.
19 When the grouping 13 and alternative 6 captions are set, the system adjusts the size of frames surrounding each grouping 21 13 to aesthetically pleasing proportions and adjacent 22 spacings.
23 The feature screen creation operation further comprises 24 identifying, for each grouping 13, the column position of a corresponding feature 5 in the Database organization Datafile 26 60. The column position is stored into Framelnfo.DBColumn.
27 The program flow of this operation is not shown in the 28 drawings. The system locates the record in the Database 29 Organization Datafile 60 having a value of "F", meaning feature screen, in screen type field 601, and a value in the 31 screen field 602 equal to ScreenNum 102. The 32 FrameInfo.DBFeatureNum array is set equal to the values in 33 the feature one 603 through grouping fifteen fields 603 34 respectively for the record located. Incrementing the ordinate for each value in the FrameInfo(ordinate).Feature 36 array, the system locates the position of the equivalent 37 value in the FrameInfo.DBFeatureNum array.

1 FrameInfo(ordinate).DBColumn is set equal to the position of 2 the equivalent value in the FrameInfo.DBFeatureNum array.
3 FEATURE SCREEN MANIPULATION w 4 Subsequent to the feature screen creation operation, response to the user's mouse movements and mouse clicks are 6 administered by the Visual Basic System. If the user clicks 7 on one of the radiobuttons 23, the system executes a 8 subroutine entitled Radio Click defined in FEATURES.FRM.
9 Based upon the vicinity of the pointer 39, the system identifies the sequential position of a current grouping 35 11 within the feature screen 9 and the sequential position of a 12 current alternative 36 within the current grouping 35 to 13 identify a FrameInfo(ordinate).RBStatus(count). If the 14 pointer 39 is resting on one of the available alternatives 7 that is also an unselected alternative 38, the 16 FrameInfo.CurSelection for the current grouping 35 is set 17 equal to the value of the current alternative 36 and 18 FrameInfo.RBStatus for the current grouping 35 and the 19 current alternative 36 is set to a negative one meaning "SELECTED". In a preferred embodiment capable of the 21 automated deselective search, when one of the alternatives 6 22 is selected, the Framelnfo.SelectionOrder for the current 23 grouping 35 is set equal to a NumberOfSelections variable 24 (not shown) plus one and the NumberOfSelections variable is incremented. If the pointer 39 is resting on one of the 26 alternatives having a FrameInfo.RBStatus of negative two 27 meaning "FORCED" or zero meaning that it is one of the 28 unavailable alternatives 8, there is no operation. If the 29 pointer 39 is resting on one of the available alternatives 7 that is selected, then FrameInfo.CurSelection for the current 31 grouping is reset. The NumberOfSelections variable is 32 decremented and the FrameInfo.Selection order is resequenced.
33 The system initiates a search operation.
34 If the user clicks on one of the listbox entries 16, the system executes a subroutine entitled ListBox click in 36 FEATURES.FRM. The system identifies the current grouping 35 37 and the current alternative 36. If the pointer 39 is resting 38 on one of the available alternatives 7 that is not selected, 1 the FrameInto.CUrSelectlon ror the current grouping 35 is set 2 equal to the current alternative 36 and 3 FrameInfo.SelectionOrder is set equal to a value of the 4 maximum current SelectionOrder which is expressed in the NumberOfSelections variable plus one and the 6 NumberOfSelections variable is incremented. If the pointer 7 39 is resting on one of the available alternatives 7 that is 8 selected, then FrameInfo.CurSelection for the current 9 grouping 35 is reset. The NumberOfSelections variable is decremented and the FrameInfo.Selection order is resequenced.
11 The system initiates a search operation.

13 When the user either selects the search pushbutton 208 14 or double clicks on one of the unselected alternatives 38, the system performs a search operation using the current 16 selection criteria 14. The current selection criteria 14 is 17 defined as the set of selected alternatives 37 for the 18 feature screen in which the user is operating, and is found 19 in the FrameInfo.CurSelection array. A graphical representation of an embodiment of the search operation 21 program flow is shown in Figure 23. At the beginning of the 22 search, in order to administer the radiobuttons 23, the 23 system initializes the FrameInfo.RBStatus array for all 24 available alternatives 7 to zero, and initializes FrameInfo.NotApplicable for all groupings 13 to zero. In 26 order to administer the listboxes 15, a two dimensional 27 dynamically allocated ListStatus array (not shown) is 28 declared having a first dimension of fifteen and a second 29 dimension of one. A ListStatusSize variable (not shown) is initialized to one and retains a value representing the size 31 of the second dimension of the ListStatus array. A
32 ListCounter array (not shown) having fifteen elements records 33 the number of entries 16 added to each listbox 15 and is 34 initialized to zero.
The system identifies all of the items 3 that match the 36 current selection criteria 14. Using FrameInfo.CurSelection 37 the system cross references to the Part Number Features 38 Datafile 61 to locate a record having a value in the 1 appropriate alternative field 613 equivalent to the first 2 nonzero Frame Info.CurSelection. Incrementing an ordinate 3 103, the system identifies a FrameInfo(ordinate).CurSelection 4 having a value greater than zero.
FrameInfo(ordinate).DBColumn is used to identify the 6 appropriate column in the Part Number Features Datafile 61.
7 The system locates a record in the Part Number Features 8 Datafile 61 having a matching value in the appropriate 9 column. When a record is located having the alternative 6 that matches, the system compares the remaining alternatives 11 6 in the selection criteria 14 against values in the 12 alternative fields 613 corresponding to the alternatives in 13 the selection criteria 14. The system checks the remaining 14 nonzero FrameInfo.CurSelection value against values in the appropriate alternative one through alternative fifteen 16 fields 613. If all of the selected alternatives 37 in the 17 selection criteria 14 have a corresponding alternative field 18 613 in the located record, the located record is a matching 19 record for the current selection criteria 14. The matching record, therefore, represents an item 3 in the subfamily 2.
21 The system processes each item 3 in the subfamily 2 to 22 identify which alternatives 6 are available alternatives 7 23 within the subfamily 2. If the record is a matching record, 24 the alternative fields 613 in the matching record not specified in the selection criteria 14, are processed in an 26 iterative loop to update the available alternatives 7 and 27 unavailable alternatives 8 in FrameInfo. FrameInfo is used 28 to revise the feature screen 9 based upon the results of the 29 selection criteria 14 and search or more precisely, based upon the existing subfamily 2.
31 For each alternative field 613 checked, the following 32 operation applies. If the alternative field 613 has no 33 value, meaning that the grouping 13 associated with the 34 alternative field 613 is not applicable to the item 3 defined in the matching record, the FrameInfo.NotApplicable is set to 36 a value of one. The FrameInfo.NotApplicable variable is, 37 therefore, zero if all items 3 in the subfamily 2 have a 38 value in the alternative field 613 for the respective 1 grouping 13, and is nonzero if any one item 3 in the 2 subfamily 2 has no value in the respective alternative field 3 613 for the respective grouping 13. Framelnfo.NotApplicable 4 having a nonzero value indicates that the associated grouping does not logically apply to all of the items in the subfamily 6 2. Therefore, with respect to a preferred embodiment, if 7 FrameInfo.NotApplicable is set to nonzero, the respective 8 grouping 13 is not displayed. Alternatively, in a less 9 preferred embodiment, a grouping 13 is not displayed if all of the respective alternatives 6 are unavailable alternatives 11 8.
12 If the grouping 13 is a set of radiobuttons 23, and the 13 alternative field 613 has a value, FrameInfo.RBStatus 14 associated with the grouping 13 and alternative 6 specified in the alternative field 613 is set to a one, meaning that 16 the radiobutton 23 for the specified alternative 6 is an 17 available alternative 7. Available alternatives 7 are shown 18 on the feature screen 9 in a bold font. If the grouping 13 19 is a listbox 15 and the alternative field 613 has a value, the system determines whether the alternative 6 specified in 21 the alternative field 613 is already listed in the ListStatus 22 array. If the alternative 6 has not already been added, the 23 ListCounter is incremented for the respective listbox 15, the 24 ListStatusSize is set to reflect the size of the largest listbox, and if necessary, the ListStatus array 110 is 26 dynamically allocated a single additional element. The 27 ListStatus array 110 for the sequential position of the 28 grouping 13, specified in the first dimension, and the 29 sequential position of the alternative 6, specified in the second dimension, is set equal to the value in the 31 alternative field 613. The operation repeats for all 32 alternative fields 613 that were not used to locate an item 33 from the selection criteria.
34 In a preferred embodiment, if a search operation results in a subfamily 2 having no items 3, the most recently 36 selected alternative will be automatically deselected and the 37 search operation will repeat with the revised selection 38 criteria 14. The automatic deselection of the most recently WO 96/12238 PCf/US95/13466 1 selected alternative will repeat until the search operation 2 results in a subfamily 2 having at least one item 3.
3 Although not implemented in the source code of the software 4 disclosed herein, the automatic deselection operation would be implemented as follows. Where FrameInfo 6 (ordinate).SelectionOrder is equal to the NumberOfSelections 7 variable, the FrameInfo(ordinate).CurSelection and 8 FrameInfo(ordinate).SelectionOrder will be reset to zero, and 9 the Number of Selections will be decremented. The same search process will be initiated using the new selection 11 criteria 14. The automatic deselection will repeat until the 12 search results in a subfamily 2 having one or more items 3.
13 The entire FrameInfo updating process occurs for every 14 record in the Part Number Features Datafile 61. The results of the Searching operation are updated FrameInfo and 16 ListStatus arrays. The FrameInfo and ListStatus arrays are 17 used to revise the feature screen according to the results of 18 the search.

Using the updated FrameInfo and ListStatus arrays, the 21 system revises the feature screen 9 accordingly in the 22 feature screen revision operation. A graphical 23 representation of an embodiment of the feature screen 24 revision operation is shown in Figure 24. The feature screen revision operation comprises enabling radiobuttons 23 for the 26 available alternatives 7, disabling the radiobuttons 23 for 27 the unavailable alternatives 8, identifying and disabling the 28 radiobuttons 23 for forced alternatives 34, updating the 29 ItemData array with listbox entries 16 for the available alternatives 7 and unavailable alternatives 8, and removing 31 the grouping 13 from the feature screen 9 if all of the 32 alternatives 6 in the grouping 13 are unavailable 33 alternatives 8. A loop incrementing the ordinate 103 34 iterates for each grouping 13. In a preferred embodiment, if FrameInfo.NotApplicable is nonzero, the grouping 13 36 associated with the FrameInfo(ordinate) will not be 37 displayed. If the grouping 13 comprises radiobuttons 23, the 38 radiobutton 23 associated with each element in the 1 FrameInfo.RBStatus array that equals zero is disabled. If 2 the grouping 13 is a listbox 15, the ListStatus array for the 3 grouping 13 is searched against the ItemData array. If an 4 element in the ItemData array for the grouping 13 is not found in the ListStatus array 110, it is removed from the 6 ItemData array and therefore does not appear as one of the 7 listbox entries 16. For each grouping 13 that does not 8 contain a selected alternative 37, the system counts the 9 number of available alternatives 7 in the FrameInfo(ordinate).RBStatus array. If there is one and only 11 available alternative 7, the one available alternative 7 is 12 set to a negative two, meaning "FORCED", and the associated 13 radiobutton 23 is turned "on" and is displayed as partially 14 filled in black, but it is disabled meaning that it may not be toggled to "off" during the feature screen manipulation 16 operation.
17 After the feature screen revision operation, the system 18 returns to the feature screen manipulation operation 19 permitting the user to modify the selection criteria 14 based upon the results of the search.

23 In an embodiment of the invention in an Internet 24 environment, there is a server computer 125 and a client computer 126. All of the program files and data files 26 described in the local embodiment reside on the server 125.
27 In the Internet embodiment, the server 125 comprises a 28 computer having a minimum of 8 Mbytes of RAM and 50 MBytes of 29 available hard disk memory and an Intel Pentium processor running Microsoft Windows 3.1. The server 125 may have 31 hardware access to the Internet via any conventional method.
32 Server 125 communication on the Internet uses Microsoft 33 Windows World Wide Web Server using HyperText Transport 34 Protocol ("HTTPD") from the National Center for Supercomputing Applications ("NCSA") at the University of 36 Illinois and Windows TCP/IP package that supports Windows 37 Sockets interface, preferably Chameleon TCP/IP for Windows by 38 NetManage, Inc. of Cupertino, CA. The client 126 is a 1 computer having a minimum of 4MBytes of RAM and an Intel 2 80386 processor running Microsoft Windows 3.1 and having a 3 display device, keyboard, and mouse. The client 126 has 4 TCP/IP access to the Internet, such as Chameleon by NetManage. The client 126 also requires a Mosaic compatible 6 browser, such as AIR Mosaic by SPRY, Inc. of Seattle, WA.
7 A preferred embodiment of the Internet embodiment of the 8 electronic catalog application mirrors the user flow in the 9 local embodiment as much as possible. Based upon certain restrictions inherent in current Internet capabilities with 11 respect to building an interactive screen, the feature screen 12 9 for the Internet embodiment has a layout that is slightly 13 different from the local embodiment. The feature screen 9 14 for the Internet embodiment is shown by way of example in Figures 26 through 29.

17 The client 126 initiates a request to the server 125 for 18 the electronic catalog searching application via the 19 Internet. The server 125 detects the request. Receipt of the request executes the requested application on the server 21 125 that permits a user on the client 126 to select a family 22 1 or subfamily 2. Example of Main Menu, Alphabetical search, 23 Picture Search, and View Part Number screens are shown in 24 Figures 31 through 35. When the family 1 or subfamily 2 is chosen, the server 125 sends a feature screen status 127 to 26 the client 126. The feature screen status 127 comprises a 27 feature screen code, ScreenNum 102 in a preferred embodiment, 28 all features 5 appropriate to the feature screen 9 specified 29 in ScreenNum 102, all available alternatives 7, all unavailable alternatives 8, and the selection criteria 14.
31 As the selection criteria 14 is always sent, it may comprise 32 zero selected alternatives 37. It is apparent, therefore, 33 that the server 125 sends all of the information necessary to 34 define the current subfamily 2 to the client 126. The information, therefore, need not be retained in memory on the 36 server 125. This particular feature renders it particularly 37 appropriate for an Internet environment. The client 126 38 receives the feature screen status 127 and displays the R'O 96/12238 PCT/US95113466 1 feature screen 9 accordingly. An example of the feature 2 screen 9 on the Internet is shown in Figure 26 through 29.
3 The user on the client, makes selections from among the 4 available alternatives 7 generating a selection criteria 14 different from that which was set to it. The client 126 6 initiates a search with the modified selection criteria 14.
7 The client 126 sends to the server 125, the ScreenNum 102 8 value sent to it by the server, and the modified selection 9 criteria 14. The server 125 receives the ScreenNum 102 and the selection criteria 14. The server 125 executes the 11 search operation as disclosed hereinabove using the revised 12 selection criteria 14 and generates the feature screen status 13 127. The server 125 sends the feature screen status 127 that 14 has been updated based on the modified selection criteria 14 to the client 126. The client 126 receives the feature 16 screen status 127 and displays the updated feature screen 9.
17 This process may iterate similar to the local version to 18 further narrow the subfamily as desired.
19 The feature screen 9 in a preferred embodiment, permits the user to choose to view the representative picture 17 by 21 selecting a view family picture pushbutton 211. When the 22 user on the client 126 selects the view family picture 23 pushbutton 211, the client 126 sends a request to the server 24 125 for the picture 17 as well as the feature screen code, ScreenNum 102.
26 The user accesses the property screen l2 by selecting 27 the detail view pushbuttton 207. An example of the property 28 screen 12 format for the Internet embodiment is shown in 29 Figure 30. When the user on the client 126 selects the detail view pushbutton 207, the client 126 sends to the 31 server 125 the feature screen code, ScreenNum 102, and the 32 selection criteria 14. The server 125 returns the features 33 5, the alternatives 6, the properties 28, and the line art 29 34 for the item 3, or the first item in a larger subfamily 2, satisfying the selection criteria 14. To view the property 36 screen 12 for the next item 3 listed in the subfamily 2, the 37 user on the client 126 selects a next pushbutton 212.
38 Selection of the next pushbutton 212 causes the client 126 to R'O 96/12238 PCT/US95/13466 1 initiate a request to the server 125. The client 126 sends 2 to the server 125 the feature screen code, the selection 3 criteria 14, a request for property screen information, and 4 an indication of which item of the subfamily 2 is of interest.

Claims (54)

CLAIMS:

1. A method for operating a computer system having a CPU, a memory, and a display in order to assist a user to identify a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising the steps of providing to said computer memory a computer readable data file of stored information representing at least one family of items, said data file identifying at least one alternative for each item, reading by said CPU said data file, displaying a feature screen indicating said alternatives represented in the family, accepting by said CPU
at least one selected alternative, said at least one selected alternative defining a selection criteria, determining by said CPU the subfamily of items, wherein each said item in the subfamily satisfies said selection criteria, the improvement comprising the steps of:

determining by said CPU available alternatives represented in the subfamily and unavailable alternatives unrepresented in the subfamily, and revising by said CPU said feature screen to display said available alternatives as distinct from said unavailable alternatives.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein each family has at least one feature associated therewith and further comprising the step of:

displaying at least one grouping wherein each said grouping comprises one of said features visually related to respective alternatives.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein respective alternatives within one of said groupings are mutually exclusive of each other.

4. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising the steps of:

modifying said selection criteria and repeating the steps of determining the subfamily of items, determining said available alternatives represented in the subfamily and unavailable alternatives unrepresented in the subfamily, and revising said feature screen.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said selection criteria are automatically modified by deselecting a most recently selected alternative if the subfamily of items comprises zero items.

6. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising the step of indicating a number of items in the subfamily.

7. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising the steps of:

displaying said available alternatives in a first format; and displaying said unavailable alternatives in a second format.

8. The method according to claim 7 and further comprising the step of:
displaying said selected alternatives in a third format.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein said first format is a bold font and said second format is a grey shaded font and said third format is a bold and underlined font.

10. The method according to claim 2 and further comprising the step of:
providing by said CPU an interactive pointer and displaying information specific to one of said features upon a user initiated signal when said pointer is pointing to a feature caption on said feature screen.

11. The method according to claim 2 wherein at least one of said groupings is hidden from view if all said respective alternatives are also unavailable alternatives.

12. The method according to claim 2 wherein at least one of said groupings comprises a trigger alternative, and further comprising the step of:
displaying a dependant grouping only if said trigger alternative is one of said selected alternatives.

13. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the step of:
automatically selecting by said CPU one of said available alternatives if all remaining respective alternatives are unavailable alternatives.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein:
the steps of providing a computer readable data file, reading said data file, and determining said subfamily are executed on a server;

the steps of displaying said feature screen, accepting said selected alternatives, and revising said feature screen are executed on a client; and said server is accessible by said client.

15. The method according to claim 14 and further comprising the steps of:
receiving by said server from said client a feature screen code and said selected alternatives; and sending by said server to said client a feature screen status.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein said feature screen status comprises said feature screen code, available alternatives, unavailable alternatives, and said selected alternatives.

17. The method according to claim 2, wherein, if said grouping does not contain at least one available alternative, said grouping is not displayed.

18. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising the step of:
displaying a plurality of pictures, each said picture representing one family and being selectable by a user to identify one family.

19. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising the step of:

displaying an alphanumeric list of entries, each said entry representing one family and being selectable by a user to identify one family.

20. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising the step of providing a user input area and receiving an alphanumeric reference for identifying a family.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
providing a user selector for each item of said subfamily;
receiving a signal identifying a single item within said subfamily; and displaying additional information about said single item.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said additional information comprises detailed specifications concerning said single item.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said additional information comprises a pictorial representation of said single item.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein additional information comprises related items.

25. A system for assisting a user in identifying a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising a computer having memory, a display device, a user input device and an interactive pointer; a computer readable data file stored in said memory, said data file representing at least one family of items and identifying at least one alternative for each item; a feature screen displayed on said display device, said feature screen indicating available alternatives represented in the family; and said computer accepting at least one selected alternative selected with said user input device, wherein said computer determines a subfamily of items wherein each said item in said subfamily contains said selected alternatives, wherein the improvement comprises:
said display device revises said feature screen to display said available alternatives represented in the subfamily as distinct from unavailable alternatives unrepresented in the subfamily.

26. The system according to claim 25 wherein said computer having said computer readable data file comprises a server computer accessible by a client computer having said display device, said user input device, and said interactive pointer.

27. A method of allowing a selection of a subset of items from a set of items using a server and a database, the server being coupled to the database, the method comprising:
(a) responsive to receiving a first request, accessing the database, the database defining a set of groups, each group in the set of groups having a corresponding set of alternatives, the database defining at least one alternative for each item in the set of items, and wherein the set of groups includes at least one group having more than one alternative;
(b) transmitting a first response, the first response including first formatting information to display the set of groups and a first corresponding sets of alternatives, the first formatting information including instructions to simultaneously display at least two alternatives from the at least one group;
(c) responsive to receiving a second request, accessing the database to determine the subset of items, the second request corresponding to a selection of at least an alternative from the set of groups, the subset of items all including the selected alternative; and (d) transmitting a second response, the second response including second formatting information to display the set of groups and a second corresponding sets of alternatives, the second corresponding sets of alternatives being determined from the subset of items and including at least one unavailable alternative, the second formatting information including instructions to display the unavailable alternative and any available alternatives in the second set of alternatives.

28. The method according to claim 27 wherein the first and second requests correspond to an Internet protocol formatted request, and wherein the first and second responses correspond to an Internet protocol formatted response.

29. The method according to claim 27 wherein the first formatting information includes HTML formatted text wherein at least one alternative of the set of alternatives is shown as a hypertext link.

30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the first formatting information includes a name for each group in the set of groups, and wherein each name is not a link.

31. The method according to claim 27 wherein the transmitting the second information includes HTML formatted text wherein each available alternative is shown as a hyper-text link and wherein each unavailable alternative is shown as text but is not a hypertext link.

32. The method according to claim 27 further comprising reducing the number of items in the subset of items by repeating the steps of accessing the database in response to the second request and transmitting the second response.

33. The method according to claim 32 further comprising increasing the number of items in the subset of items by deselecting a selected alternative if the subset of items comprises zero items.

34. The method according to claim 27 wherein the second information includes the information about the number of items in the subset of items.

35. A system for assisting a user in identifying a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising the steps of:
(a) means for providing a computer readable data file of stored information representing at least one family of items, wherein the family has features associated therewith and each said feature has alternatives associated therewith, the family comprising a plurality of items wherein each said item has one said alternative associated with each said feature;

(b) means for displaying said features and said alternatives on a feature screen;
(c) means for accepting at least one selected alternative;
(d) means for determining the subfamily wherein each item in the subfamily satisfies said selected alternatives;
(e) means for determining available alternatives and unavailable alternatives represented by the subfamily; and (f) means for revising said feature screen to reflect said available alternatives as distinct from said unavailable alternatives.

36. The system according to claim 35 wherein, each said available alternative is displayed in a first format, each said unavailable alternative is displayed in a second format, and each said selected alternative is displayed in a third format.

37. The system according to claim 35 wherein, said first format is a grey shaded font, and said second format is a bold font.

38. The system according to claim 35 and further comprising means for displaying at least one grouping, each said grouping comprising one of said features visually related to respective alternatives.

39. The system according to claim 38 wherein, if said grouping does not contain at least one available alternative, said grouping is not displayed.

40. The system according to claim 35 further comprising means for displaying a plurality of pictures, each said picture representing one family and being selectable by a user to identify one family.

41. The system according to claim 35 further comprising means for displaying an alphanumeric list of entries, each said entry representing one family and being selectable by a user to identify one family.

42. The system of claim 35 further comprising means for:
(a) providing a user selector for each item of said subfamily;
(b) receiving a signal identifying a single item within said subfamily; and (c) displaying additional information about said item.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein said additional information comprises detailed specifications concerning said item.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein said additional information comprises a pictorial representation of said single member.

45. A system for assisting a user in identifying a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising:
(a) a database, the database representing at least one family of items and identifying at least one alternative for each item; and (b) a computer system, being coupled to the database, having a first program to display available alternatives represented in the family, the computer system having an input to receive selected alternatives, the computer system further having a second program to determine a subfamily of items wherein each said item in said subfamily contains the selected alternatives, and wherein the first program revises the display to display said available alternatives represented in the subfamily as distinct from unavailable alternatives unrepresented in the subfamily.

46. The system according to claim 45 wherein the computer system has a server computer coupled to a client computer, the server computer having the second program and the client computer having the first program.

47. A method for assisting a user in identifying a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a computer readable data file of stored information representing at least one family of items, said data file identifying at least one alternative for each item;
(b) reading said data file;
(c) displaying a feature screen indicating said alternatives represented in the family;
(d) accepting a first selection criteria of at least one alternative;
(e) determining a first subfamily of items wherein each said item in the first subfamily satisfies said first selection criteria;

(f) determining available alternatives represented in the first subfamily;
(g) revising said feature screen to indicate the available alternatives of the first subfamily;
(h) accepting a second selection criteria comprising the alternative or alternatives of the first selection criteria plus at least one alternative selected from the revised feature screen;
(i) determining a second subfamily of items of the family wherein each item in the second subfamily satisfies said second selection criteria;
(j) determining available alternatives represented in the second subfamily; and (k) revising said feature screen to indicate the available alternatives of the second subfamily.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein each family has at least one feature associated therewith and further comprising the step of:
displaying at least one grouping wherein each said grouping comprises one of said features visually related to respective alternatives.

49. The method according to claim 48 and further comprising the step of:
providing an interactive pointer and displaying information specific to one of said features upon a user initiated signal when said pointer is pointing to a feature caption on said feature screen.

50. The method according to claim 48 wherein at least one said grouping is hidden from view if all said respective alternatives are not available.

51. A method for assisting a user in identifying a subfamily of items within a family of items, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a computer readable data file of stored information representing at least one family of items, said data file identifying at least one alternative for each item;
(b) reading said data file;
(c) displaying a feature screen indicating said alternatives represented in the family;
(d) accepting a selection criteria of more than one of said alternatives;
(e) determining the subfamily of items wherein each said item in the subfamily satisfies said selection criteria;
(f) in the event the subfamily comprises zero items, deselecting the most recently selected alternative of that selection criteria;
(g) determining the subfamily of items wherein each said item in the subfamily satisfies said selection criteria as modified by the deselecting of the most recently selected alternative; and (h) revising said feature screen to indicate the available alternatives of the subfamily.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein each family has at least one feature associated therewith and further comprising the step of:
displaying at least one grouping wherein each said grouping comprises one of said features visually related to respective alternatives.

53. The method according to claim 52 and further comprising the step of:
providing an interactive pointer and displaying information specific to one of said features upon a user initiated signal when said pointer is pointing to a feature caption on said feature screen.

54. The method according to claim 52 wherein at least one said grouping is hidden from view if all said respective alternatives are not available.