PatentFIZZ™

1. A computer system for managing product knowledge related to products offered for sale by a selling entity, comprising:

a memory arrangement;

at least one processing unit coupled to the memory arrangement;

means for defining a data model that describes relationships between data categories;

means for inputting one or more data instance item corresponding to one or more of the data categories, the data instance item representing at least part of the product knowledge;

means for creating one or more user-defined relationship items for the data instance item; and

means for presenting the product knowledge, including information corresponding to the data instance item, to a user of the system in a manner established by the data model and the user-defined relationship;

wherein the data model is constructed from one or more data instance items interconnected using the user-defined relationship items for each data instance item.

2. A computer system, according to claim 1, further comprising at least one data source configured and arranged to provide one or more data instances to at least one of the memory arrangement and the at least one processing unit.

3. A computer system, according to claim 1, further comprising means for selectively presenting at least a portion of the product knowledge to a plurality of users of the system, each of the plurality of users receiving a respective portion of the product knowledge in a format selected as a function of the respective portion of the product knowledge.

4. A computer system, according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processing unit is configured and arranged to create data objects representing the data categories.

5. A computer system, according to claim 4, wherein the data objects contain rule objects that describe the relationships between the data categories.

6. A computer system, according to claim 5, wherein the at least one processing unit is configured and arranged to define pointers for use in describing the relationships between the data categories, the pointers linking the data objects.

7. A computer system, according to claim 1, further comprising means for selecting a portion of the product knowledge for presentation to the user.

8. A computer system, according to claim 7, wherein the portion of the product knowledge is selected in a manner established by the data model and the user-defined relationship.

9. A computer system, according to claim 8, wherein the data instance contains attribute objects for use in selecting the portion of the product knowledge for presentation to the user.

10. A computer system, according to claim 9, further comprising a user interface configured and arranged to allow the user to select one or more of the attribute objects.

11. A computer system, according to claim 1, further comprising means for presenting differentiated portions of the product knowledge to each of a plurality of users of the system in a manner established by the data model and the user-defined relationship.

12. A computer system, according to claim 1, further comprising a graphic user interface configured and arranged to facilitate creating the user-defined relationship item.

13. A computer system, according to claim 12, wherein the graphic user interface comprises at least one of a wizard, a shortcut, a builder, and a user-defined form.

14. A computer system, according to claim 1, further comprising means for defining an association between a descriptor and an associated value.

15. A computer system, according to claim 1, further comprising means for selectively granting differentiated access rights to respective data instances corresponding to one or more of the data categories.

16. A computer system implemented method for managing product knowledge comprising a plurality of data items related to products offered for sale by a selling entity, the computer system including a memory arrangement and at least one processing unit, the method comprising:

defining a data model of data categories, the data model establishing relationships between data categories;

receiving in the computer system one or more particular data items corresponding to one or more of the data categories;

receiving user-defined relationship information for the particular data item, the relationship information relating the particular data item to one or more other data items; and

presenting the product knowledge, including information about the particular data item, to a user of the system in a manner established by the data model and the user-defined relationship;

wherein the data model is constructed from one or more data instance items interconnected using the user-defined relationship items for each data instance item.

17. A method, according to claim 16, further comprising providing one or more data instances to at least one of the memory arrangement and the at least one processing unit.

18. A method, according to claim 16, further comprising selectively presenting at least a portion of the product knowledge to a plurality of users of the system, each of the plurality of users receiving a respective portion of the product knowledge in a format selected as a function of the respective portion of the product knowledge.

19. A method, according to claim 16, further comprising creating data objects representing the data categories.

20. A method, according to claim 19, wherein the data objects contain rule objects that describe the relationships between the data categories.

21. A method, according to claim 20, further comprising defining pointers for use in describing the relationships between the data categories, the pointers linking the data objects.

22. A method, according to claim 16, further comprising selecting a portion of the product knowledge for presentation to the user.

23. A method, according to claim 22, further comprising selecting the portion of the product knowledge in a manner established by the data model and the user-defined relationship.

24. A method, according to claim 23, wherein the data instance contains attribute objects for use in selecting the portion of the product knowledge for presentation to the user.

25. A method, according to claim 24, further comprising allowing the user to select one or more of the attribute objects.

26. A method, according to claim 16, further comprising presenting differentiated portions of the product knowledge to each of a plurality of users of the system in a manner established by the data model and the user-defined relationship.

27. A method, according to claim 16, further comprising using a graphic user interface configured and arranged to facilitate creating the user-defined relationship item.

28. A method, according to claim 27, wherein the graphic user interface comprises at least one of a wizard, a shortcut, a builder, and a user-defined form.

29. A method, according to claim 16, further comprising defining an association between a descriptor and an associated value.

30. A method, according to claim 16, further comprising selectively granting differentiated access rights to respective data instances corresponding to one or more of the data categories.