Method for business to businesscollaborative viral adoption

• US 20050209950A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E2open, LLC (E2open Parent Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E2open Incorporated (E2open Parent Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clark, Gregory Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

The invention provides a method for business to business communication among trading partners that use differing business rules and processes. A trading partner server provides a center for communication between the trading partners enforcing the business rules and enabling the trading partners to communicate effectively. Legally binding and non-legally binding agreements necessary to support a business discourse are handled electronically through the trading partner server.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for doing business between a first and second trading partner, the method including

storing a first profile and a second profile at a trading partner server, the first profile being associated with the first trading partner and the second profile being associated with the second trading partner, the first profile comprising a first communication protocol for communicating with the first trading partner, the second profile comprising a second communication protocol for communicating with the second trading partner;

receiving a request for communication between the first trading partner and the second trading partner; and

configuring a communications channel from said first trading partner to said second trading partner;

wherein the first communication protocol is different from the second communication protocol, and said communications channel enables the first trading partner to communicate with the second trading partner using the first protocol, and the second trading partner to communicate with the first trading partner using the second protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first profile further includes some combination of:

(1) business processes data, (2) business rules data, and (3) personal preference data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said business processes data includes information relating to how said first trading partner prefers to conduct business.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said business rules data includes a set of enforceable rules applied to communication between trading partners.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first trading partner is a business entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first trading partner is a non-business entity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing includes

creating said first profile;

publishing said first profile at said trading partner server, wherein said publishing allows said first profile to be available to at least one trading partner; and

editing said first profile.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said creating includes a trading partner entering some combination of:

(1) business processes data, (2) business rules data, and (3) personal preference data that are stored in a directory at said trading partner server.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein some portion of said profiles is changed or deleted in a directory at said trading partner server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said first trading partner sends the request, the request comprises information for identifying a trading partner with which said first partner has an interest in communicating, the method further comprising:

identifying said second trading partner based on the information in the request;

registering an interest in said second trading partner with said second trading partner; and

receiving in response to said registering a notification from said second partner, wherein said notification is acceptance of said interest or rejection of said interest.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said identifying includes browsing through stored profiles of trading partners at said trading partner server.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said notification is a request to commit to an agreement.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said agreement is a non-disclosure agreement.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring includes

receiving a business communication from said first trading partner at said trading partner server by way of a first interface, wherein said business communication is directed at said second trading partner;

processing said business communication; and

delivering said business communication to said second trading partner by way of a second interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first interface is a machine interface, said machine interface being capable of interfacing with a business entity using a business communication protocol.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said first interface is a human interface, said human interface being capable of interfacing with a non-business entity using some combination of:

(1) Internet e-mail, (2) File Transfer Protocol, (3) Hypertext Transfer Protocol, (4) Java, and (5) JavaScript.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said processing includes modifying said business communication using defining elements listed in said second profile of said second trading partner including some combination of:

(1) business processes data, (2) business rules data, and (3) personal preference data.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said delivering includes using a transmission protocol defined in the second profile of said second trading partner.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said second interface is a machine interface, said machine interface being capable of interfacing with a business entity using a business communication protocol.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said second interface is a human interface, said human interface being capable of interfacing with a non-business entity using some combination of:

(1) Internet e-mail, (2) File Transfer Protocol, (3) Hypertext Transfer Protocol, (4) Java, and (5) JavaScript.

42. The method of claim 2, wherein said first profile comprises a first invoicing rule, said second profile comprises a second invoicing rule, the method further comprising converting invoicing data provided in accordance with the first invoicing rule into invoicing data in accordance with the second invoicing rule.

21. Apparatus including

means for storing profiles at a trading partner server, wherein each stored profile is associated with a trading partner;

means for receiving a request from a first trading partner to communicate with a second trading partner;

means for responding to said request from said first trading partner; and

means for configuring a communications channel from said first trading partner to said second trading partner;

wherein said communications channel enables said first trading partner to communicate with said second trading partner using a first communication protocol stored in a first profile at said trading partner server, and said second partner to communicate with said first partner using a second communication protocol stored in a second profile at said trading partner server, the first communication protocol being different from the second communication protocol.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said first profile includes some combination of:

(1) business processes data, (2) business rules data, and (3) personal preference data.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said business processes data includes information relating to how said first trading partner prefers to conduct business.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said business rules data includes a set of enforceable rules applied to communication between trading partners.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said first trading partner is a business entity.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said first trading partner is a non-business entity.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said means for storing includes

means for creating a profile;

means for publishing said profile at said trading partner server, wherein said means for publishing allows said profile to be available to at least one trading partner; and

means for editing said profile.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said means for creating includes means for a trading partner entering some combination of:

(1) business processes data, (2) business rules data, and (3) personal preference data that are stored in a directory at said trading partner server.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said means for editing includes means for changing or deleting a profile in a directory at said trading partner server.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the request comprises information for identifying a trading partner with which said first trading partner has an interest in communicating, and said means for receiving includes

means for identifying said second trading partner based on the information in the request;

means for registering interest of said first trading partner in said second trading partner; and

means for receiving in response to said registering a notification, wherein said notification is acceptance of said interest of said first trading partner or rejection of said interest of said first trading partner.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said means for identifying includes means for browsing through stored profiles of trading partners at said trading partner server.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said notification is a request to commit to an agreement.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said agreement is a non-disclosure agreement.

34. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said means for configuring includes

means for receiving a business communication from said first trading partner at said trading partner server by way of a first interface, wherein said business communication is directed at said second trading partner;

means for processing said business communication; and

means for delivering said business communication to said second trading partner by way of a second interface.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said first interface is a machine interface, said machine interface including means for interfacing with a business entity using a business communication protocol.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said first interface is a human interface, said human interface including means for interfacing with a non-business entity using some combination of:

(1) Internet e-mail, (2) File Transfer Protocol, (3) Hypertext Transfer Protocol, (4) Java, and (5) JavaScript.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said means for processing includes means for modifying said business communication using defining elements listed in said second profile of said second trading partner including some combination of:

(1) business processes data, (2) business rules data, and (3) personal preference data.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said means for delivering uses the second protocol of said second trading partner.

39. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said second interface is a machine interface, said machine interface including means for interfacing with a business entity using a business communication protocol.

40. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said second interface is a human interface, said human interface including means for interfacing with a non-business entity using some combination of:

(1) Internet e-mail, (2) File Transfer Protocol, (3) Hypertext Transfer Protocol, (4) Java, and (5) JavaScript.

43. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said first profile comprises a first invoicing rule, said second profile comprises a second invoicing rule, the apparatus further comprising a converter capable of converting invoicing data provided in accordance with the first invoicing rule into invoicing data in accordance with the second invoicing rule.

41. Computer readable media including written thereon instructions readable by a computer, the instructions, when executed by the computer, enabling the computer to perform the following steps of

storing a first profile and a second profile at a trading partner server, the first profile being associated with a first trading partner and the second profile being associated with a second trading partner, the first profile comprising a first communication protocol for communicating with the first trading partner, the second profile comprising a second communication protocol for communicating with the second trading partner;

receiving a request from said first trading partner to communicate with said second trading partner;

responding to said request from said first trading partner; and

configuring a communications channel from said first trading partner to said second trading partner;

wherein said communications channel enables the first trading partner to communicate with the second trading partner using the first protocol, and the second trading partner to communicate with the first trading partner using the second protocol, the first communication protocol being different from the second communication protocol.