Method and system for electronic negotiation of documents

• US 20050240529A1
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C. Douglass Thomas
• Original Assignee: C. Douglass Thomas
• Inventors: Thomas, C. Douglass
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method and system for creation of customized documents over a network as well as for negotiation of contents for documents over a network (e.g., Internet) is disclosed. In one aspect, professional documents can be created in an automated manner. In another aspect, negotiation of documents (or their contents) can be performed in an automated manner. In either case, the customization and/or negotiation is efficient, cost-effective and useful.

Claims

1. A method for electronic negotiation of document language for a document being negotiated between a first party and a second party, said method comprising:

electronically receiving an electronic document to be negotiated from the first party;

determining a summary explanation and a review question set for the electronic document; and

electronically sending a first negotiation request to the second party, the first negotiation request including at least the electronic document, the summary explanation and the review question set.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method is performed at a negotiation server that is coupled to the Internet, and the first party couples to the Internet via a first computing device, and the second party couples to the Internet via a second computing device.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the negotiation server manages negotiation of the electronic document.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving second party responses from the second party in response to the first negotiation request;

determining a reply summary explanation and a reply question set for the electronic document based on the second party responses; and

electronically sending a second negotiation request to the second party, the second negotiation request including at least the electronic document, the reply summary explanation and the reply question set.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving first party responses from the first party in response to the second negotiation request;

determining a reply summary explanation and a reply question set for the electronic document based on the first party responses; and

electronically sending a second negotiation request to the second party, the second negotiation request including at least the electronic document, the reply summary explanation and the reply question set.

6. A computer readable medium including computer program code for electronic negotiation of document language for a document being prepared between a first part and a second party, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code configured to form at least one electronic document to be approved of by at least one remotely located person, the electronic document being formed by an originator;

computer program code configured to electronically send the electronic document to the remotely located person for acceptance; and

computer program code configured to electronically obtain a response from the remotely located person pertaining to the acceptance or rejectance of the electronic document.

7. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 6, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code configured to determine a reply summary explanation based on the response from the remotely located person when the electronic document has been rejected by the remotely located person; and

computer program code configured to electronically send the reply summary to the originator for acceptance or rejectance of the electronic document.

8. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 6, wherein the response from the remotely located person includes the electronic document which has been altered.

9. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code configured to determine a reply summary explanation based on the response from the remotely located person when the electronic document has been rejected by the remotely located person; and

computer program code configured to electronically send the reply summary and the electronic document to the originator for acceptance or rejectance of the electronic document.

10. A method for electronic negotiation of document language for a document being prepared between a first part and a second party, said method comprising:

forming an electronic document to be approved of by at least one remotely located person, the electronic document being formed by an originator;

electronically sending the electronic document to the remotely located person together with a summary explanation of the contents of the electronic document and a review question set;

displaying the summary explanation and at least one of the questions from the review question set;

responding to the questions from the review question set to accept the electronic document or to propose alterations to the electronic document; and

electronically sending the responses to the questions from the review question set to the originator with a reply summary explanation.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein at least one of the summary explanation and the review question set are automatically generated.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the summary explanation and the review question set are automatically generated.

13. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the summary explanation and the reply summary explanation are automatically generated.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the summary explanation and the review question set are automatically generated.

15. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said method is performed at a negotiation server that is coupled to the Internet, and the first party couples to the Internet via a first computing device, and the second party couples to the Internet via a second computing device.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the negotiation server manages negotiation of the electronic document.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the summary explanation and the review question set are automatically generated, and wherein the summary explanation and the reply summary explanation are automatically generated.