Enabling a zero latency enterprise

• US 6,757,689 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2001
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Battas, Gregory, Zargham, Bahman
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Application Number:
  US09/948,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/207, 709/318, 709/224, 709/206, 705/10, 705/17, 705/26, 707/101, 707/104, 707/103, 717/102, 717/104, 717/103, 345/733-759
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

Methods are provided for enabling an enterprise to run as a zero latency enterprise (ZLE) and for running an enterprise as a ZLE. Such methods allow the enterprise to integrate its services, applications and data in real time. Namely, an enterprise equipped to run as a ZLE is capable of integrating, in real time, its enterprise-wide data, applications, business transactions, operations and values. Consequently, an enterprise conducting its business as a ZLE exhibits superior management of its resources, operations and customer care.

Claims

1. A method for running an enterprise as a zero latency enterprise (ZLE), the enterprise experiencing a plurality of events occurring in association with business transactions conducted at a plurality of sites across the enterprise, the method comprising:

Integrating, in real time, enterprise-wide data, applications, business transactions, operations and values, by

capturing, in real time, an indicia of each of the plurality of events, each indicia being associated with information related to its respective event,

aggregating, in real-time, the information related to the plurality of events in a central repository where the aggregated information can, in real-time, be accessible and available for extraction and analysis from across the enterprise, so as to provide a coherent view, in real time, of the aggregated information from across the enterprise and so that the enterprise can achieve enterprise-wide coherent and zero latency business transactions, and

initiating, in real time, a process responsive to each event of the plurality of events which is founded on the coherent view of the aggregated information.

4. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 1, wherein the aggregated information in the central repository includes a profile, and wherein the process further includes, in real time based on the profile, offering or taking an action to provide or suggesting an action to obtain an additional value, if not precluded by a result of the real-time analysis.

2. A method for running an enterprise as a zero latency enterprise (ZLE), the enterprise conducting its business and in association therewith experiencing a plurality of events occurring at a plurality of sites across the enterprise, comprising:

capturing, in real time, an indicia of each of the plurality of events, each indicia being associated with information related to its respective event;

aggregating, in real-time, the information related to the plurality of events in a central repository where the aggregated information can, in real-time, be accessible and available for extraction and analysis from across the enterprise, so as to provide a coherent view, in real time, of the aggregated information from across the enterprise and so that the enterprise can achieve enterprise-wide coherent and zero latency business transactions; and

initiating a process responsive, in real time, to each event of the plurality of events which is founded on the coherent view of the aggregated information, the process including one or any combination of

a rule-based analysis of the information related to that event,

a process-flow coordination in response to that event,

narrowcasting a notification associated with that event if the rule-based analysis of its information creates a notable-event that prompts the notification,

creating feedback to that event

creating a new event or cascade of events, and

producing a value associated with that event unless, in real-time response to that event, the rule-based analysis of its information precludes production of the associated value.

3. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein creating the feedback includes

offering or suggesting an action, in real time based on the information or any part thereof, to provide an additional value, if not precluded by the real-time rule-based analysis.

5. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the aggregated information in the central repository includes a customer profile, and wherein the process further includes offering, in real time based on the customer profile, to provide an additional value, if not precluded by a result of the real-time rule-based analysis.

6. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the customer profile includes one or any combination of customer attributes, preferences and an historic account of prior consumption.

7. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, the feedback creation includes

creating a model from data mining and the rule-based analysis that can guide current and future responses to that event and any subsequent events, respectively.

8. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 7, the process further including

offering, suggesting an action or taking the action in real-time based on the model, to provide an additional value.

9. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the aggregated information is relevant enterprise-wide and by which the method reduces operational inconsistencies of the enterprise.

10. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the information related to each of the plurality of events includes one or any combination of event data, one or more transaction states and lookup data.

11. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of events represents commencement, state change or, completion of a business transaction.

12. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein an event associated with a business transaction includes one or any combination of event data entry, exchange and manipulation.

13. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein an event associated with a business transaction includes one or both of an inquiry and a result.

14. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein each indicia includes a detectable prompt, flag, notice, evidence or indication of its associated event.

15. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the real-time response to that event is a denial of service that precludes the production of the associated value.

16. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the indicia of each one of the plurality of events is respectively captured at one of the plurality of sites across the enterprise and each associated value, if not precluded, is respectively produced at one or more determined sites from among the plurality of sites.

17. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the indicia of each one of the plurality of events is respectively captured at one of the plurality of sites across the enterprise and, if prompted, each associated notification is narrowcasted to one or more determined sites from among of the plurality of sites.

18. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the new event or cascading events are created in real time.

19. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the enterprise business includes rule-based operations, and wherein the rule-based operations and rule-based analysis are founded on predefined, uniform enterprise-wide rules and policies for conducting business transactions.

20. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, the process further including

data mining, in real time, of the information related to that event;

and

conducting, in real-time, business intelligence and decision support using a result or a model produced by the data mining and rule-based analysis.

21. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the business conducted by the enterprise includes retail business with customer interactions via a plurality of customer interaction channels across the enterprise, the customer interactions include providing values based on the plurality of events experienced by the enterprise in association with its retail business.

22. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 21,

wherein each of the plurality of events represents commencement, change in state or completion of a respective retail business transaction, including one or a combination of product search, product order, product purchase, service request, product return, credit request, payment, inventory addition, inventory reduction, new enterprise partner indication, new enterprise resource indication, new customer indication, and new address indication,

wherein the new event or cascading events represent change in state or completion of the respective retail business transaction or commencement of a new retail business transaction, including one or any combination of credit approval, cash refund, credit refund, receipt generation, invoice generation, invoice due date arrival, inventory-level change, resource-level change, a product manufacture phase reached, a product manufacture series of phases reached, product shipment, product delivery and service delivery.

23. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 21, wherein the feedback includes an integrated marketing campaign tailored to a customer profile supported through multiple marketing channels across the enterprise.

24. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the feedback includes one or any combination of an offer to provide another value tailored to a customer profile, a denial of service as a result of business intelligence supported by the rule-based analysis, product availability information, product or service price information, and a product or service delivery date based on the customer profile and scheduling information.

25. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the rule-based analysis determines, in real-time, whether any one of the plurality of events is associated with a fraudulent business transaction or risk to the enterprise, in which case the notable event is a denial of service.

26. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of events represents commencement of a business transaction with a customer via a first site, the customer being identified via the first site by a first customer identification (ID), another one of the plurality of events representing a continuation of the same business transaction with the same customer or commencement of a different business transaction with the same customer via a second site, the same customer being identified via the second site by a second customer ID, and wherein the process includes determining, in real time, that the first and second customer IDs belong to the same customer, even if the customer attempted anonymity.

27. The method of running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 26, wherein the first site and second site are different sites, each of which being, although not simultaneously, one of a point of sale, call center, internet link, credit center, customer service center, product delivery center and gift registry center.

28. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 26, wherein the first customer ID is a customer telephone number and the second customer ID is a cookie.

29. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the aggregated information includes an historic account of prior sessions of interaction with a customer, and wherein the process includes determining, in real time, whether that event is associated with that customer, even if that customer attempted anonymity.

30. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 2, wherein the enterprise conducts business that includes providing the value, the plurality of events being experienced across the enterprise in association with its business.

31. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 30, wherein one or more of the plurality of events include a request for the value.

32. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 30, wherein the value includes a product, a service, and item for consumption, a creation, an enterprise resource or knowledge.

33. The method for running an enterprise as a ZLE in accordance with claim 30, wherein the value includes a bank account deposit or withdrawal, a credit ratings report, a price list, a production cost report, an inventory report, an insurance appraisal report, a medical exam report, a disaster or emergency response, an identification search report, stock or profitability analysis report, manufactured goods, agricultural product, manufacturing facility, manpower and knowledge.

34. A method for enabling an enterprise to run as a zero latency enterprise (ZLE), the enterprise conducting business and in association therewith experiencing a plurality of events, comprising:

creating a ZLE framework that enables enterprise-wide coherent and zero latency business transactions, the ZLE framework being formed by merging

enterprise application integration (EAI) functionality

dynamic operational data store (ODS) functionality,

transaction processing and monitoring functionality,

data mining and analysis functionality, and

automatic feedback functionality that, together, fashion a hybrid functionality of the ZLE framework;

integrating ZLE core services in a core of the ZLE framework;

tightly coupling clip-on application to the ZLE core services;

loosely coupling enterprise applications to the ZLE core services, the enterprise applications being operatively interfaced via the EAI functionality and sharing access to information made available by the ODS functionality, the information being related to the enterprise, its business and the plurality of events and being dynamically aggregated via the ODS functionality so that from across the enterprise the aggregated information can, in real time, be accessible and available for the transaction processing and monitoring functionality and for the data mining and analysis functionality, and so that there is a coherent view, in real time, of the aggregated information from across the enterprise.

35. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 34, wherein the ZLE is capable of eliminating operational inconsistencies.

36. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 34, wherein the enterprise uses the ZLE framework to implement enterprise applications that include one or any combination of

customer relationship management (CRM) facilitating real-time creation of values and services including customer care, business intelligence and marketing campaign;

operations and resource management supporting real-time enterprise operations, productivity improvement and latency reduction; and

applications supporting global value chain optimization, streamline in-time manufacturing inventory supplier management, inventory channel management and third-party solutions management.

37. A method as in claim 34 enabling the enterprise to integrate its services, applications, values and data in real time.

38. A method as in claim 34, wherein the ZLE is extensible and available, and wherein the ZLE framework, itself, is extensible and available.

39. A method as in claim 34, wherein the clip-on applications include an interaction manager, a narrowcaster, a campaign manager and a customer data manager.

40. A method as in claim 34, wherein by means of the hybrid functionality, ZLE core services, clip-on applications and enterprise applications the enterprise conducts retail business in relation to which the enterprise can perform

business intelligence via real-time fraud management,

marketing campaign and profitability management via real-time supply chain and customer care management,

profitability forecasting via real-time supply chain management, and

customer relationship via real-time integration of business modes, including retail and e-business modes, and customer service support.

41. A method as in claim 34, wherein by means of the hybrid functionality, ZLE core services, clip-on applications and enterprise applications the enterprise conducts financial services business in relation to which the enterprise can perform

risk management and business intelligence including via real-time client account and fraud management,

marketing campaign and profitability management via real-time supply chain and customer care management,

profitability forecasting via real-time supply chain management,

portfolio assessment via real-time enterprise-wide account balance and asset value evaluation,

asset management via intraday borrowing,

valuation and transaction processing by real-time dynamic updating of customer accounts and assets, and

customer relationship support via real-time integration of business modes, including retail and e-business modes, and customer service support.

42. A method as in claim 34, wherein by means of the hybrid functionality, ZLE core services, clip-on applications and enterprise applications the enterprise conducts transportation and shipping business in relation to which the enterprise can perform

business intelligence via real-time fraud management,

marketing campaign and profitability management via real-time supply chain and customer care management,

profitability forecasting via real-time supply chain management, and

customer relationship support via real-time integration of value delivery scheduling, transportation and shipping modes and customer service support.

43. A method as in claim 34, wherein by means of the hybrid functionality, ZLE core services, clip-on applications and enterprise applications the enterprise conducts manufacturing business in relation to which the enterprise can perform

risk management and business intelligence via real-time fraud management,

marketing campaign and profitability management via real-time supply chain and customer care management,

profitability forecasting via real-time supply chain management, and

customer relationship support via real-time integration of manufacturing scheduling, inventory and manufacturing resources management, and customer service support.

44. A method as in claim 34, wherein by means of the hybrid functionality, ZLE core services, clip-on applications and enterprise applications the enterprise conducts telecommunications business in relation to which the enterprise can perform

business intelligence via real-time customer service response, profitability forecasting and risk management via real-time fraud pattern detection and management,

marketing campaign and profitability management via real-time supply chain and customer care management,

profitability forecasting via real-time supply chain management,

customer relationship support via real-time supply chain management, customer care management and customer service support, and

cross-selling of bundled services via real-time profitability analysis by evaluation of route, product and call margins for every customer.

45. A method for enabling an enterprise to run as a zero latency enterprise (ZLE), comprising:

creating a ZLE framework for conducting enterprise-wide coherent business transactions with substantially zero latencies by merging

enterprise application integration (EAI)

operational data warehousing,

transaction processing and monitoring,

data mining and analysis, and

feedback

that, together, fashion a hybrid functionality of the ZLE framework;

managing process-flow of the business transactions across the enterprise;

transforming data and messages routed between disparate enterprise resources concerning the business transaction;

applying enterprise-wide coherent business rules and policies for managing the business transactions;

dynamically aggregating data relating to the enterprise and its business transactions from across the enterprise;

providing real-time, consolidated view of the data and state of the business transactions from across the enterprise; and

extracting bulk data for the business transactions.

46. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 45, wherein the process-flow management is rule driven.

47. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 45, wherein the ZLE framework provides an open integration platform for applications used by the enterprise.

48. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 45, wherein the enterprise coherent business rules can be pre-defined and re-defined.

49. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 45, wherein the enterprise-wide coherent business rules can be pre-determined, modified and applied by an operator via a user interface.

50. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 45, wherein the application of enterprise-wide coherent business rules and policies includes

fraud detection and

narrowcasting of any detected fraud.

51. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 45, further comprising:

managing a real-time campaign that makes use of the real-time, consolidated view of the aggregated data.

52. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 45, further comprising:

managing real-time customer interaction and customer profiling making use of the real-time, consolidated view of the aggregated data.

53. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 45, further comprising:

providing, including in real time, feedback of results produced from the bulk data by the data mining and analysis.

54. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 45, further comprising:

publishing throughout the enterprise a plurality of events associated with its business transactions.

55. A method for enabling an enterprise to run as a zero latency enterprise (ZLE), comprising:

creating a ZLE framework for conducting enterprise transactions pertaining to the enterprise with substantially zero latencies by merging

enterprise application integration (EAI)

operational data warehousing,

transaction processing,

data mining and analysis, and

feedback

that, together, fashion the functionality of the ZLE framework which includes

recognizing, in real time, events associated with the business transactions;

triggering actions responsive in real-time to the events; and

providing real-time, consolidated view of the enterprise and its business transactions from across the enterprise, eliminating operational inconsistencies.

56. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 55, wherein the ZLE framework enables the enterprise to behave as a virtual enterprise.

57. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 55, wherein the ZLE framework enables extensibility and availability of the enterprise.

58. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 55, wherein the ZLE framework enables synchronization and routing of business transactions data to applications integrated through the EAI and enables the applications to be loosely coupled to the framework.

59. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 55, wherein each of the applications can proceed with the transaction processing at its own pace.

60. The method for enabling an enterprise to run as a ZLE in accordance with claim 55, wherein the ZLE framework prevents a fault from cascading and disrupting transaction processing throughout the entire enterprise.