Provision of electronic commerce services

• US 7,328,172 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GXS Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GXS Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Frye, Marcellous P. Jr., Williams, Paul Levi Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUFF, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/741,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,601 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

Users access a host server which, in a structured manner, generates questions regarding electronic commerce requirements. The responses are used to automatically determine suitable electronic commerce products and services and to allow user registration for selected products and services.

Claims

1. A method for providing electronic commerce electronic data interchange (EDI) products and services for EDI between a user and one or more trading partners, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a host server for access by said user;

obtaining first information from said user to identify a plurality of selected trading partners for exchanging EDI information related to trading with the selected trading partners;

retrieving requirements information relating to predetermined electronic commerce EDI requirements of said selected trading partners;

automatically determining, by the host server, suitable electronic commerce EDI products or services for said user based at least in part on said requirements information from said selected trading partners; and

obtaining registration information from said user to register said user for one or more of said suitable EDI products or services.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said server retrieves said requirements information from a database containing electronic commerce EDI requirements information for a plurality of hub trading partners.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining registration information comprises prompting said user to enter information into one or more preformatted displays.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

dividing said registration information into common registration information and other registration information; and

storing said common registration information so that it is readily accessible in a block.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein registration information, entered by said user into predetermined areas of said one or more preformatted displays, is designated as common registration information.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said step of obtaining registration information comprises prepopulating one or more of said preformatted displays with common registration information previously entered by said user.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said step of obtaining registration information comprises a plurality of sessions, information entered during a first session being stored and retrieved during a second session.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein first date information is stored indicating a date when said first session information is entered, said first date information is compared to current date information to determine if said information entered during said first session can be used for said second session.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first date information is determined from a cookie sent to a user'"'"'s browser.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of prompting said user for configuration information to configure one or more of said products or services.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically generating and sending a message to a sales channel to follow up in providing electronic commerce products or services desired by said user.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of generating return-on-investment information relating to an e-commerce product or service and providing said return-on-investment information to said user.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of accepting an order for one or more of said products or services from said user.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said server obtains said registration information from said user by generating prompts according to a decision tree.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein server logic for generating said prompts resides in controller classes which co-ordinate logic flow.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said server prompts said user to enter said registration information into one or more displays which are dynamically generated based on previously entered information.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said step of obtaining registration information comprises using registration page modules for receiving and validating at least a portion of said registration information.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said step of obtaining registration information comprises linking said user to remote applications.

19. A system for providing electronic commerce electronic data interchange (EDI) products and services for EDI between a user and one or more trading partners, the system comprising:

a database for storing requirements information relating to predetermined electronic commerce EDI requirements of a plurality of trading partners;

an application for obtaining first information from said user to identify a plurality of selected trading partners for exchanging EDI information related to trading with the selected trading partners, retrieving requirements information from said database based at least in part on said first information, and automatically displaying suitable electronic commerce EDI products or services to said user based at least in part on said requirements information; and

a registration module for obtaining registration information from said user to register said user for one or more of said suitable EDI products or services.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said database stores electronic commerce EDI requirements information for a plurality of hub trading partners.

21. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said registration module obtains said registration information by prompting said user to enter information into one or more preformatted displays.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said registration module divides said registration information into common registration information and other registration information, and stores said common registration information so that it is readily accessible in a block.

23. A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said registration module prepopulates one or more of said preformatted displays with common registration information previously entered by said user.

24. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said registration module prompts said user for configuration information to configure one or more of said products or services.

25. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said registration module includes a facility for generating and sending a message to a sales channel to follow up in providing electronic commerce products or services desired by said user.

26. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said registration module prompts said user to enter said registration information into one or more displays which are dynamically generated based on previously entered information.

27. A system for providing electronic commerce electronic data interchange (EDI) products and services for EDI between a user and one or more trading partners, the system comprising:

means for obtaining first information from said user to identify a plurality of selected trading partners for exchanging EDI information related to trading with the selected trading partners;

means for retrieving requirements information relating to predetermined electronic commerce EDI requirements of said selected trading partners;

means for automatically determining suitable electronic commerce EDI products or services for said user based at least in part on said requirements information; and

means for obtaining registration information from said user to register said user for one or more of said suitable EDI products or services.

28. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium having program code, that causes, when executed, a computing system to provide electronic data interchange (EDI) products and services for EDI between a user and one or more trading partners, the program code comprising:

code for obtaining first information from a said user to identify a plurality of selected trading partners for exchanging EDI information related to trading with the selected trading partners;

code for retrieving requirements information relating to predetermined electronic commerce EDI requirements of said selected trading partners;

code for automatically determining suitable electronic commerce EDI products or services for said user based at least in part on said requirements information; and

code for obtaining registration information from said user to register said user for one or more of said suitable EDI products or services.