Method of designing an electronic transaction system

• US 7,383,233 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Singh, Vikram, Hetfleisch-Wenzel, Karl-Heinz, McClung, Lisa, Leong, Gilbert C. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US09/710,543
• Time in Patent Office: 2,763 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705/26, 705/1, 705/80
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A method for designing an electronic transactions system and forming a proposal for doing business on a global communications network is disclosed. The invention includes reviewing existing direct sales screening processes, creating new processes, integrating new and existing screening processes, determining and implementing legal terms and conditions for electronic transactions and forming electronic media for posting. Additional steps may include identifying possible transactions based on available products and services, approaching subject matter experts to obtain data, preparing electronic templates and filter mechanisms, and presentation of proposed methods. Steps dealing with legal issues include incorporating terms and conditions of sales through the site, preparing agreements for financial institutions to govern electronic payments, and developing exclusion clauses for traditional third party contracts. Key project personnel create content for an interactive site on a global communications network. A system for filtering and collecting payments electronically may also be implemented.

Claims

1. A method for designing an electronic transaction system comprising the steps of:

(a) reviewing existing direct sales screening processes to ensure policy compliance;

(b) creating new screening processes to minimize commercial risk in an electronic transaction;

(c) integrating the existing direct sales screening processes and new screening processes;

(d) determining and implementing legal terms and conditions for the electronic transactions;

(e) forming electronic media for steps (a) through (d); and

(f) posting the electronic media on a global communications network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

reducing end user risks by reducing transaction variation and by establishing a global registration process;

setting electronic commerce guidelines for site design managers;

determining status of contractual jurisdictional compliance;

developing region specific legal checklists and training to ensure compliance;

developing regional resource reference pools using e-mail, public folders, and other electronic tools to disseminate information;

designing add-on modules to ensure an enhanced end user experience;

drafting agreements with exclusions to exclusive relationships;

integrating with Phase Review Discipline (PRD) systems;

tracking all new electronic commerce generated offers; and

tracking product/service offerings online through customer surveys.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

selling medical devices for use by licensed end user;

selling only to authorized distributors;

complying with international trade control regulations;

ensuring all transactions comply with internal anti-money laundering policies; and

ensuring all transactions comply with applicable jurisdictional law on data protection.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

considering impact of applicable regulations on electronic sales transactions;

creating regulation compliance procedures;

implementing regulation compliance procedures;

integrating Order Through Remittance (OTR) processes with electronic order collection;

developing customer credit worthiness procedures;

ensuring customer credit worthiness procedures are implemented and followed;

ensuring review of all electronic transactions by key project personnel; and

collecting payment electronically for delivery of medical device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising restricting sales in at least one product category to include:

medical equipment and product/service information pertaining to medical equipment and services.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising developing a supplier system with network of computers having a first tier computer system programmed to receive and ensure the completeness of the customer data, as well as a second tier computer system programmed to receive the customer data from the first system and ensure that the customer is an authorized purchaser of the desired product.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of developing a computer program on a computer readable medium which, when executed by one or more computers, causes the one or more computers to:

acquire customer information comprising an account number, if any, and a product order specifying a desired product from a customer at a user interface, so that the customer may access an automated seller facility having unrestricted and restricted product categories;

determine whether the desired product is in the restricted product category, and if so, then checking whether the user is an authorized buyer of such restricted product;

accept the product order if either the customer is an authorized buyer of products in the restricted products category or if the desired product is in the unrestricted product category, thereby indicating the customer and the product order have been accepted for purchasing the desired product, and if not, reject the product order.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the restricted product category can include at least one of:

medical equipment and product/service information related to medical services and equipment; and

wherein the product order is a purchase offer in which the customer offers to purchase the desired products, and wherein a contract is not formed until the offer to purchase is accepted by the automated seller facility after pre-specified conditions are satisfied.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the acquisition of customer information further includes a confirmation that each required field in the

user interface has been completed, and if it has not, then customer access is restricted until all required fields are complete;

wherein the customer information further includes a method of payment, and if the customer and order have been authorized, then checking whether the method of payment is an authorized method of payment for that customer; and

wherein the computer program stored thereon further causes the one or more computers to check whether the customer has changed the legal terms and conditions defined in the user interface of the product purchase offer, and if so, ensuring that such changes are satisfactory to the automated seller facility.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the computer program stored thereon further causes the one or more computers to create and send an offer declination if pre-specified conditions are not satisfied;

wherein the computer program stored thereon further causes the one or more computers to provide a pre-populated form in response to an account number entry by an existing customer requiring customer confirmation of data therein;

wherein the act of acceptance of the product order is further defined as requiring an assurance that the customer is not in a restricted location and that the desired product is not being shipped to a restricted location; and

wherein the computer program stored thereon causes the one or more computers to further check whether the customer is one of a licensed purchaser of medical equipment and an authorized distributor of medical equipment, when checking whether the customer is an authorized buyer, and the restricted products are further defined to include medical equipment.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising a method of forming a proposal for doing business on a global communications network comprising the steps of:

(a) determining available products/services;

(b) identifying types of possible transactions based on the available products/services;

(c) approaching a subject matter expert for a business modality to obtain subject matter data;

(d) preparing an electronic document template for each specific transaction to reduce transaction variation;

(e) creating a global communications network filter mechanism to minimize legal/regulatory risks; and

(f) presenting a proposal based on steps (a)-(e) to a head of the business modality for approval.

12. The method of forming a proposal for doing business on a global communications network of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

preparing a high-level process map;

considering impact of the high-level process map;

preparing electronic red flag checklists which follow the high-level process map;

contacting key personnel to answer queries;

contacting key personnel to provide background data;

approving site design and site contents prior to release; and

releasing site for viewing by potential customers over a global communications network.

13. The method of forming a proposal for doing business on a global communications network of claim 11 further comprising the step of developing an electronic contract to allow a customer to purchase a desired product after accepting a purchase offer from the customer.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising a method of conducting electronic commerce over a global network comprising the steps of:

proposing an interactive global communications network site;

preparing a list of product and service offerings to be made available through the interactive site;

creating content for the interactive site;

defining legal issues and legal issue impact before and after site rollout;

incorporating uniform global standard terms and conditions in an agreement for sale of products and services through the interactive site;

preparing an agreement with a financial institution to govern electronic payment for a product or service sold through the interactive site;

developing electronic commerce exclusion clauses for inclusion into traditional third party contracts;

approving the interactive site as ready for commerce; and

posting the interactive site on a global network for use by potential customers.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

before the posting step reducing end user risks by reducing transaction variation and by establishing a global registration process;

setting electronic commerce guidelines for site design managers;

determining status of contractual jurisdictional compliance;

developing region specific legal checklists and training to ensure compliance;

developing regional resource reference pools using e-mail, public folders, and other electronic tools to disseminate information;

after the posting step designing add-on modules to ensure an acceptable end user experience;

drafting agreements with exclusions to exclusive relationships;

integrating with PRD systems;

tracking all new electronic commerce generated offers; and

tracking product/service offerings online through customer surveys.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

selling medical devices for use by licensed end user;

selling only to authorized distributors;

complying with international trade control regulations;

ensuring all transactions comply with internal anti-money laundering policies; and

ensuring all transactions comply with applicable jurisdictional law on data protection.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising a method of electronic sale of medical devices comprising the steps of:

considering impact of regulatory regulations on electronic sales transactions;

creating regulation compliance procedures;

implementing regulation compliance procedures;

integrating OTR processes with electronic order collection;

developing customer credit worthiness procedures;

ensuring customer credit worthiness procedures are implemented and followed;

ensuring review of all electronic transactions by key project personnel; and

collecting payment electronically for delivery of medical device.

18. The method of electronic sale of medical devices of claim 17 wherein the key project personnel may include one of the following:

internal end users;

regional business leaders;

department heads;

e-commerce business unit leaders;

information technology personnel;

sourcing personnel;

finance personnel;

marketing personnel;

website managers;

regional legal counsel;

corporate information technology practice group personnel;

compliance personnel; and

tax specialists.

19. The method of electronic sale of medical devices of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:

teleconferencing key project personnel on a regular basis;

summarizing project milestones and action items via electronic mail; and

reviewing of project periodically by key project personnel.

20. The method of electronic sale of medical devices of claim 17 further comprising the step of dividing business units geographically and allocating key project personnel by continent.

21. A system for initiating electronic sales of medical devices over a global communications network comprising:

a user interface configured to receive medical device sales requests having a plurality of parameters;

a database including a list of prohibited transaction criteria;

a filter mechanism configured to access the database and the review medical device sales requests to identify, from the plurality of parameters of the medical device sales requests, parameters matching prohibited transaction criteria; and

a computer system configured to;

track the medical device sales requests;

determine legal terms and conditions to associate with the medical device sales requests;

review existing direct sales screening processes to determine whether the medical device sales requests and associated legal terms and conditions meet current policy compliance; and

receive feedback from the filter mechanism to determine at least one of an acceptance or rejection of medical devices sales requests.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the list of prohibited transaction criteria include at least one of transactions excluded according to franchise and third party sales agreements, transactions excluded according to regulatory licensing requirements for purchasers of medical devices, transactions excluded according to boycott screening policies, transactions excluded according to international trade control regulations, and transactions excluded according to international export policies.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the computer system is further configured to track the medical device sales requests to match servicing requirements region specific resources to a geographical region of origin of the medical sales requests.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the computer system is further configured to restrict sales in at least one product category including medical equipment and product/service information pertaining to medical equipment and services.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the computer system is further configured to create and send an offer declination if feedback from the filter mechanism indicates a rejection of medical devices sales requests.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein the plurality of parameters include an indication of whether a customer is one of a licensed purchaser of medical equipment and an authorized distributor of medical equipment.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein the computer system is further configured to generate an electronic contract including the legal terms and conditions associated with the medical device sales requests to allow a customer to purchase a desired product after an acceptance of medical devices sales requests.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the existing direct sales screening processes include at least one of existing PRD systems and existing OTR processes.

29. The system of claim 21 wherein the computer system is further configured to generate a customer survey to track product/service offerings online.