Automotive information communication exchange system, method, and program product

• US 7,487,110 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stolle, Larry D., Voss, Jeffrey K., Bennett, Mark R., Frederick, Karen A., Malhas, Khaled, Durling, Richard J., Pohlen, Joseph P., Schneider, Robert T., Lang, William A., Chelline, Eric W., Jackson, D. Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen; William J.
• Application Number:
  US09/772,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20020103715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,926 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 27, 705/1, 709/232, 709/230, 709/246, 707/4
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A system, method, and program product are provided for communicating information between automotive trading partners engaged in an automotive transaction. The system, method, and program product allow automotive trading partners to communicate with each other without having to obtain/utilize the communication system of other trading partners, modify their existing communication systems, or perform multiple manual tasks. In particular, the system, method, and program product include, among other things, a universal schema for a plurality of automotive applications, a routing system for routing transaction elements between the trading partners, and a transaction management system for managing the transaction elements.

Claims

1. A system for exchanging automotive information between at least two automotive industry trading partners engaged in an automotive transaction, comprising:

a computer system including a central processing unit, an input/output interface, external devices, and a memory, wherein the memory includes;

a mapping system for mapping the transaction element, wherein the mapping system includes a system for determining;

a source of the transaction element, an application to which the transaction element is regarding, and a recipient to which the transaction element should be routed;

a translation system for, after mapping the transaction element, translating a transaction element sent from a first trading partner intended for a second trading partner specified by the first trading partner, the transaction element being translated from a proprietary schema of the first trading partner into a universal schema and from the universal schema into a proprietary schema of the second trading partner;

wherein translation of the transaction element comprises translating a data format and an application format of the transaction element;

a routing system for, after translating the transaction element, routing the transaction element from the first trading partner in a first communication protocol to the second trading partner in a second different communication protocol of the second trading partner, wherein the first and second communication protocol comprise SOAP/XML, ODBC/JDBC, MQ, HTTP/XML, COM/COM+, RPC, CORBA/IIOP, OTMA, or WAP;

a transaction management system for tracking a status of the transaction element, and providing the status of the transaction element to the first or second trading partner upon the first or second trading partner'"'"'s inquiry; and

a security system including a firewall for controlling access to the computer system.

2. The automotive information exchange system of claim 1, further comprising:

a data management system for providing localized data to the trading partners; and

an administrative system for managing a partner directory of trading partners, wherein the partner directory identifies trading partners and their corresponding locations, transaction element schemas, and communication protocols.

3. The automotive information exchange system of claim 1, wherein the first trading partner comprises a mechanism for sending the transaction element to the automotive information exchange system.

4. The automotive information exchange system of claim 3, wherein the second trading partner comprises a mechanism for sending a response transaction element to the automotive information exchange system, and wherein the routing system routes the response element to the first trading partner in a protocol of the first trading partner.

5. The automotive information exchange system of claim 4, wherein the first and second trading partners are selected from the group consisting of:

an automotive manufacturer, an automotive parts locator, an automotive parts supplier, an automotive lending provider, a credit reporter, a motor vehicle department, an automotive insurance provider, and an automotive consumer facilitator.

6. The automotive information exchange system of claim 5, wherein the transaction element and the response transaction element pertain to an automotive application selected from the group consisting of:

automotive parts, automotive sales, automotive service, automotive insurance, automotive registration, automotive financing, automotive warranty, and credit reporting.

7. The automotive information exchange system of claim 4, wherein the transaction element and the response transaction element contain transaction data pertaining to a predetermined automotive application.

8. The automotive information exchange system of claim 4, wherein the automotive information exchange system translates the response transaction element from the proprietary schema of the second trading partner to the universal schema and then to the proprietary schema of the first trading partner.

9. A method for exchanging automotive information between at least two automotive industry trading partners engaged in an automotive transaction, comprising the steps of:

receiving on an automotive information exchange system a transaction element from a first automotive industry trading partner intended for a second automotive industry trading partner specified by the first trading partner, wherein the transaction element relates to an automotive application;

at the automotive information exchange system, mapping the transaction element and the response transaction element with a mapping system, wherein the mapping comprises identifying the first trading partner, identifying the second trading partner, and identifying an application to which the transaction element corresponds;

after mapping the transaction element, translating the transaction element from a proprietary schema of the first trading partner into a universal schema and from the universal schema into a proprietary schema of the second trading partner, wherein translation of the transaction element includes translating a data format and an application format of the transaction element;

after translating, routing the transaction element from the first trading partner in a first communication protocol to the second automotive industry trading partner in a second different communication protocol, wherein the first and second communication protocol comprise SOAP/XML, ODBC/JDBC, MQ, HTTP/XML, COM/COM+, RPC, CORBA/IIOP, OTMA, or WAP;

sending a response transaction element from the second automotive industry trading partner to the automotive information exchange system;

routing the response transaction element to the first automotive industry trading partner;

managing the transaction element and the response transaction element with a transaction management system, wherein the managing step comprises tracking a status of the transaction element and the response transaction element, and providing the status of the transaction element and the response transaction element to the first or second trading partner upon the first or second trading partner'"'"'s inquiry; and

securing the automotive information exchange system with a security system including a firewall for controlling access to the computer system.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising translating the response transaction element from the second proprietary schema to the universal schema and then from the universal schema to the first proprietary schema.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second automotive industry trading partners are selected from the group consisting of:

an automotive manufacturer, an automotive parts locator, an automotive parts supplier, an automotive lending provider, a credit reporter, a motor vehicle department, an automotive insurance provider, and an automotive consumer facilitator.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the transaction element and the response transaction element pertain to an automotive application selected from the group consisting of:

automotive parts, automotive sales, automotive service, automotive insurance, automotive registration, automotive financing, automotive warranty, and credit reporting.

13. A program product stored on a recordable medium for exchanging automotive information between at least two automotive industry trading partners engaged in an automotive transaction, which when executed, comprises:

a mapping system for mapping a transaction element, wherein the mapping system includes a system for determining;

a source of the transaction element, an application to which the transaction element is regarding and a recipient to which the transaction element should be routed;

a translation system for, after mapping the transaction element, translating a transaction element sent from a first trading partner intended for a second trading partner specified by the first trading partner, the transaction element being translated from a proprietary schema of the first trading partner into a universal schema and from the universal schema into a proprietary schema of the second trading partner, wherein translation of the transaction element comprises translating a data format and an application format of the transaction element;

a routing system for, after translating a transaction element, routing the transaction element from the first trading partner in a first communication protocol to the second trading partner in a second different communication protocol of the second trading partner, wherein the first and second communication protocol comprise SOAP/XML, ODBC/JDBC, MQ, HTTP/XML, COM/COM+, RPC, CORBA/IIOP, OTMA, or WAP;

a transaction management system for tracking a status of the transaction element, and providing the status of the transaction element to the first or second trading partner upon the first or second trading partner'"'"'s inquiry; and

a security system including a firewall for controlling access to the automotive information.

14. The program product of claim 13, wherein the first trading partner includes a mechanism for sending the transaction element to the automotive information exchange system.

15. The program product of claim 13, wherein the first trading partner includes a mechanism for sending the transaction element to the automotive information exchange system.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein the first and second automotive parts locator, an automotive parts supplier, an automotive lending provider, a credit reporter, a motor vehicle department, an automotive insurance provider, and an automotive consumer facilitator.

17. The program product of claim 15, wherein the transaction element and the response transaction element pertain to an automotive application selected from the group consisting of:

automotive parts, automotive sales, automotive service, automotive insurance, automotive registration, automotive financing, automotive warranty, and credit reporting.

18. The program product of claim 13, further comprising:

a data management system for providing localized data to the trading partners;

an administrative system for managing the automotive information exchange system; and

a partner director system for managing a partner director of trading partners, wherein the partner director identifies trading partners and their corresponding locations, transaction element schemas, and communication protocols.

19. A computer system for exchanging automotive information between at least two automotive industry trading partners engaged in an automotive transaction, comprising:

a processor;

a computer system memory;

an interface; and

a software product stored on the computer system memory and executable by the processor, wherein the software product comprises;

a mapping system for mapping a transaction element, wherein the mapping system includes a system for determining;

a source of the transaction element, an application to which the transaction element is regarding and a recipient to which the transaction element should be routed;

a translation system for, after mapping a transaction element, translating a transaction element sent from a first trading partner intended for a second trading partner specified by the first trading partner, the transaction element being translated from a proprietary schema of the first trading partner into a universal schema and from the universal schema into a proprietary schema of the second trading partner;

wherein translation of the transaction element comprises translating a data format and an application format of the transaction element;

a routing system for, after translating a transaction element, routing the transaction element from the first trading partner in a first communication protocol to the second trading partner in a second different communication protocol of the second trading partner, wherein the first and second communication protocol comprise SOAP/XML, ODBC/JDBC, MQ, HTTP/XML, COM/COM+, RPC, CORBA/IIOP, OTMA, or WAP;

a transaction management system for tracking a status of the transaction elements and providing the status of the transaction element to the first or second trading partner upon the first or second trading partner'"'"'s inquiry; and

a security system including a firewall for controlling access to the computer system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first trading partner includes a mechanism for sending a transaction element to the automotive information exchange system.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the second trading partner comprises a mechanism for sending a response transaction element to the automotive information exchange system, and wherein the routing system routes the response element to the first trading partner in a communication protocol of the first trading partner.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first and second trading partners are selected from the group consisting of:

an automotive manufacturer, an automotive parts locator, an automotive parts supplier, an automotive lending provider, a credit reporter, a motor vehicle department, an automotive insurance provider, and an automotive consumer facilitator.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the transaction element and the response transaction element pertain to an automotive application selected from the group consisting of:

automotive parts, automotive sales, automotive service, automotive insurance, automotive registration, automotive financing, automotive warranty, and credit reporting.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the software product further comprises:

a data management system for providing localized data to the trading partners;

an administrative system for managing the automotive information exchange system; and

a partner directory system for managing a partner director of trading partners, wherein the partner directory identifies trading partners and their corresponding locations, transaction element schemas, and communication protocols.