B2B service center communications using locate collaborate transact methodology

• US 7,499,972 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buonanno, Mark, Swailes, Michael, Seo, Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Borissov; Igor N
• Application Number:
  US09/839,975
• Time in Patent Office: 2,874 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/5, 705/6, 705/7, 705/8, 705/9, 705/10, 705/11, 705/12, 705/14, 705/21, 705/26, 705/27, 705/34, 705/37, 705/40, 705/80, 705/400, 705/16, 705/39, 709/223, 709/202, 709/204, 379/221.08, 379/201.01, 379/221.12, 370/260, 370/261, 370/262, 455/416, 715/751, 715/753
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing a locate, collaborate, and transact (LCT) communications platform for a business-to-business exchange service center. The LCT communications platform enables the needed human communications between buyers and sellers to take place within a virtual marketplace as a fully integrated software communication platform within a B2B exchange environment. The LCT communications platform comprises call center technology, web collaboration technology, and unified communication technology. The integration of these three technologies integrates human communications into high value business transactions that require quick resolution of opportunity or exception handling (e.g., links workflow with the exchange service center); develops an proactive role for service centers that can put the right people together at the right time to do real-time secure business; cuts the cycle time to complete business by engaging customer collaboration; and enhances the B2B exchanges role to provide either human collaboration service or provide the platform for business ready business to supplier direct communication.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

means for identifying a first party indicating a first preset transacting criteria;

means for matching second preset transacting criteria to the first preset transacting criteria, the second preset transacting criteria corresponding to a second different party;

means for determining if an automated machine-to-machine transaction is to be executed responsive to the matching, and if the automated machine-to-machine transaction is to be executed, immediately executing the automated machine-to-machine transaction based on the first and second preset transaction criteria;

means for transferring Uniform Resource Locator (URL) information to the parties for establishing a web-collaboration session between the first and second parties responsive to identifying the parties when the automated machine-to-machine transaction is not executed, the web-collaboration session to be established without any call center agents initially included in the web-collaboration session;

means for signaling a call center agent to join the web-collaboration session and facilitate manual transaction completion responsive to an invitation from one of the parties;

means for recording negotiations that are transferred through the URL between the parties and that are for manually completing the transaction between the parties when the automated machine-to-machine transaction is not executed, the recorded negotiations including any communications from the parties and the call center agent;

means for providing the recorded negotiations to one or both of the parties responsive to a record request from either party;

means for monitoring packetized workflow procurement process communications exchanged between the parties to determine whether final receipts are sent to indicate consummation of the manually completed transaction, and when the manually completed transaction is not consummated, identify one or more exceptions responsible for disrupting consummation of the manually completed transaction;

means for determining whether the identified exceptions are a first flagged type that occurs when a sending application involved in the web-based collaboration session does not receive a confirmation within a predetermined time period, a second flagged type that occurs when either one or more networks for the parties are unable to transfer one or more of the packetized workflow procurement process communications, or a third flagged type that occurs when the packetized workflow procurement process communications include an out of bounds security parameter;

means for generating a notification when the identified exceptions are one of the flagged types;

means for formatting the generated notification to indicate the determined flagged type; and

means for sending an electronic communication to distribute the formatted notification, wherein the formatted notification is distributed according to the flagged type determination.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means for accessing a database that lists both potential distributees for the generated notification including agents corresponding to the parties and business information corresponding to the agents;

means for generating, using the database and according to the business information, a ranked listing of the agents for intelligently distributing the generated notification; and

means for distributing a notification to one or more of the agents intelligently according to the ranked listing to resolve the exceptions identified by monitoring the packetized workflow procurement process communications.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for providing video conferencing, web meeting, instant messaging, and internet collaboration for conducting the web collaboration session.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the internet collaboration includes means for page sharing, follow-me, form share, text chat, application demonstrations, application sharing, whiteboarding, and seek-and-find.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for remotely establishing a video communication session directly between the first party and the second party.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means for comparing the determined flag type to a database that lists both potential distributees for the generated notification including agents corresponding to the parties and business information corresponding to the agents, the comparison for ranking potential target agents for intelligent distribution of the generated notification; and

means for distributing the generated notification according to the target agent ranking.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to;

identify first transaction criteria corresponding to a first party;

analyze an exchange to identify second transaction criteria that matches with the first transaction criteria, the second transaction criteria corresponding to a second party;

send communications to both an endpoint corresponding to the first party and an endpoint corresponding to the second party, the communications including a mutual URL, the communications sent proactively and independently of any requests from one party identifying the other party;

establish a web-based collaboration session between the parties if both the endpoints launch web applications responsive to receiving the communications including the mutual URL, the web-based collaboration session established without any call center agents initially included in the web-based collaboration session;

after establishing the web-based collaboration session, provide current market information of a business deal to said first party and said second party through the web-based collaboration session;

transact said business deal between the first party and the second party through the web-based collaboration session without signaling for any of the call center agents to join the web-based collaboration session at any time between session establishment and deal transaction if no invitations are received; and

responsive to receiving an invitation from one of the parties over the session, signal one of the call center agents to launch the web application and join the web-based collaboration session, after the call center agent joins, transact the deal between the first party and the second party;

monitor packetized workflow procurement process communications exchanged between the parties to determine whether final receipts are sent to indicate consummation of the transaction, and when the transaction is not consummated, identify one or more exceptions responsible for disrupting consummation of the transaction;

determine whether the identified exceptions are a first flagged type that occurs when a sending application involved in the web-based collaboration session does not receive a confirmation within a predetermined time period, a second flagged type that occurs when a network is unable to transfer one or more of the packetized workflow procurement process communications, or a third flagged type that occurs when the packetized workflow procurement process communications include an out of bounds security parameter;

generate a notification when the identified exceptions are one of the flagged types;

format the generated notification to indicate the determined flagged type; and

send an electronic communication to distribute the formatted notification, wherein the formatted notification is distributed according to the flagged type determination.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processors are further operable to determine whether an automated machine-to-machine transaction is to be completed responsive to the matching, and if the machine-to-machine transaction is to be completed, completing the automated machine-to-machine transaction based on the transaction criteria without manual involvement from the parties.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processors are further operable to record communications sent by the parties through the web applications for providing an audit trail of the transacted business deal.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processors are further operable to cause a same navigation target Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to be provided to the launched web applications to establish the web-based collaboration session between the parties.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processors are further operable to remotely establish video conferencing, web meeting, instant messaging, and internet collaboration directly between the parties.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the internet collaboration includes page sharing, follow-me, form share, text chat, application demonstrations, application sharing, whiteboarding, and seek-and-find features.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processors are further operable to:

establish video communication directly between the first party and the second party.