Method for business to business collaborative viral adoption
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for doing business between a first and second trading partner using a trading partner collaboration system, the method includingmaintaining a trading partner server, separate from the first and second trading partners, as primary controller of said trading partner collaboration system,storing a first profile and a second profile at said trading partner server, the first profile being associated with the first trading partner and the second profile being associated with the second trading partner, the first profile comprising a first communication protocol for communicating with the first trading partner and business rules data for conducting business with the first trading partner, the second profile comprising a second communication protocol for communicating with the second trading partner;
- receiving a request at said trading partner server for communication between the first trading partner and the second trading partner;
providing a response by the second trading partner to the request from the first trading partner via the trading partner server, wherein the response accepts or rejects the request; and
configuring a communications channel for business communications at said trading partner server from said first trading partner to said second trading partner, wherein the communication channel is configured using elements from said second profile;
wherein said configuring includes receiving a business communication from said first trading partner at said trading partner server by way of an interface at said trading partner server, wherein said business communication is directed at said second trading partner;
processing said business communication; and
delivering said business communication to said second trading partner by way of a second interface at said trading partner server; and
automatically updating the communication channel if the first trading partner updates the first profile or the second trading partner updates the second profile;
wherein the first communication protocol is different from the second communication protocol, and said communications channel enables the first trading partner to communicate with the second trading partner using the first protocol, and the second trading partner to communicate with the first trading partner using the second protocol.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a method for business to business communication among trading partners that use differing business rules and processes. A trading partner server provides a center for communication between the trading partners enforcing the business rules and enabling the trading partners to communicate effectively. Legally binding and non-legally binding agreements necessary to support a business discourse are handled electronically through the trading partner server.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for doing business between a first and second trading partner using a trading partner collaboration system, the method including
maintaining a trading partner server, separate from the first and second trading partners, as primary controller of said trading partner collaboration system, storing a first profile and a second profile at said trading partner server, the first profile being associated with the first trading partner and the second profile being associated with the second trading partner, the first profile comprising a first communication protocol for communicating with the first trading partner and business rules data for conducting business with the first trading partner, the second profile comprising a second communication protocol for communicating with the second trading partner; -
receiving a request at said trading partner server for communication between the first trading partner and the second trading partner; providing a response by the second trading partner to the request from the first trading partner via the trading partner server, wherein the response accepts or rejects the request; and configuring a communications channel for business communications at said trading partner server from said first trading partner to said second trading partner, wherein the communication channel is configured using elements from said second profile; wherein said configuring includes receiving a business communication from said first trading partner at said trading partner server by way of an interface at said trading partner server, wherein said business communication is directed at said second trading partner;
processing said business communication; and
delivering said business communication to said second trading partner by way of a second interface at said trading partner server; andautomatically updating the communication channel if the first trading partner updates the first profile or the second trading partner updates the second profile; wherein the first communication protocol is different from the second communication protocol, and said communications channel enables the first trading partner to communicate with the second trading partner using the first protocol, and the second trading partner to communicate with the first trading partner using the second protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 40)
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20. Apparatus for facilitating collaboration of first and second trading partners, including
means for storing a first profile and a second profile at a trading partner server separate from the first and second trading partners, the first profile being associated with the first trading partner and the second profile being associated with the second trading partner, the first profile comprising a first communication protocol for communicating with the first trading partner and business rules data for conducting business with the first trading partner, the second profile comprising a second communication protocol for communicating with the second trading partner; -
means for receiving a request between the first trading partner and the second trading partner at said trading partner server; means for providing a response by the second trading partner to the request from the first trading partner via the trading partner server, wherein the response accepts or rejects the request; and means for configuring a communications channel for business communications from said first trading partner to said second trading partner at said trading partner server, wherein the communication channel is configured using elements from the second profile; wherein said configuring includes receiving a business communication from said first trading partner at said trading partner server by way of an interface, wherein said business communication is directed at said second trading partner;
processing said business communication; and
delivering said business communication to said second trading partner by way of a second interface at said trading partner server; andmeans for automatically updating the communication channel if the first trading partner updates the first profile or the second trading partner updates the second profile; wherein the first communication protocol is different from the second communication protocol, and said communications channel enables said first trading partner to communicate with said second trading partner using the first communication protocol, and said second partner to communicate with said first partner using the second communication protocol. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41)
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39. Computer readable media including written thereon instructions readable by a computer, the instructions, when executed by the computer, enabling the computer to perform the following steps of
storing a first profile and a second profile at a trading partner server, the first profile being associated with a first trading partner and the second profile being associated with a second trading partner, the first profile comprising a first communication protocol for communicating with the first trading partner and business rules data for conducting business with the first trading partner, the second profile comprising a second communication protocol for communicating with the second trading partner, wherein said trading partner server is separate from the first trading partner and the second trading partner; -
receiving a request at said trading partner server from said first trading partner to communicate with said second trading partner; providing a response by the second trading partner to the request from the first trading partner via the trading partner server, wherein the response accepts or rejects the request; and configuring a communications channel for business communications at said trading partner server from said first trading partner to said second trading partner, wherein the communication channel is configured using elements from said second profile; wherein said configuring includes receiving a business communication from said first trading partner at said trading partner server by way of an interface, wherein said business communication is directed at said second trading partner;
processing said business communication; and
delivering said business communication to said second trading partner by way of a second interface at said trading partner server; andautomatically updating the communication channel if the first trading partner updates the first profile or the second trading partner updates the second profile; wherein the first communication protocol is different from the second communication protocol, and said communications channel enables the first trading partner to communicate with the second trading partner using the first protocol, and the second trading partner to communicate with the first trading partner using the second protocol, the first communication protocol being different from the second communication protocol.
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Specification