Importable template

• US 8,554,650 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ariba Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Ariba Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Bernard, Anthony, Choate, Timothy P., Gonsalvez, Godwin, Sunderic, Dejan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bartley, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US10/210,898
• Time in Patent Office: 4,087 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.71, 705/35, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

An importable electronic template and methods of creating and utilizing the importable template. The template includes an alphanumeric field created by a template creation entity and a response field created by the template creation entity. Data is electronically entered into the response field by a responding entity. The importable electronic template is incorporated into a general purpose electronic template.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

merging, in a computer system, an importable electronic template having a text field and a response field, into a first and second general purpose template, respectively, to form a respective updated first general purpose template and updated second general purpose template;

providing, to a first potential auction participant and a second potential auction participant, the updated first general purpose template and updated second general purpose template, respectively;

receiving, from the first potential auction participant, a first response associated with the response field as merged into the updated first general purpose template;

receiving, from the second potential auction participant, a second response associated with the response field as merged into the updated second general purpose template;

qualifying at least one of the first and the second potential auction participants as an actual participant in a first auction, prior to commencement of the first auction, wherein the qualification is based at least in part on the respective first and second responses;

automatically updating, in the computer system, both the updated first general purpose template and the updated second general purpose template into a respective first revised general purpose template and a second revised general purpose template, in response to receipt in the computer system of a modification to the importable electronic template; and

qualifying at least one of the first and the second potential auction participants as an actual participant in a second auction, prior to commencement of the second auction, based at least in part on the respective revised first general purpose template and the revised second general purpose template.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the received responses in a database.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the importable electronic template is merged into the first general purpose electronic template by inputting a reference associated with the importable electronic template having a location in a data storage device in which the importable electronic template is stored.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the qualifying includes executing a search of the received responses.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the text field in a memory device as Extensible Markup Language code.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the text field in a relational database.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing modifications to the text field.

8. A system, comprising:

a communication interface;

a processor configured to;

merge an importable electronic template having a text field and a response field, into a first and second general purpose template, respectively, to form a respective updated first general purpose template and updated second general purpose template;

provide, to a first potential auction participant and a second potential auction participant, the updated first general purpose template and updated second general purpose template, respectively;

receive, from the first potential auction participant, a first response associated with the response field as merged into the updated first general purpose template;

receive, from the second potential auction participant, a second response associated with the response field as merged into the updated second general purpose template;

qualify at least one of the first and the second potential auction participants as an actual participant in a first auction, prior to commencement of the first auction, wherein the qualification is based at least in part on the respective first and second responses;

automatically update both the updated first general purpose template and the updated second general purpose template into a respective first revised general purpose template and a second revised general purpose template, in response to receipt of a modification to the importable electronic template; and

qualify at least one of the first and the second potential auction participants as an actual participant in a second auction, prior to commencement of the second auction, based at least in part on the respective revised first general purpose template and the revised second general purpose template; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a database configured to store the received responses.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the importable electronic template is merged into the first general purpose electronic template by inputting a reference associated with the importable electronic template having a location in a data storage device in which the importable electronic template is stored.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to receive a modification to the response field.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is configured to qualify at least in part by executing a search of the received responses.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to store the text field in a memory device as Extensible Markup Language code.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to store the text field in a relational database.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to prevent modifications to the text field.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the medium comprising computer instructions, which when executed, cause a computer to:

merge an importable electronic template having a text field and a response field, into a first and second general purpose template, respectively, to form a respective updated first general purpose template and updated second general purpose template;

provide, to a first potential auction participant and a second potential auction participant, the updated first general purpose template and updated second general purpose template, respectively;

receive, from the first potential auction participant, a first response associated with the response field as merged into the updated first general purpose template;

receive, from the second potential auction participant, a second response associated with the response field as merged into the updated second general purpose template;

qualify at least one of the first and the second potential auction participants as an actual participant in a first auction, prior to commencement of the first auction, wherein the qualification is based at least in part on the respective first and second responses;

automatically update both the updated first general purpose template and the updated second general purpose template into a respective first revised general purpose template and a second revised general purpose template, in response to receipt of a modification to the importable electronic template; and

qualify at least one of the first and the second potential auction participants as an actual participant in a second auction, prior to commencement of the second auction, based at least in part on the respective revised first general purpose template and the revised second general purpose template.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 further comprising computer instructions, which when executed, cause a computer to store the received responses in a database.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the importable electronic template is merged into the first general purpose electronic template by inputting a reference associated with the importable electronic template having a location in a data storage device in which the importable electronic template is stored.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 further comprising computer instructions, which when executed, cause a computer to receive a modification to the response field.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 further comprising computer instructions, which when executed, cause a computer to qualify at least in part by executing a search of the received responses.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 further comprising computer instructions, which when executed, cause a computer to store the text field in a memory device as Extensible Markup Language code.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 further comprising computer instructions, which when executed, cause a computer to store the text field in a relational database.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 further comprising computer instructions, which when executed, cause a computer to prevent modifications to the text field.