Automotive information communication exchange system and method

• US 20020103715A1
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• 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 and method for communicating information between automotive trading partners engaged in an automotive transaction. The system and method 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 and method 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 trading partners engaged in an automotive transaction, comprising:

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.

2. The automotive information exchange system of claim 1, further comprising a mapping system for mapping a transaction element, wherein the mapping system determines:

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.

3. The automotive information exchange system of claim 2, further comprising a translation system for translating a schema of the transaction element between a proprietary schema and the universal schema.

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

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

a security system for controlling access to the automotive information exchange system; and

an administrative system for managing the automotive information exchange system.

5. The automotive information exchange system of claim 1, wherein a first trading partner comprises a mechanism for sending a transaction element to the automotive information exchange system, and wherein the routing system routes the transaction element to a second trading partner.

6. The automotive information exchange system of claim 5, 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.

7. The automotive information exchange system of claim 6, wherein the first and second trading partners are selected from the group consisting of:

an automotive manufacturer, a 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.

8. The automotive information exchange system of claim 7, 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.

9. The automotive information exchange system of claim 6, wherein the transaction element and the response transaction element contain transaction data pertaining to a predetermined automotive application.

10. The automotive information exchange system of claim 6, wherein the automotive information exchange system translates the transaction element from a proprietary schema of the first trading partner to the universal schema and then to a proprietary schema of the second trading partner, and 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.

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

sending a transaction element from a first automotive trading partner to an automotive information exchange system, wherein the transaction element relates to an automotive application;

routing the transaction element to a second automotive trading partner;

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

routing the response transaction element to the first automotive trading partner.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

mapping the transaction element and the response transaction element with a mapping system;

managing the transaction element and the response transaction element with a transaction management system; and

securing the automotive information exchange system with a security system.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

translating the transaction element from a first proprietary schema to the universal schema and then from the universal schema to a second proprietary schema.

14. The method of claim 13, 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.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the transaction element and the response transaction element are in a universal schema.

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

an automotive manufacturer, a 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 method of claim 11, 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.

19. The program product of claim 18, further comprising a first trading partner that includes a mechanism for sending a transaction element to the automotive information exchange system, and wherein the routing system routes the transaction element to a second trading partner.

20. The program product of claim 19, 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.

21. The program product of claim 20, wherein the first and second trading partners are selected from the group consisting of:

an automotive manufacturer, a 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.

22. The program product 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.

23. The program product of claim 18, further comprising a mapping system for mapping a transaction element, wherein the mapping system determines:

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.

24. The program product of claim 23, further comprising a translation system for translating a schema of the transaction element between a proprietary schema and the universal schema.

25. The program product of claim 24, further comprising:

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

a security system for controlling access to the automotive information exchange system; and

an administrative system for managing the automotive information exchange system.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a first trading partner that includes a mechanism for sending a transaction element to the automotive information exchange system, and wherein the routing system routes the transaction element to a second trading partner.

28. The system of claim 27, 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.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the first and second trading partners are selected from the group consisting of:

an automotive manufacturer, a 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.

30. The system of claim 29, 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. A program product stored on a recordable media for exchanging automotive information between at least two automotive trading partners engaged in an automotive transaction, which when executed, comprises:

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.

26. A computer system for exchanging automotive information between at least two automotive 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 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.