System and Method for Performing a Business Process in a Multi-Enterprise, Collaborating Network

• US 20080015996A1
• Filed: 07/05/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Yonder Group, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: JDA Software Group Incorporated (RedPrairie Holding Incorporated)
• Inventors: Notani, Ranjit
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system for performing a business process includes a first version of a business application executed by a first client to perform a particular business process and a second version of the business application executed by a second client to perform the business process, wherein the first client is coupled to the second client using a communication link. The first version of the business application is identified using a first version identifier and the second version of the business application is identified using a second version identifier. One of the first version of the business application and the second version of the business application is selected to initiate the business process based upon the first version identifier and the second version identifier.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A multi-enterprise collaborating network comprising:

one or more clients operable to perform a business process between one or more other clients via one or more communication links;

a business application associated with each of the one or more clients, the business application comprising;

a business process module operable to generate one or more business messages to perform the business process;

an identification module operable to determine which client of the one or more clients maintains a particular business application used to perform a particular business process; and

a status message module operable to generate a status message for communication with the one or more clients.

22. The network of claim 21, wherein the business messages comprise messages selected from the group consisting of request messages and response messages.

23. The network of claim 21, wherein the identification module generates an identification request for communication to the one or more clients via the one or more communication links.

24. The network of claim 23, wherein the identification request comprises a request for information identifying a particular business application.

25. The network of claim 21, wherein the status message comprises information indicating the presence of a business message associated with the business process.

26. The network of claim 21, wherein the business process is a business process in the consumer goods manufacturing industry.

27. The network of claim 26, wherein the business process is selected from the group consisting of:

order purchasing;

accounting;

procurement;

shipping;

delivery;

replenishment;

inventory management;

marketing automation; and

supply chain distribution.

28. The network of claim 21, wherein the business process is a business process in the distribution industry.

29. The network of claim 28, wherein the business process is selected from the group consisting of:

tracking;

shipping; and

routing.

30. The network of claim 21, wherein the business process is a business process in the financial industry.

31. The network of claim 30, wherein the business process is selected from the group consisting of:

electronic funds transfer;

electronic payment systems; and

security systems.

32. A method for performing a business process, the method comprising:

performing a business process between one or more other clients via one or more communication links;

generating one or more business messages to perform the business process;

determining which client of the one or more clients maintains a particular business application used to perform a particular business process; and

generating a status message for communication with the one or more clients.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the business messages comprise messages selected from the group consisting of request messages and response messages.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

generating an identification request for communication to the one or more clients via the one or more communication links.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the identification request comprises a request for information identifying a particular business application.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the status message comprises information indicating the presence of a business message associated with the business process.

37. Software for performing a business process, the software being encoded on a computer-readable medium and when executed operable to:

perform a business process between one or more other clients via one or more communication links;

generate one or more business messages to perform the business process;

determine which client of the one or more clients maintains a particular business application used to perform a particular business process; and

generate a status message for communication with the one or more clients.

38. The software of claim 37, wherein the business messages comprise messages selected from the group consisting of request messages and response messages.

39. The software of claim 37, further comprising:

generate an identification request for communication to the one or more clients via the one or more communication links.

40. The software of claim 39, wherein the identification request comprises a request for information identifying a particular business application.

41. The software of claim 37, wherein the status message comprises information indicating the presence of a business message associated with the business process.

42. A computer-implemented system for performing a business process comprising one or more processing units and one or more memory units, the system comprising:

means for performing a business process between one or more other clients via one or more communication links;

means for performing generating one or more business messages to perform the business process;

means for performing determining which client of the one or more clients maintains a particular business application used to perform a particular business process; and

means for performing generating a status message for communication with the one or more clients.