Facilitating a transaction in electronic commerce

• US 6,950,809 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dun & Bradstreet Corp., DUN & Bradstreet Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Corp.), Hoover's Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: DUN & Bradstreet Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Corp.)
• Inventors: Harris, Steven Brian, Thornbury, Tom, Dahan, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Application Number:
  US09/797,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20010047343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 27, 705/44, 705 64- 67, 705 75- 78, 713155-159, 713172-175, 713182-186, 713200-202, 235375-382, 707 9- 10
• US Class Current: 705/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method for facilitating a transaction in electronic commerce, comprises the steps of identifying a first party to the transaction from a digital identifier, extracting a profile identifier of the first party from the digital identifier, and retrieving data from a database based on the profile identifier.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a transaction in electronic commerce between a first party and at least one second party, the method comprising the steps of:

determining the identity of said first party to said transaction from a digital identifier comprising a profile identifier embedded in said digital identifier;

extracting said embedded profile identifier of said first party from said digital identifier;

retrieving data comprising business information identified by said extracted profile identifier concerning said first party from a third-party database comprising business information concerning a plurality of businesses, the retrieved business information comprising business credentials including credit worthiness of said first party, and/or business confidence in said first party, and/or business authority of said first party; and

recommending in dependence on said business credentials whether or not said contemplated transaction should be completed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of recommending further comprises applying at least one rule to said business information.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, prior to the step of determining, a step of modifying said rule pursuant to an instruction from said second party to said transaction.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of delivering said recommendation to at least one of said first party and second party to said transaction.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of auditing transaction data that is maintained by, or on behalf of, at least one of said first party and said second party to said transaction.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of determining a fee to be charged to at least one of said first party and said second party to said transaction.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of using information concerning said transaction in an analysis of an economic trend.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said recommending further comprises deciding whether or not the second party should extend credit to said first party.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said digital identifier comprising said profile identifier is cryptographically tamper-proof and cryptographically authenticated by an issuer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of verifying that said digital identifier is issued by an issuer authorized to issue digital certificates having said profile identifier embedded therein.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein a profile identifier comprises a Dun &

Bradstreet Universal Numbering System number, and wherein said third party database comprises the Dun &

Bradstreet worldwide business database.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said retrieved business information further comprises the commercial affiliations of said first party, and further comprising a step of verifying an affiliation between said first party and a further business entity based on said retrieved data.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein a commercial affiliation is selected from the group consisting of a parent, a subsidiary, a headquarters, a branch, and a relationship of agency or authority.

14. A system for facilitating a transaction in electronic commerce between a first party and at least one second party, the system comprising:

a processor and coupled memory, wherein the memory comprises instructions for causing the processor to

determine the identity of said first party transaction from a digital identifier comprising a profile identifier embedded in said digital identifier;

extract said embedded profile identifier of said first party from said digital identifier;

retrieving data comprising business information identified by said extracted profile identifier concerning said first party from a third-party database comprising business information concerning a plurality of businesses, the retrieved business information comprising business credentials including credit worthiness of said first party, and/or business confidence in said first party, and/or business authority of said first party; and

recommend in dependence on said business credentials whether or not said contemplated transaction should be completed.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said recommending further comprises applying at least one rule to said business information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said processor further modifies said rule pursuant to an instruction from said second party to said transaction.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said processor further delivers said recommendation to at least one of said first party and said second party to said transaction.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said processor further audits transaction data that is maintained by, or on behalf of, at least one of said first party and said second party to said transaction.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said processor further determines a fee to be charged to at least one of said first party and said second party to said transaction.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said processor further uses information concerning said transaction in an analysis of an economic trend.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein said processor further recommends whether or not the second party should extend credit to said first party.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein said digital identifier comprising said profile identifier is cryptographically tamper-proof and cryptographically authenticated by an issuer.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said processor further verifies that said digital identifier is issued by an issuer authorized to issue digital certificates having a profile identifier embedded therein.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein a profile identifier comprises a Dun &

Bradstreet Universal Numbering System number, and wherein said third party database comprises the Dun &

Bradstreet worldwide business database.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein said retrieved business information further comprises the commercial affiliations of said first party, and wherein said processor further verifies an affiliation between said first party and a further business entity based on said retrieved data.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein a commercial affiliation is selected from the group consisting of a corporate parent, a corporate subsidiary, a corporate headquarters, a branch, and a relationship of agency or authority.

27. A computer-readable storage media for facilitating a transaction in electronic commerce between a first party and at least one second party, said storage media comprising instructions for causing a processor to

determine the identity of said first party to said transaction from a digital identifier comprising a profile identifier embedded in said digital identifier;

extract said embedded profile identifier of said first party from said digital identifier;

retrieving data comprising business information identified by said extracted profile identifier concerning said first party from a third-party database comprising business information concerning a plurality of businesses, the retrieved business information comprising business credentials including credit worthiness of said first party, and/or business confidence in said first party, and/or business authority of said first party; and

recommend in dependence on said business credentials whether or not said contemplated transaction should be completed.

28. The storage media of claim 27, wherein said recommending further comprises applying at least one rule to said business information.

29. The storage media of claim 28, further comprising instructions for causing said processor to modify said rule pursuant to an instruction from said second party to said transaction.

30. The storage media of claim 27, further comprising instructions for causing said processor to deliver said recommendation to at least one of said first party and said second party to said transaction.

31. The storage media of claim 27, further comprising instructions for causing said processor to audit transaction data that is maintained by, or on behalf of, at least one of said first party and said second party to said transaction.

32. The storage media of claim 27, further comprising instructions for causing said processor to determine a fee to be charged to at least one of said first party and said second party to said transaction.

33. The storage media of claim 27, further comprising instructions for causing said processor to use information concerning said transaction in an analysis of an economic trend.

34. The storage medium of claim 27 further comprising instructions for causing said processor to recommend whether or not the second party should extend credit to said first party.

35. The storage medium of claim 27 wherein said digital identifier comprising said profile identifier is cryptographically tamper-proof and cryptographically authenticated by an issuer.

36. The storage media of claim 35, further comprising instructions for causing said processor to verify that said digital identifier is issued by an issuer authorized to issue digital certificates having a profile identifier embedded therein.

37. The storage media of claim 27 wherein a profile identifier comprises a Dun &

Bradstreet Universal Numbering System number, and wherein said third party database comprises the Dun &

Bradstreet worldwide business database.

38. The storage media of claim 27 wherein said retrieved business information further comprises the commercial affiliations of said first party, and further comprising instructions for causing said processor to verify an affiliation between said first party and a further business entity based on said retrieved data.

39. The storage media of claim 38 wherein a commercial affiliation is selected from the group consisting of a corporate parent, a corporate subsidiary, a corporate headquarters, a branch, and a relationship of agency or authority.

40. A computer-implemented method for facilitating a contemplated transaction in electronic commerce between two or more business entities represented by parties, the method comprising:

exchanging digital identifiers between said representing parties, each digital identifier comprising profile identifier data of the originating party, each profile identifier uniquely identifying business information that describes the originating party in a database of business information, the business information database being available from an independent third party;

retrieving business information identified by at least one of said profile identifiers from said third party database, said retrieved information comprising business credentials of the representing parties, the business credentials including credit worthiness of, and/or business confidence in, and/or business authority of the representing parties and/or the represented business entities; and

determining in dependence on said retrieved business credentials that at least one of the representing parties is authorized to act for the represented business entity in said contemplated transaction and/or that at least one of the representing parties is credit worthy; and

recommending in dependence on said determinations to at least one of the representing parties whether or not said contemplated transaction should be completed.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said profile identifier comprises a Dun &

Bradstreet Universal Numbering System number, and wherein said third party database comprises the Dun &

Bradstreet worldwide business database.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein said retrieved business information further comprises commercial affiliations of said representing parties and/or business entities, and further comprising a step of verifying an affiliation between at least one representing party and at least one represented business entity.

43. The method of claim 42 where a commercial affiliation is selected from the group consisting of a parent, a subsidiary, a headquarters, a branch, and a relationship of agency or authority.

44. The method of claim 40 wherein said determining confirms that the same identities are indicated in the digital identifier exchanged by a party and in the retrieved business information concerning the party.

45. The method of claim 40 wherein said determining confirms that a party has the authority to enter into the contemplated transaction.

46. The method of claim 40 wherein said determining confirms that a representing party and/or represented business entity is capable of performing the contemplated transaction.

47. The method of claim 40 wherein said determining confirms the business record of and/or business confidence in a representing party and/or represented business entity is capable of performing the contemplated transaction.

48. The method of claim 40 wherein said recommending further comprises applying one or more business rules to the retrieved business information, wherein at least one business rule comprises one or more conditions and a sequence of one or more actions.

49. The method of claim 40 wherein said steps of exchanging, retrieving, determining, and recommended are performed for all representing parties participating in said contemplated transaction.