Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer session/connection establishing – Session/connection parameter setting
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-29
2001-05-08
Dinh, Dung C. (Department: 2757)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer session/connection establishing
Session/connection parameter setting
C709S225000, C709S227000, C705S035000, C705S037000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230201
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates generally to electronic commerce and, more particularly, to systems and methods for effecting commercial transactions via electronic interfaces. The present invention also relates to systems and methods for implementing an electronic transaction gateway between a host computer system and the computer systems of a plurality of trading partners.
Recently, substantial attention has been directed to the field of electronic commerce and, in particular, to systems and methods that utilize various aspects of the Internet for effecting commercial transactions and enabling communication between trading partners. Moreover, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many businesses are already communicating with each other via one of several electronic interfaces. Such interfaces include, for example, telephonic interfaces, facsimile (FAX) interfaces, value added network (VAN) interfaces, point-to-point dial-up interfaces and Internet interfaces. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that numerous businesses have established systems for effecting electronic data interchange (EDI) transactions with their trading partners, and that several EDI standards have been developed in an effort provide standard message formats for effecting such business transactions. For example, EDI formats or “templates” are provided for purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices, product registrations and so on. Presently, two principal EDI standards, X12 and EDIFACT, are utilized for effecting and managing electronic commerce. The X12 standard is managed by the ANSI ASC X12 committee and is the predominant standard used by businesses and governmental agencies in North America, whereas the EDIFACT standard is managed by the United Nations ECE working group, and is the prevailing standard used within Europe and Asia.
In view of the foregoing, it becomes readily apparent that when a given business determines to engage in electronic commerce or, perhaps more importantly, decides to migrate from one form of electronic commerce to another, numerous issues must be addressed. The issues are further complicated when it is taken into consideration that not all trading partners will prefer to utilize or, indeed, support the same electronic interfaces or modes of communication, and that not all trading partners will support the same data formats. As noted above, companies in Europe and Asia may prefer to exchange data in accordance with the EDIFACT standard, whereas companies within the United States may prefer to exchange data in accordance with the X12 standard.
Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a need exists for systems and methods that will enable businesses to manage sophisticated, heterogeneous trading partner networks involving diverse protocols, transaction types, scheduling and translation requirements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for enabling businesses to manage a sophisticated, heterogeneous network of trading partners, and to systems and methods for implementing an electronic transaction gateway between a host system and the computer systems of a plurality of trading partners.
In one innovative aspect, the present invention is directed to a computer based electronic transactions gateway that controls how a host system interacts with the computer systems of a plurality of trading partners. Moreover, in one preferred form, a computer based electronic transactions gateway in accordance with the present invention may comprise a central processing unit having a link to a host system and links to a plurality of electronic data interface networks, such that the central processing unit may establish communications between the host system and selected ones of the electronic data interface networks to effect transactions between the host system and a plurality of trading partner systems. In such an embodiment, a computer program, which is executed by the central processing unit, may comprise a hierarchical set of rules that define how the host system may interact with the plurality of trading partner systems. The rules may define, for example, what electronic data interface networks are to be used with specific trading partners and/or what networks are to be used for specific types of transactions. The rules may also define scheduling parameters that are applicable to certain transactions.
In another innovative aspect, the present invention is directed to the implementation of a network server that may manage a flow of electronic transactions between a host system and the systems of a plurality of trading partners. Such a server may include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) card, a host network interface card electronically coupled to the CPU card, and an external network interface card electronically coupled to the CPU card. A software application running on the CPU of the CPU card defines how the host system may interact with the plurality of trading partner systems. In a preferred embodiment, the software application may also enable the utilization of a graphic user interface for establishing and modifying rules to be followed in conducting transactions generally, in conducting transactions with specific trading partners and/or in conducting transactions of particular types. The rules may also define how specific transactions with specific trading partners are to be handled.
In still another innovative aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of managing electronic transactions between a host system and a plurality of trading partner systems. In accordance with such a method, a hierarchical set of rules defining how the host system may interact with a plurality of trading partner systems is defined within a software application. The software application may then be configured on a network server, and the network server may be utilized to control a flow of transactions between the host system and the trading partner systems. In a preferred form, the set of rules may include host system default rules applicable to transactions of all types between the host system and all trading partners unless a more specific rule applies, host system transaction rules applicable to transactions of a specific type unless a more specific rule applies, trading partner default rules applicable to all transactions between the host system and a specific trading partner unless a more specific rule applies, and trading partner transaction rules applicable to specific trading partners and specific transactions.
Thus, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, when systems and methods in accordance with the present invention are utilized to control a flow of electronic transactions between a host system and the systems of a plurality of trading partners, numerous advantages are achieved.
For example, because a transaction gateway in accordance with the present invention may support any number of transaction protocols, such a gateway will enable businesses to support any existing electronic data interface (EDI) infrastructures and additional infrastructures including, for example, emerging internet commerce infrastructures from a single point of administration. Similarly, a transaction gateway in accordance with the present invention allows for a single transaction type or numerous transaction types exchanged with a given trading partner to be conducted via a different electronic data interface with minimal effort and with minimal inconvenience to persons responsible for those transactions.
Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that a transaction gateway in accordance with the present invention provides for maximum scalability. Moreover, in an environment where hundreds or thousands of trading partners are involved, most transactions will be effected in accordance with common routing and scheduling requirements, and exceptions will occur for specific trading partners and/or specific transaction types. Thus, by establishing a hierarchical structure for transaction proce
Guck Randal L.
Willis, Jr. Donald E.
Dinh Dung C.
Ho Chuong
IP Net Solutions, Inc.
Lyon & Lyon LLP
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