U.S. patent application number 12/054941 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-25 for method and system for connecting businesses through common interests.
This patent application is currently assigned to INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Gregory Fitzpatrick, Frederick Yung-Fung Wu.
Application Number | 20080235046 12/054941 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27752993 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080235046 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fitzpatrick; Gregory ; et
al. |
September 25, 2008 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONNECTING BUSINESSES THROUGH COMMON
INTERESTS
Abstract
A method of connecting businesses through common interests can
include storing business profiles comprising business attributes in
an online business registry. Responsive to a query from an
inquiring business, the online business registry can be searched to
locate at least one business having a business profile including at
least one business attribute corresponding to the query. At least
one communications link between the inquiring business and the
located business can be established according to at least one
business attribute of the business profile of the located
business.
Inventors: |
Fitzpatrick; Gregory;
(Keller, TX) ; Wu; Frederick Yung-Fung;
(Greenwich, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AKERMAN SENTERFITT
P. O. BOX 3188
WEST PALM BEACH
FL
33402-3188
US
|
Assignee: |
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES
CORPORATION
Armonk
NY
|
Family ID: |
27752993 |
Appl. No.: |
12/054941 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10081702 |
Feb 22, 2002 |
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12054941 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/1.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/06 20130101;
G06Q 50/01 20130101; G06Q 30/0204 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/1 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 10/00 20060101
G06Q010/00 |
Claims
1. A system for connecting businesses through business profiles
comprising: an online business registry configured to store
business profiles comprising business attributes; a registration
application configured to collect said business attributes of said
business profiles and store said business profiles within said
online business registry; a search engine configured to receive
queries and search said business profiles to locate at least one
other business profile corresponding to said query; and a
communications engine configured to establish a communications link
between at least two businesses having profiles included in said
online business registry, said communications link being
established according to at least one business parameter within at
least one of said business profiles associated with said at least
two businesses.
2. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer
program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections
executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the
steps of: storing business profiles comprising business attributes
in an online business registry; responsive to a query from an
inquiring business, searching said online business registry to
locate at least one business having a business profile including at
least one business attribute corresponding to said query; and
establishing at least one communications link between said
inquiring business and said located business according to at least
one business attribute of said business profile of said located
business.
3. The machine-readable storage of claim 2, wherein said searching
step comprises searching said online business registry according to
said query, wherein said specified business attribute is common to
said inquiring business.
4. The machine-readable storage of claim 2, wherein said storing
step comprises storing business attributes selected from the group
consisting of business identity information, business description
information, and communications information.
5. The machine-readable storage of claim 4, wherein said
establishing a communications link step comprises extracting said
communications information from said business profile of said
located business.
6. The machine-readable storage according to claim 4, wherein said
storing step further comprises: defining access rights to said
business profiles; defining permissible communications links and
points of contact as business attributes within said business
profiles; and defining selected business attributes of said
business profiles as private.
7. The machine-readable storage of claim 4, wherein said
establishing a communications link step further comprises
authenticating at least said inquiring business.
8. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer
program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine
for causing the machine to perform the steps of: storing business
profiles comprising business attributes in an online business
registry; responsive to a query from an inquiring business
specifying at least one business attribute, locating within said
online business registry business profiles corresponding to said
specified business attribute; identifying within said located
business profiles references to other business profiles contained
within said online business registry; and determining whether said
other business profiles include business attributes corresponding
to said query.
9. The machine-readable storage of claim 8, further comprising: if
so, establishing a communications link between said inquiring
business and at least one of said other businesses having a
business attribute corresponding to said query.
10. The machine-readable storage of claim 8, wherein said locating
step locates within said online business registry business profiles
corresponding to said specified business attribute, wherein said
specified business attribute is a business identity.
11. The machine-readable storage of claim 8, wherein said locating
step comprises locating in said online business registry business
profiles associated with said specified business attribute of said
query, wherein said specified business attribute is common to said
inquiring business.
12. The machine-readable storage of claim 8, wherein said storing
step comprises storing business attributes selected from the group
consisting of business identity information, business description
information, and communications information.
13. The machine-readable storage of claim 12, wherein said
establishing a communications link step comprises extracting said
communications information from said business profile of at least
one of said other businesses.
14. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12, wherein
said storing step further comprises: defining access rights to said
business profiles; defining permissible communications links and
points of contact as business attributes within said business
profiles; and defining selected business attributes of said
business profiles as private.
15. The machine-readable storage of claim 12, wherein said
establishing a communications link step further comprises
authenticating at least said inquiring business.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of, and accordingly
claims the benefit from, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/081,702, now issued U.S. Pat. No. ______, which was filed in the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Feb. 22, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to the field of
business-to-business (B2B) transactions, and more particularly, to
linking businesses having common interests.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Electronic commerce (eCommerce) typically flows between
businesses which are familiar with one another or between
businesses sharing one or more common interests. ECommerce also
provides businesses with an invaluable opportunity for forming new
business relationships and strategic alliances. To exploit
eCommerce opportunities, however, businesses must have knowledge of
existing and potential market participants. Businesses choosing to
share such knowledge gain an opportunity to form new synergistic
business relationships. For instance, business A may benefit from
forging a new relationship with the business-to-business (B2B)
service provider and the financial service provider of one of its
partner businesses. These newly formed relationships can benefit
from the synergy existing between business A and its partner, as
well as increase the overall amount of business activity among each
of the participants.
[0006] Presently, the Universal Description, Discovery, and
Integration (UDDI) specification provides a platform-independent,
open framework for describing services, discovering businesses, and
integrating business services using the Internet, as well as an
operational registry. Although the UDDI specification provides a
standard interface for publishing and discovering information about
other businesses, the UDDI specification lacks any mechanism for
linking businesses having common interests. Accordingly, no forum
exists for bringing together businesses having common
interests.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The invention disclosed herein provides a method and system
for linking businesses through common interests. More specifically,
the present invention can facilitate business relationships by
storing business profiles of various participating businesses
within a business registry. Participating businesses can query the
business registry for other businesses whose business profiles
include particular, desirable business attributes. The business
profiles can include a variety of business attributes detailing
information about the participating businesses. Moreover, the
business attributes can include information which can be used to
establish a communications link between inquiring businesses and
businesses located by a search of the business registry, which can
be referred to as "found" or "located" businesses. In this manner,
the present invention can effectively link participating businesses
through different communications systems.
[0008] One aspect of the present invention can include a method of
connecting businesses through common interests. The method can
include storing business profiles including business attributes in
an online business registry. For example, the business attributes
can include business identity information, business description
information, and communication information. The storing step
further can include defining access rights to the business
profiles, defining permissible communications links and points of
contact as business attributes within the business profiles, and
defining selected business attributes of the business profiles as
private.
[0009] Responsive to a query from an inquiring business, the online
business registry can be searched to locate at least one business
having a business profile including at least one business attribute
corresponding to the query. In one embodiment of the invention, the
queried business attributes can be limited to attributes which are
common to the inquiring business. At least one communications link
can be established between the inquiring business and the located
business according to at least one business attribute of the
business profile of the located business. For example,
communications information for the located business can be
extracted from the business profile of the located business and can
be used to establish the communications link. Notably, the
inquiring business can be authenticated when the communications
link is established to ensure security.
[0010] Another aspect of the present invention can include storing
business profiles including business attributes in an online
business registry, and responsive to a query from an inquiring
business specifying at least one business attribute, locating
within the online business registry business profiles corresponding
to the specified business attribute. For example, the specified
business attribute can include a business name or identity. Within
the located business profiles, references to other business
profiles within the online business registry can be identified. If
the other business profiles include business attributes
corresponding to the query, a communications link can be
established between the inquiring business and at least one of the
other businesses having a business attribute corresponding to the
query.
[0011] Another aspect of the invention can include a system for
connecting businesses through business profiles. The system can
include an online business registry configured to store business
profiles including business attributes and a registration
application configured to collect the business attributes of the
business profiles and store the business profiles within the online
business registry. The system can include a search engine
configured to receive queries and search the business profiles to
locate at least one other business profile corresponding to the
query, as well as a communications engine configured to establish a
communications link between at least two businesses having profiles
included in the online business registry. Notably, the
communications link established by the communications engine can be
established according to at least one business parameter within at
least one of the business profiles associated with the at least two
businesses.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] There are shown in the drawings embodiments which are
presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the
invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and
instrumentalities shown.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communications
network in which the present invention can be used.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a business
connection system in accordance with the inventive arrangements
disclosed herein.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method of linking
businesses using common interests in accordance with the inventive
arrangements disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The invention disclosed herein provides a method and system
for linking businesses having common interests. More specifically,
the present invention can facilitate business relationships by
storing business profiles of various participating businesses in a
business registry. Participating businesses can query the business
registry for other businesses whose business profiles include
particular business attributes. If the query is successful, the
invention can initiate a communications link between the querying
business and one or more of the businesses corresponding to the
business profiles located responsive to the query. A business
located by a search of the business registry can be referred to as
a "found business".
[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communications
network 100 in which the present invention can be used. As shown in
FIG. 1, the communications network 100 can include a plurality of
participating businesses 101-106 which can be connected to a
computer communications network 110, a PSTN 120, or both. The
computer communications network can be the Internet, a local area
network, a wide area network, or the like, and can be operatively
connected to the PSTN 120 via a telephony gateway 130. The
telephony gateway 130 can bridge communications between the
computer communications network 110 and the PSTN 120. A business
connection system (BCS) 140 also can be included in the
communication system 100. As shown, the BCS 140 can be operatively
connected to the computer communication system 110.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a BCS 140 in
accordance with the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. The
BCS can include a business registry 205, a registration application
210, a search engine 215, and a communications engine 220. The
business registry 205 can include the business profiles and
associated business attributes of the participating businesses. The
business profiles can be stored in any suitable form including text
or a markup language (ML) such as extensible markup language format
(XML). For example, the business registry 205 can conform to the
UDDI specification.
[0019] The business attributes can include a business identity or
name, one or more business locations, business partners, related or
parent businesses, personnel including board members and
executives, products or services offered by the business, customer
lists, as well as other service providers used by a business. The
business attributes also can include communications information for
establishing a communications link such as sending an electronic
mail, establishing an instant message session, and establishing a
telephone call, conference call, or video conference between the
inquiring business and one or more found businesses. In one aspect,
a business attribute can specify the format, for example which XML
standard, a business uses to accept purchase orders. Additionally,
the communications information can specify a Web site to which the
inquiring business can be linked. The communications information
can include preferred contact times and one or more contact persons
which can vary depending on the mode of communication. Still, it
should be appreciated that the business profiles can include any
other information defined within the UDDI specification.
[0020] The business registry 205 can include security features to
restrict access to particular profiles as well as particular
business attributes within the business profiles. In one aspect of
the present invention, business profiles can be categorized
according to a particular market segment such as clothing,
information technology, and the like. Business profiles further can
be categorized according to the business function, such as
manufacturer, service provider, retailer, etc. In this manner,
business partners, for example, can be granted greater levels of
access to one another's business information, while a competitor's
access can be restricted.
[0021] In another aspect of the present invention, particular
business attributes can be designated as private. Accordingly,
private business attributes can be entirely unavailable to an
inquiring business or can be accessible to an inquiring business of
a particular classification or category. In another embodiment of
the present invention, access to business attributes can be based
on commonality of business attributes. In that case, businesses can
expose selected business attributes only to inquiring businesses
having corresponding or similar business attributes. For instance,
in the case where business A has customers 1, 2, and 3, and
business B has customers 2, 4, and 5, business A can learn that
customer 2 is common to both businesses A and B. The other
customers listed on the business B customer list, however, can
remain private such that business A would not have access to that
information.
[0022] Security further can be enhanced by authenticating
participating businesses. For example, certificate authorities can
be used to guarantee participating business identities in much the
same manner as is common on the World Wide Web. Accordingly, access
to information can be restricted in whole or in part to the
business registry according to whether a business has a validly
authenticated certificate or the classification or category of a
participating business. Encryption also can be used to ensure data
integrity.
[0023] The registration application 210 can register businesses
choosing to participate in the BCS 140. Specifically, the
registration application 210 can provide an interface for
businesses to specify an associated business profile. For example,
the registration application 210 can be used to register any
information or business attributes specified in the Universal
Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) specification.
Accordingly, the registration application 210 can be used to
classify particular business attributes and entire business
profiles. Additionally, the registration application 210 can
function as an interface through which participating businesses can
access and maintain their respective business profiles.
[0024] The search engine 215 can provide an interface through which
inquiring businesses can search the business registry. Accordingly,
the search engine 215 can receive queries from participating
businesses and search the business registry 205 for the business
attributes specified within the query. Notably, the search engine
215 can search the business registry 205 with varying levels of
scrutiny. For example, if the search engine locates a reference to
a business "B" within a business profile of business "A", the
search engine 215 can search the business profile of business "B"
for any business attributes corresponding to the query.
Accordingly, although business "B" may not be in the same category
as was specified within the query, the search engine still can
locate businesses "B" if its business profile corresponds to the
query criteria. The search type can be specified within the query
or within the business profile of the inquiring business. The
search engine 215 can identify any query results as well as format
the results for presentation to the inquiring business. In any
case, it should be appreciated that the search engine can be
configured to observe the data security features of the business
registry as previously described.
[0025] The communications engine 220 can extract relevant business
attributes from the business profiles located by the query. In
particular, the communications engine 220 can extract business
attributes specifying the type of communications link to be
established as well as the manner in which the communications link
is to be established with one or more found businesses.
Accordingly, the communications engine 220 can initiate the
specified communications link. For example, the communications
engine 220 can send an electronic mail, an instant message,
establish a telephone call, conference call, video conference, or
the like through the computer communications network and/or the
PSTN. As mentioned, the business attributes further can specify an
individual at the found business to be contacted as well as
preferred times.
[0026] The registration application 210, the search engine 215, and
the communications engine 220 can be implemented as separate
application programs or a single, more complex application program.
Accordingly, each of the application programs can be located within
a single computer system or can be distributed among a plurality of
computer systems operatively connected to a computer communications
network. For example, one or more of the application programs can
be implemented as an Internet service or within a virtual private
network (VPN) of a participating business. Similarly, the business
registry 205 can be a single data store located within a single
computer system or can be distributed among a plurality of computer
systems. In one embodiment of the present invention, the business
registry can be distributed among the participants. In that case,
searches can be directed to the participants rather than to a
single centralized online business registry 205.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method 300 of linking
businesses using common interests in accordance with the inventive
arrangements disclosed herein. The method can begin in a state
wherein multiple businesses have registered with the BCS 140 of
FIG. 2 and an inquiring business has logged onto the BCS 140. The
inquiring business further can be authenticated at some point prior
to issuing a query or anytime before obtaining any search results.
Accordingly, in step 305 a search request can be received from an
inquiring business. Notably, the search request can conform to a
standard set of published application programming interfaces. The
search request can be a passive or automatic search, or can be an
explicit search. After completion of step 305, the method can
continue to step 310.
[0028] In step 310, the business registry can be searched for the
business attributes specified within the search request. The search
can be implemented using matching algorithms which can search for
exact matches, fuzzy logic, or other language translation
techniques which are known in the art. In any case, it should be
appreciated that any of a variety of search techniques can be used
and the invention is not so limited by the particular search used.
Also, as mentioned, particular business attributes within the
business profiles can be excluded from the query based upon the
level of access of the inquiring business.
[0029] In step 315, the search results can be determined. In step
320, if the query was directed to searching business profiles
referenced within the initial search results, the method can
continue to step 330 to search those business profiles and
determine the search results from the additional searching. Still,
it should be appreciated that the searching can continue to any
specified level of depth, for example to businesses referenced
within the secondary search results, etc. If the search is not
directed to searching business referenced within the initial search
results, the method can continue to step 335. In step 335, the
search results can be processed and provided to the inquiring
business. For example, the search results can be formatted using an
appropriate markup language and sent or displayed to the inquiring
business. After completion of step 335, the method can continue to
step 340.
[0030] In step 340, the inquiring business can be provided the
opportunity to establish a communications link with one or more of
the found businesses. If the inquiring business chooses not to
establish a communications link with a found business, then the
method can end. If, however, the inquiring business chooses to
establish a communications connection with one or more found
businesses, the method can continue to step 345. In step 345, a
communications link type, such as electronic mail, linking to a Web
site, instant messaging, or a telephone call, can be determined
from the business profile of the found and selected business. In
step 350, a communications link can be established between the
inquiring business and the found business according to the business
attributes within the business profile of the found business. As
mentioned, the business attributes can specify a contact person to
which such communications can be directed. Accordingly, the
communications link can be directed to that person.
[0031] The present invention can be realized in hardware, software,
or a combination of hardware and software. The present invention
can be realized in a centralized fashion in one computer system, or
in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across
several interconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer
system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods
described herein is suited. A typical combination of hardware and
software can be a general purpose computer system with a computer
program that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computer
system such that it carries out the methods described herein.
[0032] The present invention also can be embedded in a computer
program product, which comprises all the features enabling the
implementation of the methods described herein, and which when
loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods.
Computer program in the present context means any expression, in
any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended
to cause a system having an information processing capability to
perform a particular function either directly or after either or
both of the following: a) conversion to another language, code or
notation; b) reproduction in a different material form.
[0033] This invention can be embodied in other forms without
departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof.
Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims,
rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope
of the invention.
* * * * *