Abstract:
An electronic commerce system for order acceleration through user document reuse includes one or more document repositories that stores a plurality of user documents. The system also includes a global content directory that includes a plurality of product and document classes organized in a hierarchy where each class categorizes a number of documents and is associated with one or more attributes of the documents categorized in the class. The system further includes a search interface to search the user documents. A security module encrypts the user documents and decrypts the user documents when a buyer has the required permission level. An intelligence module updates one or more sections of the user documents with current information so that a buyer can reuse the user document to accelerate an order.
Abstract:
A system providing seller pre-qualification during the matching phase of an electronic commerce transaction includes a directory structure comprising multiple hierarchically organized product classes, each product class categorizing multiple products and defining one or more attributes of the products categorized in the product class. The system also includes one or more pointers for each product class, each pointer identifying a seller database in which product data enabling a product transaction is stored for products categorized in the product class. The system further includes a search interface configured to communicate a search query for product data only to one or more seller databases associated with sellers having seller attribute values matching the specified seller attribute criteria, these seller databases being identified by the one or more pointers associated with the selected product class.
Abstract:
A system for providing third-party certification of content in an electronic commerce transaction includes one or more servers operating on one or more computers. The one or more servers receive a first set of attribute values from a first party, the first set of attribute values being associated with one or more products that are the subject of an electronic commerce transaction between the first party and a second party. The one or more servers verify that the first set of attribute values matches, at least in part, a second set of attribute values maintained by the second party, the second set of attribute values being associated with the one or more products that are the subject of the electronic commerce transaction between the first party and the second party. The one or more servers store the first set of attribute values in one or more databases, generate a key identifying the stored set of attribute values, the key providing a holder of the key read-only access to at least certain portions of the stored set of attribute values, and communicate a copy of the key to the first and second parties. In response to presentation of the key, the one or more servers provide read-only access to at least certain portions of the stored set of attribute values.
Abstract:
A bill of materials (BOM) sourcing system includes one or more data storage locations that store BOM sourcing criteria. The system also includes a sourcing engine that receives a BOM that includes a plurality of part identifiers. The sourcing engine identifies one or more part identifiers included in the BOM and searches supplier data to obtain pricing information associated with the identified parts. Furthermore, the sourcing engine receives sourcing criteria and determines which supplier should be used to supply each identified part based on the pricing information and the sourcing criteria. In addition, the system includes a transaction execution module that receives from the sourcing engine a part identifier for each identified part and the identity of the supplier to be used to supply each identified part. The transaction execution module generates one or more transaction documents based on this information and communicates the one or more transaction documents to the associated suppliers.
Abstract:
A process for providing seller pre-qualification during the matching phase of an electronic commerce transaction includes a directory structure comprising multiple hierarchically organized product classes, each product class categorizing multiple products and defining one or more attributes of the products categorized in the product class. The process also includes one or more pointers for each product class, each pointer identifying a seller database in which product data enabling a product transaction is stored for products categorized in the product class. The process further includes a search interface configured to communicate a search query for product data only to one or more seller databases associated with sellers having seller attribute values matching the specified seller attribute criteria, these seller databases being identified by the one or more pointers associated with the selected product class.
Abstract:
A system providing seller pre-qualification during the matching phase of an electronic commerce transaction includes a directory structure comprising multiple hierarchically organized product classes, each product class categorizing multiple products and defining one or more attributes of the products categorized in the product class. The system also includes one or more pointers for each product class, each pointer identifying a seller database in which product data enabling a product transaction is stored for products categorized in the product class. The system further includes a search interface configured to communicate a search query for product data only to one or more seller databases associated with sellers having seller attribute values matching the specified seller attribute criteria, these seller databases being identified by the one or more pointers associated with the selected product class.
Abstract:
An electronic commerce system includes a content enhancement module that analyzes the product data stored in a seller database using one or more rules and that identifies one or more potential errors in the product data according to the rules. The rules include one or more generic rules that apply to substantially all seller databases including product data. These generic rules include one or more of the following rules: a rule indicating that a potential error exists if two products in the seller database have identical product identifiers but have otherwise different product data, a rule indicating that a potential error exists if two products in the seller database have different product identifiers but have otherwise identical product data, and rules indicating that a potential error exists if the values associated with particular generic product attributes have a non-numerical format.
Abstract:
An electronic commerce system (10) includes a content enhancement module (47) that analyzes the product data stored in a seller database (32) using one or more rules and that identifies one or more potential errors in the product data according to the rules. The rules include one or more generic rules that apply to substantially all seller databases (32) including product data. These generic rules include one or more of the following rules: a rule indicating that a potential error exists if two products in the seller database (32) have identical product identifiers but have otherwise different product data, a rule indicating that a potential error exists if two products in the seller database (32) have different product identifiers but have otherwise identical product data, and rules indicating that a potential error exists if the values associated with particular generic product attributes have a non-numerical format.
Abstract:
A system for generating a display of at least one side of a market includes a computer system having one or more computers. The displayed side of the market includes one or more offers from one or more market participants. Each offer includes an offered price and an offered quantity. The computer system receives market data reflecting the one or more offers and generates a display of the received market data. The display includes a price axis, a quantity axis, and one or more offer bars. Each offer bar represents one or more offers including equal offered prices. Placement of an offer bar along the price axis represents the equal offered prices for the one or more offers represented by the offer bar. The height of an offer bar relative to the quantity axis represents the aggregate offered quantity for the one or more offers represented by the offer bar.
Abstract:
A product that is uniquely identifiable according to a globally unique identifier (GUID)(100) includes a class identifier (CID)(110) that uniquely identifies at least one product class in which the product is categorized (along with a plurality of other products) within a class hierarchy of a global content directory (42). The product class defines one or more attributes of the products categorized in the class. The product also includes a product identifier (PID)(120) that uniquely identifies the particular product from among the plurality of products categorized in the product class uniquely identified by the CID (110). The CID (110) and PID (120) collectively provide the GUID (100), which may be specified or determined to facilitate a commercial transaction involving the product.