Abstract:
A system and method is disclosed for integrating a trading partner into an XML based Internet. The system is operable to access the Internet to register a business name with one or more XML naming systems and register a business name with one or more XML naming systems. The system is further operable to receive an XML based address from the one or more XML naming systems. The system is still further operable to assign the XML based address to an authoritative XML naming system and map the XML based address to the Internet.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present invention is related to that disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/911,942, filed 16 Apr. 2007, entitled “BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE”. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/911,942 is assigned to the assignee of the present application. The subject matter disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/911,942 is hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure as if fully set forth herein. The present invention hereby claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/911,942. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to communications systems, and more particularly to a business-to-business internet infrastructure. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    As the commercial significance of the Internet increases, business-to-consumer (“B2C”), business-to-business (“B2B”), and other electronic trading networks have become increasingly more prevalent. Each electronic trading network typically involves a set of users or trading partners (such as, for example, individuals, organizations, businesses, or electronic marketplaces) that communicate among themselves in order to complete business transactions. 
         [0004]    However, in a typical electronic trading network, business transactions are restricted to users or trading partners who are subscribed to that network. That is, the electronic trading network limits the availability of business transactions to only those users or trading partners who are subscribed to that network. Consequently, this limits the commercial success of a user or trading partner associated with an electronic trading network, by minimizing the presence and availability of the user or trading partner to a specified trading network. This inability to provide a user or trading partner with the ability to conduct business transactions on a larger scale like, for example, the Internet is undesirable. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A system for integrating a trading partner into an XML based Internet is disclosed. The system is operable to access the Internet to register a business name with one or more XML naming systems and register a business name with one or more XML naming systems. The system is further operable to receive an XML based address from the one or more XML naming systems. The system is further operable to assign the XML based address to an authoritative XML naming system and map the XML based address to the Internet. 
         [0006]    A method for integrating a trading partner into an XML based Internet is also disclosed. The method provides for accessing the Internet to register a business name with one or more XML naming systems and registering a business name with one or more XML naming systems. The method further provides for receiving an XML based address from the one or more XML naming systems. The method further provides for assigning the XML based address to an authoritative XML naming system and map the XML based address to the Internet. 
         [0007]    Software for ration integrating a trading partner into an XML based Internet is also disclosed. The software is operable to access the Internet to register a business name with one or more XML naming systems and register a business name with one or more XML naming systems. The software is further operable to receive an XML based address from the one or more XML naming systems. The software is further operable to assign the XML based address to an authoritative XML naming system and map the XML based address to the Internet. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary Business-to-Business network according to a preferred embodiment; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates the Internet of  FIG. 1  in greater detail in accordance with the preferred embodiment; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary method for Business-to-Business integration across the Internet. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Reference will now be made to the following detailed description of the preferred and alternate embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention provides many inventive concepts and novel features, that are merely illustrative, and are not to be construed as restrictive. Accordingly, the specific embodiments discussed herein are given by way of example and do not limit the scope of the present invention. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary business-to-business (B2B) network  100  according to a preferred embodiment. B2B network  100  comprises one or more users  110   a - 110   n , one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n , Internet  130 , and communication links  132   a - 132   n  and  134   a - 134   n . Although one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n , are shown and described, embodiments contemplate any number of users  110   a - 110   n  and/or any number of business entities  120   a - 120   n , according to particular needs. In addition, or as an alternative, one or more users  110   a - 110   n  may be integral to or separate from the hardware and/or software of any one of the one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n.    
         [0014]    In one embodiment, one or more users  110   a - 110   n  may include individuals, organizations, businesses, enterprises, customers, suppliers, or any other entity that communicates with and conducts business transactions with, one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n , or with any other entity. In another embodiment, one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  may include trading partners, such as individuals, organizations, businesses, enterprises, customers, suppliers, electronic marketplaces or any other entity that communicates with and/or conducts business transactions with, one or more users  110   a - 110   n , one or more other business entities  120   a - 120   n , or with any other entities. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, B2B network  100  may provide a network of business communities (i.e., one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n ) using extensible markup language (XML) based routing. That is, B2B network  100 , communicates using an XML connector and by routing various XML packets, rather than using traditional Internet Protocol (IP) based routing. In addition, or as an alternative, B2B network  100  may utilize the metadata about the various XML packets to facilitate the sharing of structured data and applications across Internet  130 . 
         [0016]    B2B network  100  may operate on one or more computers that may be integral to or separate from the hardware and/or software that support one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n . These one or more computers may include any suitable input device, such as a keypad, mouse, touch screen, microphone, or other device to input information. In addition, these one or more computers may include any suitable output device that may convey information associated with the operation of B2B network  100 , including digital or analog data, visual information, or audio information. Furthermore, these one or more computers may include fixed or removable storage media, such as magnetic computer disks, CD-ROM, or other suitable media to receive output from and provide input to B2B network  100 . In addition, these one or more computers may include one or more processors and associated memory to execute instructions and manipulate information according to the operation of B2B network  100 . 
         [0017]    In addition, or as an alternative, one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  may each operate on one or more separate computers or may operate on one or more shared computers. Each of these one or more computers may be a work station, personal computer (PC), network computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless data port, or any other suitable computing device. In another embodiment, one or more users may be associated with one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n . These one or more users may include, for example, a “user” handling business transactions and/or one or more related tasks within B2B network  100 . In addition, or as an alternative, these one or more users within B2B network  100  may include, for example, one or more computers programmed to autonomously handle business transactions and/or one or more related tasks within B2B network  100 . 
         [0018]    In one embodiment, one or more users  110   a - 110   n  may be coupled to Internet  130  using communications link  132   a - 132   n , which may be any wireline, wireless, or other link suitable to support data communications between one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and Internet  130  during operation of B2B network  100 . One or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  may be coupled to Internet  130  using communications links  134   a - 134   n , which may be any wireline, wireless, or other link suitable to support data communications between one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  and Internet  130  during operation of B2B network  100 . Although communication links  132   a - 132   n  and  134   a - 134   n  are shown as generally coupling one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  to Internet  130 , one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  may communicate directly with each other, according to particular needs. 
         [0019]    In another embodiment, Internet  130  may include any appropriate local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANS), or wide area networks (WANs) coupling one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n . For example, data may be maintained by one or more users  110   a - 110   n  at one or more locations external to one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  and made available to one or more associated users of one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  using Internet  130  or in any other appropriate manner. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the complete structure and operation of communication Internet  130  and other components within B2B network  100  are not depicted or described. Embodiments may be employed in conjunction with known communications networks and other components. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates Internet  130  of  FIG. 1  in greater detail in accordance with the preferred embodiment. Internet  130  comprises one or more XML naming systems  210 , one or more authentication authorities  220 , one or more Internet data centers  230 , one or more electronic point of presence (ePOP&#39;s)  240   a - 240   n , and one or more edge caching servers  250   a - 250   n . Although one or more XML naming systems  210 , one or more authentication authorities  220 , one or more Internet data centers  230 , one or more ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n , and one or more edge caching servers  250   a - 250   n , are shown and described, embodiments contemplate any number of XML naming systems  210 , any number of authentication authorities  220 , any number of Internet data centers  230 , any number of ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n , and/or any number of edge caching servers  250   a - 250   n , according to particular needs. 
         [0021]    In addition, or as an alternative, one or more XML naming system  210 , one or more authentication authorities  220 , one or more Internet data centers  230 , one or more ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n , and one or more edge caching servers  250   a - 250   n , of Internet  130  are shown and described as providing particular functionality and processing capabilities. The particular number and arrangement of one or more XML naming system  210 , one or more authentication authorities  220 , one or more Internet data centers  230 , one or more ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n , and one or more edge caching servers  250   a - 250   n  are for illustrative purposes only. Other arrangements, configurations, relationships, or processing may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the present invention. Each of the one or more XML naming system  210 , one or more authentication authorities  220 , one or more Internet data centers  230 , one or more ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n , and one or more edge caching servers  250   a - 250   n  may be separate from one another, or may be integrated with one another, according to particular needs. 
         [0022]    As discussed above, one or more computers associated with one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  may include input devices, output devices, mass storage media, processors, memory, or other components for receiving, processing, storing, and communicating information according to the operation of B2B network  100 . In addition, or as an alternative, one or more XML naming systems  210 , one or more authentication authorities  220 , one or more Internet data centers  230 , one or more ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n , and one or more edge caching servers  250   a - 250   n  may also each operate on one or more separate computers or may operate on one or more shared computers. Each of these one or more computers may also include input devices, output devices, mass storage media, processors, memory, or other components for receiving, processing, storing, and communicating information according to the operation of B2B network  100 . 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, one or more XML naming systems  210  may comprise one or more servers and/or one or more databases, which may be local to or remote from XML naming system  210 . In addition, or as an alternative, one or more XML naming systems  210  may provide for translating a business name (i.e., human-readable business names) associated with one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  into an XML based address, wherein the XML based address may be independent of the physical routing hierarchy represented by the XML based address. In another embodiment, one or more XML naming systems  210  may distribute the responsibility for assigning XML based addresses and for mapping the XML based addresses to B2B network  100  by allowing an authoritative XML naming system  210  for each XML based address to keep track any changes. As an example only, and not by way of limitation, each XML based address may be associated with one or more XML naming systems  210  that may publish information about that XML based address and the one or more XML naming systems  210  based on a hierarchical relationship. 
         [0024]    In accordance with the principles of embodiments, one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  may register its business name with one of the one or more XML naming systems  210  such that, one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more other business entities  120   a - 120   n  may communicate with and/or conduct business transactions with, these one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n . Among other things, these one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  are not dependent on a dedicated exchange like in some prior art hub and spoke models that limit the availability of business transactions, to only those users or trading partners who are subscribed to the particular dedicated exchange. 
         [0025]    In one embodiment, one or more authentication authorities  220  may provide security through, for example, certification, authentication, and tunneling protocols for Internet  130 . For example, one or more authentication authorities  220  may provide an agency based system, in which certification is granted or denied based on various agency rules and/or criteria. In addition, or as an alternative, once the one or more authentication authorities  220  grant a certificate, the certificate may reside in an XML connector associated with one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n , as discussed in more detail below. 
         [0026]    In another embodiment, authentication associated with one or more authentication authorities  220  may provide validation for one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n . For example, a trading partner, who is seeking to communicate with and/or conduct business transactions with one or more other users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more other business entities  120   a - 120   n , may validate if the other trading partner is valid entity. In another embodiment, one or more tunneling protocols associated with authentication authorities  220  may provide security for a transport payload (i.e., one network protocol) associated with one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n , that may be encapsulated within a different delivery protocol. In addition, or as an alternative, these tunneling protocols may also carry a payload over an incompatible delivery network (i.e., Internet  130 ) or provide a secure path through an untrusted network (i.e., Internet  130 ). In addition, tunneling protocols may use data encryption to transport insecure payload protocols over Internet  130 , thereby providing a secure transport of XML data associated with one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  over Internet  130 . 
         [0027]    In one embodiment, one or more internet data centers  230  may provide a remote computing center for running joint applications between trading partners (i.e., one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n ). In addition, or as an alternative, one or more internet data centers  230  may operate on demand, that is, there may be a plurality of grid computing sectors within the one or more internet data centers  230 , wherein each of the plurality of grid computing sectors may be at an “idle” capacity until a joint application is requested to run on these plurality of grid computing sectors. In addition, one or more internet data centers  230  may comprise a dynamic cluster management system for dynamic load balancing of the plurality of grid computing sectors. 
         [0028]    In one embodiment, one or more ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n  may provide a point of presence at various locations across Internet  130  for conducting business transactions and/or running joint applications between trading partners (i.e., one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n ). In addition, or as an alternative, one or more ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n  may comprise one or more Internet data centers  230  or any other server and/or database for conducting business transactions and/or running joint applications, according to particular needs. In addition, one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  may inform another trading partner, that a business transaction may be conducted and/or a joint application may be run at a particular one of these one or more ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n . In this manner, the trading partners (i.e., one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n ) may transmit their particular data and/or applications to be run at the particular one of the one or more ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n . Accordingly, once the joint applications are run at one of the one or more ePOP&#39;s  240   a - 240   n , acknowledgement may be sent back to each trading partner (i.e., one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n ). 
         [0029]    Embodiments may also provide for distributing content (i.e., data and applications) from a local server associated with one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  to one or more edge caching servers  250   a - 250   n  that may be closer to a particular trading partner, (i.e., nearer the “edge” or at the periphery of Internet  130 ). As an example only, and not by way of limitation, one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  may communicate with one or more XML naming systems  210  to resolve an XML based address, the one or more XML naming systems  210  may respond with the closest edge caching server  250   a - 250   n , to the trading partner. Thereafter, the data and/or applications may then be dynamically cached on the closest edge caching server  250   a - 250   n , unless it has already been cached from another trading partner&#39;s traffic. 
         [0030]    In addition, or as an alternative, a local XML naming system resolver and a local XML cache may also reside within one or more client applications for resolving an XML based address. In addition, these one or more client applications may be, for example, web-browsers, mail-clients, and other Internet applications associated with one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n . To further explain the operation of the local XML naming system resolver residing within the one or more client applications, an example is now given. In the following example, one or more client applications associated with one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n  may make a request for resolving an XML based address. The one or more client applications may make this request to one or more XML naming systems  210  that may be defined in the one or more client applications settings. Once the one or more client applications local XML naming system resolver knows where the trading partners server associated with the authoritative XML naming system  210  is, it may make a XML naming system request for the XML based address of the desired trading partner. Thereafter, the trading partner&#39;s authoritative XML naming system  210  may return the XML based address of several of one or more ePOPs  240   a - 240   n.    
         [0031]    Continuing with this example, the one or more client applications local XML naming system resolver may make a XML naming system request for the XML based address of the desired trading partner. The one or more ePOPs  240   a - 240   n  may make a determination of which is the best of the one or more ePOPs  240   a - 240   n  to service this request and may return the XML based address. The XML based address may be this particular one or the one or more ePOPs  240   a - 240   n , another one of the one or more ePOPs  240   a - 240   n , or any of the one or more ePOPs  240   a - 240   n , according to particular needs. The one or more client applications local XML naming system resolver may then return the XML based address to the one or more client applications. The one or more client applications may make the XML request of the origin trading partner server. The trading partner server may respond with the requested object. Although, an exemplary process is described for resolving an XML based address, embodiments contemplate any suitable process or combination of processes, according to particular needs. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary method  300  for B2B integration across Internet  130 . The method begins at step  302 , where a trading partner (i.e., one or more users  110   a - 110   n  and/or one or more business entities  120   a - 120   n ) may access Internet  130  via one or more communication links  134   a - 134   n  based on a viral adoption model. At step  304 , the trading partner may communicate with one or more XML naming systems  210  to register a business name, into an XML based address. In addition, as discussed above, one or more XML naming systems  210  may distribute the responsibility for assigning XML based addresses and for mapping the XML based addresses to B2B network  100  by allowing an authoritative XML naming system  210  for each XML based address to keep track any changes. 
         [0033]    At step  306 , the trading partner may receive an XML based address, wherein, as discussed above, the XML based address may be independent of the physical routing hierarchy represented by the XML based address. At step  308 , the trading partner may communicate with one or more authentication authorities  220  to provide security for traversing across Internet  130 . In addition, as discussed above, one or more authentication authorities  220  may provide an agency based system, in which certification is granted or denied based on various agency rules and/or criteria. At step  310 , the trading partner may receive the certificate, wherein the trading partner may store the certificate in an XML connector associated with the trading partner. 
         [0034]    At step  312 , the trading partner may embed documents into an XML document (i.e., XML packet), including the XML connector, using an electronic data exchange, such as for example, an electronic data interchange (EDI). Although, an example electronic data exchange is described, embodiments contemplate any electronic data exchange for transferring structured data by, for example, message standards between trading partners across Internet  130 . In addition, or as an alternative, the XML document (i.e., XML packet) may comprise metadata. The XML document may comprise information about the embedded documents associated with the trading partner, including information about the information. In addition, the metadata may also comprise pointers that provide hyperlinks, and the like to additional information about particular data. 
         [0035]    Reference in the foregoing specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “another embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
         [0036]    While the exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes and modifications to the foregoing embodiments may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.