Abstract:
Secure commerce systems and methods are disclosed. Commercial security is first provided by identity verification via voice authentication using voice similarity analysis, and by a set of random, continually-changing passwords that can be encrypted and uniquely identified with a fictitious and anonymous user name. Each anonymous user name is uniquely associated with a consumer&#39;s real identity that is protected by a set of security measures of a Knowledge Manager (KM), for use with an Anonymous Payment Card (APC) and an Anonymous Internet-email Account. The KM issues a fictitious, “one-time” (e.g. never re-used) APC number and user name to a participating consumer who wishes to attain anonymity, along with a mailing address at a “Ghost Shipping” location, such that packages sent to the consumer can be re-packaged and re-shipped to the consumer without the seller or the shipper knowing the consumer&#39;s real identity.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/675,774, filed Apr. 27, 2005, entitled SECURE COMMERCE SYSTEMS. The subject matter and disclosure of the above-noted application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     With the advent and ubiquity of the Internet, electronic commerce (e-commerce) has substantially replaced many former means of commerce to become the dominant mechanism by which consumers purchase products. Almost anything can be purchased today using an e-commerce platform, including nearly every type of good or service. However, with the increased popularity of e-commerce transactions, the world has seen a dramatic rise in fraud and abuse surrounding these platforms.  
         [0003]     Presumably secure networks or secure processes are constantly and continually compromised, placing at risk the data that is exchanged for e-commerce transactions. This data can include financial data, product data, and particularly, consumer data. All of this data represents information, both raw and derived, that can be assembled to make up what is called “consumer knowledge,” i.e. knowledge about individual consumers or groups of consumers.  
         [0004]     Consumer knowledge can be processed in predictive, analytical or decision-making systems to predict or determine behavioral traits of those consumers, so that individuals or groups can be targeted and uniquely addressed for future commercial transactions. Deplorably, consumer knowledge is also a tool which, in the wrong hands or used for nefarious aims, can inflict great harm on financial and commercial institutions. The abuse of consumer knowledge, without a clear, present solution, is only now being realized.  
         [0005]     Among businesses, there is a range of attitudes regarding the handling of consumer knowledge. Some businesses carefully protect the consumer knowledge they possess. Others simply view it as a marketable business byproduct to be sold to the highest bidder as quickly as possible. A majority of the roughly 75 million non-poverty American households dislike the ever-creeping increases in public availability of their knowledge, and the concomitant, ever-increasing, threat of abuse and personal attack this implies. Thus, there is a present need for a counter-strategy.  
         [0006]     A sharp increase in public and corporate attention to the problem of consumer knowledge abuse will create several opportunities. First, consumers will be looking for a low-effort counter-strategy that will comprehensively “solve the problem” for them; or, at least, move them smartly in the direction of a comprehensive solution. Second, businesses will be looking for a low-effort way to instantaneously address consumer knowledge abuse.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     This document describes Consumer Knowledge Management (CKM) systems, devices and methods that enable consumers to specifically decide, authorize and communicate their instructions for how they wish to be marketed or sold to by authorized companies. To sustain privacy and dignity in e-commerce transactions, these CKM systems, devices and methods provide consumers with a single trusted entity with which to interact, where the entity is configured to provide security to accumulated consumer knowledge.  
         [0008]     In one aspect, security is provided by identity verification, which is accomplished via voice authentication using voice similarity analysis. In another aspect, security is provided by a set of random, continually-changing passwords that can be encrypted and uniquely identified with a fictitious and anonymous user name. Each anonymous user name is uniquely associated with a consumer&#39;s real identity that is protected by a set of security measures of a Knowledge Manager (KM), for use with an Anonymous Payment Card (APC) and an Anonymous Internet-email Account. The KM issues a fictitious, “one-time” (e.g. never re-used) APC number and user name to a participating consumer who wishes to attain anonymity, along with a mailing address at a “Ghost Shipping” location, such that packages sent to the consumer can be re-packaged and re-shipped to the consumer without the seller or the shipper knowing the consumer&#39;s real identity.  
         [0009]     In yet another aspect, consumers input information into a set of “rules” or thresholds, indicating to which payment transactions they wish to be alerted, and a notification method of how they want to be alerted. Various types of payment transactions are categorized and summarized into a summary that provides cardholders with an overall view of their purchase activity (a transaction profile), and that highlights unusual transactions which fall outside of their normal transaction profile. A cardholder decides and communicates certain payment restrictions that block specific types of transactions based on the transaction type, location, merchant type, amount, or any combination thereof.  
         [0010]     In yet another aspect, terms (e.g. interest rate, credit limit, etc.) of a credit arrangement, such as using the APC as a credit card, are dynamically and periodically adjusted (i.e. from month-to-month) based on their then-current risk profile as measured by a predictive credit score such as the FICO® score. The adjustments can also be based on input from the cardholder about which term(s)—e.g. credit limit, interest rate or other features—are to be given higher priority for qualifying for better terms as their risk profile improves.  
         [0011]     The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a consumer knowledge management system.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of a Knowledge Manager system.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a secure commerce process according to an embodiment.  
         [0016]     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     This document describes Consumer Knowledge Management (CKM) systems and methods. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a CKM system  100  includes a Knowledge Manager (KM)  102  that hosts or controls one or more servers  104  and one or more databases  106 . The KM  102  also includes a computer processor  108  that runs various software components for executing business and security processes on consumer knowledge information stored in the database  106 , and for executing business processes with consumers  120  via client computer modules  122  running a browser  123  or similar application communicating with the server(s)  104  over a secure communication network  130  such as the Internet.  
         [0018]     The KM  102  is associated with a KM website  140  that is served to consumers  120  via the one or more servers  104 . The KM website  140  allows consumers  120  to register as CKM participants in a comprehensive line of KM products and services provided by various software components. To become a participant, a consumer  120  accesses the KM website  140  in a registration session to register, as described below. The KM website  140  solicits various basic consumer information from the consumer  120  such as name, address, telephone number, date of birth, etc. The consumer  120  then follows up the registration session with a telephone call to a call center  142 , using a telephone  124  such as a landline or other secure telephone. The telephone call with the call center  142  is recorded at the call center  142  and stored in the database  106 . The recording is accessed from the database  106  and used by the call center  142  during future telephone contacts with the consumer  120  to verify, via voice similarity analysis by a voice analyzer  144  that a person on a telephone call is the actual consumer  120 . The voice analyzer  144  can include hardware and software to record, play, and compare high-fidelity digitized voice files. All calls to the call center  142  can be recorded.  
         [0019]     KM Internet and E-Mail Account  
         [0020]     The KM website registration session includes the following steps. First, a consumer  120  accesses (from their personal or authorized client computer) the KM website  140  from an authorized client computer  122 , such as a personal or work desktop or laptop computer, to begin an encrypted session. During the encrypted session the consumer  120  is asked to reveal consumer knowledge, i.e. information about themselves that will support both the ability of the KM  102  to verify the consumer&#39;s identity, as well as the ability of the KM  102  to properly carry out CKM functions for consumer and (should they wish) for their household.  
         [0021]     Following the on-line registration process, the KM  102  executes an automated verification process of the consumer knowledge that has been provided. If this verification is suspect, no further action is taken and the consumer knowledge information obtained is placed into a file of the database  106  related to suspicious registration attempts. If the consumer  120  re-contacts the call center  144  after not hearing back from the KM  102 , then their registration can be reconsidered on a special-handling basis.  
         [0022]     If the automated verification process is successful, the consumer  120  is sent a hardcopy letter, preferably via U.S. Mail, inviting them to complete their registration by calling the KM  102  using their telephone (i.e. land-line or other secure phone) and, for security and further verification, using Caller-ID. The registration call is audio recorded with very high fidelity, and during the call, a KM Consumer Services Representative (CSR) will ask a number of further questions of the consumer  120  and complete that consumer&#39;s  120  registration. Registration as a KM participant can cost a fee, including an initial fee, and the payment of the fee can be made by the consumer  120  using a credit card or other electronic payment system. The consumer  120  may be asked to give the KM  102  authorization to check the credit of the consumer  120  and the viability of a selected payment mechanism.  
         [0023]     Other automated verification techniques can be applied to further increase confidence that this consumer is indeed the person they claim to be. Finally, all future telephone contacts (which are always required to be calls to the KM  102  by the consumer  120  themselves, from a secure phone connection associated with the consumer  120 ) will be preceded by a brief hold during which the voice analyzer  144  or KM CSR reviews (for a few seconds) the reference tape of the consumer&#39;s  120  voice. The CSR will then greet the consumer (all calls will be recorded and retained for reasonable periods, both for quality control purposes and in case the recording is someday needed in the prosecution of a criminal attempting to impersonate a consumer) and verify that the voice seems to match. Once the registration process is completed, the consumer is thereafter allowed into the inner sanctum of the KM website  140 , i.e. secure web pages that are accessible by registered and verified consumers  120 .  
         [0024]     Once the consumer  120  has become a CKM participant, they are provided with a menu of products and services from which to select from their account on the KM website  140 . These include: registering for a financial attack and identity theft protection and alerting service, purchasing a variety of consumer financial training products, registering to consider authorization of marketing and sales approaches, and authorization of transmittal of selected marketing and sales approaches. A CKM participant can also participate in anonymous electronic commerce products and services, as described more fully below.  
         [0025]     Ghost Service  
         [0026]     The consumer  120  can apply for and participate in a KM ghost service  110 . Consumers  120  who apply for the ghost service  110 , and who meet the requirements for participation, receive an Anonymous Internet/E-mail Account (AIEA) and/or an Anonymous Payment Card (APC). The AIEA allows a consumer  120  to browse the Internet and send/receive e-mail anonymously, while the APC allows the consumer  120  to execute e-commerce transactions via the Internet securely and anonymously. The AIEA includes at least a randomly-generated and fictitious name and e-mail address, while the APC includes at least a randomly-generated and fictitious name, payment card number, and shipping address. The AIEA can be provided together or separately.  
         [0027]     Each time the consumer  120  logs onto the KM website  140  or onto their e-mail account  141  (accomplished by first going to the KM website  140 ), the ghost service  110  randomly generates a unique, fictitious, and single-use name, payment card number, shipping address, and e-mail return address (“ghost account information”). For example, a ghost e-mail address is generated by an e-mail address generator  136 . The ghost account information changes upon each new session by the consumer  120 , however, e-mail that has been addressed to all previsou ghost e-mail addresses of that consumer  120  can be accumulated in a file in the database  106  and accessible by that ghost service participant consumer  106 .  
         [0028]     Each time a ghost service participant visits their account at the KM website  140 , they are issued a new virtual computer  150 , a software module executed in the KM  102  and operated remotely through the consumer&#39;s client computer  122 . The virtual computer  150  provides web-based services such as software tools  152 , including utilities and applications (e.g. Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, Reader, and Photoshop, etc.), and is associated with a disk file  156  for storing the utility and application software  152  and  154 , files (program files and data files) and web-pages. The disk file  156  can be a separate memory structure than the database  106 , or reside within the database  106 .  
         [0029]     Consumer-defined software configuration information (i.e. user setup data) is also stored in the disk file  156 . Each time a new session is started, only the software tools  152  are started, based on the configuration information. All other programs (e.g., virus programs, worms, pop-ups, banners, trojans, downloads, applets, etc.) are completely purged and discarded at the end of each prior session. Only program files created and stored by the user are allowed to be accessed by any running program from the consumer&#39;s  120  disk file  156 . These safeguards, along with a firewall  154  at the interface to the Internet or secure communication network  130 , minimize a probability of the consumer&#39;s  120  computer  122  being successfully attacked and the associated consumer knowledge compromised.  
         [0030]     The virtual computer  150  used by the ghost service participant is automatically “discarded” at the end of each session. Also, the participant can optionally, at any time, start a new session and/or purge their disk file  156  by simply pushing a button on their computer or on a graphical user interface associated with their computer. This immediately provides them with a completely “fresh” virtual computer  150  and/or disk file  156 .  
         [0031]     The virtual computer  150  can include a restriction where the only information that is ever routed back to the ghost participant&#39;s client computer  122  are copies of the “screen” or graphical user interface of the virtual computer  150 . Downloads, file transfers (FTPs), etc. are not allowed because there is presently no way to make such entities safe for the client computer  122 . If downloads are needed by the consumer  120 , these can be obtained directly via the client computer  122  and browser  123  from the desired website, and outside of the virtual computer  150 .  
         [0032]     Anonymous Payment Card  
         [0033]     A ghost service participant can shop online for products and services using their APC. The APC uses an account number randomly generated by a payment mechanism number generator  134 . The account number can look like a standard payment mechanism account number (i.e. 16 digit credit card number), but may take any form, to include any alphanumeric characters or symbols. Charges made to the APC are immediately debited by a credit manager  160  of the KM  102  against an existing credit card or other electronic payment mechanism provided by a credit issuer  128  and specified by the consumer  120 . The existing credit card or other electronic payment mechanism can also be issued to the consumer  120  by the KM  102 , where the KM  102  is effectively the credit issuer  128 . Although the charges made against the APC show up on a monthly bill or other electronic payment statement provided by the credit issuer  128 , these charges may list the KM  102  as the seller.  
         [0034]     Charges made against the APC can be acquired by another credit issuer  128  under terms of an agreement with the KM  102 . The details of these charges are secured by the KM  102  as part of its CKM responsibility. Preferably, the APC is embodied as a card device such as a credit or debit card. However, the APC may also be embodied as any other type of electronic payment mechanism.  
         [0035]     The APC is issued to consumers  120  who qualify. Charges to the APC are immediately debited by the credit manager  160  against the payment mechanism that the consumer has designated when joining. Thus, payment to the KM  102  is immediate and assured, mitigating any risk for the KM  102 . The name associated with the APC is a contrived name generated by a fictitious name generator  132 . For example, a consumer  120  might be assigned the name “Pluto Chicago.” These names can be selected from a database of component words that are familiar and easy to remember, but which are unlikely to occur together as names of real people.  
         [0036]     With each renewal of the APC, or logon to the KM website, a list of false addresses as generated by a shipping address generator  138  is sent to the consumer  120 . If needed, more addresses can be obtained by the consumer  120  at any time from the shipping address generator via the KM website  140 . Each address is used only once and is then removed from the list of generated addresses. A predetermined fee can be charged periodically to the consumer  120  for use of the APC. Further, a nominal surcharge can be charged on all transactions executed by the APC.  
         [0037]     The APC will have a salutary effect on Internet-based e-commerce. Consumers can buy products and services from almost any Internet source, in a totally secure manner. The KM  102 , via the credit manager  160 , can implement a number of payment policies. For example, payment authorization can be withdrawn by the credit manager  160  in the event that a shipment is not made within a predetermined time, i.e. 24 hours, after a card is debited. Additionally, with the cooperation of a parcel tracking service of a carrier  190  such as UPS or FedEX, the KM  102  can include a tracking module  162  configured to track shipment of a parcel and whether a parcel was in fact shipped by the merchant to the consumer  120  whose electronic payment mechanism has been debited.  
         [0038]     The APC does not compete with any existing credit card or other electronic payment mechanism. It has a very low balance limit (i.e. essentially zero), since the KM  102  immediately debits the consumer&#39;s registered electronic payment mechanism after every transaction. Also, use of the APC will often significantly increase the usage of the consumer&#39;s  120  registered electronic payment mechanism, since the consumer will be making more purchases via the Internet. Further, use of the APC will open up new opportunities for credit issuers  128  such as banks and companies in many other industries, such as insurance, retail sales, retail product manufacturing, pharmas, etc., to more accurately and inexpensively cross-sell to consumers since the KM  102  has panoramic access to knowledge about the consumer  120  and, assuming the consumer  120  gives their permission, can act as a high-success-rate ‘matchmaker’ between merchants and consumers  120 .  
         [0039]     Anonymous Shipping/Mailing  
         [0040]     When a ghost service participant consumer makes an online or telephone purchase using their APC, they can opt to have the merchandise shipped to them anonymously using a ghost shipping service supplier (GSSS), essentially a carrier  190  under a ghost service contract with the KM  102 . To do this, the consumer  120  provides an online merchant  192  with their ghost account information (i.e. KM-generated one-time, single-use fictitious name, address, and APC account number). Purchase authorization is carried out by KM  102  affiliates in communication with the KM  102 , or via the credit manager  160 .  
         [0041]     In an exemplary embodiment, the KM  102  contracts with one or more carriers  190  to physically deliver parcels to consumers  120 . When a parcel containing the merchandise reaches a hub of a GSSS, the fictitious consumer name and consumer address are securely converted to the consumer&#39;s  120  actual name and preferred shipping address. In a particular embodiment, the GSSS communicates with the KM via a secure, preferably high bandwidth, connection. The GSSS transmits the ghost account information to the computer processor  108  of the KM  102 . The computer processor  108  includes a mapping module  109  that maps the data of the ghost account information to the consumer&#39;s actual name and preferred shipping address, which is transmitted back to a relabeling machine (not shown) at the hub of the GSSS. Then, the relabeling machine pastes on an overlabel with the actual name and preferred shipping address. The ghost shipping service eliminates all release of consumer knowledge to on-line merchants—thereby eliminating a major avenue of financial attack and consumer knowledge abuse.  
         [0042]     Ghost service participants can roam the Internet and send and receive e-mail anonymously. Ghost service accounts are accorded high-level, advanced security protection, as well as additional specific privacy safeguards, including the purging of any consumer identification information from all outgoing transmissions (unless overridden by the consumer themselves). Ghost participants who desire an even higher level of protection can obtain an encryption disk (preferably in the form of a DVD or CD-ROM) that includes truly random, constantly-changing passwords, which are uniquely created for a consumer  120  using a true random noise source. This disk, which can be replaced every time the consumer&#39;s  120  usage of the last disk brings it close to the point where security could be compromised, ensures that, short of direct tapping of their computer, all communications between the consumer and their KM account are secure from eavesdropping and intercept.  
         [0043]     The KM  102  can be configured to charge some ghost service participants a monthly fee for the services and products they use. Alternatively, the KM  102  can be configured to enable consumers  120  to choose to allow release of precisely specified knowledge about them to precisely defined classes of users of that knowledge in return for a reduction, or in some cases, elimination of their monthly fees.  
         [0044]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of a CKM system  200  illustrating a hierarchy of services provided by an alternative embodiment of a CKM system  200 . The CKM system  200  includes a KM  202 . The KM  202  is configured to provide secure e-commerce by providing a ghost service  204 , an anonymous payment card (APC) service  206 , and an anonymous shipping (AS) service  208 .  
         [0045]     Functionally speaking, the ghost service  204  includes a virtual computer  210  that provides anonymous internet access  212  and anonymous e-mail  214 . The anonymous internet access  212  enables access by a consumer to any web page or web site via the virtual computer  210 , where the identity of the consumer or their personal computer is not known by the accessed web page or web site. The anonymous e-mail  214  provides a fictitious e-mail account via the virtual computer  210  to enable e-mail communication by the consumer to any other e-mail account via the virtual computer  210 , thereby keeping the consumer anonymous.  
         [0046]     The APC service  206  provides an APC number  220 , which is randomly generated and mapped to an actual payment mechanism account number provided by a consumer. The APC service  206  uses the APC number  220  to issue credit and make purchases on behalf of the consumer so that the consumer need not use their own actual payment mechanism account number. The APC service  206  also provides a fictitious name  222 , so that the actual name of the consumer is not revealed during such purchases and the consumer remains anonymous.  
         [0047]     The GS service  208  provides ghost shipping  218  of any purchased goods so that the actual address and actual name of a consumer is not revealed. The ghost shipping  218  uses the fictitious name  222  (either the same fictitious name used for the APC service  206  or a different fictitious name), as well as a fictitious address  224 . The fictitious name  222  and fictitious address  224  can be used by a merchant and selected carrier to ship products to the consumer, where en route the fictitious name  222  and fictitious address  224  are mapped by the ghost shipping  218  to a consumer&#39;s actual name and preferred receipt address. Accordingly, the merchant will not know the consumer&#39;s actual name and address.  
         [0048]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a secure e-commerce process  300  that can be executed by a knowledge manager (KM). At  302 , the KM receives consumer logon information, such as name, address, actual payment mechanism information (credit/debit card number), and other validating information such as birth date, social security number, etc. At  304 , the KM generates fictitious consumer information, such as a fictitious and randomly or semi-randomly-generated name, address, account number, and e-mail address.  
         [0049]     At  306 , the KM uses at least a portion of the fictitious consumer information to generate an anonymous internet account and virtual computer, with which to conduct online activities  310  such as using applications, e-commerce, web “surfing,” and e-mailing, all using the fictitious consumer information. With the anonymous internet account, or independently, the KM uses at least the fictitious name and a fictitious account number to generate an anonymous payment card, at  308 . The anonymous payment card is used to execute payment transactions  312  on e-commerce activity, so that the consumer&#39;s actual information is neither known by a merchant nor used in the e-commerce activity.  
         [0050]     At  314 , the KM generates a fictitious shipping address and fictitious consumer name, for use in shipping any purchased goods to the actual consumer anonymously and securely. At  316 , the KM maps any fictitious consumer information to the associated actual consumer information, as necessary. For instance, if the consumer has made a purchase with the anonymous payment card, at  308  and  312 , the KM will map the anonymous payment card number to an actual payment mechanism account number provided by the consumer. Or, a shipment via the fictitious shipping information is mapped to a consumer&#39;s actual name and actual desired receiving address. Accordingly, all Internet transactions and e-commerce are handled securely and/or anonymously for a consumer by the KM.  
         [0051]     The KM and the communication scenarios described herein, and their various modifications, are not limited to use with any particular hardware and/or software; they may find applicability in any computing or processing environment and with any type of machine that is capable of running machine-readable instructions. All or part of the KM or the communication scenarios can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations thereof.  
         [0052]     All or part of the KM or the communication scenarios can be implemented as a computer program product, i.e., a computer program tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine-readable storage device or in a propagated signal, for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers. A computer program can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.  
         [0053]     Method steps associated with the KM can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform the functions of the KM. The method steps can also be performed by, and the KM can be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) and/or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).  
         [0054]     Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only storage area or a random access storage area or both. Elements of a computer include a processor for executing instructions and one or more storage area devices for storing instructions and data.  
         [0055]     Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from, or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. Information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile storage area, including by way of example, semiconductor storage area devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash storage area devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.  
         [0056]     All or part of the KM, the communication scenarios or the CKM system can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component, e.g., as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, e.g., an application server, or that includes a front-end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation of the KM or the communication scenarios, or any combination of such back-end, middleware, or front-end components. The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, e.g., a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a LAN and a WAN, e.g., the Internet.  
         [0057]     Method steps associated with the KM or process  300  can be rearranged and/or one or more such steps can be omitted to achieve the same, or similar, results to those described herein. The KM or the communication scenarios may be fully automated, meaning that it operate without user intervention, or interactive, meaning that all or part of the KM or the communication scenarios may include some user intervention.  
         [0058]     Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. The logic flows described herein do not require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results.