(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2005/0102227 A1
`
`Solonchev
`(43) Pub. Date:
`May 12, 2005
`
`US 20050102227A1
`
`(54) ELECTRONIC COMMERCE METHOD AND
`SYSTEM UTILIZING INTEGRATION
`SERVER
`
`(76)
`
`Inventor: Aleksey Solonchev, Torrance, CA (US)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`ALEKSEY SOLONCHEV
`21010 ANZA AVE #28
`TORRANCE, CA 90503 (US)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`10/605,949
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Nov. 9, 2003
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.7 ..................................................... G06F 17/60
`
`(52) US. Cl.
`
`................................................. 705/39; 705/27
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An electronic commerce system integrating plurality of
`content provider servers with plurality of merchant servers
`having integration server communicating request for com-
`mercial transaction to at least one merchant server,
`thus
`enabling the user of the client computer connected to the
`content provider server to initiate commercial transactions to
`at least one merchant server Without being redirected to the
`merchant server away from the content provider server. The
`system increases customer retention on the content provider
`server, thereby increasing incentive for content providers to
`join the commerce system, thereby increasing the number of
`sites advertising products offered by merchants. The system
`also simplifies integration of multitude of servers, thereby
`reducing cost and time required for such integration.
`
`10
`
`10
`
`10
`
`
`
` Client Computer
`
`Client Computer
`
`\
`
`
`
`
`
`Client Computer
` Client Computer
`
`20
`
`Content Provider Server
`
`
`Content Provider Server
`
`
`30
`
`integration Server
`
`
`
`
`40
`
`Merchant Server
`
`Merchant Server
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 001
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication May 12, 2005 Sheet 1 0f 8
`
`US 2005/0102227 A1
`
`10
`
`‘10
`
`1O
`
`10
`
`\
`
`Client Computer
`
`Client Computer
`
`Client Computer
`
`Client Computer
`
`
`
`
`
`50
`50
`
`20
`
`20
`
`Content Provider Server
`
`Content Provider Server
`
`52
`
`52
`
`integration Server
`
`Merchant Server
`
`Merchant Server
`
`40
`
`Fig. 1
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 002
`
`

`

`103
`
`10b
`
`20
`
`
`
`Client Computer
`
`Content Provider Server
`
`
`Interface Layer
`
`
`Web Browser
`
`
`21 a
`
`
`Application 110
`
`
`
`Interface Layer
`Web Server 2 0
`
`&
`Ciient Computer
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Interface Layer
`Server Appiication
`210i;
`.122
`
`Data Cache
`Server Application
`
`
`&
`£9
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`8J0zmussooz‘21KmHormoriqndHormaiiddvmama
`
`Integration Server
`
`30
`
`Data Format
`22.0
`
`
`
`Fig. 2
`
`IVLZZZOIO/SOOZSfl
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 003
`
`

`

`Server
`
`
`Web Server egg
`
`interface Layer
`34g
`
`Sen/er Application
`3_5Q
`
`Database 3251
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`8J09mussooz‘21KmnormallqndHormiiddvmama
`
`40
`
`Merchant Server
`
`Data Format
`$1.0
`
`
`
`30
`
`Integration Server
`
`Content Provider
`
`Interface Layer
`em
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Fig. 3
`
`IVLZZZOIO/SOOZSfl
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 004
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication May 12, 2005 Sheet 4 0f 8
`
`US 2005/0102227 A1
`
`Fig.4
`
`
`
`
`E~cemmerceServerAppiicatéon
`
`
`WebServer430
`
`MerchantServer
`
`
`
`
`InterfaceLayer 1
`40
`
`
`
`
`integrationServer
`
`30
`
`40
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 005
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication May 12, 2005 Sheet 5 0f 8
`
`US 2005/0102227 A1
`
`510
`
`
`Request for catalog
`received by Content
`Provider Server
`
` Contains
`
`authentication
`ticket?
`
`No
`
`Access denied
`
`520
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Yes
`
`Extract Request
`parameters
`
`Search in the Data
`Cache
`
`525
`
`530
`
`All
`
`
`
`Request for catalog
`
`received by Integration Server
`
`550
`
`No
`
`Contains
`authentication
`ticket?
`
`545
`
`555
`
`Access denied
`
`
`
`
`
`
`requested data
`Send Request to
`Search Database
`
`
`
`
`found in
`integration Server
`No
`
`
`
`
`cache?
`
`
` Send data to
`
`Content Provider
`
`Server
`
`Receive data from
`
`integration Server
`
`
`
`Send data to
`requesting Client
`Computer
`
`Fig. 5
`
`560
`
`565
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 006
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication May 12, 2005 Sheet 6 0f 8
`
`US 2005/0102227 A1
`
`610
`
`Request for commercial
`transaction received by
`Content Provider Server
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Contains
`authentication
`ticket?
`
`
`No
`
`Access denied
`
`Yes
`
`625
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Contains
`
`at? data required for
`transaction?
`
`
`
`Yes
`
`No
`
`Retern Error
`
`message
`
`620
`
`630
`
`635
`
`640
`
`645
`
`650
`
`Communicate Request
`to integz'atton Server
`
`Receive Response from
`Integration Sewer
`
`
`
`Register resuit of the
`transaction
`
`Send Response to
`requesting Client
`Computer
`
`Fig. 6
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 007
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication May 12, 2005 Sheet 7 0f 8
`
`US 2005/0102227 A1
`
`710
`
`Access denied
`
`720
`
`730
`
`Request for commercial
`transaction received by
`integration Server
`
`Contains
`
`authentication
`No
`ticket?
`
`
`
`
`
`
`all data required for
`
`
`transaction?
`
`Yes
`
`Contains
`
`725
`
`No
`
`
`Return Error
`
`message
`
`
`735
`
`740
`
`
`
`Yes
`
`identify Merchant Servers
`selected for transaction
`
`Create separate transaction
`request for each Merchant
`Server
`
`755
`
`
`
`
`Communicate transaction
`Servers 760
`requests to Merchant
`Ail Merchant
`Servers approve?
`
`
`Return “Change
`
`order” message
`
`Receive responses from
`Y
`:5
`
`
`Merchant Sewers
`
`Execute transactions
`
`770
`
`
`
`Register result of each
`.
`transaction
`
`Yes
`
`775
`
`780
`
`785
`
`Atlocate credits for
`successful transactions
`
`Create combined response
`for Content Provider Server
`
`Send response to Content
`Provider Server
`
`Fig. 7
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 008
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication May 12, 2005 Sheet 8 0f 8
`
`US 2005/0102227 A1
`
`810
`
`Request for commercial
`transaction received by
`Merchant Server
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Contains
`authentication
`ticket?
`
`
`No
`
`Yes
`
`Contains
`
`825
`
`
`
`
`
`820
`
`830
`
`Access denied
`
`Return Error
`
`message
`
`No
`
`835
`
`840
`
`
`
`
`
`
`all data required for
`transaction?
`
`Yes
`
`Verify payment
`
`Check inventory
`
`is transaction
`possibie?
`
`850
`
`
`Return faiied
`
`transaction
`message
`
`
`NO
`
`Yes
`
`855
`
`860
`
`
`
`Execute transaction
`
`
`
`Send Response to
`Integration Server
`
`Fig. 8
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 009
`
`

`

`US 2005/0102227 A1
`
`May 12, 2005
`
`ELECTRONIC COMMERCE METHOD AND
`SYSTEM UTILIZING INTEGRATION SERVER
`
`BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
`
`[0001] The invention relates to systems for the purchase of
`goods and services over a communications network. More
`specifically,
`the invention is a method and apparatus for
`seamlessly integrating plurality of content provider servers
`with plurality of merchant servers into an electronic com-
`merce system.
`
`[0002] One of the primary applications of the Internet is
`electronic shopping, i.e. the purchase of goods and services,
`i.e. products. Virtually every major commercial “bricks and
`mortar” merchant has established a Web site for the show-
`
`case and sale of their products. Further many manufacturers
`sell products directly over the Web. Finally, a plethora of
`on-line merchants, not previously existing in the bricks and
`mortar world, have come into existence. As a result, virtually
`every product is available for purchase over the Web from a
`plurality of merchants.
`
`[0003] However, the inability for the various merchants to
`get out the message on their products and services effec-
`tively or efficiently leaves the merchant’s corresponding
`Web sites largely unknown to the potential customers.
`
`In an attempt to rectify this problem, there has been
`[0004]
`an effort to expand customer knowledge of various mer-
`chant’s on the web by use of traditional advertising that is
`adapted to web technology. For example, the use of glossy
`banner ads touting a product has now become reasonably
`common at a number of popular sites. These banners com—
`bine graphics and text into an appealing display triggering
`interest in the customer as they visit the site displaying the
`banner. By clicking on the banner, the customer is trans-
`ported to the merchant site associated with the banner.
`
`[0005] One of popular implementations of this advertising
`idea is affiliate marketing. Pioneered by Amazon.com in
`1996, affiliate marketing is a simple way for Web sites
`owners to generate revenue by directing traffic toward other
`sites. An affiliate partner promotes products and services on
`its Web site for a commission. Affiliates agree to place links
`to merchant online businesses on their Web sites for the
`purpose of promoting merchant’s products and/or services.
`
`[0006] Further improved by US. Pat. No. 5,991,740 and
`implemented by LinkShare.com the affiliate marketing sys-
`tem includes a clearinghouse site monitoring purchases
`made by a customer directed to the merchant site and
`allocating credit to the affiliate partner provided said direc-
`tion.
`
`[0007] US. Pat. No. 5,991,740 discloses data processing
`system for establishing, managing and tracking commercial
`transactions undertaken on a wide access network, compris-
`ing a Clearinghouse site, a Content Provider site displaying
`information about one or more products or services available
`for commercial
`transactions and linking instructions for
`directing a customer’s viewing program to a Target Mer-
`chant site, wherein the Target Merchant site is programmed
`to record information about a purchase and to communicate
`said purchase information to the Clearinghouse site, wherein
`said purchase information is used by the Clearinghouse site
`to allocate credit to the Content Provider.
`
`[0008] While creating increased traffic for the merchant
`Web site, the system disclosed in US. Pat. No. 5,991,740, as
`well as systems implementing other variants of the affiliate
`marketing, requires that the customer navigate to the mer-
`chant Web site away from the content provider site and
`execute the purchase transaction directly on the merchant
`Web site. This reduces value of the system for the content
`provider because the customer may never come back to the
`content provider site and the purchase made will be asso-
`ciated by the customer with the merchant Web site. This
`constitutes the problem with the affiliate marketing sys-
`temiby implementing such system content providers
`reduce customer retention value for their sites driving cus-
`tomers away to the merchants’ Web sites.
`[0009] Customer retention is important to most companies
`because the cost of acquiring a new customer is far greater
`than the cost of maintaining a relationship with a current
`customer. A company that retains a lot of its customers also
`gains a good reputation and can attract future customers
`more easily. Customer retention is especially difficult with
`respect to electronic commerce when all it takes to switch to
`another Web site is clicking a mouse on a Web link or a
`banner. Once a customer has found a site through the Web,
`it is important that everything is done to retain that customer.
`[0010] Recognizing the above, content providers design
`their sites specifically tailored toward maximum customer
`retention, however implementation of the affiliate marketing
`system works against this strategy.
`[0011] Other attempts have been made in the industry to
`increase efficiency of markets by permitting customers to
`readily compare products and terms of sale from plural
`merchants and to purchase from more than one merchant
`Web site.
`
`It is known to integrate a plurality of Web sites into
`[0012]
`a single environment known as a shopping portal. Shopping
`portals ordinarily include a Web server presenting an inte-
`grated interface displaying plural products from various
`merchants. However, conventional shopping portals merely
`serve as a gateway to the individual merchant Web sites. In
`particular, when a purchasing decision is made, the customer
`is directed to the merchant Web site and the purchase is
`completed manually through the merchant Web site. Accord-
`ingly, when purchases are made from more than one mer-
`chant, conventional shopping portals require that the cus-
`tomer execute the orders using different interfaces at the
`respective merchant Web sites.
`[0013] US. Pat. No. 6,535,880 discloses an automated
`on-line commerce method and apparatus utilizing a shop-
`ping server, wherein a customer can select products for
`purchase from plural merchant servers by examining prod—
`uct information presented Web pages stored on shopping
`server and populated with product information from product
`database stored on the shopping server. The product infor-
`mation related to selected products is verified by accessing
`a checkout page of each merchant server. The verified
`information is then presented to the customer for confirma-
`tion. Upon confirmation, buy procedures are executed on
`each merchant server to purchase the products using existing
`account
`information for the customer at each merchant
`server. This method eliminates the need for the customer to
`visit each merchant Web site to complete the purchase.
`[0014] However, the method disclosed in the US. Pat. No.
`6,535,880 requires direct software interface and business
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 010
`
`

`

`US 2005/0102227 A1
`
`May 12, 2005
`
`process integation between a merchant server and a shop—
`ping server presenting products to customers. First,
`this
`makes it difficult for the shopping server to present products
`from multiple merchant servers which may have different
`software interfaces and may implement different business
`processes. Second, it requires establishing direct commer-
`cial relationships between merchant and the shopping server
`owner, which requires performing time consuming and
`expensive search for commercial partners, thus limiting the
`number of shopping servers presenting products from a
`merchant as well as the number of merchants presenting
`products on a shopping server. Further, complex enough
`procedure of integrating software and business process
`between a merchant server and a shopping server becomes
`even more complex in case of integration of plurality of
`merchant servers with plurality of shopping servers all of
`which may have different software interfaces and may
`implement different business processes.
`
`[0015] There is another sector of the market that has been
`underserved by e-commerce merchants so far. Some Web
`sites providing content to their users do not position them-
`selves as shopping sites and do not see their primary purpose
`in selling products to users. Nevertheless, such sites would
`like to provide their users with the opportunity to buy a
`product mentioned in the content if it does not create much
`distraction for the users.
`
`[0016] However, the systems in place, similar to systems
`disclosed in the US. Pat. No. 5,991,740 or in the US. Pat.
`No. 6,535,880 mentioned above, either direct users to
`another Web site thereby reducing user retention on the
`content provider Web site, or require extensive efforts to
`integrate content provider Web site with every merchant
`Web site that sells products mentioned in the content thereby
`greatly reducing commercial value of the system.
`
`[0017] Also, for a small content provider who wants to
`provide shopping abilities for users of its Web site, the cost
`of implementation of e-commerce functionality on the site
`or cost of integration with an existing e-commerce system
`may exceed commercial benefits of such integration or
`implementation.
`
`To achieve these and other objects, a first aspect of
`[0023]
`the invention is a system for initiating and tracking com-
`mercial transactions, comprising at least one client com-
`puter, at
`least one content provider server, at
`least one
`merchant server programmed to provide the ability to
`execute commercial transactions, and an integration server
`having a database and programmed to identify the content
`provider server and the merchant server. The integration
`server is further programmed to store a product catalog
`comprising information regarding products available for
`commercial transaction, and to communicate product infor-
`mation to the content provider server. Content provider
`server is programmed to request from the integration server
`an information regarding products available for commercial
`transaction, and to communicate it to the client computer,
`and to receive from the client computer an integrated
`transaction request comprising an information regarding
`items selected for a commercial transaction, and to commu-
`nicate the integrated transaction request to the integration
`server. The integration server is further programmed to
`create a merchant transaction request comprising an infor-
`mation regarding items selected for the commercial trans-
`action on the merchant server, and to communicate the
`merchant transaction request to the merchant server.
`
`[0024] A second aspect of the invention is a method of
`initiating and tracking commercial transactions, comprising
`the steps of identifying at least one content provider server
`to an integration server having a database comprising an
`information regarding products available for commercial
`transactions, communicating product
`information to said
`content provider server, communicating product information
`to a client computer, receiving from the client computer an
`integrated transaction request comprising an information
`regarding items selected for a commercial transaction, com-
`municating said integrated transaction request to said inte-
`gration server, creating a merchant transaction request com-
`prising an information regarding items selected for the
`commercial transaction on the identified merchant server,
`communicating the merchant
`transaction request
`to the
`merchant server, and executing requested transaction on said
`merchant server.
`
`SUMMARY OF INVENTION
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
`
`is an object of the invention to seamlessly
`It
`[0018]
`integrate plurality of content provider servers with the
`plurality of merchant servers into a single electronic com-
`merce system.
`
`It is another object of the invention to facilitate and
`[0019]
`reduce cost of the integration of a content provider server
`into the electronic commerce system.
`
`It is another object of the invention to facilitate the
`[0020]
`integration of a merchant server into the electronic com-
`merce system.
`
`It is another object of the invention to permit a
`[0021]
`content provider to obtain all the commercial advantages of
`better customer retention combined with the presentation of
`plurality of merchants on the content provider server.
`
`It is another object of the invention to permit a
`[0022]
`merchant to obtain all the commercial advantages of the
`presentation of merchant’s products on plurality of the
`content provider servers.
`
`[0025] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system in accor-
`dance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;
`
`[0026] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a portion of the system
`of FIG. 1 schematically illustrating components and inter-
`connections of the client computer and the content provider
`server;
`
`[0027] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a portion of the system
`of FIG. 1 schematically illustrating components and inter-
`connections of the integration server;
`
`[0028] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a portion of the system
`of FIG. 1 schematically illustrating components and inter-
`connections of the merchant server;
`
`[0029] FIG. 5 is a logic diagram depicting processing of
`a request for catalog by the content provider server;
`
`[0030] FIG. 6 is a logic diagram depicting processing of
`a request for commercial transaction by the content provider
`server;
`
`Two Tap
`Exhibit 1002
`Page 011
`
`

`

`US 2005/0102227 A1
`
`May 12, 2005
`
`[0031] FIG. 7 is a logic diagram depicting processing of
`a request for commercial
`transaction by the integration
`server;
`
`[0032] FIG. 8 is a logic diagram depicting processing of
`a request for commercial transaction by the merchant server.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`[0033] A preferred embodiment of the invention is illus-
`trated in FIG. 1. Client computer 10 interconnected through
`the network connection 50 to content provider server 20.
`Content provider server 20 interconnected through the net-
`work connection 52 to integration server 30. Integration
`server 30 interconnected through the network connection 54
`to merchant server 40.
`
`[0034] Network connections 50, 52, and 54 are conven-
`tional connections on a communication network to establish
`
`data communications with a single server or between mul-
`tiple servers, for example Internet. Such communication
`network can include local area networks, wide area net-
`works, intranets, extranets, and the Internet, and can utilize
`various data transmission mediums such as telecommunica-
`
`tion service (wired and wireless, including traditional analog
`telecommunication lines), integrated service digital network
`(ISDN), an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), a
`very small aperture transmission (VSAT) satellite, a cable
`modem, or a T1 telecommunication line. Furthermore, other
`mechanisms for providing a network connection are known
`in the art. The invention is not limited to any particular
`method of providing a network connection.
`[0035]
`it should be noted that a depiction of FIG. 1,
`as well as depiction of FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4,
`is logical in nature, and may be implemented in a
`variety of fashions. For example, content provider
`server 20, or integration server 30, or merchant
`server 40 can each be implemented in a single
`computer, or each server can comprise plurality of
`computers in a configuration known as “web farm”,
`and/or can comprise one or more computers in a
`configuration known as “application server”, and/0r
`can comprise one or more computers in a configu-
`ration known as “database server”.
`
`[0036] Client computer 10 executes an application capable
`of sending requests to and receiving response from the
`content provider server 20. FIG. 2 shows two most common
`examples of configuration of client computer 10.
`
`[0037] FIG. 2 shows client computer 10a executing a
`conventional, off-the-shelf Internet Web browser application
`110, having features and functions such as are common to
`popular Web browsers. Web browser application 110 is not
`limited to any particular type of Web browser. For instance,
`web browser application 110 might be the Internet Explorer,
`available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.
`Web browser application 110 provides a human interaction
`with the system. For instance, when a user selects a hyper-
`link from the web browser window on the screen of client
`
`computer 10a, web browser application 110 requests the
`document that is targeted by the hyperlink. In response, the
`document is downloaded to the client computer 10a, and
`web browser application 110 displays or otherwise renders
`the content specified by the document. Web browser appli-
`cation 110 uses network connection 50 to communicate data
`to and from interface layer 21001 on the content provider
`server 20.
`
`Interface layer 210a transforms data received from
`[0038]
`client computer 10a into a format being used by server
`application 250, and transforms data ready to be sent to the
`client computer 10a into a format required by web browser
`application 110. For instance, if server application 250 uses
`XML format for data representation, and web browser
`application 110 requires HTML format of data to be sent
`over the HTTP protocol, then interface layer 210a trans-
`forms HTTP requests received from web browser applica-
`tion 110 into the XML format, and transforms responses
`form the XML format to the HTML format to be sent over
`
`the HTTP protocol to the web browser application 110.
`
`[0039] FIG. 2 also shows client computer 10b executing
`server application 120 which is capable of interaction with
`the content provider server without direct human involve-
`ment. Server application 120 can be a part of a conventional
`electronic procurement system programmed to perform
`automated search for products available form a group of
`suppliers or merchants. Server application 120 uses network
`connection 50 to communicate data to and from interface
`
`layer 210b on the content provider server 20.
`
`Interface layer 210b transforms data received from
`[0040]
`client computer 10b into a format being used by server
`application 250, and transforms data ready to be sent to the
`client computer 10b into a format required by server appli-
`cation 120. For instance, if server application 250 and server
`application 120 both use XML format for data representation
`but require different XML schema definitions, then interface
`layer 210b transforms data between these two different XML
`representations of the data. An XML schema is used in XML
`to describe and constrain the content of an XML document.
`
`[0041] Means for transforming data from one format to
`another are well known in the art, for instance Extensible
`Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT). The inven-
`tion is not limited to any particular method of providing a
`data transformation.
`
`It should be understood that the invention is not
`[0042]
`limited to any particular type of application executed by
`client computer 10. It can be any application capable of
`sending requests to and receiving response from the content
`provider server 20.
`
`[0043] Web server 230 is a conventional, off—the—shelf web
`server, having features and functions such as are common to
`popular web servers. Web server 230 is not limited to any
`particular type of Web server. For instance, web server 230
`might be the Microsoft Internet Information Server, avail-
`able from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, or
`the open source web server Apache, available from http://
`www.apache.org.
`
`[0044] Server application 250 implements the business
`logic allowing data analysis and transformation according to
`the business rules as described in greater detail below.
`
`[0045] Data cache 240 provides means for data storage on
`the content provider server 20 and may be implemented in
`a variety of fashions which are well known in the art. For
`example, data cache 240 can use computer memory to store
`data, or can utilize a conventional, off-the-shelf database
`server such as Microsoft SQL Server, available from
`Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash.
`
`Interface layer 260 implements functions similar to
`[0046]
`functions of interface layer 210a or 210b and transforms
`
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`data from a format internally used by content provider server
`20 to predetermined data format 270 used in communica-
`tions between content provider server 20 and integration
`server 30 when a request is sent to integration server 30, and
`transforms data from data format 270 to the format inter-
`nally used by content provider server 20 when a response is
`received from integration server 30.
`
`Interface layer 310, depicted in FIG. 3, implements
`[0047]
`functions similar to functions of interface layer 260 and
`transforms data from data format 270 to the format inter-
`
`is
`nally used by integration server 30 when a request
`received from content provider server 20, and transforms
`data from a format internally used by integration server 30
`to data format 270 when a response is sent
`to content
`provider server 20.
`
`Interface layer 340 implements functions similar to
`[0048]
`functions of interface layer 310 and transforms data from a
`format internally used by integration server 30 to predeter—
`mined data format 370 used in communications between
`integration server 30 and merchant server 40 when a request
`is sent to merchant server 40, and transforms data from data
`format 370 to the format
`internally used by integration
`server 30 when a response is received from merchant server
`40.
`
`[0049] As described in greater detail below, in the pre-
`ferred embodiment the data format 270, as well as data
`format 370,
`is well known XML format for messages
`defined in the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
`specification developed by the World Wide Web Consortium
`(W3C) and available from http://www.w3.org. However, it
`should be understood that the invention is not limited to any
`particular format or protocol used in communications
`between content provider server 20 and integration server 30
`or between integration server 30 and merchant server 40. For
`instance, data format 270 or 370 may be HTML or DCOM
`binary format.
`
`[0050] Web server330 is a conventional, off-the-shelf web
`server, having features and functions such as are common to
`popular web servers. Web server 330 is not limited to any
`particular type of Web server. For instance, web server 330
`might be the Microsoft Internet Information Server, avail-
`able from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, or
`the open source web server Apache, available from http://
`www.apache.org.
`
`[0051] Server application 350 implements the business
`logic allowing data analysis and transformation according to
`the business rules as described in greater detail below.
`
`[0052] Database 320 provides means for data storage on
`integration server 30 and may be implemented in a variety
`of fashions which are well known in the art. For example,
`database 320 can use computer memory to store data, or can
`utilize a conventional, off-the-shelf database server such as
`Microsoft SQL Server, available from Microsoft Corpora-
`tion, Redmond, Wash.
`
`[0053] FIG. 4 depicts merchant server 40 comprising
`interface layer 410, web server 430, and e-commerce server
`application 420.
`
`Interface layer 410 implements functions similar to
`[0054]
`functions of interface layer 340 and transforms data from
`data format 370 to the format internally used by merchant
`
`server 40 when a request is received from integration server
`30, and transforms data from a format internally used by
`merchant server 40 to data format 370 when a response is
`sent to integration server 30.
`
`[0055] Web server 430 is a conventional, off—the—shelf web
`server, having features and functions such as are common to
`popular web servers. Web server 430 is not limited to any
`particular type of Web server. For instance, web server 430
`might be the Microsoft Internet Information Server, avail-
`able from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, or
`the open source web server Apache, available from http://
`www.apache.org.
`
`[0056] E-commerce server application 420 is a conven-
`tional e-commerce application and is not limited to any
`particular type of e-commerce application. For instance,
`e-commerce server application 420 might be the Microsoft
`Commerce Server, available from Microsoft Corporation,
`Redmond, Wash.
`
`In the preferred embodiment, each of client com-
`[0057]
`puters 10, content provider servers20, integration server 30,
`and merchant servers 40 are capable of communicating
`using a secure connection protocol, such as Secure Sockets
`Layer, or SSL, which provides data encryption, server
`authentication, message
`integrity,
`and optional client
`authentication for a TCP/IP connection.
`
`In the preferred embodiment, data format 270 and
`[0058]
`data format 370 is the XML format defined in the SOAP and
`Web Services specifications. SOAP specification describes a
`communications protocol for XML Web services as well as
`how to represent data as XML and how to use SOAP to do
`Remote Procedure Calls. In recent years XML Web services,
`specifically distributed services that process XML-encoded
`SOAP messages, sent over HTTP, have become the platform
`for application integration, allowing applications from vari-
`ous sources to work together regardless of where they reside
`or how they were implemented.
`
`The XML format for messages defined in the
`[0059]
`SOAP and Web Services specifications allows implementa-
`tion of other enhancements to provide quality of data
`protection through message integrity, message confidential-
`ity, and single message authentication. For instance,
`it
`allows implementation of the family of specifications WS-
`Security, WS-Trust, WS-SecureConversation, and WS-Fed-
`eration, developed by International Business Machines Cor-
`poration, Armonk, NY, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond,
`Wash., and partners. These specifications are available on
`http://msdn.microsoft.com/webservices/understanding/
`specs/.
`
`[0060] WS-Security specification defines the basic mecha-
`nisms for providing secure messaging using existing secu-
`rity models (Kerberos, X509, etc) and provides support for
`multiple security tokens, multiple trust domains, multiple
`signature formats, and multiple encryption technologies.
`
`[0061] WS-Trust specification defines an extensible model
`for setting up and verifying trust relationships between
`participants in communications. WS-Trust allows Web ser-
`vices to set up and agree on which security servers they
`“trust,” and to rely on these servers.
`
`defines
`specification
`[0062] WS—SecureConversation
`extensions that build on WS-Security to provide secure
`
`Two Tap
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`Page 013
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`US 2005/0102227 A1
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`May 12, 2005
`
`it defines mechanisms for
`communication. Specifically,
`establishing and sharing security contexts, and deriving
`session keys from security contexts.
`
`[0063] WS-Federation allows a set of organizations to
`establish a single, virtual security domain. An end-user that
`“logs into” any member of the federation has effectively
`logged into all of the members. WS-Federation defines
`several models for providing