Transaction support system

Abstract

To automate the generation of transaction data in transactions involving multiple companies, thereby reducing the workload of those involved in the transaction. [Solution] The system comprises a transaction information processing unit 1 that communicates with terminals of multiple vendors via the internet, a generation rule storage unit 4 that stores the correspondence between data items of order data and data items of delivery data in a transaction, and a transaction information storage unit 2 that stores the order data and delivery data. The transaction information processing unit 1 automatically generates delivery data from order data generated by transactions between multiple vendors, based on the correspondence stored in the generation rule storage unit 4, and stores it in the transaction information storage unit 1.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transaction support system for supporting transactions among multiple businesses.

Background Art

[0002] The applicant of the present application has disclosed Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which a plurality of persons involved in a series of transactions proceed with the transactions while sharing transaction data. However, even when the management of transaction information is computerized, each person involved in the transaction needs to create a transaction slip or corresponding transaction data (such as order data and delivery data), which requires manpower.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to automate the generation of transaction data and reduce the labor of transaction parties in transactions among multiple businesses.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve this problem, the present invention adopts the following configuration. That is, a transaction information processing unit that communicates with terminals of multiple businesses via the Internet, a generation rule storage unit that stores the correspondence relationship between the data items of order data and the data items of delivery data in a transaction, and a transaction information storage unit that stores the order data and the delivery data. The transaction information processing unit is a transaction support system that automatically generates delivery data from order data generated by transactions between multiple businesses, based on the correspondence relationships stored in the generation rule storage unit, and stores it in the transaction information storage unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, the effort of those involved in transactions can be reduced by automating the generation of transaction data in transactions between multiple companies. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows the structure of the product list. [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows the structure of traceability information. [Figure 4] Structural diagram of the vendor database. [Figure 5] A scheme diagram illustrating an example of a transaction type. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating the configuration of the inter-company networking system to be integrated into the transaction support system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 7] A diagram showing the configuration of the data migration system to be integrated into the transaction support system in Figure 1. [Figure 8] Figure 1 shows the configuration diagram of the data integration system to be incorporated into the transaction support system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] <Transaction Type> The following describes one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 shows a configuration diagram of a type of commercial transaction between multiple businesses and consumers, and a transaction support system that assists in such a transaction.

[0009] In Figure 1, the buyer (consumer or downstream business) places an order with the seller (business C) for goods handled by business C. If the ordered goods are in business C's inventory, business C delivers those inventory goods to the buyer (consumer or downstream business) using the transporter (business D).

[0010] Furthermore, if the goods ordered by seller C are goods handled by seller A and should be shipped directly from seller A to the consumer (or downstream business), seller C will order the goods from seller A and instruct them to ship them directly to the consumer (or downstream business). Following seller C's instructions, seller A will deliver the ordered goods to the buyer, the consumer (or downstream business), using carrier B.

[0011] Furthermore, when vendor C purchases goods handled by vendor A, it places an order for those goods with vendor A, the seller. Vendor A then uses vendor B, the transporter, to deliver the ordered goods to vendor C, the buyer.

[0012] In this application, the seller is referred to as "upstream" in relation to the buyer, and conversely, the buyer is referred to as "downstream" in relation to the seller.

[0013] Here, the transaction form shown in Figure 1 is merely illustrative. The transaction support system of this embodiment is not limited to the transaction form shown in Figure 1, but can support various forms of transactions by multiple businesses.

[0014] <Configuration of the Transaction Support System> The transaction support system according to this embodiment supports transactions between multiple businesses as described above. In this embodiment, the transaction support system comprises a transaction information processing unit 1 that sends and receives data with the terminals of each seller, buyer, and transporter via the Internet, and a transaction information database (transaction information DB2) that stores the transaction information handled by the transaction information processing unit 1.

[0015] The transaction information processing unit 1 includes a transaction data generation unit 3 that automatically generates other transaction data based on one transaction data. The transaction data generation unit 3 automatically generates, for example, delivery data based on order data. Also, for example, it automatically generates sales data from purchase data. Reference numeral 4 is a generation rule storage unit that stores the correspondence between the data items of one transaction data and the data items of other transaction data.

[0016] The transaction information processing unit 1 communicates with the terminals of the buyer, seller, and carrier, for example, by using the WWW (World Wide Web) system on the Internet. For this reason, the transaction information processing unit 1 includes a web server, and each terminal of the seller, buyer, and carrier includes a web client.

[0017] The transaction information DB 2 stores a list of products sold by each merchant (product list 5) and traceability information 6 that records the distribution routes among merchants for each product individual. Also, the transaction information processing unit 1 accesses a merchant database (not shown).

[0018] <Structure of Product List> An example of the product list 5 in this embodiment is shown in FIG. 2. The product list 5 includes product lists for each merchant. FIG. 2 shows the product list of merchant C. The product list of each merchant associates a supplier, a selling price, product introduction information, a shipping category, inventory, and a delivery period with a product identifier.

[0019] "Product Identifier" is an identifier used to distinguish each product from other products. "Supplier" is the supplier identifier of the company that supplies the product. "Selling Price" is the price at which our company, the seller, sells the product to the buyer. "Product Description Information" is the file name of the file containing the product description. It may include the file path. "Shipping Classification" specifies which of our locations the product will be shipped from or whether it will be shipped directly to the buyer from the upstream supplier. "Inventory" is the number of units of the product our company has in stock. "Delivery Period" is the normal delivery period when our company delivers the product to the buyer. "Supplier Identifier" is an identifier used to distinguish a supplier from other suppliers.

[0020] <Structure of traceability information> Figure 3 shows the structure of the traceability information 6 in this embodiment. The traceability information 6 is composed of a product individual identifier and the identifiers of each handling company that handled the product, linked together in chronological order. The "product individual identifier" is data that identifies one individual product from other individuals. The "handling company identifier" is the aforementioned company identifier and has a certain data length. The overall data length of the traceability information 6 is increased by adding the company identifier data to the product individual identifier data. For example, if the product individual identifier is "ABCD", the identifier of the first handling company is "abc", the identifier of the second handling company is "123", and the identifier of the third handling company is "def", then the traceability information for an individual product represented by the product individual identifier "ABCD" is represented by a single data "ABCDabc123def".

[0021] <Structure of the vendor database> Figure 4 shows the structure of the vendor database (Vendor DB) in this embodiment. The Vendor DB associates each vendor's location with a vendor identifier, location identifier, address, name, contact information, vendor profile, authentication key, the vendor's product list, and the transportation company used by the vendor for delivery. The "Vendor Identifier" is an identifier used to distinguish a vendor from other vendors. Vendors include transportation companies. The "Location Identifier" is an identifier used to distinguish a vendor's location from other locations. Locations include administrative locations such as head offices and branches, manufacturing locations such as factories, and logistics locations such as warehouses. The "Address" is the address of the vendor's location. The "Name" is the name of the vendor's location. It may also include the department name, title, and name of the person in charge. The "Contact Information" is the contact information for the vendor's location. The contact information includes an email address. The "Vendor Profile" is information used to introduce the vendor to other vendors. The "Authentication Key" is used in the connection system described later. The "product list" is identified by the product list identifier of the relevant vendor. The "carrier" is identified by the carrier's vendor identifier.

[0022] <Automatic generation of transaction data> In Figure 1, the transaction data generation unit 3 automatically generates various transaction data necessary in the transaction process according to generation instructions from the terminal. For example, it automatically generates delivery data based on order data entered by the buyer (or their data entry agent). The transaction data generation unit 3 also automatically generates sales data based on input purchase data. In general, in the field of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), order data and delivery data are inversely related, and it is known that the values ​​of the data items in both are common. Similarly, it is known that purchase data and sales data are inversely related, and the values ​​of the data items in both are common. Therefore, the transaction data generation unit 3 automatically generates delivery data by inserting the values ​​of each data item in the input order data into the corresponding data items in the delivery data. Similarly, the transaction data generation unit 3 automatically generates sales data by inserting the values ​​of each data item in the input purchase data into the corresponding data items in the sales data. In this way, the transaction data generation unit 3 automatically generates one transaction data based on other transaction data whose data item values ​​correspond.

[0023] The correspondence between the data items of one transaction data and the data items of other transaction data is pre-registered in the generation rule storage unit 4. The transaction data generation unit 3 refers to the correspondence of data items registered in the generation rule storage unit 4 and automatically generates other transaction data from one transaction data that has a corresponding relationship. According to this embodiment, in transactions between multiple companies, the generation of transaction data can be automated, thereby reducing the workload of those involved in the transaction.

[0024] <Automatic generation of traceability information> The delivery data generated by the transaction data generation unit 3 includes information about the seller and buyer for each specific product. Based on the delivery data generated by the transaction data generation unit 3, the transaction information processing unit 1 generates traceability information 6 by chronologically concatenating the vendor identifiers of the seller and buyer of the product with the product individual identifier, and stores this information in the transaction information DB2. According to this embodiment, the generation of traceability information can be automated in transactions between multiple companies, thereby reducing the workload of those involved in the transaction.

[0025] <Examples of transactions using this system> In Figure 5, the consumer obtains a product list of goods handled by vendor C and orders products from vendor A1 (products provided by vendor A1) and vendor A2 (products provided by vendor A2) that are included in the product list from vendor C. The ordered goods are brought to vendor B1 (distribution center) by vendors A1 and A2, packaged together at the distribution center, and then shipped directly to the consumer by the carrier vendor B2. In the course of this transaction, the transaction support system stores order data corresponding to the transaction between the consumer and vendor C, order data corresponding to the transaction between vendor C and vendor A1, and order data corresponding to the transaction between vendor C and vendor A2 in the transaction information DB2.

[0026] The transaction data generation unit 3 generates delivery data corresponding to each order data based on the respective order data. The transaction information processing unit 1 stores the delivery data generated by the transaction data generation unit 3 in the transaction information DB2. The transaction information processing unit 1 also generates traceability information 6 based on the delivery data generated by the transaction data generation unit 3 and stores it in the transaction information DB2. In this transaction example, the consumer's terminal may be a tablet terminal, a mobile phone terminal, or the like.

[0027] Figure 6 shows the configuration of the connection system between businesses using the transaction support system. This connection system makes it easy to start new inter-business transactions. A business that wants to find a business partner (searcher) enters a search query from the terminal's WUI (Web User Interface). The business search engine 11 searches the business DB 12 for businesses that match the search query entered from the WUI and displays the search results on the WUI. The searcher selects a business they want to start a transaction with from the search results displayed on the WUI and sends a transaction request to that business (searched party). Upon receiving this operation, the WUI sends the searcher's business identifier and the searched party's business identifier to the connection processing unit 13.

[0028] The connection processing unit 13 receives the searcher's vendor identifier from the searcher's WUI and reads the vendor profile of the vendor corresponding to that vendor identifier from the vendor DB 12. The connection processing unit 13 then displays the searcher's vendor profile on the WUI of the terminal corresponding to the searched party's vendor identifier (searched party's WUI), and also displays a question asking whether or not to initiate a transaction with the searcher.

[0029] When the searched party performs an action to initiate a transaction in response to the question, the searched party's WUI sends a message to the connection processing unit 13. Upon receiving the message to initiate a transaction, the connection processing unit 13 associates the searcher's vendor identifier with the searched party's vendor identifier and stores it in the connection DB 14. It also adds the products included in the product list 5 corresponding to the searched party's vendor identifier to the product list 5 corresponding to the searcher's vendor identifier. At this time, the connection processing unit 13 sets the searched party's vendor identifier as the supplier for the products to be added to the product list 5. This allows the searcher to initiate a transaction for products with the searched party as the supplier. The above describes the case where the buyer is the searcher and the seller is the searched party, but the reverse is also possible, where the seller is the searcher and the buyer is the searched party. In this case, the products included in the product list 5 corresponding to the searcher's vendor identifier are added to the product list 5 corresponding to the searched party's vendor identifier, and the connection processing unit 13 sets the searcher's vendor identifier as the supplier for the products to be added to the product list 5. This allows the searched party to initiate a transaction for products with the searcher as the supplier.

[0030] If the searched party has registered an authentication key in the vendor DB12, the connection processing unit 13 prompts the searcher WUI to enter the searched party's authentication key. The searcher WUI sends the searched party's authentication key entered by the searcher to the connection processing unit 13. If the entered authentication key does not match the searched party's authentication key, the connection processing unit 13 rejects the transaction request from the searcher. The connection processing unit 13 proceeds with the above process only if the authentication keys match. The searched party can distribute their authentication key to their acquaintances in advance via email or other means, and by using the authentication key, they can receive transaction requests in this system only from a limited number of people, such as acquaintances.

[0031] Figure 7 is a diagram of the data migration system. The data migration system assists a company in importing data with different specifications from its existing transaction information system into the transaction support system when it becomes a new user of the transaction support system. The operator operates the WUI on the terminal to upload data from the existing transaction information system to the server. The data conversion unit 21 receives the uploaded data and converts the data from the existing system to conform to the data specifications of the transaction information DB2 according to the conversion rules registered in the conversion rule storage unit 22. The conversion rule storage unit 22 contains conversion rules for each of the multiple data specifications known as the data specifications of the existing system to the data specifications of the transaction information DB2. The terminal operator operates the WUI in advance to notify the data conversion unit 21 of the type of data specification of the existing system, and the data conversion unit 21 reads and uses the conversion rule corresponding to the type of data specification of the existing system notified from the WUI from the conversion rule storage unit 22. The transaction information processing unit 1 stores the data converted by the data conversion unit 21 in the transaction information DB2. According to this, businesses that wish to use the trading support system can easily migrate data from their existing systems to the trading support system.

[0032] Furthermore, when this system is operated in real time and bidirectionally, the functions of converting transaction information entered from the first existing transaction information system into data usable by the transaction support system of this application and storing it in the transaction information DB2, and converting transaction information requested from the second existing transaction information system into data usable by the requesting existing transaction information system and providing it, will be in operation at all times. As a result, the first and second businesses using the transaction support system of this application will be able to exchange transaction information while using their respective existing transaction information systems.

[0033] <Data integration system utilizing semantic technology> Traditionally, when companies A, B, and C, which manage transaction information using their own unique data specifications, needed to integrate their data, they had to perform separate data integration steps: integrating data between company A's system and company B's system, between company B's system and company C's system, and between company C's system and company A's system. Even with this approach, it was difficult to integrate all the systems of companies A, B, and C into a single data system. The embodiment described below makes it easy to integrate the systems of multiple vendors into a single data system.

[0034] In Figure 8, data from existing comprehensive shopping mall sites A and B built on the internet, and data from transaction information management system C operated independently by an internet-connected business are integrated into a single data system using the transaction support system of the present invention.

[0035] The transaction support system comprises a data import unit 41, site-specific metadata settings 42, and a user interaction unit 43. The data import unit 41 and the user interaction unit 43 are located in the transaction information processing unit 1. The site-specific metadata settings 42 and metadata candidates are stored in a storage device.

[0036] "Site-specific metadata settings" are pre-registered for each website, specifying the location of each data item managed by existing websites, including the comprehensive shopping mall sites A and B, and the metadata that should be attached to each item. Creating these site-specific metadata settings involves analyzing the website's data structure beforehand and creating them manually. "Metadata candidates" is a list of selectable metadata options.

[0037] When importing data from the general shopping mall site A, the data import unit 41 refers to the site-specific metadata settings 42 of the general shopping mall site A, and stores the data imported from each data location on site A with metadata corresponding to that data location in the transaction information DB2. The same procedure applies to the general shopping mall site B.

[0038] Furthermore, when importing data from the transaction information management system C, the user interaction unit 43 provides a WUI (Write-in-User Interface) to the transaction information management system C. The user interaction unit 43 also reads metadata candidates that can be displayed in the WUI from the storage device and displays them in the WUI of the system C. The user interaction unit 43 then instructs the user of the system C via the WUI to specify the location of each data managed by the system C and to select the metadata to be added to each data from the metadata candidates. Alternatively, the user interaction unit 43 instructs the user of the system C via the WUI to specify the location of each data managed by the system C and to enter the metadata to be added to each data into the input field of the WUI. After the user of the system C has completed linking the location of each data with the metadata, when the user operates the import button displayed in the WUI, the data import unit 41 acquires each data stored in the system C and the metadata associated with each data, adds the metadata corresponding to each data, and stores it in the transaction information DB2.

[0039] In this way, even if the data specifications of each company differ, the metadata attached to each data makes it possible to manage the data integrally based on the meaning of the data. Businesses operating existing transaction information management systems can easily migrate to the transaction support system of this invention using the functions of this embodiment, and by becoming a user of the transaction support system of this invention, they can easily start transactions with other user businesses of the transaction support system of this invention. In other words, by simply connecting an existing transaction information management system to the transaction support system of this invention, it becomes possible to connect with all other users of the transaction support system of this invention. Users who have stores on multiple comprehensive shopping mall sites can easily manage their transaction information by integrating the transaction information of each store into the transaction support system of this invention. Furthermore, when each company's data is managed integrally by the transaction support system of this invention, transaction information will be used regardless of the size of the business. For example, when the price of a particular product is searched, the prices of products offered by large businesses and products offered by small businesses will be presented equally in the search results, emphasizing the content of the products and services offered and curbing oligopoly. In addition, this eliminates the need for users searching for product transaction information to browse multiple websites. Moreover, it eliminates the need for significant manpower to integrate data, as was previously required. Furthermore, because metadata provides meaning to the data, it becomes possible to collect cross-sectional statistics on data with shared meaning across multiple businesses. This allows for integrated statistics, such as which products are popular among all businesses participating in the transaction support system.

[0040] <Presenting the delivery period to the buyer> In this embodiment of the transaction support system, the delivery period for a product can be shown to the buyer. In Figure 1, when a consumer orders a product from vendor C, the transaction information processing unit 1 reads the delivery period for the product from vendor C's product list and notifies the consumer terminal, provided that vendor C has the product in stock. On the other hand, if vendor C is out of stock of the product, the transaction information processing unit 1 reads the delivery period for the product by vendor C from vendor C's product list, and also reads the delivery period for the product by vendor A from vendor A's product list. Based on both the delivery period of the seller vendor C and the delivery period of the supplier vendor A, the transaction information processing unit 1 calculates the total delivery period and notifies the consumer terminal. For example, the delivery period of vendor A and the delivery period of vendor C are added together to obtain the total delivery period. Furthermore, if the product is shipped directly from the supplier vendor A to the consumer, the transaction information processing unit 1 reads the delivery period for the product from the supplier vendor A's product list and notifies the consumer terminal.

[0041] <Hardware Configuration> In the above embodiment, the transaction information processing unit 1, transaction data generation unit 3, vendor search engine 11, connection processing unit 13, and data conversion unit 21 are realized by a computer executing a program. The transaction information DB 2, vendor DB 12, and connection DB 14 are constructed inside the storage device. The generation rule storage unit 4 and the conversion rule storage unit 22 are provided in the storage area of ​​the storage device. The data handled by the computer is read from or stored in the storage device.

[0042] Herein, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but is the scope of the invention as described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 1. Transaction Information Processing Unit 2 Transaction Information Database 3. Transaction Data Generation Unit 4 Production rule storage 5 Product List 6. Traceability Information 11. Search Engines for Businesses 12 Vendor DB 13 Connection Processing Unit 14. Connected DB 21 Data Conversion Unit 22 Conversion Rule Storage Unit 41 Data acquisition unit 42 Site-Specific Metadata Settings 43 User Interaction Section

Claims

[Claim 1] The system comprises a transaction information processing unit that communicates with terminals of multiple vendors via the internet, a generation rule storage unit that stores the correspondence between data items of order data and data items of delivery data in a transaction, and a transaction information storage unit that stores the order data and delivery data. The transaction information processing unit is a transaction support system that automatically generates delivery data from order data generated by transactions between multiple businesses, based on the correspondence relationships stored in the generation rule storage unit, and stores it in the transaction information storage unit.

Images