Meta-Model Negotiation Service for Inter-Enterprise Standards

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Solution Overview

Problem

Establishing inter-enterprise collaboration standards is time-consuming and resource-intensive due to the need for extensive software modifications and manual encoding of semantics, especially when using private, differentiated standards, which can slow down collaborative relationships between trading partners.

Innovation Solution

A meta-model negotiation service that allows trading partners to select and negotiate meta-model elements, creating a machine-actionable standard for collaboration that can be automatically understood and implemented by adaptive collaboration software, reducing the need for extensive software modifications and enabling immediate collaboration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a private, differentiated standard is negotiated for inter-enterprise collaboration, then trading partners can differentiate themselves and adapt to business nuances, but significant time (months) is required to enable back-end collaboration software to adapt to the private standard

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to differentiate and adapt to business nuancesVSAvoidtime required to enable software adaptation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining a comprehensive set of negotiable meta-model elements that represent common collaboration scenarios. These elements are prepared in advance and can be selected and negotiated without requiring software modification, thus resolving the time delay while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer (the meta-model negotiation service and machine-actionable TPA) between the negotiated standards and the collaboration software. This intermediary automatically translates negotiated meta-model elements into executable collaboration rules, eliminating the need for manual software adaptation and significantly reducing implementation time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If public standards are used for inter-enterprise collaboration, then implementation is faster and easier, but trading partners cannot differentiate themselves or adapt to the nuances of their businesses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of establishing collaborationVSAvoidability to differentiate and adapt

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the collaboration standard into multiple independent, negotiable meta-model elements. Each element represents a specific aspect of collaboration (e.g., order management, inventory sharing) and can be independently selected and customized. This segmentation allows partners to start with a baseline standard and add only the specific elements they need, maintaining speed while enabling differentiation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the collaboration standard dynamic by allowing partners to negotiate and select specific meta-model elements based on their business needs. The standard evolves from a static public specification to a dynamic, customized agreement that can be adapted to specific trading relationships while maintaining machine-actionability for rapid implementation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If a private standard is negotiated, then customized collaboration is achieved, but extensive manual encoding of semantics and software modifications are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomized collaboration capabilityVSAvoidsoftware modification complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables self-service by designing the meta-model elements and machine-actionable TPA format to be automatically processed by collaboration software. The negotiated standards contain all necessary semantic information in a machine-readable format, allowing the software to self-configure and execute collaborations without manual encoding or complex modifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical process of manual semantics encoding and software modification with an automated information processing system. The machine-actionable TPA format and meta-model negotiation service automatically translate business requirements into executable collaboration rules, substituting manual technical work with automated computational processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10019683B1Facilitating the negotiation of standards for inter-enterprise collaboration between trading partners

Publication Date: 2018.07.10 BLUE YONDER GROUP INC

AI summary

A system that facilitates the negotiation of a standard for inter-enterprise collaboration between trading partners includes a set of meta-model elements. Each element in the set can be negotiated by enterprises and incorporated into a negotiated meta-model that describes an agreement between the enterprises as to collaborations between the enterprises. Each element in the set describes a portion of a potential standard for collaboration between enterprises. The system also includes a meta-model negotiation service that receives an indication that enterprises wish to negotiate a standard for collaborations between the enterprises and provides access to the set of elements and receive selections of one or more of the elements for negotiation and incorporation into a negotiated meta-model. The negotiated meta-model describes an agreement between the enterprises as to collaborations between the enterprises.