Method and device utilizing polymorphic data in e-commerce

Abstract

An aspect of the present invention includes a protocol for conveying data during an e-commerce session with a polymorphic response, comprising initiating a session with a message from a buyer application to a broker application and a session identifier assigned by the broker application; conducting the session between the buyer application and a supplier application; and concluding the session with a additional message which includes a schema identifier for the additional message, resolvable in a context of a system identifier, and a polymorphic response comprising a type and a version, wherein the polymorphic response includes additional data elements corresponding to values assigned to the type and version.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method including:
 receiving a first request from a first computer at an e-commerce routing hub to start a session of a service running on a second system, wherein the service is identified by a unique name that is not a routing address;   looking up the unique name in a directory, matching the unique name to a routing address and redirecting the first computer into a peer-to-peer message exchange between the first computer and the second system using the routing address; and   receiving at the e-commerce routing hub first and second service session end messages from the first computer and the second system, matching the first and second service session end messages and recording completion of the service session.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first computer includes a browser or a procurement application. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further including translating one or more message elements between formats used by the first computer and the second system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further including either the first computer or second system sending a polymorphic message including:
 a schema identifier for the polymorphic message, resolvable in a context of a system identifier; and   polymorphic content including a message type and version that, in combination with the schema identifier, define one or more additional data elements of the message type and version.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further including either the first computer or second system sending a polymorphic message including:
 a schema identifier for the polymorphic message, resolvable in a context of a system identifier; and   polymorphic content including a message type and version that, in combination with the schema identifier, define one or more additional data elements of the message type and version.   
     
     
         6 . A method including:
 receiving a first request from a first computer at an e-commerce routing hub to start a session of a service running on a second system, wherein the service is identified by a unique name that is not a routing address;   looking up the unique name in a directory, matching the unique name to a routing address and redirecting the first computer into a peer-to-peer message exchange between the first computer and the second system using the routing address; and   during the session between the first computer and the second system, exchanging an polymorphic message including:
 a schema identifier for the polymorphic message, resolvable in a context of a system identifier; and 
 a message type and version that, in combination with the schema identifier, define one or more additional data elements applicable to the message type and version. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further including:
 sending the first computer redirection information that, when processed by the first computer, connects the first computer to the service running on the second system.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further including:
 sending the second system an additional service start request using the routing address; and   the second system performing a redirect of the request made by the first computer to the service running on the second system.   
     
     
         9 . A system including:
 at least one processor and memory coupled in communication with the process, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when run by the processor cause the processor to:   receive a first request from a first computer at an e-commerce routing hub to start a session of a service running on a second system, wherein the service is identified by a unique name that is not a routing address;   look up the unique name in a directory, match the unique name to a routing address and redirect the first computer into a peer-to-peer message exchange between the first computer and the second system using the routing address; and   receive at the e-commerce routing hub first and second service session end messages from the first computer and the second system, match the first and second service session end messages and record completion of the service session.   
     
     
         10 . A system including:
 at least one processor and memory coupled in communication with the process, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when run by the processor cause the processor to:   receive a first request from a first computer at an e-commerce routing hub to start a session of a service running on a second system, wherein the service is identified by a unique name that is not a routing address;   look up the unique name in a directory, match the unique name to a routing address and redirect the first computer into a peer-to-peer message exchange between the first computer and the second system using the routing address; and   during the session between the first computer and the second system, one of the first computer and the second system including instructions that cause an exchange of a polymorphic message including:
 a schema identifier for the polymorphic message, resolvable in a context of a system identifier; and 
 a message type and version that, in combination with the schema identifier, define one or more additional data elements applicable to the message type and version.