CIT's Work on CommerceNet

                       Arthur M. Keller

                 Center for Information Technology

                      Stanford University

        URL: http://cit.stanford.edu/cit/commercenet.html

1. Current Approaches in Deployment
2. Limitations of Current Approaches in Deployment
3. CIT CommerceNet Projects
4. Online Catalogs
5. Online Catalog Architecture
6. Engineering Services
7. Concurrent Engineering
8. Software Interoperation Technology

Current Approaches in Deployment

Online catalogs (currently available):

• Uses ordinary WWW protocols and clients such as Mosaic

• Navigation through documents that behave like menus

• Each vendor maintains its own (collection of) catalogs

Payments (being developed):

• Secure-HTTP protocols and clients

• Payments clearinghouse

• Certificates for authentication

Design to Manufacturing (being developed):

• Send PC board layout and population instructions to supplier

• Get finished boards back

• Requires secure communications across firewalls

Limitations of Current Approaches in Deployment

Online catalogs:

• Hard to find what you want

• Navigation through many menus

• Each catalog is structured differently

• Limited or no capability for reverse-search (i.e., search by content)

• No capability for cross-catalog search

Vertical integration needed:

• Online catalogs

• Online ordering

• Order fulfillment

• Payments and financial settlement

Better support for Design to Manufacturing:

• Should integrate catalog search with CAD design process

• Catalog search query generated from a CAD design drawing

• Results of catalog search should be usable by a CAD system

CIT CommerceNet Projects

Smart Search of Online Catalogs

Engineering Services

Computer Support for Collaborative Engineering

Software Interoperation Technology

Outreach

Online Catalogs

Examples:

• Give me the specs for Hewlett-Packard's DeskJet 1200C/PS printer.

• Give me a list of Hewlett-Packard's color PostScript printers for the Macintosh.

• Give me a list of dealers for the HP DeskJet 1200C/PS printer.

• Give me a list of color PostScript printers for the Macintosh made by any manufacturer and with list price under $3000.

• Notify me whenever anyone announces a new color PostScript printer for the Macintosh under $3000.

Technical Needs:

• Representation (specification, price, availability, etc.)

• Smart search (knowledge bases to set up search, efficiency techniques)

• Human computer interaction (natural language, forms, etc.)

Deliverables:

• One or more online catalogs in machine-processable form

• Reverse-search prototype for these catalogs

Requirements (from CommerceNet Catalogs Working Group):

• Scalable, distributed search

• Heterogeneous information sources

• Up-to-date information

• Open architecture

• Variety of search techniques

• Cross-search of multiple catalogs

Online Catalog Architecture

Engineering Services

Online Ordering:

• Requires secure payment and order fulfillment services

• Note that software can be delivered online

• Configuration management

• When configuring a computer, include all the right cables

Integration with CAD System:

• Extract requirements for desired product from CAD drawing

• Fill in CAD drawing with machine-readable specs for product found

Simulation and analysis:

• Analog, digital, mechanical simulations requested over Internet

• Prototyping:

• Integrated circuits, printed circuit boards

Concurrent Engineering

Examples:

• propagation of design information to interested parties

• conflict detection, notification, resolution

Technical Needs:

• abilities of systems to handle partial information (e.g., constraints)

• human factors issues (when send, how notify, presentation of constraints)

Software Interoperation Technology

Situation:

• Heterogeneous systems

• Need for interoperation

Agent Technology:

• Formal specifications for systems' abilities and interests

• Specs given to agents/facilitators

• Agents provide access to systems and services for them

Deliverables:

• Knowledge Interchange Format

• Facilitators (screening, translation, scheduling)