Abstract: Illustrative embodiments disclose a computer process controlling access to one or more documents by one or more parties, the parties organized over one or more organizations. In response to a party associated with a first organization attempting to access documents, determining an access level associated with the party as a first access level, a second access level, a third access level, or a fourth access level. The first, second, third and fourth access levels are ordered from the first access level to the fourth access level such that the first access level provides a greatest degree of access to the documents and the fourth access level provides a least degree of access to the documents. In response to determining the access level associated with the party, permitting the party to access the documents, or preventing the party from accessing the documents, according to the access level associated with the party.

Abstract: Access to documents by parties can be controlled as follows. First, access can be controlled in accordance with access counters associated with the parties, where the documents have one or more versions. Second, access can be controlled in accordance with access levels associated with the parties. The access level of each party is one of a first access level, a second access level, a third access level, or a fourth access level. The first, second, third, and fourth access levels are ordered from the first access level to the fourth access level such that the first access level provides a greatest degree of access to the documents and the fourth access level provides a least degree of access to the documents. Third, access can be controlled in accordance with placement of organizations within a hierarchy of organizations, where the parties are organized over the organizations.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments disclose a computer process controlling access to one or more documents by one or more parties, the parties organized over one or more organizations. In response to a party associated with a first organization attempting to access documents, determining an access level associated with the party as a first access level, a second access level, a third access level, or a fourth access level. The first, second, third and fourth access levels are ordered from the first access level to the fourth access level such that the first access level provides a greatest degree of access to the documents and the fourth access level provides a least degree of access to the documents. In response to determining the access level associated with the party, permitting the party to access the documents, or preventing the party from accessing the documents, according to the access level associated with the party.

Abstract: A method for hosting versioned web services includes steps of: receiving a request from a service requestor, the request comprising version metadata; parsing the request; extracting the version metadata from the parsing step; and locating a target implementation version using the version metadata. If the target implementation version is located, the method proceeds by dynamically routing the versioned request to the target implementation version.

Abstract: A method for managing a web service client update without recompiling or redeploying of the client code includes the following steps or acts of: receiving a request for the web service from a subscribed client; transmitting the request to the web service; receiving notification of the web service update from a service provider or registry or some other means; parsing the notification and retrieving parameters describing the web service update; marshalling the parameters; determining whether the new web service update is compatible with the current web service invoked by the client application; updating the local service proxy instance with the marshaled parameters if the new web service update is compatible with the current web service invoked by the client application; and transmitting a notification if the web service update is not compatible with the current web service invoked by the client application.

Abstract: A method for hosting versioned web services includes steps of: receiving a request from a service requestor, the request comprising version metadata; parsing the request; extracting the version metadata from the parsing step; and locating a target implementation version using the version metadata. If the target implementation version is located, the method proceeds by dynamically routing the versioned request to the target implementation version.

Abstract: A method for hosting versioned web services includes steps of: receiving a request from a service requester, the request comprising version metadata; parsing the request; extracting the version metadata from the parsing step; and locating a target implementation version using the version metadata. If the target implementation version is located, the method proceeds by dynamically routing the versioned request to the target implementation version.

Abstract: Access to documents by parties can be controlled as follows. First, access can be controlled in accordance with access counters associated with the parties, where the documents have one or more versions. Second, access can be controlled in accordance with access levels associated with the parties. The access level of each party is one of a first access level, a second access level, a third access level, or a fourth access level. The first, second, third, and fourth access levels are ordered from the first access level to the fourth access level such that the first access level provides a greatest degree of access to the documents and the fourth access level provides a least degree of access to the documents. Third, access can be controlled in accordance with placement of organizations within a hierarchy of organizations, where the parties are organized over the organizations.

Abstract: A method for managing a web service client update without recompiling or redeploying of the client code includes the following steps or acts of: receiving a request for the web service from a subscribed client; transmitting the request to the web service; receiving notification of the web service update from a service provider or registry or some other means; parsing the notification and retrieving parameters describing the web service update; marshalling the parameters; determining whether the new web service update is compatible with the current web service invoked by the client application; updating the local service proxy instance with the marshaled parameters if the new web service update is compatible with the current web service invoked by the client application; and transmitting a notification if the web service update is not compatible with the current web service invoked by the client application.

Abstract: A method for automating contract negotiation between a plurality of parties over a communications network. The parties communicate and agree upon a negotiation protocol before commencing the negotiation in a meta contract that is formed to govern or control the negotiation process. The automatic negotiation may include at least one sub negotiation. Machine-executable rules are specified to enable an automatic negotiation to take place between servers over a communications network. A successful negotiation may result in the formation of an electronic commerce contract. Each party may maintain the contract state of the overall negotiation, which may take place among two or more parties, wherein at least one party may be represented by a broker. Thus, complex negotiations may be handled automatically by the inventive method. The negotiation may be conducted semi-automatically to allow for human intervention in the negotiation process.

Abstract: A method for hosting versioned web services includes steps of: receiving a request from a service requester, the request comprising version metadata; parsing the request; extracting the version metadata from the parsing step; and locating a target implementation version using the version metadata. If the target implementation version is located, the method proceeds by dynamically routing the versioned request to the target implementation version.

Abstract: Under the present invention, a customized contract is created based on the needs of the parties and is then stored within a secure computer infrastructure. Security within the computer infrastructure is typically provided through encryption such as 128 bit encryption. Moreover, all actions taken with respect to the contract (e.g., approval, execution, etc.) occur within the infrastructure and are recorded so that a record can be provided. Any party taking action will first be authenticated before access to the infrastructure is granted. In order for the contract to be electronically executed, both the originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner must first deliberately approve the contract. Once approval has been obtained, the contract can be electronically executed by both parties. After execution is complete, a final image of the contract is generated that includes the electronic signatures and the date of execution.

Abstract: A method for automating contract negotiation between a plurality of parties over a communications network. The parties communicate and agree upon a negotiation protocol before commencing the negotiation in a meta contract that is formed to govern or control the negotiation process. The automatic negotiation may include at least one sub negotiation. Machine-executable rules are specified to enable an automatic negotiation to take place between servers over a communications network. A successful negotiation may result in the formation of an electronic commerce contract. Each party may maintain the contract state of the overall negotiation, which may take place among two or more parties, wherein at least one party may be represented by a broker. Thus, complex negotiations may be handled automatically by the inventive method. The negotiation may be conducted semi-automatically to allow for human intervention in the negotiation process.

Abstract: A central processing unit (CPU) in a computer that permits speculative parallel execution of more than one instruction thread. The CPU uses Fork-Suspend instructions that are added to the instruction set of the CPU, and are inserted in a program prior to run-time to delineate potential future threads for parallel execution. The CPU has an instruction cache with one or more instruction cache ports, a bank of one or more program counters, a bank of one or more dispatchers, a thread management unit that handles inter-thread communications and discards future threads that violate dependencies, a set of architectural registers common to all threads, and a scheduler that schedules parallel execution of the instructions on one or more functional units in the CPU.