# US 12,113,871 B2 · Online service platform (OSP) generating and transmitting on behalf of primary entity to third party proposal of the primary entity while maintaining the primary entity anonymous

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- Number: US 12,113,871 B2
- Document ID: US12113871B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/236,622
- Filed: 2023-08-22
- Published: 2023-12-14
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-02
- Assignees: Avalara, Inc.
- Applicants: Avalara, Inc.
- Inventors: Gregory T. Kavounas; Herve Marzio; Tyler Flora; Winona Dotson; William Rau
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113871B2

## CPC

- G06F 9/50: Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
- H04L 67/53: using third party service providers
- H04L 67/562: Brokering proxy services
- G06F 21/6254: {by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification}
- G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management
- G06Q 40/123: {Tax preparation or submission}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An online software platform (OSP) produces, by applying resource digital rules to previous relationship instance data of a primary entity data associated with one or more secondary entities of the domain, a domain resource regarding the domain. The OSP may then determine, by applying an alignment digital rule of the domain to the relationship instance data and the domain resource, whether or not an alignment condition of the domain is met, which indicates whether resources for relationship instances of the primary entity should have been remitted to the domain. If the alignment condition is not met, then the OSP may assemble proposal components, and communicate some of them to the domain on behalf of the primary entity to remit the resources, without initially communicating those proposal components that would reveal the identity of the primary entity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method including operations in which the operations include:
receiving relationship instance data of a primary entity relating to previous relationship instances of the primary entity with secondary entities;
identifying a domain of at least one of the secondary entities from the received data;
assembling, by automatically, at least some of previously stored proposal components, in which:
the assembled proposal components are part of a proposed set, and at least one of the proposal components of the proposed set is thus assembled by looking up previously stored proposal components for the domain;
acting to enable specific ones of the assembled proposal components to be viewable by a third party, the specific proposal components not including an identity of the primary entity;
causing a proposal notification to be transmitted to a computer of an agency of the domain, the proposal notification indicating how the enabled specific proposal components may be viewed by a user of a computer of the agency, the proposal notification further requesting an affirmation input from a computer of the agency, in which at least one of the assembling, the acting to enable and the causing the proposal notification to be transmitted is performed responsive to determining that an alignment condition is not met;
receiving an affirmation input from a computer of the agency in response to the transmitted proposal notification; and
effectuating one or more follow-up notifications.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the relationship instance data includes datasets for the domain, and
the alignment condition is not met if the datasets are more than a threshold number.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the relationship instance data includes datasets for the domain,
the datasets include respective base values, and
the alignment condition is not met if a sum of the respective base values exceeds a threshold number.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the relationship instance data includes at least one date of at least one of the relationship instances,
a due date is determinable by the included date, and
the alignment condition is not met if a report has not been filed with an agency of the domain on behalf of the primary entity by the due date about an aspect of the relationship instances.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, in which:
the relationship instance data includes datasets for the domain, and
the alignment condition is not met if the datasets are more than a threshold number.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, in which:
the relationship instance data includes datasets for the domain, and
the alignment condition is not met if the datasets are more than a threshold number.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, in which:
the relationship instance data includes datasets for the domain, and
the alignment condition is not met if the datasets are more than a threshold number.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, in which:
the relationship instance data includes datasets for the domain, and
the alignment condition is not met if the datasets are more than a threshold number.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which the operations further include:
causing a permission query to be presented in a User Interface (UI) of a computer of the primary entity that is viewable by a user of the primary entity; and
receiving a permission input from the computer of the primary entity in response to the permission query, and
in which at least one of the assembling, acting to enable and causing the proposal notification to be transmitted is performed responsive to receiving the permission input.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which the operations further include:
accessing a previously stored correction digital rule for the domain;
determining, by applying the correction digital rule to the relationship instance data, whether or not a correction eligibility condition of the domain is met, and
in which the assembling is performed responsive to the correction eligibility condition being met.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, in which the operations further include:
storing an updated correction digital rule; and
determining again, by applying the updated correction digital rule to the relationship instance data responsive to the storing, whether or not the correction eligibility condition is met, and
in which the assembling is performed responsive to the correction eligibility condition being met.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, in which:
the relationship instance data includes at least one date associated with at least one of the relationship instances,
a due date is determined from an alignment digital rule and the included date,
a grace period of the domain is determined from the previously stored correction digital rule, and
the correction eligibility condition is met if the grace period has not elapsed since the due date.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, in which:
the relationship instance data includes datasets for the domain,
the datasets include respective base values, and
the correction eligibility condition is met if a sum of the respective base values is less than a threshold number.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the assembled proposal components are part of a proposed set, and
the proposed set being for a proposal regarding the primary entity meeting the alignment condition at least in part.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which the operations further include:
accessing a previously stored correction digital rule for the domain, and
in which a certain proposal component is thus assembled by applying the previously stored correction digital rule.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The of claim 1, in which the operations further include:
updating the previously stored proposal components;
assembling again, by automatically and in response to the updating, another proposed set of at least some of the previously stored proposal components; and
causing a permission query to be presented in a User Interface (UI) of a computer of a user of the primary entity along with proposal components of the other proposed set.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which the operations further include:
receiving primary entity data of the primary entity, the primary data including the identity of the primary entity; and
storing the primary entity data, and
in which the assembled proposal components are part of a proposed set and the proposed set includes the identity of the primary entity.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which the operations further include:
deriving a relevant number from the relationship instance data or a domain resource, and
in which the assembled proposal components are part of a proposed set and the proposed set includes the relevant number.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which the operations further include:
causing at least one of the assembled proposal components to be presented in a User Interface (UI) of a computer of a user of the primary entity.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, in which the operations further include:
receiving an electronic signature from the user of the primary entity as one more of the assembled proposal components, and
in which the specific ones of the assembled proposal components that are enabled to be viewable by a third party do not include the received an electronic signature from the user of the primary entity.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the assembled proposal components are assembled in a proposal document.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, in which the operations further include:
receiving an electronic signature to the proposal document from the user.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal webpage with the specific proposal components, and
the proposal notification provides a link to the proposal webpage.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal webpage with the specific proposal components and an indication of a non-shown portion of an identity of the primary entity, and
the proposal notification provides a link to the proposal webpage.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal document with the specific proposal components, and
the proposal notification provides a link that leads to opening the proposal document.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal document with the specific proposal components and an indication of a non-shown portion of an identity of the primary entity, and
the proposal notification provides a link that leads to opening the proposal document.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal document with the specific proposal components, and
the proposal notification includes an email has the proposal document as an attachment.

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the specific proposal components further include a promise that the identity of the primary entity will be revealed responsive to the affirmation input being received.

### Claim 29 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the proposal notification includes a promise that the identity of the primary entity will be revealed responsive to the affirmation input being received.

### Claim 30 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which the operations further include:
verifying the received affirmation input against a validity criterion, and
in which the effectuating is performed automatically responsive to the verifying.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the proposal notification enables a representative of the domain to provide an electronic signature, and
the affirmation input includes the provided electronic signature.

### Claim 32 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal document that includes the specific proposal components,
the proposal notification enables a representative of the domain to affix an electronic signature to the proposal document, and
the affirmation input includes the proposal document with the affixed electronic signature by the representative.

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which the affirmation input includes an electronic signature by a representative of the domain; and
in which the operations further include:
consulting a registry of approved domain representatives; and
verifying that the electronic signature is from one of the approved domain representatives, and
in which the effectuating is performed automatically responsive to the verifying.

### Claim 34 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
at least one of the one or more follow-up notifications about the received affirmation input is sent to a computer of the primary entity.

### Claim 35 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
at least one of the one or more follow-up notifications about the identity of the primary entity is sent to a computer of the agency.

### Claim 36 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which:
at least one of the one or more follow-up notifications is sent concurrently to both a computer of the primary entity and to a computer of the agency.

### Claim 37 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which the operations further include:
preparing a final document that lists the assembled proposal components, the identity of the primary entity, an electronic signature by a user of a computer of the primary entity, an identity of the domain and an electronic signature by a representative of the domain; and
making the final document available to a user of a computer of the primary entity and to a user of a computer of the agency.

### Claim 38 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, in which the operations further include:
receiving, in response to the transmitted proposal notification, a negation input instead of an affirmation input; and
transmitting, in response to the received negation input, a negation notification to a computer of the primary entity.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, in which:
along with the negation input, a counterproposal indication is included, and
the counterproposal indication is transmitted together with the negation notification.

### Claim 40

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, result in operations including at least:
receiving relationship instance data of a primary entity relating to previous relationship instances of the primary entity with secondary entities;
identifying a domain of at least one of the secondary entities from the received data;
assembling, by automatically, at least some of previously stored proposal components, in which:
the assembled proposal components are part of a proposed set, and at least one of the proposal components of the proposed set is thus assembled by looking up previously stored proposal components for the domain;
acting to enable specific ones of the assembled proposal components to be viewable by a third party, the specific proposal components not including an identity of the primary entity;
causing a proposal notification to be transmitted to a computer of an agency of the domain, the proposal notification indicating how the enabled specific proposal components may be viewed by a user of a computer of the agency, the proposal notification further requesting an affirmation input from a computer of the agency, in which at least one of the assembling, the acting to enable and the causing the proposal notification to be transmitted is performed responsive to determining that an alignment condition is not met;
receiving an affirmation input from a computer of the agency in response to the transmitted proposal notification; and
effectuating one or more follow-up notifications.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the relationship instance data includes datasets for the domain, and
the alignment condition is not met if the datasets are more than a threshold number.

### Claim 42 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the relationship instance data includes datasets for the domain,
the datasets include respective base values, and
the alignment condition is not met if a sum of the respective base values exceeds a threshold number.

### Claim 43 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the relationship instance data includes at least one date of at least one of the relationship instances,
a due date is determinable by the included date, and
the alignment condition is not met if a report has not been filed with an agency of the domain on behalf of the primary entity by the due date about an aspect of the relationship instances.

### Claim 44 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which the operations further include:
causing a permission query to be presented in a User Interface (UI) of a computer of the primary entity that is viewable by a user of the primary entity; and
receiving a permission input from the computer of the primary entity in response to the permission query, and
in which at least one of the assembling, acting to enable and causing the proposal notification to be transmitted is performed responsive to receiving the permission input.

### Claim 45 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which the operations further include:
accessing a previously stored correction digital rule for the domain;
determining, by applying the correction digital rule to the relationship instance data, whether or not a correction eligibility condition of the domain is met, and
in which the assembling is performed responsive to the correction eligibility condition being met.

### Claim 46 (depends on 45)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 45, in which the operations further include:
storing an updated correction digital rule; and
determining again, by applying the updated correction digital rule to the relationship instance data responsive to the storing, whether or not the correction eligibility condition is met, and
in which the assembling is performed responsive to the correction eligibility condition being met.

### Claim 47 (depends on 45)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 45, in which:
the relationship instance data includes at least one date associated with at least one of the relationship instances,
a due date is determined from an alignment digital rule and the included date,
a grace period of the domain is determined from the previously stored correction digital rule, and
the correction eligibility condition is met if the grace period has not elapsed since the due date.

### Claim 48 (depends on 45)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 45, in which:
the relationship instance data includes datasets for the domain,
the datasets include respective base values, and
the correction eligibility condition is met if a sum of the respective base values is less than a threshold number.

### Claim 49 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the assembled proposal components are part of a proposed set, and
the proposed set being for a proposal regarding the primary entity meeting the alignment condition at least in part.

### Claim 50 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which the operations further include:
accessing a previously stored correction digital rule for the domain, and
in which a certain proposal component is thus assembled by applying the previously stored correction digital rule.

### Claim 51 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which the operations further include:
updating the previously stored proposal components;
assembling again, by automatically and in response to the updating, another proposed set of at least some of the previously stored proposal components; and
causing a permission query to be presented in a User Interface (UI) of a computer of a user of the primary entity along with proposal components of the other proposed set.

### Claim 52 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which the operations further include:
receiving primary entity data of the primary entity, the primary data including the identity of the primary entity; and
storing the primary entity data, and
in which the assembled proposal components are part of a proposed set and the proposed set includes the identity of the primary entity.

### Claim 53 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which the operations further include:
deriving a relevant number from the relationship instance data or a domain resource, and
in which the assembled proposal components are part of a proposed set and the proposed set includes the relevant number.

### Claim 54 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which the operations further include:
causing at least one of the assembled proposal components to be presented in a User Interface (UI) of a computer of a user of the primary entity.

### Claim 55 (depends on 54)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 54, in which the operations further include:
receiving an electronic signature from the user of the primary entity as one more of the assembled proposal components, and
in which the specific ones of the assembled proposal components that are enabled to be viewable by a third party do not include the received an electronic signature from the user of the primary entity.

### Claim 56 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the assembled proposal components are assembled in a proposal document.

### Claim 57 (depends on 56)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 56, in which the operations further include:
receiving an electronic signature to the proposal document from the user.

### Claim 58 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal webpage with the specific proposal components, and
the proposal notification provides a link to the proposal webpage.

### Claim 59 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal webpage with the specific proposal components and an indication of a non-shown portion of an identity of the primary entity, and
the proposal notification provides a link to the proposal webpage.

### Claim 60 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal document with the specific proposal components, and
the proposal notification provides a link that leads to opening the proposal document.

### Claim 61 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal document with the specific proposal components and an indication of a non-shown portion of an identity of the primary entity, and
the proposal notification provides a link that leads to opening the proposal document.

### Claim 62 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal document with the specific proposal components, and
the proposal notification includes an email has the proposal document as an attachment.

### Claim 63 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the specific proposal components further include a promise that the identity of the primary entity will be revealed responsive to the affirmation input being received.

### Claim 64 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the proposal notification includes a promise that the identity of the primary entity will be revealed responsive to the affirmation input being received.

### Claim 65 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which the operations further include:
verifying the received affirmation input against a validity criterion, and
in which the effectuating is performed automatically responsive to the verifying.

### Claim 66 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the proposal notification enables a representative of the domain to provide an electronic signature, and
the affirmation input includes the provided electronic signature.

### Claim 67 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
the acting to enable includes preparing a proposal document that includes the specific proposal components,
the proposal notification enables a representative of the domain to affix an electronic signature to the proposal document, and
the affirmation input includes the proposal document with the affixed electronic signature by the representative.

### Claim 68 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which
the affirmation input includes an electronic signature by a representative of the domain; and
in which the operations further include:
consulting a registry of approved domain representatives; and
verifying that the electronic signature is from one of the approved domain representatives, and
in which the effectuating is performed automatically responsive to the verifying.

### Claim 69 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
at least one of the one or more follow-up notifications about the received affirmation input is sent to a computer of the primary entity.

### Claim 70 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
at least one of the one or more follow-up notifications about the identity of the primary entity is sent to a computer of the agency.

### Claim 71 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which:
at least one of the one or more follow-up notifications is sent concurrently to both a computer of the primary entity and to a computer of the agency.

### Claim 72 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which the operations further include:
preparing a final document that lists the assembled proposal components, the identity of the primary entity, an electronic signature by a user of a computer of the primary entity, an identity of the domain and an electronic signature by a representative of the domain; and
making the final document available to a user of a computer of the primary entity and to a user of a computer of the agency.

### Claim 73 (depends on 40)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, in which the operations further include:
receiving, in response to the transmitted proposal notification, a negation input instead of an affirmation input; and
transmitting, in response to the received negation input, a negation notification to a computer of the primary entity.

### Claim 74 (depends on 73)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 73, in which:
along with the negation input, a counterproposal indication is included, and
the counterproposal indication is transmitted together with the negation notification.