System and method for providing selective data access and workflow in a network environment

• US 20020065798A1
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Projectvillage
• Original Assignee: Projectvillage
• Inventors: Buzdor, Nathan D., Nallamothu, Mallikarjun, Bostleman, Mark W., Pappas, Jeffrey P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,850,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A method for managing and selectively sharing multiples sets of information to be used in a plurality of projects is disclosed. Each set of information is created, revised and controlled by separate entities. The method is executed in a computer system where at least one first set of information and at least one second set of information is received from at least a first entity. A second entity is permitted to retrieve, use and/or revise the first set of information, while at the same time the second entity is prohibited from retrieving, using and/or revising of the second set of information. At least one third set of information and at least one fourth set of information are received from the second entity. The first entity is permitted to retrieve, use and/or revise the third set of information, while the first entity is prohibited from at least one of retrieving, using or revising of the fourth set of information.

Claims

1. A method for managing and selectively sharing multiple sets of information to be used in a plurality of projects, each set of information being created, revised and controlled by separate entitles, the method executed in a computer system, said method comprising

receiving, storing, and analyzing in a database at least one first set of information from at least a first entity, the first set of information capable of being retrievable, usable and revisable by the first entity;

allowing the first entity to control whether at least one second entity can access the first set of information, and allowing the first entity to control whether the second entity can retrieve, use and/or revise the first set of information;

receiving, storing, and analyzing in the database at least one second set of information from the first entity, the second set of information capable of being retrieved, used and revised only by the first entity;

receiving, storing, and analyzing in the database at least one third set of information from the second entity;

the third set of information capable of being retrieved, used and revised by the second entity;

allowing the second entity to control whether at least the first entity can access the third set of information and allowing the second entity to control whether the first entity can retrieve, use and/or revise the second set of information; and

receiving, storing and analyzing in the database at least one fourth set of information capable of being retrieved, used and revised only by the second entity.

2. The method of claim 1, in which multiple sets of information are received, stored and analyzed from multiple entities, and allowing each entity to control whether the other entities can retrieve, use and/or revise the stored sets of information.

3. The method of claim 1, in which analyzing of the information further includes updating a status of each set of information, and sending the status of each updated set of information to each entity that is capable of retrieving, using and/or revising the updated set of information.

4. The method of claim 3, in which the analyzing of the information is performed using a predetermined and customizable path.

5. The method of claim 1, further including allowing each entity to grant permissions to other entities to receive, store and/or analyze the sets of information under the control of each entity.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the at least first entity is a member of a first organization and the at least second entity is a member of a second organization that is different from the first organization.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed on a network computer.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed with a computer code operating on a suitable database.

9. The method of claim 8, in which the computer code is written in a language comprising Visual Basic, C++ or Java.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

11. A software program for a multiple project managing system which controls access to multiple sets of information for use in a plurality of projects, each set of information being created, revised and controlled by separate entities, the software program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

receive, store, and analyze in a database at least one first set of information from at least a first entity using an electronic user interface, the first set of information being capable of being retrievable, usable and revisable by the first entity;

allow the first entity to control whether at least one second entity can access the first set of information;

allow the first entity to control whether the second entity can retrieve, use and/or revise the first set of information;

receive, store and analyze in the database at least one second set of information from the first entity, the second set of information being capable of being retrieved, used and revised only by the first entity;

receive, store, and analyze in the database at least one third set of information from the second entity;

the third set of information being capable of being retrieved, used and revised by the second entity;

allow the second entity to control whether the first entity can access the third set of information;

allow the second entity to control whether the first entity can retrieve, use and/or revise the second set of information; and

receive, store and analyze in the database at least one fourth set of information from the second entity, the fourth set of information being capable of being retrieved, used and revised only by the second entity.

12. The program of claim 11, wherein the software program allows multiple entities to send, store and analyze multiple sets of information in the database, and allowing each entity to control whether the other entities can retrieve, use and/or revise the stored sets of information.

13. The method of claim 11, in which analyzing of the information further includes updating a status of each set of information, and sending the status of each updated set of information to each entity that is capable of retrieving, using and/or revising the updated set of information.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the analyzing of the information is performed using a predetermined and customizable path.

15. The method of claim 11, further including allowing each entity to grant permissions to other entities to receive, store and/or analyze the sets of information under the control of each entity.

16. The method of claim 15, in which the at least first entity is a member of a first organization and the at least second entity is a member of a second organization that is different from the first organization.

17. The method of claim 11, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed on a network computer.

18. The method of claim 11, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed with a computer code operating on a suitable database.

19. The method of claim 18, in which the computer code is written in a language comprising Visual Basic, C++ or Java.

20. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 11.

21. A method for managing and selectively sharing multiple sets of information to be used in a plurality of projects, each set of information being created, revised and controlled by multiple separate entities, the method executed in a computer system, the method comprising

receiving at least one first set of information and at least one second set of information from at least a first entity using an electronic user interface;

analyzing and storing the first and the second sets of information in a database;

allowing at least a second entity to retrieve, use and/or revise the first set of information, while prohibiting the second entity from at least one of the retrieving, using or revising of the second set of information;

receiving at least one third set of information and at least one fourth set of information from the second entity using an electronic user interface;

analyzing and storing the third and the fourth sets of information in the database;

allowing the first entity to retrieve, use and/or revise the third set of information, while prohibiting the first entity from at least one of retrieving, using or revising of the fourth set of information.

22. The method of claim 21, in which multiple sets of information are received, stored and analyzed from multiple entities, and allowing each entity to control whether the other entities can retrieve, use and/or revise the stored sets of information.

23. The method of claim 21, in which analyzing of the information further includes updating a status of each set of information, and sending the status of each updated set of information to each entity that is capable of retrieving, using and/or revising the updated set of information.

24. The method of claim 23, in which the analyzing of the information is performed using a predetermined and customizable path.

25. The method of claim 21, further including allowing each entity to grant permissions to other entities to receive, store and/or analyze the sets of information under the control of each entity.

26. The method of claim 25, in which the at least first entity is a member of a first organization and the at least second entity is a member of a second organization that is different from the first organization.

27. The method of claim 21, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed on a network computer.

28. The method of claim 21, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed with a computer code operating on a suitable database.

29. The method of claim 28, in which the computer code is written in a language comprising Visual Basic, C++ or Java.

30. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 21.

31. A method for managing and selectively sharing information in a multiuser network environment of the type having at least one database server with at least one file directed for selective shared usage, and multiple entitles interconnected through the database server through a network link, each entity creating at least one set of information and controlling access by other entities to at least one subset of that information, the method comprising

receiving at least one first set of information and at least one second set of information from at least a first entity using at least one electronic user interface;

storing the first and the second sets of information in a database;

allowing at least a second entity to retrieve, use and/or revise the first set of information, while prohibiting the second entity from at least one of the retrieving, using or revising of the second set of information;

receiving at least one third set of information and at least one fourth set of information from the second entity using at least one electronic user interface;

storing the third and the fourth sets of information in the database; and

allowing the first entity to retrieve, use and/or revise the third set of information, while prohibiting the first entity from at least one of retrieving, using or revising of the fourth set of information.

32. The method of claim 31, in which multiple sets of information are received, stored and analyzed from multiple entities, and allowing each entity to control whether the other entities can retrieve, use and/or revise the stored sets of information.

33. The method of claim 31, in which analyzing of the information further includes updating a status of each set of information, and sending the status of each updated set of information to each entity that is capable of retrieving, using and/or revising the updated set of information.

34. The method of claim 33, in which the analyzing of the information is performed using a predetermined and customizable path.

35. The method of claim 31, further including allowing each entity to grant permissions to other entities to receive, store and/or analyze the sets of information under the control of each entity.

36. The method of claim 35, in which the at least first entity is a member of a first organization and the at least second entity is a member of a second organization that is different from the first organization.

37. The method of claim 31, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed on a network computer.

38. The method of claim 31, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed with a computer code operating on a suitable database.

39. The method of claim 38, in which the computer code is written in a language comprising Visual Basic, C++ or Java.

40. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 31.

41. A business method for one or more entities for managing multiple projects and selectively sharing information comprising

creating at least one or more accounts within an application wherein each entity creates and controls at least one or more of the following sets of information including:

at least one or more projects, at least one or more application modules, at least one or more security permissions and at least one or more users;

allowing each entity to create any number of projects, each specific project having a number of application modules associated with the specific project that contain and process at least one or more sets of information;

allowing each entity to grant at least one foreign permission to a user to retrieve, use and/or revise the information; and

,

creating a super project when the foreign permission is granted to the user, the super project being a common channel upon which the various application modules from each entity can be merged into at least one set of super modules.

42. The method of claim 41, in which multiple sets of information are received, stored and analyzed from multiple entities, and allowing each entity to control whether the other entities can retrieve, use and/or revise the stored sets of information.

43. The method of claim 42, in which analyzing of the information further includes updating a status of each set of information, and sending the status of each updated set of information to each entity that is capable of retrieving, using and/or revising the updated set of information.

44. The method of claim 43, in which the analyzing of the information is performed using a predetermined and customizable path.

45. The method of claim 41, further including allowing each entity to grant permissions to other entities to receive, store and/or analyze the sets of information under the control of each entity.

46. The method of claim 45, in which the at least first entity is a member of a first organization and the at least second entity is a member of a second organization that is different from the first organization.

47. The method of claim 42, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed on a network computer.

48. The method of claim 42, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed with a computer code operating on a suitable database.

49. The method of claim 48, in which the computer code is written in a language comprising Visual Basic, C++ or Java.

50. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 41.

51. A programmed computer system for managing and selectively sharing multiple sets of information in a network environment comprising:

at least one client device 100 comprising at least one or more personal computers, network appliances, laptop and palm computers;

the client device 100 including a user interface 102 which sends information to and receives information from a connection device 110;

the connection device 110 comprising at least one or more routers, switches and domain name servers;

the connection device 110 including a network 112 which sends and receives information from an interface server 120;

the interface server 120 including a request/response handling system 122 which sends and receives information from an application server 130;

the application server 130 comprising a data and security validation system 132 which receives information from the request/response handling system 122;

the data and security validation system 132 sending and receiving information from a business ruling processing system 134;

the data and security validation system 132 also sending information to an interface assembly 136 which, in turn, sends information to the request/response handling system 122; and

the business rule processing system 134 sending and receiving information from a database server 140, which comprises at least one or more tables, views and triggers 142,

wherein multiple sets of information are received, stored and analyzed from multiple entities, and allowing each entity to control whether the other entities can retrieve, use and/or revise the stored sets of information.

52. The system of claim 51, in which analyzing of the information further includes updating a status of each set of information, and sending the status of each updated set of information to each entity that is capable of retrieving, using and/or revising the updated set of information.

53. The system of claim 52, in which the analyzing of the information is performed using a predetermined and customizable path.

54. The system of claim 51, further including allowing each entity to grant permissions to other entities to receive, store and/or analyze the sets of information under the control of each entity.

55. The system of claim 54, in which at least a first entity is a member of a first organization and at least second entity is a member of a second organization that is different from the first organization.

56. The system of claim 51, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed on a network computer.

57. The system of claim 51, in which the receiving, analyzing and storing of the multiple sets of information are performed with a computer code operating on a suitable database.

58. The system of claim 57, in which the computer code is written in a language comprising Visual Basic, C++ or Java.

59. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the system recited in claim 51.