Logical architecture for business-to-employee web services

• US 20020173973A1
• Filed: 05/15/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Steve, Mason, John, Rosckes, Renay, Massaro, Diana, Cirinna, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,051,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/944 Business related
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system and method for using a website to provide tools that enable an employee perform employment-related functions. The system includes a website interface, data and applications stored in memory, and a data engine to provide the applications with the data to operate. The system may also include an external application accessible by the data engine via a link to a second electronic information system provided by a partner business. The method includes developing a website that utilizes applications and data to form tools to enable an employee perform employment-related tasks. The method also includes providing the computer system with a data engine to locate specific data in memory and transfer the specific data to an application to enable a tool to perform its employment-related function. The method further includes providing a website interface to access the tools.

Claims

1. A system to enable employees of an identified company to perform employment-related functions for the identified company, the system comprising:

a first electronic information system being accessible from a website interface and having;

data related to the identified company stored in electronic storage;

a plurality of tools to enable the employees of the identified company to perform a plurality of employment-related functions for the identified company, each tool utilizing the company-related data to perform its intended function; and

a data engine operable to provide a link between the first electronic information system and a second electronic information system provided by a business partnered with the identified company, the link being transparent to the employees.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first electronic information system comprises a first application to identify each of the employees using the system.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first electronic information system comprises a second application to configure a website interface based upon the identity of each of the employees accessing the system.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second electronic information systems are configured so that the first and second electronic information systems provide a similar look and feel to the employees.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first electronic information system comprises a third application to record each of the employees'"'"' use of the system.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first electronic information system comprises a fourth application that enables the system to develop employee profiles based upon each of the employees'"'"' use of the system.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the second application configures the appearance of the website interface based upon profiles of the employees.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the second application configures the website interface by employment function of each of the employees.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the website interface is arranged topically by subject matter of the tools.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of tools comprise at least one application.

11. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the system utilizes the first application to identify the employee using the system and to provide the employee with a menu of tools based on the identity of the employee.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the interactive Internet website comprises a plurality of web pages, each web page configured by a configuration application according to the employment function of the employee.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the system is operable to develop a profile of each of the employees based on each employee'"'"'s use of the system.

15. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the system is linkable to an external Internet website in a manner transparent to the employees.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the configurations of the interactive Internet website and the external Internet website are coordinated so that they both have a similar appearance.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, comprising the act of:

providing the system with a tool that enables an employee to obtain information or services via the website interface.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, comprising the act of:

providing the system with a tool that enables an employee to request goods or services via the website interface.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, comprising the act of:

providing the computer system with a n application to identify each employee accessing the website interface.

12. An electronic information system for providing tools to employees of an identified company to perform employment-related functions for the identified company, the system comprising:

an information database containing data related to the identified company;

an interactive Internet website that enables only the employees of the identified company to access and interact with the electronic information system;

a plurality of tools that direct the system to perform operations to assist the employees to perform employment-related functions for the identified company;

an information engine that operates between the information database and the plurality of tools; and

an application to identify each of the employees accessing the system, wherein the system configures the interactive Internet website based on each employees'"'"' identity.

17. A method of using a computer system to provide tools to employees of an identified company to enable the employees to perform employment-related functions for the identified company, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a computer system with a website interface;

providing the computer system with company-related data and a plurality of applications stored in memory;

coordinating the operation of the data and the plurality of applications to form a plurality of tools accessible by only the employees via the website interface, each tool performing an employment-related function for the employee; and

providing the computer system with a data engine to locate specific company-related data in memory and transfer the specific company-related data to an application to enable each tool to perform its employment-related function.