Method to construct a technology roadmap

• US 20030097424A1
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Yazdani, Mobashar, Pautrat, Jean-Christophe
• Application Number:
  US09/962,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20030097424A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system includes a server and a client. The client includes a module to enter component information through a template into a data block and a module to send the data block in a predetermined format to the server. The template has a predetermined number of fields with each field being of a predetermined type of field. The server includes a module to check a consistency of the component data block and a module to store the consistency checked data block in a database. Alternatively a method includes entering component information through the template into a data block at a client, sending the data block in a predetermined format from the client to a server, checking a syntax of the data block at the server, and storing the syntax checked data block in a database.

Claims

1. A system comprising a server and a client, wherein:

the client includes a module to enter component information through a template into a component data block and a module to send the component data block in a predetermined format to the server, the template having a predetermined number of fields with each field being of a predetermined type of field; and

the server includes a module to check a consistency of the component data block and a module to store the consistency checked component data block in a component database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the module to enter component information includes a sub-module to repeatedly enter information elements until an information element has been entered for each field of the predetermined number of fields.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the module to enter component information includes a sub-module to check a syntax of the component information based on the predetermined type of field of the component information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server further includes:

a module to enter at least one sort parameter;

a module to cull a set of component data blocks from the component database according to the at least one sort parameter;

a module to prepare a roadmap from the set of component data blocks; and

a module to one of display and print the roadmap.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the server further includes:

the module to enter at least one sort parameter enters a plurality of sort parameters, each entered sort parameter being ordered by a precedence order;

the module to cull includes a sub-module to cull all component data blocks having a first sort parameter, the first sort parameter having a highest precedence in the precedence order;

the module to prepare includes a sub-module to sort all component data blocks according to a second sort parameter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermine type of field includes at least one of:

a minimum shipping units per unit time field;

a maximum shipping units per unit time field;

a beginning date field; and

an ending date field.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the predetermine type of field includes at least one of a component speed field and a density field;

a value of the component speed field includes a numerical speed when the predetermine type of field is a component speed field; and

a value of the density field includes a number of bits when the predetermine type of field is a density field.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the predetermine type of field includes a graphical image field; and

a value of the graphical image field includes a link to a graphical image object.

9. A method comprising steps of:

entering component information through a template into a component data block at a client, the template having a predetermined number of fields with each field being of a predetermined type of field;

sending the component data block in a predetermined format from the client to a server;

checking a syntax of the component data block at the server; and

storing the syntax checked component data block in a component database.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of entering component information includes repeating a step of entering information elements until an information element has been entered for each field of the predetermined number of fields.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of entering includes checking a syntax of the component information based on the predetermined type of field of the component information.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermine type of field includes at least one of:

a minimum shipping units per unit time field;

a maximum shipping units per unit time field;

a beginning date field; and

an ending date field.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the predetermine type of field includes a stage of development field; and

a value of the stage of development field includes an indicia of one of an engineering sample, a customer sample, a mass production sample and an end of life sample.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the predetermine type of field includes a component speed field; and

a value of the component speed field includes a numerical speed.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the predetermine type of field includes a density field; and

a value of the density field includes a number of bits.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the predetermine type of field includes a graphical image field; and

a value of the graphical image field includes a link to a graphical image object.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising steps of:

entering at least one sort parameter;

culling a set of component data blocks from the component database according to the at least one sort parameter;

preparing a roadmap from the set of component data blocks; and

one of displaying and printing the roadmap.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the step of entering at least one sort parameter includes entering a plurality of sort parameters, each entered sort parameter being ordered by a precedence order;

the step of culling includes culling all component data blocks having a first sort parameter, the first sort parameter having a highest precedence in the precedence order; and

the step of preparing includes sorting all component data blocks according to a second sort parameter.

19. A method comprising steps of:

entering at least one sort parameter;

culling a set of component data blocks from a component database according to the at least one sort parameter;

preparing a roadmap from the set of component data blocks; and

one of displaying and printing the roadmap.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the step of entering at least one sort parameter includes entering a plurality of sort parameters, each entered sort parameter being ordered by a precedence order;

the step of culling includes culling all component data blocks having a first sort parameter, the first sort parameter having a highest precedence in the precedence order; and

the step of preparing includes sorting all component data blocks according to a second sort parameter.