Planning support system and method

• US 20040107010A1
• Filed: 08/11/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: William A. King
• Original Assignee: William A. King
• Inventors: King, William A.
• Application Number:
  US10/637,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107010A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A planning support system and method implemented in a computer system having a core control bridge communicating between a database and a user interface. The core control bridge receives user inputs from the user interface in accordance with criteria specified by a pre-existing planning model stored in the database. The information from the user inputs is processed in accordance with the criteria of the pre-existing planning model. Export file formats are generated for exporting information, the information being determined by interaction between the user inputs and the criteria of the pre-existing planning model. The resulting information is then exported into commercially available word processing, graphics, and presentation software, or customized software applications as determined by a client. The system and method can be adapted to any customized or commercial export file format, and well as exports to computers with different operating systems.

Claims

1. A planning support method implemented in a computer system having a core control bridge communicating between a database and a user interface, the method comprising:

receiving by the core control bridge, user inputs from the user interface in accordance with criteria specified by a pre-existing planning model stored in the database;

processing information from the user inputs in accordance with the criteria of the pre-existing planning model;

preparing export file formats for exporting information, the information being determined by interaction between the user inputs and the criteria of the pre-existing planning model; and

exporting the information in accordance with the export file format.

2. The planning support method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving user inputs from other users connected to the core control bridge to facilitate collaborative planning.

3. The planning support method of claim 2, wherein the other users access the core bridge through a communication link accessing a centralized core control bridge and a centralized database.

4. The planning support method of claim 2, wherein the other users access the core bridge through a communication link between a distributed core control bridge and a centralized database.

5. The planning support method of claim 2, wherein the preparing step is performed automatically by the core control bridge.

6. The planning support method of claim 5, wherein the preparing step further comprises generating export file formats compatible with commercially available software applications as defined by the pre-existing planning model.

7. The planning support method of claim 6, wherein the generating step includes generating export file formats compatible with word processing software, graphics and presentation software, and global computing network, formats.

8. The planning support method of claim 5, wherein the preparing step further comprises generating export file formats compatible with commercially available computer hardware and communication systems as defined by the pre-existing planning model.

9. The planning support method of claim 5, wherein the preparing step further comprises generating export file formats that are customized for compatibility with a proprietary software application as defined by the pre-existing planning model.

10. The planning support method of claim 5, wherein the preparing step further comprises generating export file formats that are customized for compatibility with proprietary computer hardware and communication systems as defined by the pre-existing planning model.

11. The planning support method of claim 5, wherein the preparing step further comprises generating export file formats that are customized for compatibility with an operating system different than an operating system running the core control bridge.

12. A computerized planning support system, comprising:

means for receiving user inputs from the user interface in accordance with criteria specified by a pre-existing planning model stored in a database;

means for processing information from the user inputs in accordance with the criteria of the pre-existing planning model;

means for preparing export file formats for exporting information, the information being determined by interaction between the user inputs and the criteria of the pre-existing planning model; and

means for exporting the information in accordance with the export file format.

13. The planning support method of claim 12, further comprising means for generating export file formats compatible with commercially available software applications as defined by the pre-existing planning model.

14. The planning support method of claim 12, further comprising means for generating export file formats compatible with proprietary software applications as defined by the pre-existing planning model.

15. A planning support system, comprising:

a database resident on the computer system;

a user interface for interfacing with the database;

a pre-existing planning model stored in the database;

a core control bridge resident on the computer system, the core control bridge communicating between the database and the user interface;

means for receiving by the core control bridge, user inputs from the user interface in accordance with criteria specified by a pre-existing planning model stored in the database;

means for processing information from the user inputs in accordance with the criteria of the pre-existing planning model;

means for preparing export file formats for exporting information, the information being determined by interaction between the user inputs and the criteria of the pre-existing planning model; and

means for exporting the information in accordance with the export file format.

16. The planning support method of claim 15, further comprising means for generating export file formats compatible with commercially available software applications as defined by the pre-existing planning model.

17. The planning support method of claim 15, further comprising means for generating export file formats compatible with customized software applications as defined by the pre-existing planning model.