Data object tracking system and method

• US 20070083550A1
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDX Investment Corporation (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: IDX Investment Corporation (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Ferguson, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A system and method of tracking a data object of a data management system. A tracking object is associated with a first data object, the tracking object including a first status data having a first status value representing a status of the first data object. Upon the creation and/or modification of a second data object that is associated with the first data object, the first status data is automatedly updated with a second status value based on the creating and/or modifying of the second data object.

Claims

1. A method of tracking a data object of a data management system, the method comprising:

(a) creating a first data object;

(b) creating a first tracking object including a first status data having a first status value representing a status of said first data object, said first tracking object for tracking only said first data object;

(c) creating and/or modifying a second data object;

(d) associating said second data object with said first data object; and

(e) automatedly updating said first status data with a second status value based on said creating and/or modifying of said second data object, said second status value providing a current status of said first data object.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying a graphical user interface including said second status value.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first data object is an object related to the delivery of healthcare.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first tracking object is a task object of a task management subsystem.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising logging one or more previous values of said first status data in said first tracking object.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising creating a second tracking object including a second status data having a third status value representing a status of said second data object, said second tracking object for tracking only said second data object.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(a) filing an event to the data management system;

(b) comparing said event to a first predetermined ruleset to determine a relationship to said creating and/or modifying of said second data object; and

(c) automatedly performing said creating and/or modifying of said second data object.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said associating step (d) comprises automatedly comparing said second data object to a second predetermined ruleset to determine a relationship between said second data object and said first data object.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising creating a first work task object in response to said creating of said first data object, said first work task object including instructions for performing one or more work steps related to said first data object.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising a worker working said first work task object and performing said creating and/or modifying step (c).

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(a) creating a third data object;

(b) creating a third tracking object including a third status data having a fourth status value representing a status of said third data object, said third tracking object for tracking only said third data object;

(c) associating said second data object with said third data object; and

(d) automatedly updating said third status data with a fifth status value based on said creating and/or modifying of said second data object, said fifth status value providing a current status of said third data object.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said second data object is of a predetermined type and/or has a predetermined status, and wherein said automatedly updating of said first and third status data is triggered by an agent that searches for an object of said predetermined type and/or said predetermined status at a predetermined time.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first data object resides on a first application of an enterprise and said second data object resides on a second application of an enterprise, said second application being in communication with the first application.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said associating step (d) occurs after said creating and/or modifying step (c).

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein said automatedly updating step (e) comprises:

(a) creating a second work task object including an instruction for updating said first status data with said second status value; and

(b) automatedly updating said first status data according to said instruction.

16. A machine readable medium containing machine executable instructions implementing a method of tracking a database object of a system, said instructions comprising:

(a) a first set of instructions for creating a first data object;

(b) a second set of instructions for creating a first tracking object including a first status data having a first status value representing a status of said first data object, said first tracking object for tracking only said first data object;

(c) a third set of instructions for creating and/or modifying a second data object;

(d) a fourth set of instructions for associating said second data object with said first data object; and

(e) a fifth set of instructions for automatedly updating said first status data with a second status value based on said creating and/or modifying of said second data object.

17. A machine readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising a sixth set of instructions for displaying a graphical user interface including said second status value.

18. A machine readable medium according to claim 16, wherein said first data object is an object related to the delivery of healthcare.

19. A machine readable medium according to claim 16, wherein said second set of instructions further includes creating said first tracking object as a task object of a task management subsystem.

20. A machine readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising a seventh set of instructions for logging one or more previous values of said first status data in said first tracking object.

21. A machine readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising an eighth set of instructions for creating a second tracking object including a second status data having a third status value representing a status of said second data object, said second tracking object for tracking only said second data object.

22. A machine readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising:

(a) a ninth set of instructions for filing an event to the data management system;

(b) a tenth set of instructions for comparing said event to a first predetermined ruleset to determine a relationship to said creating and/or modifying of said second data object; and

(c) an eleventh set of instructions for automatedly performing said creating and/or modifying of said second data object.

23. A machine readable medium according to claim 16, wherein said fourth set of instructions includes instructions for automatedly comparing said second data object to a second predetermined ruleset to determine a relationship between said second data object and said first data object.

24. A machine readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising:

(a) a thirteenth set of instructions for creating a third data object;

(b) a fourteenth set of instructions for creating a third tracking object including a third status data having a fourth status value representing a status of said third data object, said third tracking object for tracking only said third data object;

(c) a fifteenth set of instructions for associating said second data object with said third data object; and

(d) a sixteenth set of instructions for automatedly updating said third status data with a fifth status value based on said creating and/or modifying of said second data object, said fifth status value providing a current status of said third data object.

25. A machine readable medium according to claim 24, wherein said second data object is of a predetermined type and/or has a predetermined status, and wherein said automatedly updating of said first and third status data is triggered by an agent that searches for an object of said predetermined type and/or said predetermined status at a predetermined time.

26. A machine readable medium according to claim 16, wherein said first data object resides on a first application of an enterprise and said second data object resides on a second application of an enterprise, said second application being in communication with the first application.

27. A machine readable medium according to claim 16, wherein said fifth set of instructions further comprises:

(a) a seventeenth set of instructions for creating a second work task object including an instruction for updating said first status data with said second status value; and

(b) an eighteenth set of instructions for automatedly updating said first status data according to said instruction.

28. A system for tracking a database object, the system comprising:

(a) a means for creating a first data object;

(b) a means for creating a first tracking object including a first status data having a first status value representing a status of said first data object, said first tracking object for tracking only said first data object;

(c) a means for creating and/or modifying a second data object;

(d) a means for associating said second data object with said first data object; and

(e) a means for automatedly updating said first status data with a second status value based on said creating and/or modifying of said second data object.

29. A system according to claim 28, further comprising a means for displaying a graphical user interface including said second status value.

30. A system according to claim 28, wherein said first data object is an object related to the delivery of healthcare.

31. A system according to claim 28, further comprising a means for logging one or more previous values of said first status data in said first tracking object.

32. A system according to claim 28, further comprising:

(a) a means for filing an event to the system for tracking a database object;

(b) a means for comparing said event to a first predetermined ruleset to determine a relationship to said creating and/or modifying of said second data object; and

(c) a means for automatedly performing said creating and/or modifying of said second data object.

33. A method of tracking an object of a database system, the method comprising:

(a) creating a first data object having one or more data items;

(b) creating a first tracking object including a first status data representing a status of said first data object;

(c) introducing an event related to a second data object to the database system;

(d) associating said second data object with said first data object; and

(e) automatedly updating said first status data based on said introducing of said event.

34. A method according to claim 33, further comprising displaying a graphical user interface including said updated first status data.

35. A method according to claim 33, wherein said first data object is an object related to the delivery of healthcare.

36. A method according to claim 33, wherein said first tracking object is a task object of a task management subsystem.

37. A method according to claim 33, further comprising logging one or more previous values of said first status data in said first tracking object.

38. A system for generating a display image for tracking a data management data object, the system comprising:

(a) a data server;

(b) a database on said data server, said database being for storing one or more data objects;

(c) a data object generator in communication with said database, said data object generator being for generating a first data object and storing said first data object on said database;

(d) a tracking object generator in communication with said database, said tracking object generator being for generating a first tracking object including a first status data having a first status value representing a status of said first data object, said first tracking object for tracking only said first data object;

(e) an event monitor for monitoring system events and determining what events require creation and/or modification of a second data object;

(f) a data object association manager for associating said second data object with said first data object;

(g) a data object status updater for automatedly updating said first status data with a second status value based on said creating and/or modifying of said second data object; and

(h) a display image generator for initiating generation of a data representing a display image for display on a display device, said display image being for presenting said second status value on said display device.