Method of Presenting Leasing Arrangements

• US 20070174083A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul John Muessig
• Original Assignee: LEO Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Weber, James, Silverman, Michael, Muessig, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for presenting leasing arrangements for a plurality of rental spaces. The method includes the steps of providing a graphical user interface that depicts the plurality of rental spaces within a two-dimensional layout on a display of the graphical user interface where a relative size and relative location of each rental space on the display is proportional to a relative physical size and relative location of the actual rental spaces and associating a menu with at least some of the rental spaces on the display where the menu provides additional information regarding the rental space, building, rental space user prospects and associated documents. The method and apparatus also allow user IDs to simultaneously have access to information in multiple database partitions within a management system.

Claims

1. A method for providing multiple levels of access within a management system to a partitioned database having a plurality of database partitions each storing a portion of the information of the database, wherein the management system has a plurality of users each having an associated user ID defined in the management system and providing the user with access to the management system, the method comprising:

for each database partition, designating the user ID for one of the users of the management system as an owner ID for the database partition, wherein the owner ID for the database partition is assigned the authority to read and update the information in the corresponding database partition and the authority to assign authority to other user IDs to read and update the information in the database partition, wherein the authority assigned to other user IDs is a subset of the authority assigned to the owner ID;

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to specify a user ID defined in the management system; and

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to assign to the specified user ID a subset of the authority of the owner ID to read and update the information in the database partition, and wherein users with owner IDs for different database partitions may assign authority in the corresponding database partitions to the same user ID so that the user having the user ID having assigned authority for multiple database partitions may simultaneously have access to the information in the multiple database partitions.

2. The method for providing multiple levels of access within a management system as in claim 1, wherein allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to specify a user ID comprises:

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to request and have displayed a list of the user IDs defined in the management system; and

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to select a user ID from the displayed list of user IDs to be the specified user ID.

3. The method for providing multiple levels of access within a management system as in claim 1, wherein allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to assign a subset of the owner ID'"'"'s authority comprises allowing the user having the owner ID to only assign the authority to read information in the database partition.

4. The method for providing multiple levels of access within a management system as in claim 1, wherein allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to assign a subset of the owner ID'"'"'s authority comprises allowing the user having the owner ID to assign the authority to read and update information in the database partition.

5. The method for providing multiple levels of access within a management system as in claim 1, wherein the authority to update information in a database partition includes the authority to add new information to the database partition.

6. The method for providing multiple levels of access within a management system as in claim 1, comprising

allowing a user having a user ID that is assigned a subset of an owner ID'"'"'s authority to read and update information in a corresponding database partition to specify a user ID for another user defined in the management system;

and

allowing the user having the user ID that is assigned the subset of an owner ID'"'"'s authority to assign a subset of the authority in the database partition assigned from the owner ID to the specified user ID.

7. The method for providing multiple levels of access within a management system as in claim 6, wherein allowing a user having a user ID that is assigned a subset of an owner ID'"'"'s authority to specify a user ID comprises:

allowing the user having a user ID that is assigned the subset of the owner ID'"'"'s authority to request and have displayed a list of the user IDs defined in the management system; and

allowing the user having the user ID that is assigned the subset of the owner ID'"'"'s authority to select a user ID from the displayed list of user IDs.

8. The method for providing multiple levels of access within a management system as in claim 1, wherein the database partitions include files comprising a plurality of records containing information, and wherein records comprise a plurality of fields containing the information for the records, the method comprising:

displaying a list of fields in the records of a file of the database partition to the user having the owner ID for the database partition; and

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to specify a level of authority to be assigned to the selected user ID for each field in the record.

9. The method for providing multiple levels of access within a management system as in claim 1, comprising:

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to define a plurality of roles within the management system, wherein a definition for each role includes a level of access to be provided to the information in the database partition, and wherein the level of access comprises a subset of the authority of the owner ID to read and update the information in the database partition; and

assigning one of the defined roles to the specified user ID, wherein the level of access for the role determines the level of access to the information in the database partition for the selected user ID.

10. A method for controlling access to information in a database of a real estate property management system, wherein the database is partitioned into a plurality of database partitions, wherein each database partition contains information for a plurality of buildings managed by the management system, and wherein the management system has a plurality of users each having an associated user ID defined in the management system and providing the user with access to the management system, the method comprising:

for each database partition, designating the user ID for one of the users of the system as an owner ID for the database partition, wherein the owner ID for the database partition is assigned the authority to read and update the information for the buildings in the corresponding database partition and the authority to assign authority to other user IDs to read and update the information for the buildings in the database partition, wherein the authority assigned to other user IDs is a subset of the authority assigned to the owner ID;

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to specify a user ID defined in the management system; and

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to assign to the specified user ID a subset of the authority of the owner ID to read and update the information for the buildings in the database partition, and wherein users with owner IDs for different database partitions may assign authority in the corresponding database partitions to the same user ID so that the user having the user ID having assigned authority for multiple database partitions may simultaneously have access to the information for the buildings in the multiple database partitions.

11. The method for controlling access to information in a database of a real estate property management system as in claim 10, wherein allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to specify a user ID comprises:

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to request and have displayed a list of the user IDs defined in the management system; and

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to select a user ID from the displayed list of user IDs to be the specified user ID.

12. The method for controlling access to information in a database of a real estate property management system as in claim 10, wherein allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to assign a subset of the owner ID'"'"'s authority comprises allowing the user having the owner ID to only assign the authority to read information for the buildings in the database partition.

13. The method for controlling access to information in a database of a real estate property management system as in claim 10, wherein allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to assign a subset of the owner ID'"'"'s authority comprises allowing the user having the owner ID to assign the authority to read and update information for the buildings in the database partition.

14. The method for controlling access to information in a database of a real estate property management system as in claim 10, wherein the authority to update information for the buildings in a database partition includes the authority to add information for new buildings to the database partition.

15. The method for controlling access to information in a database of a real estate property management system as in claim 10, comprising

allowing a user having a user ID that is assigned a subset of an owner ID'"'"'s authority to read and update information for the buildings in a corresponding database partition to specify a user ID for another user defined in the management system;

and

allowing the user having the user ID that is assigned the subset of an owner ID'"'"'s authority to assign a subset of the authority in the database partition assigned from the owner ID to the specified user ID.

16. The method for controlling access to information in a database of a real estate property management system as in claim 15, wherein allowing a user having a user ID that is assigned a subset of an owner ID'"'"'s authority to specify a user ID comprises:

allowing the user having a user ID that is assigned the subset of the owner ID'"'"'s authority to request and have displayed a list of the user IDs defined in the management system; and

allowing the user having the user ID that is assigned the subset of the owner ID'"'"'s authority to select a user ID from the displayed list of user IDs.

17. The method for controlling access to information in a database of a real estate property management system as in claim 10, wherein the database partitions include a plurality of records each containing information for one of the buildings of the database partition, and wherein the records comprise a plurality of fields each containing data for the corresponding building, the method comprising:

displaying a list of fields in the records to the user having the owner ID for the database partition; and

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to specify a level of authority to be assigned to the selected user ID for each field in the record.

18. The method for controlling access to information in a database of a real estate property management system as in claim 10, comprising:

allowing the user having the owner ID for the database partition to define a plurality of roles within the management system, wherein a definition for each role includes a level of access to be provided to the information in the database partition, and wherein the level of access comprises a subset of the authority of the owner ID to read and update the information for the buildings in the database partition; and

assigning one of the defined roles to the specified user ID, wherein the level of access for the role determines the level of access to the information for the buildings in the database partition for the selected user ID.

19. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system, wherein the database is partitioned into a plurality of database partitions, wherein each database partition contains information for a plurality of buildings managed by the computer system, wherein the computer system has a plurality of users each having an associated user ID defined in the computer system and providing the user with access to the computer system, wherein, for each database partition, the user ID for one of the users of the system is designated as an owner ID for the database partition, wherein the owner ID for the database partition is assigned the authority to read and update the information for the buildings in the corresponding database partition and the authority to assign access authority to other user IDs to read and update the information for the buildings in the database partition, and wherein the access authority assigned to other user IDs is a subset of the authority assigned to the owner ID, the method comprising:

when an owner ID for a database partition is logged on to the computer system, displaying a screen including a user manager softkey;

receiving a user manager screen selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at the user manager softkey, and, in response to the user manager screen selection signal, retrieving stored information for the user IDs defined in the computer system and displaying a user manager screen including a list of the retrieved user IDs, information associated with each of the retrieved user IDs, and a user authorization enablement checkbox;

receiving a user ID selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at one of the user IDs in the list of the retrieved user IDs, and, in response to the user ID selection signal, retrieving identification information for the buildings stored in the database partition corresponding to the owner ID and displaying a list of the retrieved buildings on the user management screen;

receiving a user ID enablement signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at the user authorization enablement checkbox for the selected user ID in the list of retrieved user IDs, and, in response to the user ID enablement signal, displaying a user enabled graphic in the user authorization enablement checkbox and storing information indicating the authorization of the user ID for access to information stored in the database partition corresponding to the owner ID, wherein users with owner IDs for different database partitions may grant authorization in the corresponding database partitions to the same user ID at the user manager screen so that the user having the user ID having assigned authorization for multiple database partitions may simultaneously have access to the information for the buildings in the multiple database partitions.

20. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 19, comprising receiving a building selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at one of the buildings in the list of retrieved buildings, and, in response to the building selection signal, storing information indicating the authorization of the user ID for access to information stored in the database partition for the selected building.

21. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 20, comprising:

retrieving stored information indicating the authorization for the user ID for access to information for the buildings stored in the database partition in response to the user ID selection signal;

displaying the identification information for the buildings for which the user ID is authorized for access in a user building list on the user management screen; and

displaying the identification information for the buildings for which the user ID is not authorized for access in an available building list.

22. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 21, comprising receiving an available building list selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at one of the buildings in the available building list and, in response the available building list selection signal, storing information indicating the authorization of the user ID for access to the information stored in the database partition for the selected available building, displaying the identification information for the selected available building in the user building list, and removing the identification information for the selected available building from the available building list.

23. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 21, comprising receiving, a user building list selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at one of the buildings in the user building list and, in response the user building list selection signal, deleting information indicating the authorization of the user ID for access to the information stored in the database partition for the selected user building, displaying the identification information for the selected user building in the available building list, and removing the identification information for the selected available building from the user building list.

24. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 21, comprising:

displaying a building update authority checkbox for each building in the user building list; and

receiving a building update authority selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at the building update authority checkbox for one of the buildings in the user building list, and, in response to the building update authority selection signal, storing information indicating the authorization of the user ID to update information for the building corresponding to the selected building update authority checkbox, and displaying an update authority symbol in the selected building update authority checkbox.

25. The method for controlling access to information in a database of th e computer system as in claim 19, comprising:

displaying a building access manager softkey;

receiving a building access manager screen selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at the building access manager softkey, and, in response to the building access manager screen selection signal, retrieving identification information for the buildings stored in the database partition corresponding to the owner ID and displaying a building access manager screen including a list of the retrieved buildings; and

receiving a building selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at the identification information for one of the buildings in the list of the retrieved buildings, and, in response to the building selection signal, retrieving stored information for the user IDs defined in the computer system and displaying a list of the retrieved user IDs, information associated with each of the retrieved user IDs, and a visual indication for each user ID corresponding to whether the user ID is authorized for access to information for the selected building.

26. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 25, comprising receiving a user selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at the identification information for one of the retrieved user IDs, and, in response to the user selection signal, storing information indicating the authorization of the selected user ID for access to information stored in the database partition for the selected building.

27. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 25, comprising:

displaying the user IDs and associated information for the user IDs authorized for access to information for the selected building in a building users list on the building access management screen; and

displaying the user IDs and associated information for the user IDs that are not authorized for access to information for the selected building in an available users list on the building access management screen.

28. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 27, comprising:

displaying a building update authority checkbox for each user ID in the building users list; and

receiving a building update authority selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at the building update authority checkbox for one of the user IDs in the building users list, and, in response to the building update authority selection signal, storing information indicating the authorization of the user ID corresponding to the selected building update authority checkbox to update information for the selected building and displaying an update authority symbol in the selected building update authority checkbox.

29. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 19, wherein user roles are defined and stored in the computer system, and wherein each user role defines a level of authorization for accessing information stored in a corresponding database partition, the method comprising:

displaying a role manager softkey;

receiving a role manager screen selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at the role manager softkey and, in response to the role manager screen selection signal, retrieving stored information for user roles defined in the database partition corresponding to the owner ID, and displaying a role manager screen including a list of the retrieved user roles, and a list of fields in the database partition for storing information for the buildings in the database partition.

30. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 29, comprising receiving a user role selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at one of the displayed user roles, and, in response to the user role selection signal, retrieving stored information indicating the authorization of the selected user role for accessing each of the fields in the database partition, and displaying an indication of the access authorization stored for the user role for each of the fields in the database partition.

31. The method for controlling access to information in a database of the computer system as in claim 30, comprising receiving a field access authorization update selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at one of the listed fields of the database partition, and, in response to the field access authorization update selection signal, updating the access authorization to the selected field of the database partition for the selected user role, storing the updated access authorization in the computer system, and displaying an updated indication corresponding to the updated access authorization for the selected user role for the selected field of the database partition.