MERGER INTEGRATION TOOLKIT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE NAVIGATION HIERARCHY AND WORKFLOW FUNCTIONALITY
First Claim
1. A method in a computer system for providing program-level hierarchy and security for an integration of businesses, the businesses being subject to a merger or acquisition therebetween, comprising:
- providing a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration of businesses, the collaboration environment computer program being an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration;
establishing a management and security layer for the collaboration environment computer program, wherein the management and security layer is configurable to control access to content in the collaboration environment computer program independently for each member of the group of individuals, the access to the content being controlled whereby a plurality of hierarchy levels are defined and applied to designate the portions of the content to which each member of the group has access; and
interfacing the management and security layer, whereby a member of the group of individuals interface with the management and security layer such that the member'"'"'s access or visibility of the content in the collaboration environment computer program is controlled based on the plurality of hierarchy levels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides for a method and a computer system for electronically managing and supporting a merger integration of businesses. In one aspect, the invention provides program-level hierarchy and security with a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration, such that the collaboration environment is an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration. A management and security layer is established for the collaboration environment computer program. The management and security layer is configurable to control access to content in the collaboration environment computer program independently for each of the individuals, and access to the content is controlled with a plurality of hierarchy levels that are defined and applied to designate the portions of the content to which each individual has access. An individual interfaces with the management and security layer such that the individual'"'"'s access or visibility of the content is controlled based on the plurality of hierarchy levels. In other aspects of the invention, the method and computer system for an integration of businesses provides a user portal and customizable workflow.
127 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A method in a computer system for providing program-level hierarchy and security for an integration of businesses, the businesses being subject to a merger or acquisition therebetween, comprising:
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providing a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration of businesses, the collaboration environment computer program being an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration;
establishing a management and security layer for the collaboration environment computer program, wherein the management and security layer is configurable to control access to content in the collaboration environment computer program independently for each member of the group of individuals, the access to the content being controlled whereby a plurality of hierarchy levels are defined and applied to designate the portions of the content to which each member of the group has access; and
interfacing the management and security layer, whereby a member of the group of individuals interface with the management and security layer such that the member'"'"'s access or visibility of the content in the collaboration environment computer program is controlled based on the plurality of hierarchy levels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for providing program-level hierarchy and security for an integration of businesses, the businesses being subject to a merger or acquisition therebetween, comprising:
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a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration of businesses, the collaboration environment computer program being an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration;
a management and security layer for the collaboration environment computer program, wherein the management and security layer is configurable to control access to content in the collaboration environment computer program independently for each member of the group of individuals, the access to the content being controlled whereby a plurality of hierarchy levels are defined and applied to designate the portions of the content to which each member of the group has access; and
an interface module for interfacing the management and security layer, whereby a member of the group of individuals interface with the management and security layer such that the member'"'"'s access or visibility of the content in the collaboration environment computer program is controlled based on the plurality of hierarchy levels. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program on a computer readable medium for providing program-level hierarchy and security for an integration of businesses, the businesses being subject to a merger or acquisition therebetween, comprising:
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a code segment for a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration of businesses, the collaboration environment computer program being an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration;
a code segment for establishing a management and security layer for the collaboration environment computer program, wherein the management and security layer is configurable to control access to content in the collaboration environment computer program independently for each member of the group of individuals, the access to the content being controlled whereby a plurality of hierarchy levels are defined and applied to designate the portions of the content to which each member of the group has access; and
a code segment for interfacing the management and security layer, whereby a member of the group of individuals interface with the management and security layer such that the member'"'"'s access or visibility of the content in the collaboration environment computer program is controlled based on the plurality of hierarchy levels. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method in a computer system for providing a user portal for an integration of businesses, the businesses being subject to a merger or acquisition therebetween, comprising:
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providing a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration of businesses, the collaboration environment computer program being an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration; and
establishing a user portal for interfacing a user and the collaboration environment computer program, the user portal including a user interface for displaying information items of the collaboration environment computer program and visual navigation tools to the user;
wherein the user portal provides security-driven visual navigation to the user such that only those information items and visual navigation tools to which the user has access are displayed to the user, said access being defined by a plurality of individually configurable hierarchy levels. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for providing a user portal for an integration of businesses, the businesses being subject to a merger or acquisition therebetween, comprising:
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a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration of businesses, the collaboration environment computer program being an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration; and
a user portal for interfacing a user and the collaboration environment computer program, the user portal including a user interface for displaying information items of the collaboration environment computer program and visual navigation tools to the user;
wherein the user portal provides security-driven visual navigation to the user such that only those information items and visual navigation tools to which the user has access are displayed to the user, said access being defined by a plurality of individually configurable hierarchy levels. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A computer program on a computer readable medium for providing a user portal for an integration of businesses, the businesses being subject to a merger or acquisition therebetween, comprising:
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a code segment for providing a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration of businesses, the collaboration environment computer program being an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration; and
a code segment for establishing a user portal for interfacing a user and the collaboration environment computer program, the user portal including a user interface for displaying information items of the collaboration environment computer program and visual navigation tools to the user;
wherein the user portal provides security-driven visual navigation to the user such that only those information items and visual navigation tools to which the user has access are displayed to the user, said access being defined by a plurality of individually configurable hierarchy levels. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method in a computer system for providing customizable workflow for an integration of businesses, the businesses being subject to a merger or acquisition therebetween, comprising:
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providing a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration of businesses, the collaboration environment computer program being an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration;
providing workflow functionality executable in conjunction with the collaboration environment computer program, said workflow functionality arranged to enable information items to progress automatically through a plurality of predetermined approval process steps; and
displaying on a user interface of the collaboration environment computer program a notification to one of the group of individuals, said notification indicating that one of the plurality of predetermined approval steps requires an action by the one of the group of individuals, wherein said action relates to an information item of the collaboration environment computer program. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A system for providing customizable workflow for an integration of businesses, the businesses being subject to a merger or acquisition therebetween, comprising:
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a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration of businesses, the collaboration environment computer program being an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration;
a workflow functionality module executable in conjunction with the collaboration environment computer program, said workflow functionality arranged to enable information items to progress automatically through a plurality of predetermined approval process steps; and
a user interface of the collaboration environment computer program configured to display a notification to one of the group of individuals, said notification indicating that one of the plurality of predetermined approval steps requires an action by the one of the group of individuals, wherein said action relates to an information item of the collaboration environment computer program. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A computer program on a computer readable medium for providing customizable workflow for an integration of businesses, the businesses being subject to a merger or acquisition therebetween, comprising:
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a code segment for providing a collaboration environment computer program for assisting a group of individuals performing the integration of businesses, the collaboration environment computer program being an electronic tool configured to provide administrative controls and communication among the group of individuals performing the integration;
a code segment for providing workflow functionality executable in conjunction with the collaboration environment computer program, said workflow functionality arranged to enable information items to progress automatically through a plurality of predetermined approval process steps; and
a code segment for displaying on a user interface of the collaboration environment computer program a notification to one of the group of individuals, said notification indicating that one of the plurality of predetermined approval steps requires an action by the one of the group of individuals, wherein said action relates to an information item of the collaboration environment computer program. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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Specification