Secured systems and methods for tracking and management of logistical processes

• US 20090007231A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Kaiser, John Joseph, Thach, Keith Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/819,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20090007231A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder

Abstract

A method is provided for providing access to data relating to a plurality of processes associated with a supply chain network. The method may include identifying a user from a plurality of users. The method may also include identifying data from a plurality of data, wherein the identified data includes a subset of the plurality of data. The method may further include providing the user with access to the identified data. Providing the user with access to the identified data may include defining a user profile by establishing at least one permission associated with the identified data. The established permission may allow the user to access the identified data, and the user profile may be based on one of employee characteristics, work assignments, or geographical locations.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to data relating to a plurality of logistical processes, the method comprising:

identifying a user from a plurality of users;

identifying data from a plurality of data, wherein the identified data includes a subset of the plurality of data; and

providing the user with access to the identified data, wherein providing the user with access to the identified data includes;

defining a user profile by establishing at least one permission associated with the identified data, wherein the established permission allows the user to access the identified data, and wherein the user profile is based on one of employee characteristics, work assignments, or geographical locations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user includes a group of users selected from the plurality of users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile is based on employee characteristics, work assignments, and geographical locations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes assigning the user an identification.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the identification includes an electronic log-in handle and an associated password.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified data includes performance data for the plurality of logistical processes of a supply chain network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the performance data relates to the performance of processes at a particular facility.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the performance data relates to the performance of processes for a particular client.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein defining a user profile further includes establishing a restriction associated with data excluded from the identified data, the restriction limiting the user from accessing the data excluded from the identified data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the identified data includes a first detail level of performance data for at least one of the plurality of processes.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data excluded from the identified data includes a second detail level of performance data for the at least one of the plurality of processes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data includes performance data for the plurality of processes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identified data includes a first detail level of the performance data for the plurality of processes.

14. A computer readable medium having programming instructions for providing a user access to data relating to a plurality of logistical processes of a supply chain network, the programming instructions comprising:

identifying the user;

accessing a user profile that determines a level of data access afforded to the user, the user profile being defined by at least one permission associated with a first subset of the data and at least one restriction associated with a second subset of the data different from the first subset, wherein the permission allows access to the first data subset and the restriction limits access to the second data subset; and

displaying at least a portion of the first data subset.

15. The medium with the programming instructions of claim 14, wherein the at least one permission and at least one restriction are based on one of employee characteristics, work assignments, or geographical locations.

16. The medium with the programming instructions of claim 14, wherein the data relates to the performance of the plurality of logistical processes

17. The medium with the programming instructions of claim 16, wherein the first data subset is a first detail level of the performance data, and the second data subset is a second detail level of the performance data.

18. The medium with the programming instructions of claim 16, wherein the data relates to the performance of logistical processes performed at a particular facility.

19. The medium with the programming instructions of claim 16, wherein the data relates to the performance of logistical processes performed for a particular client.

20. A method for providing access to data relating to the performance of a plurality of logistical processes of a supply chain network, the method comprising:

identifying a user from a plurality of users;

assigning the user an identification, the identification including an electronic log-in handle and an associated password;

identifying data from a plurality of process performance data, wherein the identified data includes a first data subset of the plurality of process performance data; and

providing the user with access to the identified data, wherein providing the user with access to the identified data includes;

defining a user profile by establishing a permission associated with the first data subset and a restriction associated with data excluded from the first data subset, wherein the permission allows the user to access the first data subset and the restriction limits the user from accessing the data excluded from the first data subset, wherein the user profile is based on employee characteristics, work assignments, and geographical locations.