Method and system for tracking any entity through any set of processes utilizing a temporal projection

• US 6,014,628 A
• Filed: 08/17/1998
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Peraton, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Harris-Exigent, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kovarik, Vincent J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US09/135,389
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/5, 705/28, 705/22, 364/478, 364/478.14, 345/333, 345/335
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A method and system for generically tracking an entity in a specific domain. The system includes a generic application interface for receiving and processing tracking data regarding a tracked item. The generic application interface is configured for user modification so that the interface may be customized for a specific tracking requirement.

A tracking engine is provided for abstracting the tracking data provided by the generic application interface to a set of generic object models. Each instantiated object comprising the generic object models encapsulates the tracking data pertaining to a tracked item. A tracking router is also provided for communicating at least one of the instantiated objects to a tracking station at a location for processing in accordance with an anticipated physical flow of the objects through a domain. As a result, instantiated object can be processed by the tracking engine independently of the specific tracking data contained therein.

Claims

1. A programmable computer tracking system comprising:

a generic application interface for receiving and processing tracking data regarding a tracked item, said generic application interface configured for user modification for a specific tracking requirement;

a tracking engine for abstracting said tracking data provided by said generic application interface to a set of generic object models;

each of said generic object models having a user definable set of properties and a user definable range of values assigned to said properties;

at least one instantiated object comprising said generic object models being a tracked entity object encapsulating said tracking data pertaining to said tracked item;

a user definable domain for describing any set of process steps for acting upon said tracked entity object in accordance with any anticipated physical flow of said tracked item; and

a tracking router for providing said tracked entity object to a tracking station at a location for processing in accordance with said user definable domain.

2. A programmable computer tracking system according to claim 1, wherein said set of generic objects models comprises a location object defining a physical space where said item is operated upon.

3. A programmable computer tracking system according to claim 1, wherein said set of generic objects models comprises a process object defining a process which is performed in relation to said item.

4. The programmable computer tracking system according to claim 3 wherein said process object maintains a vector to the subsequent process to be performed upon said tracked entity object.

5. A programmable computer tracking system according to claim 1, wherein said set of generic objects models comprises a flow object defining a beginning and an end of a series of said processes through a business scenario associated with said item.

6. A programmable computer tracking system according to claim 1, wherein said set of generic objects models comprises a domain object for providing a high level description of said generic object models consisting of a tracked entity object, a location object, a process object and a flow object.

7. The programmable computer tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said tracking station is remotely located from a tracking server and said objects are provided to said tracking station via a computer network selected from the group consisting of an intranet and an internet.

8. The programmable computer tracking system according to claim 1 wherein a temporal projection for at least one of an anticipated process step to be performed upon said tracked item and an anticipated location of said tracked item is determined by maintaining a temporal history of processes and locations already visited by said tracked item.

9. The programmable computer tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said tracked item is a physical object.

10. The programmable computer tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said tracked item is a computer file.

11. A method for tracking a plurality of items in a domain comprising the steps of:

providing a generic application interface configured for user modification for a specific tracking requirement;

providing a tracking engine for receiving tracking data provided by said generic application interface and abstracting said tracking data to a set of generic object models, wherein each of said generic object models has a user definable set of properties and a user definable range of values assigned to said properties,

generating at least one instantiated object comprising said generic object models, said at least one instantiated object being a tracked entity object which encapsulates said tracking data pertaining to said tracked item;

allowing a user to define a domain for describing any set of process steps for acting upon said tracked entity object in accordance with any anticipated physical flow of said tracked item; and

providing said tracked entity object to a tracking station at a location for processing in accordance with said user definable domain.

12. A method for generically tracking a plurality of items according to claim 11, further comprising the step of defining said generic objects models to comprise a location object defining a physical space where said item is operated upon.

13. A method for generically tracking a plurality of items according to claim 11, further comprising the step of defining said generic objects models to comprise a process object defining a process which is performed in relation to said item.

14. A method for generically tracking a plurality of items according to claim 11, further comprising the step of defining said generic objects models to comprise a flow object defining a beginning and end of a series of said processes through a business scenario associated with said item.

15. A method for generically tracking a plurality of items according to claim 11, further comprising the step of defining said generic objects models to comprise a domain object for providing a high level description of said generic object models consisting of a tracked entity object, a location object, a process object and a flow object.

16. A method for generically tracking a plurality of items according to claim 11 further comprising the step of locating said tracking station remotely from said tracking server and providing said objects to said tracking station via a computer network selected from the group consisting of an intranet and an internet.

17. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of providing a temporal projection for at least one of an anticipated process step to be performed upon said tracked item and an anticipated location of said tracked item by maintaining a temporal history of processes and locations already visited by said tracked item.

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein said tracked item is a physical object.

19. The method according to claim 11 wherein said tracked item is a computer file.

20. A programmable computer tracking system comprising:

a user configurable interface for receiving and processing tracking data regarding a tracked entity;

tracking engine means for providing a set of generic object models, each having a user definable set of properties and a user definable range of values assigned to said properties, said object models defining a tracked entity object for defining any object which is to be tracked, a process object for specifying any process which is to be performed on said tracked item, and a flow object defining a beginning and an end of any series of said processes through a business scenario associated with said entity;

means for providing said tracked entity object to a tracking station at a location for processing in accordance with said flow object and processing said tracked entity object in accordance with said process object.

21. The programmable computer tracking system according to claim 20 wherein said tracking station is remotely located from said tracking engine means and said tracked entity object is provided to said tracking station via a computer network selected from the group consisting of an intranet and an internet.

22. The programmable computer tracking system according to claim 20 wherein a temporal projection for at least one of an anticipated process to be performed upon said tracked entity and an anticipated location to be visited by said tracked entity is determined by maintaining a temporal history of processes and locations already visited by said tracked entity.

23. The programmable computer tracking system according to claim 20 further comprising a domain object for providing a high level description of a relationship among said generic object models.

24. The programmable computer tracking system according to claim 20 wherein said process object provides a vector to a subsequent defined process.

25. A computer tracking system comprising:

a user interface to receive from and present to a user, tracking data for any tracked entity having any set of properties, as said Tracked entity passes through any tracking domain, said user interface adapted to be configured by said user for tracking a user selected tracked entity having a user defined set of properties through a user selected tracking domain; and

a tracking means communicating with said user interface for maintaining a record of a location and a status of said properties of any said tracked entity, said tracking engine adapted to be configured by said user to track said user selected tracked entity and said user defined set of properties through said user selected tracking domain.

26. The computer tracking system according to claim 25 further comprising at least one tracking station communicating with said tracking means at a location remote from said tracking means, said tracking station for updating said location and said status of any said tracked entity, said tracking station adapted to be configured by a user for updating said record of said location in said user selected tracking domain and updating said status of said user selected tracked entity.

27. The computer tracking system according to claim 26 wherein said status of said user selected tracked entity is updated in accordance with any process selected by said user for said tracking station.

28. The computer tracking system according to claim 27 wherein said process defined for said tracking station for updating said status corresponds to an action performed upon said tracked entity at said tracking station.

29. The computer tracking system according to claim 26 wherein said tracking means communicates with said tracking station via a computer network selected from the group consisting of at least one of an intranet and the Internet.

30. The computer tracking system according to claim, 26 wherein each of said tracking means and said tracking stations is comprised of a tracking engine and a tracking router.

31. The computer tracking system according to claim, 26 further comprising a tracking router communicating with said Tracking means and said tracking station.

32. The computer tracking system according to claim 31 wherein said tracking server is the repository of data concerning the user selected tracking domain.

33. The computer tracking system according to claim, 32 wherein said tracking server supports multiple user selected tracking domains concurrently.

34. The computer tracking system according to claim 25 wherein said tracking means maintains a full temporal history as well as a temporal projection of values for said user selected tracked entity.