Graphical computer system and method for financial estimating and project management

• US 6,092,050 A
• Filed: 03/09/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grantlun
• Original Assignee: Hard Dollar Corporation
• Inventors: Lungren, Grant P., Marks, R. Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morgan, George D.
• Application Number:
  US09/036,866
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/10, 705/27, 705/35, 705/4, 705/36
• US Class Current: 705/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A computer system and method for preparing financial estimates and for analyzing and using data in the management of projects, includes a graphical user interface (8) with two optional, graphical modes of operation. In one graphical mode of operation, the user directs the computer (10) to display a data map (31) in the form of a segmented pyramid. The segments (34, 35 et seq.) of the pyramid provide active areas or buttons, which when selected with the mouse input device (15), display an appropriate screen with the text or financial details for that segment of the estimating or management process. In an alternative graphical mode of operation, a series of objects in the form of process blocks (75, 78) are connected in a flow chart which proceeds from left to right along a path (73) that is displayed on the screen of the computer. The process blocks (75, 78) each have their own title bar (76) and sequence number (71) to assist the user in following a predetermined sequence in preparing a financial estimate. The user can activate either of these data maps by selecting an appropriate button (26, 28) provided in a button bar (25) incorporating specialized application icons (27, 28). After completing the input of data into the appropriate forms accessed through the screen displays, the user can output a finished report with the bid or proposal, with a schedule of work and other useful reports in managing projects.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer, said method comprising displaying a data navigation device in at least one screen display, said data navigation device having a plurality of segments, said segments being displayed and being selectable by corresponding user inputs to cause further displays of corresponding forms, said forms including forms having a plurality of data fields, including fields for entry of numerical data and calculated fields for calculating subtotals from said numerical data;

and

wherein said data navigation device displays said segments in an ordered sequence to assist a user in entering data which are used for estimating or managing a financial estimate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said segments within said data navigation device are associated in groups on the screen, and wherein said groups correspond to portions of a financial estimate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said screen display including said data navigation device includes totals displayable on the screen in correspondence to the groups of segments corresponding to parts of the financial estimate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said data navigation device is displayed as one side of a pyramid having a plurality of transversely extending segments representing the parts of the financial estimate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said screen display including said data navigation device further includes a base which is displayed below said pyramid, and wherein said base has a plurality of active areas which can be activated to display data which is used to derive values for use in the forms accessed through the segments of the pyramid.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of displaying buttons by which reports can be generated without accessing the segments of the pyramid.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a button bar having a button image responsive to one or more user inputs to select and display said data navigation device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said data navigation device is in a form of a flow chart formed by a plurality of screen displays having process blocks representing the parts of the financial estimate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said process blocks each have a title bar and a sequence number to aid the user in navigating through the forms.

10. A stored computer program contained in a storage medium to be read by a processor for causing a computer to operate according to portions of program code contained in the storage medium, the stored computer program comprising:

a first portion of program code stored in a storage medium for causing display of any one of a plurality of forms having a plurality of data fields, including forms having fields for entry of numerical data and calculated fields for calculating subtotals from said numerical data as part of a financial estimate;

a second portion of program code stored in said storage medium for displaying a screen display having a data navigation device with a plurality of segments corresponding to the respective forms, wherein said data navigation device displays said segments in an ordered sequence to assist the user in entering data which are used for estimating or managing a financial estimate; and

a third portion of program code stored in said storage medium and responsive to user selection of one of the segments of said data navigation device to cause display of a selected one of said forms for preparing or managing at least a portion of a financial estimate.

11. The stored computer program of claim 10, wherein said segments within said data navigation device are associated in groups on the screen, and wherein said groups of segments correspond to parts of the financial estimate.

12. The stored computer program of claim 11, wherein said screen display with said data navigation device is further capable of display of totals for the respective groups of segments corresponding to respective parts of the financial estimate.

13. The stored computer program of claim 10, wherein said data navigation device is displayed as one side of a pyramid having a plurality of transversely extending segments representing the parts of said financial estimate.

14. The stored computer program of claim 10, wherein said data navigation device further includes a base which is displayed below said pyramid, wherein said base has a plurality of active areas which can be activated to display data which is used to derive values for use in the forms accessed through the segments of the pyramid.

15. The stored computer program of claim 10, further comprising a fifth portion of program code stored in the operational medium for displaying a button bar having a button image responsive to one or more user inputs to select and display said data navigation device as one side of a pyramid having a plurality of transversely extending segments representing the parts of a financial estimate.

16. The stored computer program of claim 10, further comprising a sixth portion of program code for displaying buttons which can be selected by user inputs to generate reports without selecting the segments of the pyramid.

17. The stored computer program of claim 10, wherein said data navigation device is displayed as a flow chart formed by a plurality of screen displays having process blocks representing the parts of the financial estimate.

18. The stored computer program of claim 17, wherein a plurality of said process blocks each have a title bar and a sequence number to aid the user in navigating through the forms.