Environmental permit web portal with data validation capabilities

• US 6,557,009 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2000
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CGI Technologies and Solutions Incorporated (CGI Group)
• Original Assignee: American Management Systems, Incorporated (CGI, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adams, Jeffrey Neal, Singer, Gary Brian, Goldwein, Clay Wyatt
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Application Number:
  US09/654,515
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-4, 707/9, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/501, 707/513, 705/1, 705/7, 705/9, 705/11, 705/28, 709/217-219
• US Class Current: 715/740
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A system is disclosed that allows remote, regulated entity users web based access to authorization data, such as permit data in an environmental regulatory permitting or management system. The user can enter, edit and submit permit and compliance data in the environmental permitting system controlled by a regulating agency in real-time via a web browser over the Internet. The system can also validate submitted information in real-time and allows the user to correct the data. Electronic certification with a unique signature is also performed. Fee payment can be made electronically in real-time through the permitting system with an electronic payments system with a corresponding credit being made to the relevant department general ledger account.

Claims

1. A web portal system, comprising:

a computer implemented agency environmental management system storing permit data and compliance information and automatically validating the permit data, wherein the permit data comprises requirements within which a process, piece of equipment, or a facility is operated and the compliance information are reports comprising information to verify compliance with the requirements; and

a computer implemented remote access system couplable to the environmental system allowing a user remote access to obtain and comply with a permit and to at least one of create, edit, and print the permit within the environmental system.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote access system is coupled to the environmental system via a packet switched network.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the packet switched network comprises an Internet.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote access system user comprises a regulated entity and the environmental system is controlled by a regulating entity.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote access system comprises a desktop computer.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein the remote access system comprises a web browser.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the environmental system pre-populates the permit with available data before presenting the permit to the user via the remote access system.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the user interacts with the environmental system in real-time, on-line during the one of creation or editing or printing.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote access system allows a user to digitally certify a permit within the environmental system.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the remote access system allows the user to obtain a unique digital signature from the environmental system and certify the permit using the signature.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote access system allows a user to electronically pay for a permit through the environmental system.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the environmental system is coupled to an electronic payment system.

13. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein an account within a general ledger of a regulating agency is updated with payment information regarding the electronic payment.

14. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote access system allows a user to access permit status information concerning a permit within the environmental system.

15. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote access system allows a user to update a supporting electronic file concerning one of a permit, survey, certificate, registration, questionnaire and report within the environmental system.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein a regulator can access and use read-only data within a supporting electronic document including a spread-sheet.

17. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a central database repository of real-time permit data allowing browser independent Internet access from any remote access client machine.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein a facility may register itself with the regulating entity for a first time.

19. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the database comprises facility profile data.

20. A web portal system, comprising:

a computer implemented agency environmental management system storing one of permit, registration, and certificate information and automatically validating the permit information, wherein the permit information comprises requirements within which a process, piece of equipment, or a facility is operated; and

a computer implemented remote access system couplable to said agency enterprise environmental management system allowing a user remote access to obtain and comply with the one of a permit, registration, and certificate and allowing the user to at least one of create, edit, and print the permit within the environmental management system.

21. A web portal system, comprising:

a computer implemented environmental management system storing authorization data for an authorization and automatically validating the authorization data, wherein the authorization data comprises requirements within which a process, piece of equipment, or a facility is operated; and

a computer implemented remote access system couplable to the management system allowing a recipient of an authorization remote access to the authorization data and allowing the recipient to at least one of create, edit, and print the authorization within the environmental management system.

22. A system as recited in claim 21, wherein authorization data comprises one of permit/registration application data, registration data, questionnaire data, survey data, certificate data, sample measurement data, equipment data, maintenance data, location data, personnel data, compliance data, financial data, schedule data, education data, site data, emergency data, inspection data, checklist data and result data.

23. A web portal system, comprising:

a computer implemented agency environmental management system storing permit information and automatically validating the permit information, wherein the permit information comprises requirements within which a process, piece of equipment, or a facility is operated; and

a computer implemented remote access system couplable to said agency enterprise environmental management system allowing a user remote access to submittal information and allowing the user to at least one of create, edit, and print a permit within the environmental management system.

24. A web portal system, comprising:

a computer implemented agency environmental management system storing permit information and automatically validating the permit information, wherein the permit information comprises requirements within which a process, piece of equipment, or a facility is operated; and

a computer implemented remote access system couplable to said agency enterprise environmental management system allowing a user remote access to real-time facility-level data and allowing the user to at least one of create, edit, and print a permit within the environmental management system.

25. A web portal system, comprising:

a computer implemented agency environmental management system storing permit information and automatically validating the permit information, wherein the permit information comprises requirements within which a process, piece of equipment, or a facility is operated; and

a computer implemented remote access system couplable to said agency enterprise environmental management system allowing a user remote access to and required online review of regulatory requirements and allowing the user to at least one of create, edit, and print a permit within the environmental management system.

26. An environmental permit web portal system, comprising:

a computer implemented regulating agency environmental management system storing permit data and automatically validating the permit data, wherein said permit data comprises requirements within which a process, piece of equipment, or a facility is operated;

a database comprising a central repository of real-time permit data, the database comprising facility profile data;

a packet switched network; and

a computer implemented remote access web portal desk top computer system having a web browser couplable to the environmental system via said packet switched network and allowing a regulated entity user remote access to, in real-time and on-line, submittal information, real-time facility-level data and regulatory requirements in the database, allowing the user to create, edit and print an environmental permit within the environmental system, the environmental system pre-populating the permit with available data before presenting the permit to the user via the remote access system, allowing the user to digitally certify the permit within the environmental system, allowing the user to electronically pay for the permit through the environmental system, and allowing the user to update a supporting electronic file concerning the permit.

27. A process, comprising:

contacting a computer implemented environmental permitting system using a web browser;

accessing environmental permit information within the environmental permitting system using the web browser;

automatically validating the permit information, wherein the permit information comprises requirements within which a process, piece of equipment, or a facility is operated; and

creating, editing, and/or printing a permit within the environmental permitting system.

28. A process as recited in claim 27, further comprising allowing a user to create, edit and print a permit within the environmental system.

29. A process as recited in claim 27, further comprising pre-populating the permit with available data before presenting the permit to the user via the remote access system.

30. A process as recited in claim 27, further comprising automatically validating permit data.

31. A process as recited in claim 27, further comprising updating an account within a general ledger of a regulating agency with payment information regarding the electronic payment.

32. A process as recited in claim 27, further comprising allowing a user to update a supporting electronic file concerning one of a permit, survey, certificate, registration, questionnaire and report within the environmental system.

33. A process as recited in claim 27, further comprising allowing a user to electronically pay for a permit through the environmental system.

34. A process as recited in claim 27, further comprising allowing a user to validate, electronically lock and upload a read-only supporting electronic file.

35. A process as recited in claim 27, further comprising allowing a user to certify and pay for one or more environmental submittals at a time.

36. A process as recited in claim 27, further comprising allowing a user to create, select, edit, print, complete, certify and pay for initial, modified and renewed environmental permits, reports, registrations, questionnaires, surveys, certificates and applications.

37. A process as recited in claim 27, further comprising allowing a user secure access and certification of facility-level and user-specific data through the automated administration of unique user identifications and encrypted personal identification numbers.

38. A process, comprising:

contacting a computer implemented environmental permitting system using a web browser;

registering a facility with a regulating organization for a first time;

accessing environmental permit information comprising facility data of the facility within the environmental permitting system using the web browser;

automatically validating the permit information; and

creating, editing, and/or printing a permit within the environmental permitting system.

39. A process of a web portal system, comprising:

connecting with a computer implemented environmental permitting system;

electronically communicating environmental compliance management information for a permit and automatically validating the compliance management information, wherein the compliance management information are reports comprising information to verity compliance with permit requirements within which a process, piece of equipment, or a facility is operated; and

creating, editing, and/or printing the permit within the environmental permitting system.

40. A computer readable storage storing a program controlling a computer by allowing contacting of a computer implemented environmental permitting system using a web browser, accessing environmental permit information within the environmental permitting system using the web browser, automatically validating the permit information, and creating, editing, and/or printing a permit within the environmental permitting system, wherein said permit information comprises requirements within which a process, piece of equipment or a facility is operated.

41. A graphical user interface comprising an electronic hypertext environmental permitting screen allowing a user to control a computer by allowing contacting of a computer implemented environmental permitting system using a web browser, to access environmental permit information within the environmental permitting system using the web browser, to automatically validate the permit information, and to create, edit, and/or print a permit within the environmental permitting system.

42. A web portal system, comprising:

a computer implemented agency environmental management system storing permit information and automatically validating the permit information; and

a computer implemented remote access system couplable to said agency enterprise environmental management system via a packet switched network to allow a user remote access to the stored permit information to obtain and comply with a permit by reporting data at specified times as specified by the permit and to allow the user to one of create, edit, and print the permit within the agency environmental management system, wherein compliance is obtained when the reporting data meets requirements specified by the permit.

43. An environmental permit web portal system, comprising:

a computer implemented environmental management system stoaring permit data and automatically validating the permit data;

a database comprising a central repository of real-time permit data;

an application server; and

a computer implemented remote access web portal allowing a user to create a permit and allowing the user to one of edit and print the permit within the environmental management system, wherein the application server retrieves from the database a list of valid permit types and provides the remote access web portal with a screen allowing the user to select the type of permit and to submit data required for the type of permit selected.

44. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein the environmental management system automatically validates information submitted for the type of permit selected and flags for the user the data that does not meet regulatory standards.

45. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein the environmental management system pre-populates the permit with available data before presenting the permit to the user via the remote access system, allows the user to electronically pay for the permit through the environmental system, and allows the user to update a supporting electronic file concerning the permit.

46. A method of a web portal system, comprising:

storing permit data identifying permit information associated with regulated entities/facilities and identifying other regulatory information comprising ID information, facility related information and supporting electronic documentation;

automatically validating the permit data;

allowing an authorized regulated entity to access the permit data by displaying permit requirements for all permits associated with the regulated entity;

allowing the regulated entity to select permit data from the permit requirements; and

generating a permit based on the permit data selected, wherein the method generates one of a permit, reports, registrations, questionnaires, surveys, certificates, applications, electronic files, provides access to real-time facility-level and/or user-specific regulatory data, and allows to one of edit and print the permit.

47. The system as recited in claim 46, further comprising allowing a user to provide additional information in a form of a supplemental electronic file to the environmental permitting system.

48. A web portal system, comprising;

a computer implemented environmental management system storing environmental information and automatically validating the environmental information;

a database comprising a central repository of real-time data; and

a computer implemented remote access web portal system couplable to the environmental management system allowing a regulated entity remote access to real-time facility-level data and information submittal, in real-time and on-line, and allowing the regulated entity to create, edit, and print an environmental application or an environmental license within the environment management system.

49. The system as recited in claim 48, wherein the remote access web portal system allows the regulated entity to update a supporting electronic file concerning the environmental application or the environmental license.

50. A computer implemented environmental permit web portal system reducing manual administrative processing and paperwork by a regulating agency, comprising:

a database comprising a central repository storing data for the regulating agency and permit information; and

a computer implemented remote access system couplable to the database allowing the regulating agency remote access to the date and to obtain and comply with a permit and allowing the regulating agency to one of create, edit, and print the permit, wherein the system automatically validates the permit information.

51. The system as recited in claim 50, wherein the remote access system automatically sends the regulating agency automated electronic messaging providing proactive environmental compliance communication and management, the automated electronic messaging comprising upcoming key expiration dates, renewal fees, renewal instructions, and reminders indicating when the regulating agency has failed to submit supporting documents.

52. The system as recited in claim 50, wherein the remote access system provides a customized spread-sheet for a user on demand and provides facility-level monitor and equipment data that is up-to-date.

53. The system as recited in claim 50, wherein the remote access system allows a user remote access to creation, electronic certification, printing and payment of at least one of the permit, an application, a report, a certificate and/or a standardized spread-sheet for electronic submission and automated processing for any type of environmental, health and safety data for a facility, and payment of fees or penalties due to enforcement actions of a regulatory agency or organization.

54. The system as recited in claim 50, wherein the remote access system automatically sends an electronic message to a user with upcoming key expiration dates, renewal fees, renewal instruction, and a reminder indicating failure to submit mandated supporting documents and allows the user to access permit status information concerning the permit within the regulating management system.