System and method for managing maintenance of building facilities

• US 6,993,576 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2000
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tangopoint Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Onmyteam.Com Inc.
• Inventors: Labedz, Frank, Gaddam, Srinivas
• Primary Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US09/592,686
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/217, 709/203, 709223-224, 709/229, 707/10, 700/100, 705/9
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for managing operational facilities that is of the type which utilizes predefined events to carry out managing operations for the facilities. The system includes one or more servers adapted to receive events from a client and forward the events to a clearinghouse via a communication link. The system further includes one or more clients, each of which has a unique login identity, adapted to selectively send events to the server via the communication link. Also included is a clearinghouse connected to each of the server and each of the client via the communication link for selectively storing data from each server and each client in a database, and being adapted to selectively authorize predetermined events by each client according to the login identity of each such client, to selectively schedule predetermined events in response to data stored in the database and to monitor the status of all events stored in the database.

Claims

1. A system for managing operational facilities, the system being of the type which utilizes predefined events to carry out managing operations for the facilities, said system comprising:

at least one server adapted to receive the predefined events from a client and forward said events to a clearinghouse via a communication link, the predefined events, including a job site set-up event;

at least one client having a unique login identity and adapted to selectively send the predefined events to said server via said communication link; and

,

a clearinghouse connected to each said server and each said client via said communication link for selectively storing data from each server and each client in a database, and being adapted to selectively authorize predefined events by each client according to said login identity of each such client, to selectively schedule predefined events in response to data stored in said database and to monitor the status of all events stored in said database;

wherein during said job site-setup event said authorized client is adapted to execute;

a contact-setup event that allows said authorized client to input and edit contact data for said job site data;

a vendor-setup event that allows said authorized client to input and edit vendor data for said job site data;

an inspection-setup event that allows said authorized client to input and edit inspection data for said job site data; and

,

a special-actions-setup event that allows said authorized client to input and edit special-action data for said job site data.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said inspection-setup event further includes a checklist-item-setup event that allows said authorized client to input and edit checklist-item data for said job site data.

3. A system for managing operational facilities, the system being of the type which utilizes predefined events to carry out managing operations for the facilities, said system comprising:

at least one server adapted to receive the predefined events from a client and forward said events to a clearinghouse via a communication link, the predefined events, including a performance-rating-type-setup event;

at least one client having a unique login identity and adapted to selectively send the predefined events to said server via said communication link; and

,

a clearinghouse connected to each said server and each said client via said communication link for selectively storing data from each server and each client in a database, and being adapted to selectively authorize predefined events by each client according to said login identity of each such client, to selectively schedule predefined events in response to data stored in said database and to monitor the status of all events stored in said database;

wherein said performance-rating-type-setup event allows said authorized server to display an option menu for a yes/no type, a multiple options type, and numerical type of performance rating to said authorized client for selection.

4. A system as defined in claim 3 wherein said client carrying out said performance-rating-type-setup event saves the performance rating type data including the selected type onto said database.

5. A system as defined in claim 4 wherein said client can define the tolerance level to create a special-action event for performance rating type data stored in said database.

6. A system for managing operational facilities, the system being of the type which utilizes predefined events to carry out managing operations for the facilities, said system comprising:

at least one server adapted to receive predefined events, including an inspection-processing event, from a client that can be located at the operational facilities and forward said events to a clearinghouse via a communication link;

at least one client having a unique login identity and adapted to selectively send said predefined events to said server via said communication link; and

,

a clearinghouse connected to each said server and each said client via said communication link for selectively storing data from each server and each client in a database, and being adapted to authorize selected predefined events that can be performed by each client according to said login identity of each such client, to selectively schedule predefined events in response to data stored in said database and to monitor the status of all said predefined events stored in said database,

wherein during an inspection-processing event said clearinghouse is adapted to;

respond to inspection data sent from an authorized client;

determine whether said inspection data from said authorized client are valid, and save said inspection data in said database when said inspection data is valid;

determine whether said inspection data is within predefined tolerances according to performance-rating-method data stored in said database;

create a notification event for said server to send a message of said inspection data being within predefined tolerances to a contact person;

determine whether a special-action event is required when said inspection data is not within predefined tolerances according to performance-rating-method data stored in said database;

create a notification event for said server to send a message of said inspection data not being within predefined tolerances to a contact person when said special-action event is not required; and

,

create a work-request event or a work-order event according to special action data stored in said database when said special-action event is required.

7. A system as defined in claim 6 wherein during said work-request event said server is adapted to:

display a list of job sites approved to said authorized client from said clearinghouse to said authorized client for selection when said authorized client requests to add new data; and

,

display an existing work-request data of a specific job site data from said clearinghouse to said authorized client for revision when said authorized client requests to edit existing data.

8. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein during said work-request event said clearinghouse is adapted to create a notification event for said at least one server to send said revised existing work-request data to a contact person for approval when said list of available job sites to said authorized client is empty.

9. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein during said work-request event said clearinghouse is adapted to:

provide a predetermined authorized client according to contact data stored in said database for said revised work-request data; and

,

save said revised work-request data including said predetermined authorized client in said database.

10. A system as defined in claim 9 wherein during said work-request event said clearinghouse is adapted to create a notification event for said at least one server to send said saved work-request data to said authorized client.

11. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein during said work-request event said clearinghouse is adapted to create a notification event for said server to send a message from said authorized client to a contact person when said list of job sites available to said authorized client is empty.

12. A system for managing operational facilities, the system being of the type which utilizes predefined events to carry out managing operations for the facilities, said system comprising:

at least one server adapted to receive predefined events, including a work-request-processing event from a client that can be located at the operational facilities and forward said events to a clearinghouse via a communication link;

at least one client having a unique login identity and adapted to selectively send said predefined events to said server via said communication link; and

,

a clearinghouse connected to each said server and each said client via said communication link for selectively storing data from each server and each client in a database, and being adapted to authorize selected predefined events that can be performed by each client according to said login identity of each such client, to selectively schedule predefined events in response to data stored in said database and to monitor the status of all said predefined events stored in said database;

wherein during said work-request-processing event said authorized client is adapted to;

accept or reject a selected open work-request data from said list

enter an explanation for said selected work-request data when said authorized client rejects a selected open work-request data stored in said database

request a new work-request event of another job site for approval from an authorized client according to contact data stored in said database when said authorized client selects to request a new work-request event;

save said new work-request event in said database;

create a notification event for server to send a message of said new work-request event to said authorized client for approval;

display a list of job sites that are approved for selection when said authorized client requests to add new data;

display existing work-request data of a specific job site stored in said database for revision when said authorized client requests to edit existing data; and

display new work-order data for revision when said authorized client selects a job site from said list.

13. A system as defined in claim 12 wherein during said work-request event said server is adapted to:

notify said authorized client that no job sites are available when said list of approved job sites is empty; and

,

determines whether said authorized client requested to create a work-request event.

14. A system as defined in claim 12 wherein during said work-request event said authorized client is adapted to provide a predefined recipient according to job site data stored in said database after said authorized client finishes revising said work-order data.

15. A system as defined in claim 14 wherein during said work-order event said clearinghouse is adapted to create a notification event for said server to send said work-order data to said predefined recipient.