Process and system for tracking versions of field documentation data collection configurations in a complex project workflow system

• US 7,043,486 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wellogix Technology Licensing LLC (Wellogix Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wellogix Incorporated
• Inventors: Cope, Warren Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Veillard, Jacques
• Application Number:
  US10/251,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20030078874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 707 3- 5, 707/10, 707/100, 707101-1041, 707200-203, 705/7, 705/8, 705 9- 11, 709201-505, 717/101, 717/105, 717/109, 713/1, 713/163
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 : Recoverability

Abstract

A process is provided for capturing a state of a data input interface at a particular time in a complex workflow system. The data input interface provides an interface for entering actual data to populate a field document. The data input interface is modified on a plurality of occasions to accept input of additional or alternate types of actual data. Each modification of the data input interface is considered a version of the data input interface. The process involves saving a first version of the data input interface, which has been used to enter a first set of actual data. Modifications to the first version of the data input interface are then stored to create a second version of the data input interface. The second version of the data input interface is then activated allowing a second set of data to be entered via the second version of the data input interface. The first version of the data input interface is then deactivated to prevent further input of the actual data via the first version of the data input interface.

Claims

1. A process for capturing a state of a data input interface at a particular time, the data input interface providing an interface for entering actual data to populate a field document, wherein the data input interface is modified on a plurality of occasions to accept input of additional or alternate types of actual data, wherein each modification of the data input interface is a version of the data input interface, the process operating within a workflow process, the workflow process controlled by a processing system, the workflow process designed to facilitate the preparation for and performance of a complex project conducted between parties, wherein the parties are connected to the processing system via a communication network, the field document documenting the performance of at least one component of the complex project, the process comprising:

saving a first version of the data input interface, wherein a first set of actual data has been entered via the first version of the interface;

storing modifications to the first version of the data input interface to create a second version of the data input interface;

activating the second version of the data input interface, wherein a second set of data is entered via the second version of the data input interface;

deactivating the first version of the data input interface to prevent further input of the actual data via the first version of the data input interface.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of deactivating further prevents display of the second set of data via the first version of the data input interface and potential confusion of the parties through possible presentation of the second set of data via the first version of the data input interface is alleviated.

3. The process of claim 1, further comprising displaying the second set of data via the second version of the data input interface when the second set of data is accessed.

4. The process of claim 1, further comprising displaying the first set of data via the first version of the data input interface when the first set of data is accessed after deactivation of the first version of the data input interface, wherein potential confusion of the parties through possible presentation of the first set of data via the second version of the data input interface is alleviated.

10. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the actual data comprises an actual cost of goods, services, or both provided in the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

11. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the actual data comprises an actual accounting of goods, services, or both provided in the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

12. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the actual data comprises a measurement of a technical specification defining the complex project.

13. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the complex project is defined in terms of at least one parameter and the actual data comprises at least one measurement of the at least one parameter documenting the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein the at least one parameter is selected from a group comprising the following:

physical, functional, temporal, financial, transactional, and geographical parameters.

15. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the communication network is selected from a group comprising the following:

the Internet, an intranet, a cable network, a telephone network, a wireless network, a voice network, a frame-relay broadband network, a local area network, a wide area network, a public network, and a private network.

16. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the communication network operates over at least one of the transmission mediums selected from a group comprising the following:

telephony, wireless telephony, digital subscriber line, two-way cable, fiber optic, radio, point-to-point microwave, and satellite.

17. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the complex project further comprises one of a type selected from a group comprising the following:

oil and gas exploration and production, construction, manufacture of complex products, and provision of specialized services.

5. A process for capturing a state of a data array module at a particular time in a workflow process controlled by a processing system, the data array module providing instructions for storing actual data received via a field document in a data array in a memory portion of the processing system, wherein the data array module is modified on a plurality of occasions to provide instructions for storing additional or alternate types of actual data, wherein each modification of the data array module is a version of the data array module, the workflow process designed to facilitate the preparation for and performance of a complex project conducted between parties, wherein the parties are connected to the processing system via a communication network, and wherein the actual data is received via a field document that documents the performance of at least one component of the complex project, the process comprising:

saving a first version of the data array module providing instructions for storing actual data in a first data array configuration;

storing modifications to the first version of the data array module to create a second version of the data array module;

activating the second version of the data array module providing instructions for storing actual data in a second data array configuration;

deactivating the first version of the data array module to prevent further storing of actual data according to the instructions of the first version of the data array module.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the step of activating further prevents actual data stored via instructions of the first version of the data array module from being accessed by instructions of the second version of the data array module.

7. The process of claim 5, wherein the step of deactivating further prevents actual data stored via instructions of the second version of the data array module from being accessed by instructions of the first version of the data array module.

8. The process of claim 5, wherein the step of deactivating provides for actual data stored in the first data array configuration to be accessed by the instructions of the first version of the data array module.

9. The process of claim 5, wherein the step of activating provides for actual data stored in the second data array configuration to be accessed by the instructions of the second version of the data array module.

18. A system for capturing a state of a data array module in a workflow process at a particular time, wherein the data array module is modified on a plurality of occasions to provide instructions for storing additional or alternate types of actual data, wherein each modification of the data array module is a version of the data array module, the workflow process designed to facilitate the preparation for and performance of a complex project conducted between parties, wherein the parties are connected to the processing system via a communication network, and wherein the actual data is received via a field document that documents the performance of at least one component of the complex project, the system comprising:

a memory that stores actual data received via a field document in a data array according to instructions provided by the data array module; and

a processor that;

saves to the memory a first version of the data array module providing instructions for storing actual data in a first data array configuration;

modifies the first version of the data array module to create a second version of the data array module;

saves to the memory the second version of the data array module;

activates the second version of the data array module to provide instructions for storing actual data in a second data array configuration; and

deactivates the first version of the data array module to prevent further storing of actual data according to the instructions of the first version of the data array module.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor further prevents actual data stored via instructions of the first version of the data array module from being accessed by instructions of the second version of the data array module.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor further prevents actual data stored via instructions of the second version of the data array module from being accessed by instructions of the first version of the data array module.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor accesses actual data stored in the first data array configuration via instructions of the first version of the data array module.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor access actual data stored in the second data array configuration via instructions of the second version of the data array module.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the actual data comprises an actual cost of goods, services, or both provided in the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the actual data comprises an actual accounting of goods, services, or both provided in the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the actual data comprises a measurement of a technical specification defining the complex project.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the complex project is defined in terms of at least one parameter and the actual data comprises at least one measurement of the at least one parameter documenting the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one parameter is selected from a group comprising the following:

physical, functional, temporal, financial, transactional, and geographical parameters.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the communication network is selected from a group comprising the following:

the Internet, an intranet, a cable network, a telephone network, a wireless network, a voice network, a frame-relay broadband network, a local area network, a wide area network, a public network, and a private network.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the communication network operates over at least one of the transmission mediums selected from a group comprising the following:

telephony, wireless telephony, digital subscriber line, two-way cable, fiber optic, radio, point-to-point microwave, and satellite.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the complex project further comprises one of a type selected from a group comprising the following:

oil and gas exploration and production, construction, manufacture of complex products, and provision of specialized services.