Construction project submittal management

• US 7,062,514 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elbert Harris Living Trust
• Original Assignee: Elbert Harris Living Trust
• Inventors: Harris, Elbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lu, Kuen S.
• Application Number:
  US10/693,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/3, 707/200, 709/205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• 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 network based construction project management system. The system includes network accessible databases of project information including drawings and specifications. The system allows for varying amount of access for various user including general contractors, subcontractors, architects and project owners. The system allows for the effective creation, management and long term accessible storage of project submittals.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing submittal requirements for a construction project, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database containing information related to managing a construction project having stored therein a plurality of requirements for the construction project including a set of required specifications for materials necessary to meet design parameters for the construction project;

providing a second database containing specific information on system users;

providing a third database containing information on submittal documents to be completed and approved as part of a project, said submittal documents including a set of actual material specifications to meet said set of required specifications;

providing a computer network including a plurality of user computer access points,

said network including a subscriber access point for use by a subscriber to said system, said subscriber access point having full access to enter, to read and to change information in said first, second and third databases, wherein said subscriber changes information in said first database by providing at least said set of required specifications,

said network further including a contributor access point for use by a contributor to said submittal documents, said contributor access point having access to read information in said first and second databases and access to enter, read and change information in said third database to provide said set of actual material specifications to meet said set of required specifications,

said network further including a responder access point for use by a responder, said responder access point having access to read information in said first, second and third database and having the ability to approve said submittal documents;

posting a completed submittal, including said set of actual material specifications, to said network for review by said responder following completion by said contributor;

approving said completed submittal electronically by said responder via said network; and

archiving completed submittal documents for future retrieval.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said subscriber access point can issue passwords to give access to information to said contributor access point and said responder access point.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein automatic authorization of payment can be provided via said network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said network comprises the Internet.

5. A computer network implemented method providing for managing preparation of submittal documentation for a construction project said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database for receiving and storing information related to preparing a submittal document for a construction project, receiving therein requirements for the construction project submittal, including a set of required specifications for materials necessary to meet design parameters for the construction project;

providing a second database for storing information about system users;

providing a third database for storing, retrieving and displaying submittal documents to be completed and approved as part of the construction project, said submittal document including a set of actual material specifications to meet said set of required specifications;

providing for a computer network including a plurality of user computer accessible points for accessing said first, second and third databases, wherein said databases are controlled by a subscription service provider;

receiving information via said computer network from a subscriber access point having full access to read and to change information in said first, second and third databases, wherein said subscriber access point provides information to change information in said first database by providing at least said set of required specifications;

receiving information via said computer network from a contributor access point having access to read only information in said first and second databases and access to read and change information in said third database to provide said set of actual material specifications to meet said set of required specifications; and

archiving completed submittal documents by said subscription service provider for future retrieval.

6. The method of claim 5 including the step of receiving information from a responder access point having the ability to read only information in said first, second and third database and said network having the ability to receive approval of said submittal documents from said responder access point such that automatic authorization of project payments can be provided via said computer network.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein a user of said subscriber access point is a prime contractor on said construction project.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said requirements for the construction project include project drawings.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein a user of said responder access point is an architect or a project engineer on said construction project.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said project payments are for materials required in said submittal document.

11. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of automatically sending a message via said computer network to said contributor when information is received.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein a user of said contributor access point is a subcontractor on said construction project.

13. The method of claim 5 wherein said computer network comprises the Internet.

14. A computer network system comprising:

a first database for receiving information related to a submittal document for a construction project, receiving therein a plurality of requirements for the construction project submittal, including a set of required specifications for materials necessary to meet design parameters for the construction project;

a second database for system users that receives a plurality of specific information about system users;

a third database for submittal documents to be completed and approved as part of the construction project, said submittal document including a set of actual material specifications to meet said set of required specifications;

a computer network including a plurality of user computer accessible points for accessing said first, second and third databases, wherein said databases are controlled by a subscription service provider;

a subscriber access point having full access to read and to change information in said first, second and third databases, wherein said subscriber access point changes information in said first database by providing at least said set of required specifications;

a contributor access point having access to read only information in said first and second databases and access to read and change information in said third database such that said contributor can complete said submittal document by providing said set of actual material specifications to meet said set of required specifications and submit said submittal document via said computer network for approval; and

archiving completed submittal documents by said subscription service provider for future retrieval.

15. The computer network system of claim 14, wherein a user of said subscriber access point is a prime contractor on said construction project.

16. The computer network system of claim 14, including a responder access point having the ability to read only information in said first, second and third database and said network having the ability to receive approval of said submittal documents from said responder access point such that automatic authorization of project payments can be provided via said computer network.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said computer network comprises the Internet.

18. A computer network implemented method providing for managing preparation and storage of submittal documentation for a construction project said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database for receiving and storing information related to preparing a submittal document for a construction project, receiving therein requirements for the construction project submittal including a set of required specifications for materials necessary to meet design parameters for the construction project;

providing a second database for storing information about system users;

providing a third database for storing, retrieving and displaying submittal documents to be completed and approved as part of the construction projects, said submittal document including a set of actual material specifications to meet said set of required specifications;

providing for a computer network including a plurality of user computer accessible points for accessing said first, second and third databases, wherein said databases are controlled by a subscription service provider;

receiving information from at least one subscriber access point having full access to read and to change information in said first, second and third databases, wherein said information changes information in said first database by providing at least said set of required specifications;

receiving information from at least one contributor access point having access to complete said submittal documents by providing said set of actual material specifications to meet said set of required specifications; and

archiving completed submittal documents by said subscription service provider for future retrieval.

19. The method of claim 18 including the step of notifying automatically said subscriber and said contributor access points upon approval of a submittal document through said computer network.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said at least one contributor access point has access to read and change information in said first and second databases.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of receiving approval of said submittal documents such that automatic authorization of project payments can be provided via said computer network.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein payment requests are received from said contributor. internet.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein said computer network comprises the Internet.