Generic management software application for all industries and method thereof

• US 7,313,783 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zhaoji Luo
• Original Assignee: Zhaoji Luo
• Inventors: Luo, Zhaoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAO, PHUONG THAO
• Application Number:
  US10/434,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20030210269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 707/101, 707/102, 717/105, 715/968
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• 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 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

Visual Flow Interface (VFI) is a generic management software tool for any user in different industries which is similar to implementing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on Database Applications for the front end. VFI revolutionizes the principle of Management Information System (MIS) design and will launch a new generation of MIS. VFI'"'"'s innovative contribution to MIS includes two key points: (1) A user'"'"'s specific managerial and technological process is independent from the program of the MIS. Users can design their managerial and technologic process themselves or make any change freely without redesigning the program of the MIS; and (2) VFI focuses on the unique functional common character of different flows in all different industries and designs a visual image “Sandwich” to represent the functional common character. The Sandwich is a very simple idea but solves a very complicated problem for designing a generic MIS.

Claims

1. A computer implemented development platform for designing computer-based generic and visual enterprise management software comprising:

a) a system data source configured to connect to a plurality of databases including at least one existing applied database of information, said system data source made up of a plurality of fields, wherein any one of the fields is selectable as a managed object;

b) a visual flow interface representing a plurality of units of user-selected-actual flow, each unit of said plurality of units of user-selected actual flow representing a separate managed object and having;

i) a unit body for processing user-selected input data sources obtained from at least one of the existing applied databases, processing output from user-selected output data sources retrieved from at least one of the existing applied databases, and recording information about said each unit of actual flow in one of the plurality of databases,

ii) an input display module for displaying the user-selected input data sources and for displaying information about the user-selected input data sources, and

iii) an output display module for displaying the user-selected output data sources and displaying information about the user-selected output data sources,

whereby a visual image of said plurality of units of user-selected actual flow is loaded from said system data source for displaying a plurality of information about the user-selected input data sources and a plurality of information about the user-selected output data sources, and for displaying the actual flow, any part thereof or as a whole, by connecting input lines of input data sources and output lines of output data sources of the units of actual flow automatically;

c) a plurality of dialog boxes for indicating a plurality of fields for said system data source, for displaying a plurality of current messages and for setting a plurality of flow items;

d) a graphical user interface tool for designing a process for said plurality of units of actual flow using data about said input data sources and data about said output data sources;

e) a process database for storing said designed process including said data about the input data sources and said data about the output data sources;

whereby said development platform is configured for use with an existing applied database structure by mapping the structure of the actual flow automatically to the visual flow interface without program coding changes, such that designing of computer-based generic and visual enterprise management software is not dependent on the existing applied database structure.

2. The development platform of claim 1, wherein said platform is configured for use with an existing management information system, such that designing of computer-based generic and visual enterprise management software does not reciuire updating a new version of the existing management information system.

3. The development platform of claim 1, wherein said graphical user interface allows for design of flow lines representing input lines and output lines to connect a plurality of units of actual flow to be viewed using said visual flow interface.

4. The development platform of claim 1, further comprising a free grouping module for grouping a plurality of units of actual flow as an open group or isolating a single unit of actual flow as a closed group, whereby said free grouping module is designed using said graphical user interface and displayed on said visual flow interface.

5. The development platform of claim 1, further comprising a module for viewing a past process of units of actual flow recorded in said process database to be viewed in real time.

6. The development platform of claim 1, further comprising a simulation module for creating a production plan in real time.

7. The development platform of claim 1, wherein the existing database structure is configured for retrieval through Open Database Connectivity.