Computer assisted and/or implemented method for group collarboration on projects incorporating electronic information

• US 7,386,535 B1
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stevens Love
• Original Assignee: Q.Know Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Visalli, Gregory C., Rensin, David K., Riemer, Michael S., Kalucha, Vineet, Geaney, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam; Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahn; Sangwoo
• Application Number:
  US10/675,243
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program device manages group collaboration on projects, where the projects incorporate associatively filed electronic information. A team of users associated with the project is optionally dynamic and re-definable. A plurality of items are associated with a project; the present invention provides for automatic integration with different native applications supporting the items. Items and/or projects can be associated with more than one project. One or more embodiments of the present invention provide, for example, that a team member can send messages automatically addressed to other team members on the project. Optionally, team members can also attach items in the project to emails to be sent to individuals not on the team.

Claims

1. In a computer-implemented system, a method for group collaboration through associative filing, in projects, of electronic information including at least one of structured and unstructured electronic data, documentation, and other information, cooperative with native applications that manipulate items comprising the electronic information, the items comprising the electronic information being associatively filed within one or more projects, said group collaboration method comprising at least one of the sequential, non-sequential, and sequence independent steps of:

(A) storing at least one project of a plurality of projects, the project referencing a plurality of items comprising the electronic information;

(B) associating each of the individual items with a multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time forming the multi-dimensional tag, wherein associating the individual items includes at least one of suggesting and automatically assigning values for the activities, people, places, objects and time for the items;

(C) storing the individual items for later retrieval using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time;

(D) determining retrieval criteria, including the multi-dimensional tag for the at least one item of the plurality of items;

(E) searching for the at least one item of the plurality of items corresponding to the retrieval criteria, retrieving the at least one item and displaying information characterizing the retrieved at least one item;

(F) associating at least one team having at least one member with the at least one project;

(G) assigning at least one of a plurality of users as the at least one member of the at least one team;

(H) associating at least one functionality, task, job or role with the at least one of the plurality of users assigned to the at least one team;

(I) storing the at least one team in association with the at least one project using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time;

(J) displaying information characterizing the at least one project and the at least one team associated therewith;

(K) selecting at least one of the plurality of items in the at least one project using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time; and

(L) displaying information characterizing the item in a native application corresponding therewith.

2. The method of claim 1, the project being assigned to one of a plurality of project types, each of the project types being associated with at least a portion of the plurality of users, the users assigned as the at least one member of the at least one team being limited to the at least a portion of the plurality of users associated with the project type assigned to the at least one project, wherein each of the project types being further associated with at least one of a plurality of business rules.

3. The method of claim 1, the project being assigned to one of a plurality of project types, each functionality, task, job or role of each of the project types being associated with at least a portion of the plurality of users, the users assigned to the at least one functionality, task, job or role of the at least one team being limited to the at least a portion of the plurality of users associated with the at least one functionality, task, job or role of the project type assigned to the at least one project.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of redefining the at least one member assigned to the at least one team, wherein redefining further comprises at least one of:

removing at least one user from the at least one team, assigning at least one user as the at least one member of the at least one team, and reassigning at least one user in at least one functionality, task, job or role associated with the at least one team.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one functionality, task, job or role includes at least one of:

a project team member, an internal team member, an external team member, a project owner, and a user-defined role.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of redefining the at least one member assigned to the at least one team.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of users are selected from items in cooperation with at least one native application associated therewith to provide contact information for at least a portion of the plurality of users.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the native application includes at least one of:

e-mail and an address book.

9. The method of claim 1, the at least one user being associated with a plurality of teams on a plurality of projects.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message to at least a portion of the users assigned to the at least one team associated with the at least one project.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying at least a portion of the users assigned to the at least one team of changes to the at least one project associated with the at least one team.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one item is one of:

a communication, a document, a transaction, an e-mail, a task, a meeting, a contact, a message, an image, music, electronic notes, video, a multimedia file, an other native application content, and a project.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the document is at least one of:

a text document, an image document, a resolved universal resource locator (URL), a bitmap document, and a digitized document.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one native application includes at least one of:

messaging and collaboration application, presentation graphics application, spreadsheet application, word processing application, graphical file management application, graphical web browser, portable document converter and reader, and file archiver and compressor;

wherein a user interface for the at least one native application includes an extension to act on items and help information for acting on items; and

wherein a toolbar for the at least one native application includes an extension to act on items.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one project is assigned to one of a plurality of project types, and a plurality of classes are associated with a plurality of items, wherein at least two items of the plurality of items have different corresponding native applications, wherein each of the project types being further associated with at least one of a plurality of business rules;

further comprising determining at least one keyword for at least one class, associating the determined at least one keyword with the at least one class for at least one item, associating the at least one item with the at least one project, displaying information characterizing the at least one project and the at least one item associated therewith, selecting the at least one item thereof and opening the at least one item in the native application corresponding thereto.

16. In a computer-implemented system, a method for group collaboration through associative filing, in projects, of electronic information including at least one of structured and unstructured electronic data, documentation, and other information, cooperative with native applications that manipulate items comprising the electronic information, the items comprising the electronic information being associatively filed within one or more projects, said group collaboration method comprising at least one of the sequential, non-sequential, and sequence independent steps of:

(A) storing at least one project of a plurality of projects, the project referencing a plurality of items comprising the electronic information, the project being assigned to one of a plurality of project types, each of the project types being associated with at least a portion of a plurality of users, and each of the project types being further associated with at least one of a plurality of business rules;

(B) associating each of the individual items with a multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time forming the multi-dimensional tag, wherein associating the individual items includes at least one of suggesting and automatically assigning values for the activities, people, places, objects and time for the items;

(C) storing the individual items for later retrieval using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time;

(D) determining retrieval criteria, including the multi-dimensional tag for the at least one item of the plurality of items;

(E) searching for the at least one item of the plurality of items corresponding to the retrieval criteria, retrieving the at least one item and displaying information characterizing the retrieved at least one item;

(F) associating at least one team having at least one member with the at least one project;

(G) assigning at least one of the plurality of users as the at least one member of the at least one team, the users assigned as members of the at least one team being limited to the at least a portion of the plurality of users associated with the project type assigned to the at least one project;

(H) storing the at least one team in association with the at least one project using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time;

(I) displaying information characterizing the at least one project and the at least one team associated therewith;

(J) redefining the at least one member assigned to the at least one team; and

(K) selecting a project and listing the plurality of items in the project, and responsive to a selection of at least one of the plurality of items, displaying information characterizing the item, via a native application cooperating therewith.

17. A computer-implemented system for group collaboration through associative filing, in projects, of electronic information including at least one of structured and unstructured electronic data, documentation, and other information, cooperative with native applications that manipulate items comprising the electronic information, comprising:

(A) means for storing at least one project of a plurality of projects, the project referencing a plurality of items comprising the electronic information, the project being assigned to one of a plurality of project types, each of the project types being associated with at least a portion of a plurality of users, and each of the project types being further associated with at least one of a plurality of business rules;

(B) means for associating each of the individual items with a multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time forming the multi-dimensional tag, wherein associating the individual items includes means for at least one of suggesting and automatically assigning values for the activities, people, places, objects and time for the items;

(C) means for storing the individual items for later retrieval using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time;

(D) means for determining retrieval criteria, including the multi-dimensional tag for the at least one item of the plurality of items;

(E) means for searching for the at least one item of the plurality of items corresponding to the retrieval criteria, retrieving the at least one item and displaying information characterizing the retrieved at least one item;

(F) means for associating at least one team having at least one member with the at least one project;

(G) means for assigning at least one of the plurality of users as the at least one member of the at least one team, the users assigned as members of the at least one team being limited to the at least a portion of the plurality of users associated with the project type assigned to the at least one project;

(H) means for storing the at least one team in association with the at least one project using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time;

(I) means for displaying information characterizing the at least one project and the at least one team associated therewith;

(J) means for redefining the at least one member assigned to the at least one team; and

(K) means for selecting a project and listing the plurality of items in the project, and responsive to a selection of at least one of the plurality of items, displaying information characterizing the item, via a native application cooperating therewith.

18. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions being read by at least one computer, for group collaboration through associative filing, in projects, of electronic information including at least one of structured and unstructured electronic data, documentation, and other information, cooperative with native applications that manipulate items comprising the electronic information, the items comprising the electronic information being associatively filed within one or more projects, said instructions implementing the steps of:

(A) storing at least one project of a plurality of projects, the project referencing a plurality of items comprising the electronic information, the project being assigned to one of a plurality of project types, each of the project types being associated with at least a portion of a plurality of users, and each of the project types being further associated with at least one of a plurality of business rules;

(B) associating each of the individual items with a multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time forming the multi-dimensional tag, wherein associating the individual items includes at least one of suggesting and automatically assigning values for the activities, people, places, objects and time for the items;

(C) storing the individual items for later retrieval using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time;

(D) determining retrieval criteria, including the multi-dimensional tag for the at least one item of the plurality of items;

(E) searching for the at least one item of the plurality of items corresponding to the retrieval criteria, retrieving the at least one item and displaying information characterizing the retrieved at least one item;

(F) associating at least one team having at least one member with the at least one project;

(G) assigning at least one of the plurality of users as the at least one member of the at least one team, the users assigned as members of the at least one team being limited to the at least a portion of the plurality of users associated with the project type assigned to the at least one project;

(H) storing the at least one team in association with the at least one project using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time;

(I) displaying information characterizing the at least one project and the at least one team associated therewith;

(J) redefining the at least one member assigned to the at least one team; and

(K) selecting a project and listing the plurality of items in the project, and responsive to a selection of at least one of the plurality of items, displaying information characterizing the item, via a native application cooperating therewith.

19. In a computer-implemented system, a method for group collaboration through associative filing, in projects, of electronic information including at least one of structured and unstructured electronic data, documentation, and other information, cooperative with native applications that manipulate items comprising the electronic information, the items comprising the electronic information being associatively filed within one or more projects, said group collaboration method comprising at least one of the sequential, non-sequential, and sequence independent steps of:

(A) storing at least one project of a plurality of projects, the project referencing a plurality of items comprising the electronic information, the project being assigned to one of a plurality of project types, and each of the project types being associated with at least a portion of a plurality of users, and each of the project types being further associated with at least one of a plurality of business rules;

(B) associating each of the individual items with a multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time forming the multi-dimensional tag, wherein associating the individual items includes at least one of suggesting and automatically assigning values for the activities, people, places, objects and time for the items;

(C) storing the individual items for later retrieval using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time;

(D) determining retrieval criteria, including the multi-dimensional tag for the at least one item of the plurality of items;

(E) searching for the at least one item of the plurality of items corresponding to the retrieval criteria, retrieving the at least one item and displaying information characterizing the retrieved at least one item;

(F) associating at least one team having at least one member with the at least one project;

(G) assigning at least one of the plurality of users as the at least one member of the at least one team;

(H) storing the at least one team in association with the at least one project using the multi-dimensional tag comprising a plurality of classes, and the plurality of classes comprise activities, people, places, objects, and time;

(I) displaying information characterizing the at least one project and the at least one team associated therewith;

(J) removing at least one user from the at least one team, assigning at least one user as the at least one member of the at least one team; and

(K) reassigning at least one user in at least one functionality, task, job or role associated with the at least one team.