Web portal framework for open innovation

• US 7,818,372 B1
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Cutrell, George, Macha, Craig, Lee, Wing K., Ponnangath, Sunil K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava; Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pollack; Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US12/015,354
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-205, 709/219, 715/235, 715/236, 715/240, 715/753, 370/260
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A system for a project web portal is provided. The system includes a plurality of user interfaces, a storage device, a processor, instructions, and an administrator user interface. When executed by the processor, the instructions provision the project web portal to the plurality of user interfaces, wherein the project web portal comprises a web log portlet, a forum portlet, and a survey portlet. The instructions also store project data in the storage device, wherein the project data comprises a user input received via the web log portlet, a discussion data received via the forum portlet, and an answer data received via the survey portlet. The administrator user interface accesses the project data in the storage device to develop a project.

Claims

1. A system for a project web portal, comprising:

a plurality of computers;

a non-transitory storage device;

instructions stored on the non-transitory storage device, when executed by a processor,

that provision a project web portal template to the plurality of computers, wherein the project web portal template comprises a web log portlet template, a forum portlet template, and a survey portlet template,

that create a web log portlet on one of the computers in response to the computer first accessing the web log portlet template,

that create a forum portlet on one of the computers in response to the computer first accessing the forum template,

that create a survey portlet on one of the computers in response to the computer first accessing the survey portlet template, wherein the instructions create a project web portal on one of the computers based on the web portal template in response to the computer first accessing any of the web log portlet template, the forum portlet, and the survey portlet,

and that store project data in the non-transitory storage device, wherein the project data comprises a user input received via the web log portlet, a discussion data received via the forum portlet, and an answer data received via the survey portlet,

wherein the instructions create a project web portal on one of the computers based on the web portal template in response to the computer first accessing any of the web log portlet template, the forum portlet, and the survey portlet; and

an administrator computer providing an administrator user interface to access the project data in the non-transitory storage device to develop a project.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the project web portal template further comprises a frequently asked questions portlet template, wherein the instructions create a frequently asked questions portlet on one of the computers in response to the computer first accessing the frequently asked questions portlet template, and wherein the project data comprises an access via the frequently asked questions portlet.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the web log portlet, the forum portlet, the survey portlet, and the frequently asked questions portlet is a collaborative web site which can be directly edited via any of the plurality of computers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the project web portal comprises a plurality of web log portlets, wherein each of the plurality of web log portlets is associated with one of the plurality of computers.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the project web portal comprises a plurality of forum portlets, wherein each of the plurality of forum portlets is associated with one of the plurality of computers.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of forum portlets comprises a discussion based on a discussion thread.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the project web portal further comprises an electronic mail portlet and a text messaging portlet and the project data comprises an electronic mail received via the electronic mail portlet and a text message received via the text message portlet.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the administrator user interface is further configured to associate a keyword with specific content from the project data to assist in the organization of the project data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the administrator user interface is further configured to manage project participants, send electronic mail to project participants and send text messages to project participants.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the project web portal comprises at least one of a terms and conditions portlet, a project participant guidelines portlet, and a user manual portlet.

11. A computer implemented method for a project web portal, comprising:

provisioning a project web portal template to a first plurality of computers, wherein the project web portal template comprises a web log portlet template, a forum portlet template, and a survey portlet template, and wherein the provisioning is performed by an application executing on a computer;

creating by the application a first web log portlet on one of the first plurality of computers based on the web log portlet template when the web log portlet template is first accessed by the one of the first of the plurality of computers;

creating by the application a first forum portlet on one of the first plurality of computers based on the forum portlet template when the forum portlet template is first accessed by the one of the first of the plurality of computers;

creating by the application a first survey portlet on one of the first plurality of computers based on the survey portlet template when the survey portlet template is first accessed by the one of the first of the plurality of computers;

storing a first project data in a non-transitory storage device by the application, wherein the first project data comprises a user input received via the first web log portlet, a discussion data received via the first forum portlet, and an answer data received via the first survey portlet; and

accessing the first project data from the non-transitory storage device to develop a first project.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the project web portal template, the web log portlet template, the forum portlet template, and the survey portlet template is a standardized file type used by computer software as a pre-formatted example on which to base other files.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 11, further comprising registering the first plurality of computers by at least one of manual entry and bulk upload.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 11, furthering comprising at least one of pushing the first survey portlet to a user and pulling user input via the first survey portlet, wherein the first survey portlet comprises a question and a set of selectable responses.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein access to the first web log portlet, the first forum portlet, and the first survey portlet is limited to the first plurality of computers and to a second plurality of computers that are provisioned with another project web portal.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

provisioning the project web portal template to a second plurality of computers;

creating by the application a second web log portlet on one of the second plurality of computers based on the web log portlet template when the web log portlet template is first accessed by the one of the second of the plurality of computers;

creating by the application a second forum portlet on one of the second plurality of computers based on the forum portlet template when the forum portlet template is first accessed by the one of the second of the plurality of computers;

creating by the application a second survey portlet on one of the second plurality of computers based on the survey portlet template when the survey portlet template is first accessed by the one of the second of the plurality of computers;

storing a second project data in a non-transitory storage device by the application, wherein the second project data comprises a user input received via the second web log portlet, a discussion data received via the second forum portlet, and an answer data received via the second survey portlet; and

accessing the second project data from the non-transitory storage device to develop a second project.

16. A computer implemented method for a product test web portal, comprising:

provisioning the product test web portal to a plurality of computers associated with product test participants, wherein the product test web portal comprises a web log portlet, a forum portlet, and a survey portlet, wherein the provisioning is performed by an application executing on a computer;

storing product test data in a non-transitory storage device by the application, wherein the product test data comprises a user input received via the web log portlet, a discussion data received via the forum portlet, and an answer data received via the survey portlet;

accessing the product test data from the non-transitory storage device to manage a product test; and

providing product test data by the application to an administrator user interface of an administrator computer via a really simple syndication (RSS) feed.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 16, wherein the product test web portal further comprises a user manual portlet for a product test.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 16, further comprising storing test data from a product test.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 16, wherein the administrator computer is used by a project manager to manage a project, to identify computers associated with the product test participants, and wherein accessing the product test web portal is limited to the plurality of computers associated with the product test participants.