Technology budget manager for mobile employees

• US 8,275,698 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Jones, Andrew R., McConnell, Kevin C., Mitchell, Alan P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apple, Kirsten
• Application Number:
  US12/054,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 705/38
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

An automated system and method for budgeting technology expenses for an individual based on an objective standard, wherein the system comprises a database comprising a list of technologies used by the individual; a controller connected to the database, the controller being adapted to establish a monetary budget allotment for the individual corresponding to use of the technologies by the individual; at least one data component connected to the controller, the data component comprising specifications attributed to the individual, wherein the specifications comprise rules for defining the monetary budget allotment for the individual; and at least one monitor connected to the controller, the monitor being adapted to track dynamic parameters affecting the monetary budget allotment for the individual, wherein the individual comprises a mobile employee performing work-related duties for an organization.

Claims

1. An automated system for budgeting technology expenses for an individual based on an objective standard, said system comprising:

a database comprising a list of a plurality of technologies used by said individual;

a controller connected to said database, said controller being adapted to establish a monetary budget allotment for said individual corresponding to;

use of said plurality of technologies by said individual;

work location attributes of said individual;

job attributes of said individual; and

computer device monitoring of work behavior patterns of said individual,

at least one data component connected to said controller, said data component comprising specifications attributed to said individual, wherein said specifications comprise rules for defining said monetary budget allotment for said individual; and

at least one monitor connected to said controller, said monitor being adapted to track dynamic parameters affecting said monetary budget allotment for said individual,

said list of said plurality of technologies used by said individual comprise tools and services including

a communication device,

a wireless communication network for said communication device,

a data computing device, and

one of a wireless data network and a wired data network for said data computing device, and

said monitor tracking a usage of communication and data transfer and changes in service provider fees on said wireless communication network and one of said wireless data network and said wired data network for using said plurality of technologies during times of performance of said work-related duties by said employee.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said individual comprises an employee performing work-related duties for an organization.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said employee comprises a mobile employee.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said data component comprises a location component comprising a work location code identifier corresponding to a location where said employee performs a majority of said work-related duties.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said data component comprises an attributes identifier corresponding to employee-related attributes including any of employee skill level, years of service with said organization, and job classification.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an individual record component adapted to track expenses relating to said use of said plurality of technologies by said individual and to compare the tracked expenses with said monetary budget allotment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to fluctuate said monetary budget allotment of said individual based on said specifications and changes to said dynamic parameters.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein said monitor comprises a travel monitor adapted to track a travel frequency of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein said monitor comprises a travel monitor adapted to track a frequency of said employee using a personal vehicle of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

10. The system of claim 2, further comprising an expense reporting component connected to said monitor, wherein said expense reporting component being adapted to facilitate a transaction between said employee and said organization for a reimbursement of expenses corresponding to said employee using personal resources of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

11. A computer-implemented method for budgeting technology expenses for an individual based on an objective standard using a computer system, said method comprising:

creating, by a computing device, a list of a plurality of technologies used by said individual;

establishing, by said computing device, a monetary budget allotment for said individual corresponding to;

use of said plurality of technologies by said individual;

work location attributes of said individual;

job attributes of said individual; and

computer device monitoring of work behavior patterns of said individual,

formulating, by said computing device, specifications attributed to said individual, wherein said specifications comprise rules for defining said monetary budget allotment for said individual; and

monitoring, by said computing device, dynamic parameters affecting said monetary budget allotment for said individual,

said list of said plurality of technologies used by said individual comprise tools and services including

a communication device,

a wireless communication network for said communication device,

a data computing device, and

one of a wireless data network and a wired data network for said data computing device, and

said monitor tracking a usage of communication and data transfer and changes in service provider fees on said wireless communication network and one of said wireless data network and said wired data network for using said plurality of technologies during times of performance of said work-related duties by said employee.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said individual comprises an employee performing work-related duties for an organization.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said employee comprises a mobile employee.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying, by said computing device, a work location code corresponding to a location where said employee performs a majority of said work-related duties.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying, by said computing device, attributes corresponding to employee-related attributes including any of employee skill level, years of service with said organization, and job classification.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

tracking, by said computing device, expenses relating to said use of said plurality of technologies by said individual; and

comparing, by said computing device, the tracked expenses with said monetary budget allotment.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

fluctuating, by said computing device, said monetary budget allotment of said individual based on said specifications and changes to said dynamic parameters.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

tracking, by said computing device, a travel frequency of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

tracking, by said computing device, a frequency of said employee using a personal vehicle of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

facilitating, by said computing device, a transaction between said employee and said organization for a reimbursement of expenses corresponding to said employee using personal resources of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

21. A non-transitory storage medium readable by computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said computer to perform a method of budgeting technology expenses for an individual based on an objective standard using a computer system, said method comprising:

creating a list of a plurality of technologies used by said individual;

establishing a monetary budget allotment for said individual corresponding to;

use of said plurality of technologies by said individual;

work location attributes of said individual;

job attributes of said individual; and

computer device monitoring of work behavior patterns of said individual,

formulating specifications attributed to said individual, wherein said specifications comprise rules for defining said monetary budget allotment for said individual; and

monitoring dynamic parameters affecting said monetary budget allotment for said individual,

said list of said plurality of technologies used by said individual comprise tools and services including

a communication device,

a wireless communication network for said communication device,

a data computing device, and

one of a wireless data network and a wired data network for said data computing device, and

said monitoring further comprising tracking a usage of communication and data transfer and changes in service provider fees on said wireless communication network and one of said wireless data network and said wired data network for using said plurality of technologies during times of performance of said work-related duties by said employee.

22. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 21, wherein said individual comprises an employee performing work-related duties for an organization.

23. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 22, wherein said employee comprises a mobile employee.

24. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 22, wherein said method further comprises identifying a work location code corresponding to a location where said employee performs a majority of said work-related duties.

25. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 22, wherein said method further comprises identifying attributes corresponding to employee-related attributes including any of employee skill level, years of service with said organization, and job classification.

26. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 21, wherein said method further comprises:

tracking expenses relating to said use of said plurality of technologies by said individual; and

comparing the tracked expenses with said monetary budget allotment.

27. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 21, wherein said method further comprises fluctuating said monetary budget allotment of said individual based on said specifications and changes to said dynamic parameters.

28. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 22, wherein said method further comprises tracking a travel frequency of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

29. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 22, wherein said method further comprises tracking a frequency of said employee using a personal vehicle of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

30. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 22, wherein said method further comprises facilitating a transaction between said employee and said organization for a reimbursement of expenses corresponding to said employee using personal resources of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

31. A computer-implemented method for budgeting technology expenses for an individual based on an objective standard using a computer system, said service:

creating, by a computing device, a list of a plurality of technologies used by said individual;

establishing, by said computing device, a monetary budget allotment for said individual corresponding to;

use of said plurality of technologies by said individual;

work location attributes of said individual;

job attributes of said individual; and

computer device monitoring of work behavior patterns of said individual,

formulating, by said computing device, specifications attributed to said individual, wherein said specifications comprise rules for defining said monetary budget allotment for said individual; and

monitoring, by said computing device, dynamic parameters affecting said monetary budget allotment for said individual,

said list of said plurality of technologies used by said individual comprise tools and services including

a communication device,

a wireless communication network for said communication device,

a data computing device, and

one of a wireless data network and a wired data network for said data computing device, and

said monitoring further comprising tracking a usage of communication and data transfer and changes in service provider fees on said wireless communication network and one of said wireless data network and said wired data network for using said plurality of technologies during times of performance of said work-related duties by said employee.