Consolidation of member schedules with a project schedule in a network-based project schedule management system

• US 20070288289A1
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Fong, Avery
• Granted Patent: US 8,799,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

A system is used for the creation, maintenance, and management of an overall project schedule, of individual project member schedules, and of project task assignments over a network. The system comprises three editors accessed through a web browser to perform the various tasks by members of a project. Information is passed between a web server and web browser and a database is used to maintain all information. The project manager can use a task assignment editor to assign tasks to individual project members. The project manager can use a project schedule editor to initially create the project schedule and to show the overall project schedule. After the project schedule is created, each project member can create their own member schedule using a member schedule editor, containing tasks related to the project schedule. After project members complete a task, the project member updates the member'"'"'s schedule via the member schedule editor.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a project schedule using a database, the method comprising:

storing in a project task database table, via a project schedule editor session, planned schedule dates for project tasks;

storing in a first-level member task database table from a set of hierarchically-related member task database tables, via a member schedule editor session being used by a particular project member, planned schedule dates for a subtask of a project task, wherein the subtask is assigned to the particular project member;

storing in the first-level member task database table, via a member schedule editor session being used by the particular project member, planned schedule dates for a non-project task associated with the particular project member;

wherein the project task database table is linked to planned schedule dates contained in the first-level member task database table and wherein each member task database table other than the lowest level member task database table is linked to planned schedule dates contained in a respective next-lower-level member task database table;

retrieving from the first-level member task database table and displaying in a member schedule web page, planned schedule dates for the subtask and for the non-project task; and

displaying a project schedule for the project in a project schedule web page without displaying the non-project task.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, via the member schedule editor session, a request to update schedule dates for subtasks assigned to the particular project member; and

in response to the request to update, displaying a planned start date for each subtask as the earliest planned start date of all lower level subtasks of the subtask and displaying a planned end date for each subtask as the latest planned end date of all the lower level subtasks of the subtask

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, via the member schedule editor session, a request to finish the member schedule editor session; and

in response to the request to finish, storing the planned start dates and the planned end dates for each level of subtask in a corresponding member task table.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the steps of receiving and displaying are performed by a client processor, and wherein the steps of storing are performed by a server processor.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, via the project schedule editor session, a request to consolidate schedule dates for subtasks of project tasks;

in response to the request to consolidate,

retrieving, from the first-level member task table, schedule dates for subtasks of project tasks;

aggregating the retrieved schedule dates, by

setting a planned start date for each project task as the earliest planned start date, from the hierarchically-related member task tables, for all levels of subtasks of the project task, and

setting a planned end date for each project task as the latest planned end date, from the hierarchically-related member task tables, for all levels of the subtasks of the project task;

storing the planned start dates and the planned end dates for each project task in the project task table; and

displaying the project schedule in the project schedule web page, wherein the project schedule includes the planned start dates and the planned end dates for each project task from the project task table.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of aggregating is performed by a server processor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying a member schedule for the particular project member in a member schedule web page, wherein the member schedule includes the non-project task.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of displaying a member schedule includes displaying the non-project task with a visual indication that indicates that the task is a non-project task.

9. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 1.

10. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 2.

11. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 3.

12. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 4.

13. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 5.

14. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 6.

15. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 7.

16. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 8.