Project task management system for managing project schedules over a network

• US 20080229313A1
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Fong, Avery
• Granted Patent: US 8,826,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/541 Client-server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A client-server based project schedule management system comprises multiple editors accessible through a web browser to perform various scheduling tasks by members of a project. Client-executable code is generated by the server for the client, which is passed to the client along with schedule-related information for populating the respective editors. The client executes the server-generated code to display the respective editor with pertinent information populated therein, and to manage and maintain any new or updated information in response to user interactions with the editor. Rows of tasks are represented by corresponding objects, where editor elements are object attributes which are directly accessible by the respective objects. Database queries are generated by the server based on constant strings containing placeholders which are replaced with information used by the query.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a project schedule with a client-server based project schedule system, the method comprising:

receiving a request to view an editor associated with said schedule system;

in response to said request, a server accessing first schedule-related information from a database;

said server generating first client-executable code for execution by a client for displaying said editor and displaying said first schedule-related information in said editor and for managing said editor by said client;

said server passing said first client-executable code and said first schedule-related information to said client;

said client executing at least a portion of said first client-executable code to display said editor and display said first schedule-related information in said editor and to manage said editor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said client receiving second schedule-related information from a user via said editor;

said client executing at least a portion of said client-executable code to maintain said second schedule-related information in said editor;

said client passing said second schedule-related information from said editor to said server; and

said server storing said second schedule-related information in said database.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to said client requesting a web page associated with said editor, said server accessing at least said second schedule-related information from said database; and

said server generating second client-executable code for execution by said client for displaying said web page associated with said editor and displaying said second schedule-related information in said web page associated with said editor;

said server passing said second client-executable code and said second schedule-related information to said client;

said client executing said second client-executable code to display said web page associated with said editor and displaying said second schedule-related information in said web page associated with said editor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein all of the steps are performed in association with each editor from a group of editors associated with said schedule system, wherein said group of editors consists of a task assignment editor, a project schedule editor, and a member schedule editor.

5. The method of claim 3,

wherein accessing said first schedule-related information and generating said first client-executable code are performed by a first module associated with said server of said project schedule system;

wherein displaying said editor and said first schedule-related information in said editor and managing said editor and maintaining said second schedule-related information in said editor are performed by a second module associated with said client of said project schedule system;

wherein storing said second schedule-related information in said database is performed by a third module associated with said server of said project schedule system; and

wherein accessing at least said second schedule-related information and generating said second client-executable code are performed by a fourth module associated with said server of said project schedule system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each editor from a group of editors associated with said schedule system comprise said first module, said second module, said third module, and said fourth module, and wherein said group of editors consists of a task assignment editor, a project schedule editor, and a member schedule editor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of accessing comprises said server executing Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) code to access said first schedule-related information from said database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating comprises said server executing Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) code to generate said first client-executable code as JavaScript code.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating comprises said server executing Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) code to generate said first client-executable code as JavaScript code and to generate structures in said JavaScript code for storing and passing said first schedule-related information to said client.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating comprises said server generating said first client-executable code as JavaScript code for instantiating an object of a JavaScript class that creates, manages, and maintains said editor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating comprises said server generating said first client-executable code as JavaScript code for calling member functions of said object to display said first schedule-related information in said editor.

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 1.

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 2.

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 3.

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 4.

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 5.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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 9.

21. 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 10.

22. 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 11.

23. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memory communicatively coupled to said one or more processors;

wherein said one or more memory stores instructions comprising;

a first software module associated with a server constituent to a project schedule system, wherein said first module, when executed by at least one of said one or more processors, causes performance of;

accessing first schedule-related information from a database in response to a request to view an editor interface associated with said schedule system, and

generating first client-executable code for execution by a client for displaying said editor interface and displaying said first schedule-related information in said editor interface and for managing operation of said editor by a client of said project schedule system;

a second module associated with said client, wherein said second module, when executed by at least one of said one or more processors, causes performance of;

displaying said editor interface and said first schedule-related information in said editor interface and managing operation of said editor based on said first client-executable code, and

receiving second schedule-related information from a user via said editor interface;

a third module associated with said server, wherein said third module, when executed by at least one of said one or more processors, causes performance of;

receiving said second schedule-related information from said client, and

storing said second schedule-related information in said database; and

a fourth module associated with said server, wherein said fourth module, when executed by at least one of said one or more processors, causes performance of;

accessing said second schedule-related information from said database in response to said client requesting a web page associated with said editor, and

generating second client-executable code for execution by said client for displayings said web page associated with said editor and displaying said second schedule-related information in said web page associated with said editor.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein each editor from a group of editors associated with said schedule system comprises said first module, said second module, said third module, and said fourth module, and wherein said group of editors consists of a task assignment editor, a project schedule editor, and a member schedule editor.