Automated system and method for providing access data concerning an item of business property

• US 5,870,733 A
• Filed: 06/14/1996
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electronic Data Systems Corporation (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bass, Theresa A., Brinlee, Kerry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US08/663,959
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/103, 707/10, 707/102, 707/2, 705/2, 705/4, 705/28, 705/29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• 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 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An automated system (10) for providing access data (42) concerning an item of business property includes a master database (34) containing master data (36) concerning the item and an accesser (16) that provides an access request. A manager (14) coupled to the master database (34) retrieves selected master data (36) from the master database (34) and generates access data (42) for the item using the master data (36). The manager (14) receives the access request and, in response, provides the accesser (16) with access data (42) concerning the item.

Claims

1. An automated system for providing access data concerning an item of business property available for matching to a recipient, comprising:

a master database containing master data identified with the item and generated using information retrieved from a system database;

a site database containing site data identified with the item and generated using master data retrieved from the master database;

an accesser operable to provide an access request, the accesser being restricted from accessing the master data; and

a manager coupled to the master database and operable to retrieve selected master data from the master database, the manager further operable to generate the site data and retrieve selected site data from the site database, the manager further operable to generate access data identified with the item using the retrieved site data, the manager further operable to receive the access request and, in response, to provide the accesser with access to the access data for purposes of matching the item to the recipient.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the site database further contains site comparison data identified with the item, the site comparison data reflecting a comparison selected from the group consisting of:

a comparison between the master data and previous master data identified with the item; and

a comparison between the master data and previous site data identified with the item.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the manager is operable to retrieve the selected master data according to a strategic business unit identifier that identifies a cost center within a business organization associated with the item.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated system comprises an inventory management system and the item of business property is an excess item of business inventory.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the manager is further operable to update the master data contained in the master database to reflect modifications to the access data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the accesser comprises a first accesser and a second accesser.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the manager comprises a first manager and a second manager.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the manager comprises a first manager and a second manager, the first manager operable to direct the access request to the second manager, the second manager operable to provide the accesser with the access data.

9. An automated method for providing access data concerning an item of business property available for matching to a recipient, comprising:

retrieving information identified with the item from a system database;

generating master data identified with the item using the information retrieved from the system database;

storing the master data in a master database;

retrieving selected master data from the master database;

generating site data identified with the item using the retrieved master data;

storing the site data in a site database;

retrieving selected site data from the site database;

generating access data identified with the item using the retrieved site data;

receiving an access request from an accesser that is restricted from accessing the master data; and

providing the accesser with access to the access data in response to the access request for purposes of matching the item to the recipient.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected master data is retrieved in accordance with a strategic business unit identifier that identifies a cost center within a business organization associated with the item.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating site comparison data that is identified with the item and reflects a comparison selected from the group consisting of;

a comparison between the master data and previous master data identified with the item; and

a comparison between the master data and previous site data identified with the item.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the method is performed using an automated inventory management system and the item of business property is an excess item of business inventory.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of receiving an access request comprises:

receiving an access request at a first manager; and

forwarding the access request to a second manager, the second manager providing the accesser with the access data.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of updating the master data contained in the master database to reflect modifications to the access data.

15. An automated method for providing access data concerning an excess item of business inventory available for matching to a recipient, comprising:

retrieving information identified with the excess item from a plurality of system databases;

generating master data identified with the excess item using information retrieved from the system databases;

storing the master data in a master database;

generating a query;

submitting the query to the master database;

retrieving selected master data from the master database according to the query;

generating site data identified with the excess item using the retrieved master data;

storing the site data in a site database;

generating site comparison data that is identified with the excess item and reflects a comparison selected from the group consisting of;

a comparison between the master data and previous master data identified with the excess item, and

a comparison between the master data and previous site data identified with the excess item;

retrieving selected site data from the site database;

generating access data identified with the excess item using the retrieved site data;

receiving an access request from an accesser that is restricted from accessing the master data and the site data; and

providing the accesser with access to the access data in response to the access request for purposes of matching the excess item of business inventory to the recipient.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating queries for submission to the system databases; and

retrieving selected business information for the item according to the queries for storage in the master database.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of matching the item to a recipient associated with the accesser.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of updating the master data contained in the master database to reflect modifications to the access data.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of receiving an access request comprises:

receiving an access request at a first manager; and

forwarding the access request to a second manager, the second manager providing the accesser with the access data.

20. The method of claim 15,

wherein the method is performed using an automated inventory management system.