Multi-location management system

• US 6,854,010 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JDA Software Group Incorporated (RedPrairie Holding Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: BlueCube Software, Inc. (RedPrairie Holding Incorporated)
• Inventors: Christian, Seth, Churchill, Kent, Stivers, Jeffrey Dale, Tyson, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US09/888,666
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0859 by keeping history of different configuration generations or by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0863 by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/34 Charging, billing or metering arrangements for private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details

Abstract

A centralized real-time multi-location management system that manages the exchange of location-level service data to a central server, as well as provides a secure firewall for the location-level systems through a network transceiver at each property. The network transceiver receives data from the location-level service and transmits and receives the data to and from the remote central server. At the central server, each property'"'"'s data are integrated into a central database for use by a variety of central application services accessible by users through thin-client user interfaces.

Claims

1. A multi-location management system comprising:

a) a location-level service resident on a first location;

b) a network transceiver resident on the first location, wherein the network transceiver resident on the first location is connected to a wide area network;

c) a location-level interface for delivering data from the location-level service resident on the first location to the network transceiver resident on the first location;

d) a location-level service resident on a second location;

e) a network transceiver resident on the second location, wherein the network transceiver resident on the second location is connected to the wide area network;

f) a location-level interface for delivering data from the location-level service resident on the second location to the network transceiver resident on the second location;

g) a remote central server connected to the wide area network, wherein the remote central server receives data from both the network transceiver resident on the first location and the network transceiver resident on the second location, and wherein the remote central server integrates said data from both the network transceiver resident on the first location and the network transceiver resident on the second location for delivery to a central services application; and

h) a user interface for accessing the central services application and exchanging data between the remote central server and a user.

2. The multi-location management system of claim 1 wherein the user interface is a web browser.

3. The multi-location management system of claim 2 wherein the central server includes a central services application that is accessed by the web browser.

4. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the network transceiver resident on the first location includes a firewall.

5. The multi-location management system of claim 1 wherein the network transceiver resident on the first location includes a firewall.

6. The multi-location management system of claim 5 wherein the network transceiver resident on the first location includes an uninterruptible power supply source.

7. The multi-location management system of claim 6 further comprising a power monitor application that is notified by the uninterruptible power supply source to gracefully shut down the network transceiver resident on the first location when the network transceiver resident on the first location after electrical power to the network transceiver resident on the first location is interrupted for a predetermined time.

8. The multi-location management system of claim 7 wherein the power monitor application further notifies the remote central server of shut down of the network transceiver.

9. The multi-location management system of claim 6 wherein the network transceiver resident on the first location includes means for buffering data destined for the central server.

10. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the location-level service resident on the first location is selected from the group consisting of call accounting subsystem, private branch exchange, room keys, mini-bar, telephony, key card systems, point of sale systems, energy management systems, environmental control systems, security systems, in-room safe systems, in-room fax systems, video check-in and check-out, parking gate systems, ticketing systems, electronic door lock systems, interactive voice response systems, voice mail, and in-room movies.

11. The multi-location management system of claim 10 wherein the network transceiver resident on the first location includes a firewall, an uninterruptible power supply source, and means for buffering data destined for the central server.

12. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is a property management services application.

13. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is a reservations system application.

14. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is an inventory management application.

15. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is a procurement application.

16. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is rate and revenue management application.

17. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is an accounting application.

18. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is a financial reporting application.

19. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is a customer relationship management service application.

20. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is a forecasting application.

21. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is a yield management application.

22. The multi-location management system of claim 3 wherein the central services application is a business intelligence application.

23. A method for managing location-level services data for multiple locations comprising:

a) receiving first location-level service data into a first network transceiver from a first location-level service located on a first location;

b) receiving second location-level service data into a second network transceiver from a second location-level service located on a second location;

c) persisting the first location-level service data on the first network transceiver upon receipt from the first location-level service;

d) persisting the second location-level service data on the second network transceiver upon receipt from the second location-level service;

e) transmitting the first location-level service data to a remote central server over a wide area network connection between the first network transceiver and the remote central server via a guaranteed delivery message queueing system;

f) transmitting the second location-level service data to the remote central server over a wide area network connection between the second network transceiver and the remote central server via a guaranteed message queueing system; and

g) integrating the first location-level service data and the second location-level service data into a property management application available to a user from the remote central server over the wide area network via a user interface to the wide area network.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the user interface is a web browser.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the location-level service located on the first location is selected from the group consisting of call accounting subsystem, private branch exchange, room keys, mini-bar, telephony, key card systems, point of sale systems, energy management systems, environmental control systems, security systems, in-room safe systems, in-room fax systems, video check-in and check-out, parking gate systems, ticketing systems, electronic door lock systems, interactive voice response systems, voice mail, and in-room movies.

26. A method for managing location-level services data for multiple locations comprising:

a) transmitting a first location-level control command from a remote central server over a wide area network connection to a first network transceiver;

b) transmitting a second location-level control command from the remote central server over a wide area network connection to a second network transceiver;

c) persisting the first location-level control command on the first network transceiver upon receipt from the remote central server via a guaranteed delivery message queueing system;

d) persisting the second location-level control command on the second network transceiver upon receipt from the remote central server via a guaranteed delivery message queueing system;

e) transmitting the first location-level control command from the first network transceiver to a first location-level service located on the first location;

f) transmitting the second location-level control command from the second network transceiver to a second location-level service located on the second location;

g) carrying out the first location-level control command at the first location-level service;

h) carrying out the second location-level control command at the second location-level service.