US 5,826,252 AGranted

System for managing multiple projects of similar type using dynamically updated global database

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsRichard Arthur Wolters, Jr., Susan Mae Schwee, James Russell Isaacs, Michael Adrian Smith, Walter Hening Cooley, Jr., Craig Ernest Leighty, George Borst, Paul Lawrence Mayo, Gregory Douglas Lownes

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Abstract

A system for managing multiple projects of a similar type has a global project management database for storing data for all participating projects which is dynamically updated with best current data representing best current practices across all participating projects in the system. Localized computer terminals are operated at each local site with a common project management program and data imported from the global project management database. Periodically, the local terminals export data to the global project management database which are evaluated to determine any new best current practices across all participating projects and to update the global project management database with the new best current practices. Upon periodically importing data from the global project management database, each localized computer terminal is updated with the new best current practices across all participating projects.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for managing multiple projects of a similar type comprising:

(a) a global project management database for storing data for all projects participating in said system, said database being maintained and updated dynamically with best current data representing best current practices across all participating projects in said system;
(b) a plurality of localized computer terminals, each having a microprocessor for executing a project management program for a participating project associated with each said terminal at a respective local site and a memory for storing and retrieving data obtained from said global project management database for use in the project management program at the respective local site;
(c) data access means operative between said global project management database and each one of the localized computer terminals for periodically importing data from said global project management database, including best current data across all projects, for use in the participating projects, and for periodically exporting data from the participating projects to said global project management database;
and
(d) updating means operative in conjunction with said global project management database for allowing evaluation of said data periodically exported from the localized computer terminals of the participating projects, determining whether any such data constitutes best current practices across all participating projects, and updating the best current data of said global project management database with data determined to constitute new best current practices across all participating projects, said new best current practices data then being imported by the localized computer terminals from said global project management database,
wherein said updating means and said data access means are operative to update the localized computer terminals with the new best current practices data whenever a current version of data maintained at a localized computer terminal is outdated as compared to the new best current practices data available from said global project management database,
whereby said global project management database is updated dynamically with best current data representing new best current practices across all participating projects of said system, and the localized computer terminals import and use the new best current practices at the respective participating projects.

4 more elements

A system for managing multiple projects of a similar type comprising:

(a) a global project management database for storing data for all projects participating in said system, said database being maintained and updated dynamically with best current data representing best current practices across all participating projects in said system;
(b) a plurality of localized computer terminals, each having a microprocessor for executing a project management program for a participating project associated with each said terminal at a respective local site and a memory for storing and retrieving data obtained from said global project management database for use in the project management program at the respective local site;
(c) data access means operative between said global project management database and each one of the localized computer terminals for periodically importing data from said global project management database, including best current data across all projects, for use in the participating projects, and for periodically exporting data from the participating projects to said global project management database;
and
(d) updating means operative in conjunction with said global project management database for allowing evaluation of said data periodically exported from the localized computer terminals of the participating projects, determining whether any such data constitutes best current practices across all participating projects, and updating the best current data of said global project management database with data determined to constitute new best current practices across all participating projects, said new best current practices then being imported by the localized computer terminals from said global project management database,
whereby said global project management database is updated dynamically with best current data representing new best current practices across all Participating projects of said system, and the localized computer terminals import and use the new best current practices at the respective participating projects, and
wherein the project management program includes means for using the data obtained from said global project management database in a Project Planning Mode, then transferring the data from the Project Planning Mode for use in a Project Performance Mode.

4 more elements

A system for managing multiple projects of a similar type comprising:

(a) a global project management database for storing data for all projects participating in said system, said database being maintained and updated dynamically with best current data representing best current practices across all participating projects in said system;
(b) a plurality of localized computer terminals, each having a microprocessor for executing a project management program for a participating project associated with each said terminal at a respective local site and a memory for storing and retrieving data obtained from said global project management database for use in the project management program at the respective local site;
(c) data access means operative between said global project management database and each one of the localized computer terminals for periodically importing data from said global project management database, including best current data across all projects, for use in the participating projects, and for periodically exporting data from the participating projects to said global project management database;
and
(d) updating means operative in conjunction with said global project management database for allowing evaluation of said data periodically exported from the localized computer terminals of the participating projects, determining whether any such data constitutes best current practices across all participating projects, and updating the best current data of said global project management database with data determined to constitute new best current practices across all participating projects, said new best current practices then being imported by the localized computer terminals from said global project management database,
whereby said global project management database is updated dynamically with best current data representing new best current practices across all participating projects of said system, and the localized computer terminals import and use the new best current practices at the respective participating projects, and
wherein said data access means includes means for performing revision control by comparing an existing revision number of the project management program at a localized computer terminal with a revision number assigned to best current data currently imported from the global project management database.

4 more elements

A method for managing multiple projects of a similar type comprising the steps of:

(a) maintaining a global project management database for storing data for multiple participating projects, said database being maintained and updated dynamically with best current data representing best current practices across all participating projects;
(b) providing a plurality of localized computer terminals, each having a microprocessor for executing a project management program for a participating project associated with each said terminal at a respective local site and a memory for storing and retrieving data obtained from said global project management database for use in the project management program at the respective local site;
(c) periodically importing data to each one of the localized computer terminals from said global project management database, including best current data across all projects, for use in the participating projects, and periodically exporting data from the participating projects to said global project management database;
and
(d) evaluating said data periodically exported from the localized computer terminals of the participating projects, determining whether any such data constitutes best current practices across all participating projects, and updating the best current data of said global project management database with data determined to constitute new best current practices across all participating projects, said new best current practices data then being imported by the localized computer terminals from said global project management database whenever a current version of data maintained at a localized computer terminal is outdated as compared to the new best current practices data available from said global project management database,
whereby said global project management database is updated dynamically with best current data representing new best current practices across all participating projects, and the localized computer terminals import and use the new best current practices at the respective participating projects.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.