# US 8,788,590 B2 · Collaboration tool

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,788,590 B2
- Document ID: US8788590B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/097,895
- Filed: 2011-04-29
- Published: 2012-05-03
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2010-04-30
- Assignees: iLiv Technologies Inc.
- Applicants: Andrew Culver; Karen Tucker; Jean Gagliardi; Sergei Rybakov
- Inventors: Andrew Culver; Karen Tucker; Jean Gagliardi; Sergei Rybakov
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788590B2

## CPC

- G06Q 10/103: {Workflow collaboration or project management}
- G06F 16/95: Retrieval from the web
- G06F 30/13: Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
- G06Q 10/067: Enterprise or organisation modelling
- G06Q 10/101: Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
- G06Q 20/123: {Shopping for digital content}
- G06F 2111/02: CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A method for enabling collaboration between individuals to design, construct and maintain a building. The method comprises providing a network based computer system including at least one server and multiple clients. The multiple clients allow respective individuals to interact with the server. The server includes a machine-readable storage, which is encoded with software for execution by a CPU for allowing individuals at the respective clients to create, execute and manage projects associated with at least one of a design phase, construction phase and maintenance phase of the building. Each project comprises one or more events that are related to time. The method also comprises storing in the machine-readable storage events as they occur during execution of each project to create a building project database spanning at least the design phase and the construction phase and optionally the maintenance phase of the building.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer readable storage medium encoded with non-transitory instructions for execution by a CPU, the instructions configured for:
(A) processing template data, the template data defining a template for managing a project to be executed by a team of individuals that work for different organizations, the template data describing:
(i) a succession of individual events that collectively define the project, the succession of individual events including:
(a) a plurality of task events describing respective activities to be performed; and
(b) a plurality of document events describing respective documents associated with the project;
(i) a plurality of roles for assignment to respective individuals of the team; and
(ii) privileges associated with respective ones of the roles, the privileges defining levels of access to respective ones of the events;
(A) implementing a role assignment function to associate roles to respective individuals of the team, the role assignment function being configured to perform:
(i) an initial role assignment for at least one of the roles during which a selected individual is assigned the at least one role, the initial role assignment including assigning the privileges associated with the at least one role to the selected individual; and
(ii) a replacement role assignment during which the selected individual is withdrawn from the at least one role and another individual is assigned the at least one role, the replacement role assignment including withdrawing the privileges associated with the role from the selected individual and assigning the privileges to the another individual: and
(B) implementing a role invitation function for inviting the selected individual to take over responsibilities of a role for the project, the role invitation function being configured for:
(i) generating and transmitting electronically to the selected individual an invitation to take over responsibilities of a role for the project; and
processing a response of the individual to the invitation, if the response conveys an acceptance to the invitation assigning the role to the selected individual.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 1, wherein the assigning the role to the individual includes linking credentials of the individual to the role.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 1, wherein the roles are linked to respective events of the succession of events.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 3, wherein at least one role is linked to one or more events to which another role is not linked.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4, wherein the privileges associated with a role are configured for:
(A) allow the person assigned the role to view information associated with the events linked with the role; and
(B) preclude the person assigned the role to view information associated with events not linked with the role.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4, wherein the privileges associated with a role are configured for:
(A) allow the person assigned the role to modify information associated with the events linked with the role; and
(B) preclude the person assigned the role to modify information associated with events not linked with the role.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4 wherein the privileges associated with a role are configured for:
(A) allow the person assigned the role to erase information associated with the events linked with the role; and
(B) preclude the person assigned the role to erase information associated with events not linked with the role.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4, wherein the plurality of roles include a role linked with all the events defining the project.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4, wherein the instructions are configured for further implementing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) function for controlling a display device showing to an individual information relative to project events linked to the role assigned to the individual.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 9, wherein the GUI function enables display of information to the individual on the basis of the privileges associated with the role assigned to the individual.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 9, wherein the GUI function enables display of information to the individual relating to events for which the role assigned to the individual has viewing privileges and prevents the individual to modify information associated with events for which the role assigned to the individual lacks information modification privileges.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the GUI function prevents the display of information associated with events for which the role assigned to the individual lacks viewing privileges.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the GUI function enables display of information on the display device relating to events associated with different roles assigned to the individual in different projects.