System for planning projects

Claim 2

A computer-implemented planning tool comprising: means incorporated into a computer and executed by the computer to provide a knowledge-based tool for performing at least one planning process for planning a given type of project, the tool comprising at least one planning template for planning a component of the given type of project; means connected to the computer for providing a database of stored information related to the given type of project, the database comprising a library of published information, the published information comprising unmodifiable, display-only information and customizable information, the unmodifiable, display-only information being associated with an identifiable source of the published information and the customizable information being associated with an anonymous information source; means connected to the computer for displaying the planning template for enabling selection of the planning template; means for selecting the planning template; means responsive to selection of the planning template for displaying at least one planning task for implementing the component of the given type of project; means connected to the database for enabling access to the library in the database based on the selected planning task, whereby the planning template is linked to the library stored in the database related to planning the component of the given type of project; means connected to the planning template for selecting access to the library stored in the database for providing information from the library stored in the database relating to the component; and means responsive to information from the library accessed from the database for displaying the accessed information.

Claim 3

A computer-implemented planning tool comprising: means incorporated into a computer and executed by the computer to provide a knowledge-based tool for performing at least one planning process for planning a given type of project, the tool comprising at least one planning template for planning a component of the given type of project; means connected to the means for providing the planning process tool for providing a database of stored information related to the given type of project; means connected to the computer for displaying the planning template for enabling selection of the planning template; means for selecting the planning template; means responsive to selection of the planning template for displaying at least one planning task for implementing the component of the given type of project; means for selecting the planning task; means connected to the database for enabling access to at least a portion of the stored information in the database based on the selected planning task, whereby the planning template is linked to information stored in the database that is related to planning the component of the given type of project; means connected to the planning template for selecting access to information stored in the database for implementing the component; and means responsive to information accessed from the database for displaying the accessed information.

Claim 4

A computer-implement tool comprising: means incorporated into a computer and executed by the computer to provide a knowledge-based tool for a selection process for a given type of project for selecting a component of the given type of project; means connected to the means for providing the process tool for providing a database of stored information related to the given type of project; means responsive to selection of the process for displaying at least one task for implementing the component of the given type of project; means for selecting the task; means connected to the database for enabling access to at least a portion of the stored information in the database based on the selected task, whereby the process is linked to information stored in the database that is related to the component of the given type of project; means responsive to information accessed from the database for displaying the accessed information; means external to the process tool and database, the external means comprising means for maintaining the information stored in the database for implementing the component; an Internet connection between the process tool and the external means; means connected to the process tool for sending a request for component implementing information to a multiple page web site of the external means over the Internet; and means connected to the external means and responsive to the request for accessing a particular page of pertinent information relating to the component implementing information and communicating the pertinent information on the particular page of the web site to the process tool over the Internet.

Claim 5

A computer-implemented planning tool comprising: means incorporated into a computer and executed by the computer to provide a knowledge-based tool for performing at least one planning process for planning a given type of project, the tool comprising at least one planning template for planning a component of the given type of project; means connected to the means for providing the planning process tool for providing a database of stored information related to the given type of project; means connected to the computer for displaying the planning template for enabling selection of the planning template; means for selecting the planning template; means responsive to selection of the planning template for displaying at least one planning task for implementing the component of the given type of project; means for selecting the planning task; means connected to the database for enabling access to at least a portion of the stored information in the database based on the selected planning task, whereby the planning template is linked to information stored in the database that is related to planning the component of the given type of project; means connected to the planning template for selecting access to information stored in the database for implementing the component; means responsive to information accessed from the database for displaying the accessed information; means external to the planning process tool and database, the external means comprising means for maintaining the information stored in the database for implementing the component; an Internet connection between the planning process tool and the external means; means connected to the planning process tool for sending a request for component implementing information to a web site of the external means over the Internet; and means connected to the external means and responsive to the request for accessing a particular page of pertinent information relating to the component implementing information and communicating the pertinent information on the particular page of the web site to the process tool over the Internet.

Claim 6

A computer-implemented tool for planning a project comprising: means for providing at least one planning process tool for planning a given type of project comprising at least one planning template for planning a component of the given type of project; means connected to the means for providing the planning process tool for providing a database of stored information related to the given type of project; means connected to the means for providing the planning process tool for displaying the planning template for enabling selection of the planning template; means for selecting the planning template; means responsive to selection of the planning template for displaying at least one planning task for implementing the component of the given type of project; means for selecting the planning task; means connected to the database for enabling access to at least a portion of the stored information in the database based on the selected planning task, whereby the planning template is linked to information stored in the database that is related to planning the component of the given type of project; means connected to the planning template for selecting access to information stored in the database for implementing the component; means responsive to information accessed from the database for displaying the accessed information and enabling selection of at least one query regarding the displayed accessed information; means for selecting the query; means responsive to selecting the query for formatting a request based on the selected query; means responsive to the request for communicating the request to means external to the planning process tool and database, the external means comprising means responsive to the request for processing the communicated request comprising at least additional information representative of a response to the query and means for communicating the response to the request to the planning process tool; and means responsive to the response to the communicated request for displaying the additional information related to implementation of the component.

Claim 7

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in one of the claims 1 to 6 wherein the database comprises product information, whereby the database comprises a product catalog.

Claim 8

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in one of the claims 1 to 7 wherein the given type of project comprises a facility comprising rooms and the planning template comprises means for configuring at least one room design.

Claim 9

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 8 wherein the database comprises product information, whereby the database comprises a product catalog, and wherein the component comprises an item selected from among the group of items consisting of equipment, furniture, and accessories.

Claim 10

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 9 wherein the facility is a healthcare facility and wherein the equipment comprises medical equipment.

Claim 11

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in one of the claims 1 to 10 wherein the database comprises a library of published information, the published information comprising unmodifiable, display-only information and customizable information, the unmodifiable, display-only information being associated with an identifiable source of the published information and the customizable information being associated with an anonymous information source and wherein the means connected to the database for enabling access to at least a portion of the stored information in the database based on the selected planning task enables access to the library in the database based on the selected planning task, whereby the planning template is linked to the library stored in the database related to planning the component of the given type of project, and further comprising: means connected to the planning template for selecting access to the library stored in the database for providing information from the library stored in the database relating to the component; and means responsive to information from the library accessed from the database for displaying the accessed information.

Claim 12

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 11, further comprising means connected to the means responsive to information from the library accessed from the database for displaying the accessed information for importing only customizable information from the accessed library information for editing and saving in an edited file.

Claim 13

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 11 wherein the unmodifiable, display-only information corresponds to library information submitted by the identifiable source together with a password assigned to the identifiable source and the unmodifiable, display-only information is maintained by the identifiable source.

Claim 14

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 13, further comprising an Internet connection between the planning process tool and the identifiable and anonymous sources, and wherein library information is accessible from the identifiable and anonymous sources by the planning process tool over the Internet.

Claim 15

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in one of the claims 1 to 14, further comprising means for calculating a quantity of the implementing component.

Claim 16

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in one of the claims 1 to 15, further comprising means for calculating a cost for the quantity of the implementing component.

Claim 17

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in one of the claims 1 to 11, further comprising means for calculating a quantity of the implementing component.

Claim 18

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 3, further comprising means external to the planning process tool and database and an Internet connection between the planning process tool and the external means, the external means comprising means for maintaining the information stored in the database for implementing the component and submitting the maintenance information over the Internet together with a password assigned to the external means.

Claim 19

A computer-implemented tool as defined in claim 4 or 5, further comprising means connected to the external means for maintaining the pertinent information relating to the component implementing information.

Claim 20

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 6 wherein the means responsive to information accessed from the database for displaying the accessed information and enabling selection of at least one query regarding the displayed accessed information comprises means for enabling selection of a query selected from among the group of queries consisting of information and quotation and the means responsive to selecting the query for formatting a request based on the selected query comprises means for assembling an e-mail message comprising the selected query and header data containing one of the e-mail address corresponding to the external means and a supplier of the planning process tool and a return e-mail address corresponding to the address of the planning process tool and the means responsive to the request for communicating the request to means external to the planning process tool and database comprises means connectable to the Internet for transmitting the e-mail message to one of the external means and the supplier of the planning process tool.

Claim 21

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 20 wherein the means responsive to information accessed from the database for displaying the accessed information and enabling selection of at least one query regarding the displayed accessed information comprises displaying a respective check box for enabling selection of a query selected from among the group of queries consisting of information and quotation and wherein information is requested as a default for failure of selection of a check box.

Claim 22

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 20 wherein the e-mail address of the request corresponds to the external means and the request is transmitted to the external means and wherein the means responsive to the request for processing the communicated request comprising at least additional information representative of a response to the query comprises means for assembling an e-mail message comprising the additional information and the return e-mail address corresponding to the address of the planning process tool and the means for communicating the response to the request to the planning process tool comprises means connectable to the Internet for transmitting the e-mail message response to the planning process tool.

Claim 23

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 22, further comprising: means connected to the planning process tool responsive to the additional information for storing the additional information in an e-mail queue and wherein the means connected to the planning template for selecting access to information stored in the database for implementing the component also enables access to the additional information stored in the e-mail queue for implementing the component and the means responsive to information accessed from the database for displaying the accessed information also is responsive to the additional information accessed from the e-mail queue for displaying the accessed additional information.

Claim 24

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 20 wherein the e-mail address of the request corresponds to the supplier of the planning process tool and the request is transmitted to the supplier, and further comprising means at the address of the supplier for responding to the request by converting the message to a facsimile transmission and sending the facsimile transmission to means for receiving a facsimile transmission at a telephone number corresponding to the external means.

Claim 25

A computer-implemented planning tool as defined in claim 6, further comprising means connected to the planning process tool for enabling incorporation of additional customizable information into the query for communication to the external means.