IP Library Granted Patent US 12,361,356
Granted Patent B2
US 12,361,356 · App. 18/625,561 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

System for managing resources and scheduling, and related method and software

Inventors: Brent Andrew Bradbury (Seattle, WA); Andrew Lapsa (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: STOKE Space Technologies, Inc.
G06Q10/0633
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,361,356
App. No.
18/625,561
Granted
Jul 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for managing resources and scheduling is disclosed. The system includes a client computer, software executable by the client computer for providing a user interface, a server in data communication with the client computer, a database for storing data in a hierarchical data structure, and a data fusion engine executing on the server. The hierarchical data structure includes a parent node and child nodes linked to the parent node. The data fusion engine is configured to log a workflow to at least one of the child nodes based on user input received via the user interface. A related method and software is also disclosed.

Claims (132)

1. A system for performing an item workflow, the system comprising:

a database storing:

a hierarchical data structure comprising a parent node and child nodes linked to the parent node, a child node of the child nodes being associated with an item; and

a workflow template for defining a workflow comprising one or more tasks and one or more variables, the item comprising a part and the one or more tasks comprising testing or manufacturing of the part; and

a data engine comprising non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to perform the following operations:

receiving, via a user interface, user input comprising:

a user selection to log the workflow with the item; and

a data value;

in response to receiving the user input:

generating, based on the workflow template, a workflow instance node comprising:

the data value; and

a status of the one or more tasks of the workflow; and

linking, in the hierarchical data structure, the workflow instance node as a child of the child node associated with the item;

presenting, via a user interface, an indication of the workflow, the data value and the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow in association with the item;

receiving, via a user interface, a user selection to initiate the workflow for the item; and

executing, in response to the user selection to initiate the workflow for the item, one or more tasks of the workflow to cause the performing of the testing or manufacturing of the part.

2. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:

monitoring the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow;

determining, based on the monitoring, a change in the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow; and

in response to determining the change in the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow, executing a workflow or transmitting an approval request to one or more users.

3. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein a workflow scope associated with the workflow template, and

wherein the workflow scope identifies child nodes to which the workflow template can be logged.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the workflow scope for the workflow template defines one or more types of nodes to which the workflow template can be logged, the operations further comprising:

determining, by a workflow scope selector based on the workflow scope associated with the workflow template, that the child node associated with the item is a type of node to which the workflow template can be logged,

wherein the linking of the workflow instance node as a child of the child node associated with the item is performed responsive to the determining that the child node associated with the item is of the type of node to which the workflow template can be logged.

5. The system of claim 4 , the operations further comprising:

receiving a user selection to log the workflow with a second item;

determining, by the workflow scope selector based on the workflow scope associated with the workflow template, that a second child node associated with the second item is not a type of node to which the workflow template can be logged; and

not linking, responsive to determining that a second child node associated with the second item is not of the type of node to which the workflow template can be logged, the workflow instance node as a child of the second child node associated with the second item.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the item is an item in inventory, and the child node comprises an inventory item node corresponding to the item, wherein the item is a part to be manufactured, and the child node comprises a part node associated with a design file for the part to be manufactured, or wherein the item is an item to be tested and the child node comprises test template node associated with testing of the item.

7. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:

updating, in response to execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow, the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow instance node to generate an updated status that reflects execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow; and

presenting, via a user interface based on the execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow, an indication of the workflow, the data value and the updated status of the one or more tasks of the workflow in association with the item.

8. A method for performing an item workflow, the method comprising:

storing, in database:

a hierarchical data structure comprising a parent node and child nodes linked to the parent node, a child node of the child nodes being associated with an item; and

a workflow template for defining a workflow comprising one or more tasks and one or more variables, the item comprising a part and the one or more tasks comprising testing or manufacturing of the part;

receiving, via a user interface, user input comprising:

a user selection to log the workflow with the item; and

a data value;

in response to receiving the user input:

generating, based on the workflow template, a workflow instance node comprising:

the data value; and

a status of the one or more tasks of the workflow; and

linking, in the hierarchical data structure, the workflow instance node as a child of the child node associated with the item;

presenting, via a user interface, an indication of the workflow, the data value and the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow in association with the item;

receiving, via a user interface, a user selection to initiate the workflow for the item; and

executing, in response to the user selection to initiate the workflow for the item, one or more tasks of the workflow to cause the performing of the testing or manufacturing of the part.

9. The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising:

monitoring the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow;

determining, based on the monitoring, a change in the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow; and

in response to determining the change in the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow, executing a workflow or transmitting an approval request to one or more users.

10. The method of claim 8 ,

wherein a workflow scope is associated with the workflow template, and

wherein the workflow scope identifies child nodes to which the workflow template can be logged.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the workflow scope for the workflow template defines one or more types of nodes to which the workflow template can be logged, the method further comprising:

determining, by a workflow scope selector based on the workflow scope associated with workflow template, that the child node associated with the item is a type of node to which the workflow template can be logged,

wherein the linking of the workflow instance node as a child of the child node associated with the item is performed responsive to the determining that the child node associated with the item is of the type of node to which the workflow template can be logged.

12. The method of claim 11 , the method further comprising:

receiving a user selection to log the workflow with a second item;

determining, by the workflow scope selector based on the workflow scope associated with workflow template, that a second child node associated with the second item is not a type of node to which the workflow template can be logged; and

not linking, responsive to determining that a second child node associated with the second item is not of the type of node to which the workflow template can be logged, the workflow instance node as a child of the second child node associated with the second item.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the item is an item in inventory, and the child node comprises an inventory item node corresponding to the item, wherein the item is a part to be manufactured, and the child node comprises a part node associated with a design file for the part to be manufactured, or wherein the item is an item to be tested and the child node comprises test template node associated with testing of the item.

14. The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising:

generating, based on the status of the one or more tasks associated with the item, a task queue indicating statuses of tasks associated with workflows templates of the hierarchical data structure; and

presenting, via a user interface, a task queue.

15. The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising:

updating, in response to execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow, the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow instance node to generate an updated status that reflects execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow; and

presenting, via a user interface based on the execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow, an indication of the workflow, the data value and the updated status of the one or more tasks of the workflow in association with the item.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to perform the following operations for performing an item workflow:

storing, in database:

a hierarchical data structure comprising a parent node and child nodes linked to the parent node, a child node of the child nodes being associated with an item; and

a workflow template for defining a workflow comprising one or more tasks and one or more variables, the item comprising a part and the one or more tasks comprising testing or manufacturing of the part;

receiving, via a user interface, user input comprising:

a user selection to log the workflow with the item; and

a data value;

in response to receiving the user input:

generating, based on the workflow template, a workflow instance node comprising:

the data value; and

a status of the one or more tasks of the workflow; and

linking, in the hierarchical data structure, the workflow instance node as a child of the child node associated with the item;

presenting, via a user interface, an indication of the workflow, the data value and the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow in association with the item;

receiving, via a user interface, a user selection to initiate the workflow for the item; and

executing, in response to the user selection to initiate the workflow for the item, one or more tasks of the workflow to cause the performing of the testing or manufacturing of the part.

17. The medium of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:

monitoring the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow;

determining, based on the monitoring, a change in the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow; and

in response to determining the change in the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow, executing a workflow or transmitting an approval request to one or more users.

18. The medium of claim 16 ,

wherein a workflow scope is associated with the workflow template, and

wherein the workflow scope identifies child nodes to which the workflow template can be logged.

19. The medium of claim 18 , wherein the workflow scope for the workflow template defines one or more types of nodes to which the workflow template can be logged, the operations further comprising:

determining, by a workflow scope selector based on the workflow scope associated with workflow template, that the child node associated with the item is a type of node to which the workflow template can be logged,

wherein the linking of the workflow instance node as a child of the child node associated with the item is performed responsive to the determining that the child node associated with the item is of the type of node to which the workflow template can be logged.

20. The medium of claim 19 , the operations further comprising:

receiving a user selection to log the workflow with a second item;

determining, by the workflow scope selector based on the workflow scope associated with workflow template, that a second child node associated with the second item is not a type of node to which the workflow template can be logged; and

not linking, responsive to determining that a second child node associated with the second item is not of the type of node to which the workflow template can be logged, workflow instance node as a child of the second child node associated with the second item.

21. The medium of claim 16 , wherein the item is an item in inventory, and the child node comprises an inventory item node corresponding to the item, wherein the item is a part to be manufactured, and the child node comprises a part node associated with a design file for the part to be manufactured, or wherein the item is an item to be tested and the child node comprises test template node associated with testing of the item.

22. The medium of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:

updating, in response to execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow, the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow instance node to generate an updated status that reflects execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow; and

presenting, via a user interface based on the execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow, an indication of the workflow, the data value and the updated status of the one or more tasks of the workflow in association with the item.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to perform the following operations:

storing, in database, the following:

a data structure comprising data associated with an item; and

a workflow template for defining a workflow comprising one or more tasks and one or more variables, the item comprising a part and the one or more tasks comprising testing or manufacturing of the part;

receiving, via a user interface, user input comprising:

a user selection to associate the workflow with the item; and

a data value;

associating, with the item in response to receiving the user input, a workflow instance node corresponding to the workflow template, and

executing, based on the associating of the instance node as a child of the child node associated with the item, the one or more tasks of the workflow to cause the performing of the testing or manufacturing of the part.

24. The medium of claim 23 ,

wherein the data structure comprises a hierarchical data structure comprising a parent node and child nodes linked to the parent node, wherein the data associated with the item comprising a child node of the child nodes associated with the item, and

wherein the associating comprises:

associating, in the hierarchical data structure, a workflow instance node as a child of the child node associated with the item, the workflow instance node comprising:

the data value; and

a status of the one or more tasks of the workflow.

25. The medium of claim 23 , the operations further comprising:

presenting, via a user interface, an indication of the workflow, the data value and a status of the one or more tasks of the workflow in association with the item.

26. The medium of claim 23 , the operations further comprising:

receiving, via a user interface, a user selection to initiate the workflow for the item;

executing, in response to the user selection to initiate the workflow for the item, one or more tasks of the workflow;

updating, in response to execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow, a status of the one or more tasks of the workflow instance node to reflect execution of the one or more tasks of the workflow; and

presenting, via a user interface based on the updating of the status of the one or more tasks of the workflow instance node, an indication of the workflow, the data value and an updated status of the one or more tasks of the workflow in association with the item.

27. The medium of claim 23 , wherein the workflow template is associated with a workflow scope that identifies items to which the workflow template can be associated.

28. The medium of claim 27 , the operations further comprising:

determining, based on the workflow scope, that the item is an item to which the workflow template can be associated,

wherein the associating of the workflow instance node as a child of the child node associated with the item is performed responsive to the determining that the item is an item to which the workflow template can be associated.

29. The medium of claim 27 , the operations further comprising:

determining, based on the workflow scope, that a second item is not an item to which the workflow template can be associated,

wherein a second workflow instance is not linked with the second item responsive to the determining that the item is not an item to which the workflow template can be associated.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2025
From: STOKE SPACE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; STOKE SPACE FEDERAL, INC.
To: FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 071425/0813 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2024
From: BRADBURY, BRENT ANDREW; LAPSA, ANDREW
To: STOKE SPACE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 066991/0881 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 18490510 · Oct 19, 2023
Continuation 18361607 · Jul 28, 2023
Provisional Application 63379466 · Oct 14, 2022
Related Publication 20240265326A1 · Aug 8, 2024
References Cited (38)
US 6115646A · Fiszman · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 6279009B1 · Smirnov · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6338053B2 · Uehara · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 7822706B1 · Baltazar · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 8244668B1 · Baltazar · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 8738414B1 · Nagar · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9348489B1 · Cline · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9629928B1 · Olsen · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10852712B2 · Ben-Bassat et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20030065574A1 · Lawrence · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20030217054A1 · Bachman · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 20040015487A1 · Lin · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20040117795A1 · Wang · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20040205711A1 · Ishimitsu · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20080065448A1 · Hull · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20090281777A1 · Baeuerle · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20100106282A1 · Mackelprang · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20100322256A1 · Riley · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20110225565A1 · van Velzen · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20110251975A1 · Evans · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20140047028A1 · Buth · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150127412A1 · Kothandaraman · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160154910A1 · Altare · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20200134001A1 · Kantamsetty · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210192450A1 · Bachant · 2021 [cited by applicant]
Eshuis, Rik, and Roel Wieringa. “Verification support for workflow design with UML activity graphs.” Proceedings of the 24th international conference on Software engineering. 2002. (Year: 2002). [cited by applicant]
Chen, Sen, et al. “Top-down human-cyber-physical data fusion based on reinforcement learning.” IEEE Access 8 (2020): 134233-134245. (Year: 2020). [cited by applicant]
Tu, Y. L., S. Q. Xie, and J. J. Kam. “Rapid one-of-a-kind production.” The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 29 (2006): 499-510. (Year: 2006). [cited by applicant]
Apiliogullan, U.itfi. “Digital transformation in project-based manufacturing: Developing the ISA-95 model for vertical integration.” International Journal of Production Economics 245 (2022): 108413. (Year: 2022). [cited by applicant]
Chinchanikar, Satish, and Avez A. Shaikh. “A review on machine learning, big data analytics, and design for additive manufacturing for aerospace applications.” Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance 31.8 (2022… [cited by applicant]
Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 18/786,544 dated Sep. 24, 2024, pp. 1-21. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 18/361,607, dated Sep. 20, 2023, pp. 1-7 4. [cited by applicant]
Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 18/490,510, dated Jan. 16, 2024, pp. 1-21. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 18/490,510, dated Mar. 6, 2024, pp. 1-9. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 18/786,544 dated Jan. 22, 2025, pp. 1-59. [cited by applicant]
“How To Fix CPU Failure”, 2022, https://ms.codes/en-GB/blogs/computer-hardware/how-to-fix-cpu-failure (Year: 2022), pp. 1-19. [cited by applicant]
Owen-Hill, https://robodk.com/blog/electronic-product-testing/, Jan. 2022, https://robodk.com/blog/electronic-product-testing/ (Year: 2022), pp. 1-13. [cited by applicant]
Murray, https://www.liveabout.com/bill-of-materials-2221363, Jan. 2019, https://www.liveabout.com/bill-of-materials-2221363 (Year: 2019), pp. 1-11. [cited by applicant]