| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080281735 | CONSTRUCTION PAYMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH DOCUMENT EXCHANGE FEATURES - Systems and methods for managing a construction payment process. One construction of the system includes a computer readable memory and a software enabled user interface. A process is configured to display to a payee via the user interface an electronic notification of a pending payment and a request for an electronically signed document such as a lien waiver. The processor of this construction is further configured to receive the electronically signed document, store it to a computer readable memory, and initiate payment. In some constructions, the processor is further configured to display the electronically signed document to the payer only after payment has been initiated. In some constructions, the processor is further configured to verify that requirements are fulfilled before initiating payment. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080288379 | Construction payment management system and method with automated electronic document generation features - A system and method for managing a construction payment process. One method embodying the invention can include generating a budget for a construction project, receiving an invoice amount from at least one participant in the construction project, generating at least one of an automated invoice and an automated sworn statement based on the invoice amount and the budget, generating at least one automated lien waiver based on at least one of the automated invoice and the automated sworn statement, and electronically executing at least one of the automated invoice, the automated sworn statement, and the at least one automated lien waiver to create at least one of a legally-binding invoice, a legally-binding sworn statement, and a legally-binding lien waiver. Another method embodying the invention can include electronically receiving a lien waiver from a participant in a construction project, electronically transmitting payment to the participant in response to receipt of the lien waiver, and releasing the lien waiver in response to the payment. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20090012886 | CONSTRUCTION PAYMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS WITH SPECIFIED BILLING FEATURES - Systems and methods for managing payments. One construction of the system includes a software enabled user interface accessible by a first party and a second party, at least one computer readable memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to selectively operate in a specified billing mode in response to an input received from the first party. The processor is configured to receiving invoice details from the first party when operating in the specified billing mode and from the second party when not operating in the specified billing mode. The processor is further configured to generate an invoice based on the invoice details, display the invoice to the first party and the second party, and request an approval or a rejection of the invoice from the first party or the second party. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090171724 | CONSTRUCTION PAYMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH SUB-TIER DOCUMENT EXCHANGE AND APPROVAL FEATURES - Systems and methods for managing a construction payment process wherein a higher degree of functionality is provided to primary users and only a limited subset of functionality is provided to sub-tier contractors. One construction of the system is configured to receive an electronically signed document and a request for payment from the sub-tier contractor. The request for payment is presented to a first primary user who is a contractual parent of the sub-tier contractor. When approval of the request for payment is received, a payment is initiated from a project payor to the sub-tier contractor. In some embodiments, the project payor is a contractual grandparent of the sub-tier contractor and a contractual parent of the first primary user. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20100088247 | CONSTRUCTION PAYMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH DOCUMENT TRACKING FEATURES - A system and method of managing a construction payment process involving a plurality of participants associated with the construction project and at least one document to be transferred between at least two participants of the plurality participants during the course of the construction project. One method can include assigning at least one enforcement action to the at least one document wherein the enforcement action is automatically effected if the document is not transferred between the at least two participants. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100131395 | CONSTRUCTION PAYMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH REAL-TIME DRAW NOTIFICATION FEATURES - A system and method for managing a construction payment process. According to one method, a construction project management server receives draw initiation information from a device including a selection of a date on which a draw will be executed and a selection of one or more participants to receive a notification of the draw. The server accesses previously stored notification preference information stored on a computer readable memory that corresponds to one or more of the selected participants and transmits a notification to each of the selected one or more participants based upon the notification preference information. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100153280 | CONSTRUCTION PROJECT PREQUALIFICATION - A networked computer system for acquiring prequalification information and comparing that prequalification information to a set of minimum requirements for a plurality of reviewing organizations. In some embodiments, the networked computer system also facilitates the project bidding process between prequalified organizations. The networked computer system receives bids from a prequalified bidding organization and assigns a rank to the bidding organization relative to other prequalified bidding organizations. In some embodiments, the networked computer system assigns a rank to the bid proposal based, in part, on the bidding organization's prequalification information and the information from the bid proposal. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100153293 | CONSTRUCTION PROJECT PREQUALIFICATION - A networked computer system for facilitating the prequalification approval of construction industry organization to bid on constructions projects posted by a reviewing organization. The system electronically receives business information from a submitting organization. After receiving a request for a prequalification application from a reviewing organization, the system generates a prequalification application in the format specified by the reviewing organization using the business information previously provided by the submitting organization. The system then routes individual data items in the application to one or more participants associated with the reviewing organization. The system receives approval of the individual data items before receiving final approval of the application. If the application is approved, the submitting organization is able to submit bids to the reviewing organization for construction projects posted by the reviewing organization. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100250417 | CONSTRUCTION PAYMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH BUDGET RECONCILIATION FEATURES - A computer-implemented method of reconciling a primary budget for a construction project. One embodiment of the invention includes generating a primary budget for the construction project and assigning a first primary budget line item from the primary budget to a participant. A secondary budget is then generated for the primary budget line item. Before administering a draw that includes a payment to the participant, the computer-implemented method ensures that the total sum of the budget amounts in the secondary budget is consistent with the budget amount for the primary budget line item. In some embodiments, the secondary budget is consistent when the total sum of the budget amounts is less than the primary budget line item. In some embodiments, the secondary budget is consistent when the total sum of the budget amounts is equal to the primary budget line item. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100268643 | CONSTRUCTION PAYMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH BUDGET RECONCILIATION FEATURES - A computer-implemented method of reconciling a primary budget for a construction project. One embodiment of the invention includes generating a primary budget for the construction project and assigning a first primary budget line item from the primary budget to a participant. A secondary budget is then generated for the primary budget line item. Invoice amounts corresponding to secondary budget line items are stored. Before administering a draw that includes a new payment to the second participant, the system ensures that the total sum of a current invoiced amount and all previously invoiced amounts corresponding to secondary budget line items is less than or equal to the budget amount of the primary budget line item. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100274716 | CONSTRUCTION PAYMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH HIERARCHICAL INVOICING AND DIRECT PAYMENT FEATURES - A system and method for managing a construction payment process. One method embodying the invention can include creating an electronically-executed first request for payment on behalf of a first participant in a construction project, transmitting the first request for payment to a second participant in the construction project, creating an electronically-executed second request for payment based on the first request for payment, transmitting the second request for payment to a payment source in the construction project, directing transmitting a payment to the second participant from the payment source, and directly transmitting a payment to the first participant from the payment source. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20110119177 | METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING FINANCIAL RISK ASSOCIATED WITH A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT - A system and method for evaluating risks associated with a project based on project data from several projects. A project management server manages multiple, unrelated projects for a plurality of participants. The system manages each project by receiving and processing data associated with each project. Risks for a project are evaluated by aggregating project data from multiple projects. Risk assessment data for a particular project, based on the aggregated project data, is displayed to a participant of the project while access to the project data is limited to only projects with which the participant is associated. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110125636 | CONSTRUCTION PAYMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH LIEN WAIVER EXCHANGE FEATURES - A system and method for managing a construction payment process including establishing electronic communication between a payee device and a construction project management server and transmitting a lien waiver document to the payee through the payee device with a request for a signature. A signed lien waiver document is received from the payee and stored to a computer-readable memory. The payor is temporarily prevented from accessing the signed lien waiver document. A payment is transmitted to the payee from the payor after receiving the signed lien waiver document, but before transmitting the signed lien waiver document to the payor. Only after the payment has been transmitted is the signed lien waiver document transmitted to the payor. | 05-26-2011 |
