Patents by Inventor James L. Crum

James L. Crum has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8682701
    Abstract: As provided, a method for capital expenditure/expense flip targeting and balancing in software pipeline management that includes providing, for each of multiple projects in a software project pipeline, a set of inputs that includes 1) resource demand, 2) budget constraint, 3) start date, and 4) a capital expenditure/expense flip date. The method also includes aggregating the inputs. The method further comprises calculating an overall capital expenditure/expense ratio, and comparing the ratio to a threshold as of a predetermined date.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Margaret J. Knauth, Matthew E. Perkins, Debra L. Roberts, James L. Crum, Janene A. Munkirs
  • Patent number: 8612275
    Abstract: A method of forecasting work hours per unit of time is provided. The method comprises estimating a project hour budget, determining a percentage of the project hour budget to be expended in each of a plurality of project phases based on average percentages of project hour budgets expended in each project phase in completed projects, and distributing the project hour budget across a plurality of units of time based on the percentage of the project hour budget to be expended in each project phase, on the project hour budget, and on a schedule of project milestones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: James L. Crum, Michael W. Kanemoto, Mathew E. Perkins
  • Patent number: 8341591
    Abstract: As provided, a method for real time optioning includes providing, for each of multiple projects in a software development pipeline, a set of inputs, the inputs comprising at least one input from a group consisting of 1) work-in-progress inputs relating to a current project in a software development pipeline and 2) placeholder inputs relating to a future project in the software development pipeline. The method also includes aggregating the inputs resulting in one or more constraints. The method further includes implementing a test change that has an impact on one or more constraints in the software development pipeline, and outputting, in real-time, the impact of the test change on the one or more constraints in the software development pipeline. The impact is at least one of positive and negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Margaret J. Knauth, Michael W. Kanemoto, Matthew E. Perkins, James L. Crum
  • Patent number: 7908167
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a variance tracking report that provides a new and useful view of an enterprise's financial status. The variance tracking report may indicate variances from a planned work schedule and be used to explain any variances between projected and actual earnings as well as variances in project milestone dates. Further, the variance tracking report may show how current and past changes to the enterprise will impact future projections so the enterprise can give a clear indication of how any variances are being corrected. The plurality of views of the variance tracking report may also be analyzed in order to determine where variances are occurring on an enterprise level, a business unit level, an organization level, and a project level. Targeted action may then be taken on specific projects or enterprise methodologies in order to reduce and/or eliminate the variances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: James L. Crum, Michael W. Kanemoto