Electronically assigning tasks to workers while the workers are distributed among different locations within a work area

• US 10,062,042 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kelly, Thomas J., Carmody, John R., Twomey, Kevin P., Smith, Frank T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart, Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swartz, Stephen S
• Application Number:
  US13/625,994
• Time in Patent Office: 2,163 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A technique assigns tasks to workers within a work area. The technique utilizes electronic circuitry which can be disposed at a single location (e.g., a server), or distributed among multiple locations (e.g., in the cloud). The technique involves receiving task entries which (i) identify tasks in need of attention and (ii) define task requirements for performing the tasks. The technique further involves generating task assignments based on matching the task entries to worker profiles which (i) identify workers who are available for task assignment and (ii) define worker characteristics of the workers. The technique further involves providing the task assignments to the workers while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area. The task assignments direct the workers to perform the tasks identified by the task entries in accordance with the task requirements defined by the task entries.

Claims

1. In electronic circuitry, a method of electronically communicating task information in real time to mobile devices of workers within a work area, the method comprising:

receiving, by the electronic circuitry, task entries which (i) identify tasks in need of attention and (ii) define task requirements for performing the tasks, the electronic circuitry electronically storing the task entries in a multi-field format;

generating, by the electronic circuitry, task assignments based on electronically matching the task entries to worker profiles which (i) identify workers who are available for task assignment and (ii) define worker characteristics of the workers, the electronic circuitry electronically storing the worker profiles in a multi-field format; and

providing, by the electronic circuitry, the task assignments to the workers in real time while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area, the task assignments directing the workers to perform the tasks identified by the task entries in accordance with the task requirements defined by the task entries;

wherein each of the workers has a respective mobile device constructed and arranged to communicate with the electronic circuitry in a wireless manner,

wherein providing the task assignments to the workers includes (i) wirelessly transmitting, by the electronic circuitry, a respective list of multiple task assignments to the mobile device at least some of the workers, the list of one worker differing from the list of another worker, and (ii) providing a particular task assignment in the lists transmitted to the mobile devices of a subset of the workers, such that the lists provided to the mobile devices of the subset of workers include the same particular task assignment, and

wherein the method further comprises, in response to a first worker of the subset of workers selecting the particular task assignment;

wirelessly receiving, by the electronic circuitry and in real time, an indication from the mobile device of the first worker that the first worker has selected the particular task assignment; and

wirelessly transmitting, to the mobile devices of each of the other workers in the subset of workers in real time, a task removal message, the task removal message directing each mobile device receiving the task removal message to remove the particular task assignment from the list of task assignments on the respective mobile device,

the method thereby transmitting and updating work lists in real time to workers dispersed across the work area,

wherein the workers have mobile devices, and wherein providing the task assignments to the workers while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area includes conveying, by the electronic circuitry, the task assignments to the mobile devices of the first subset of the employees in a wireless manner while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area,

wherein the method further comprises;

receiving, by the electronic circuitry, GPS data from the mobile devices of the workers while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area, and

based on the GPS data from the mobile devices of the workers, updating the worker characteristics defined by the worker profiles in real time to indicate current locations of the workers identified by the worker profiles,

wherein each worker profile defines, as a worker characteristic, a current worker location of a respective worker identified by that worker profile;

wherein each task entry defines, as a task requirement, a task location for a respective task identified by that task entry; and

wherein generating the task assignments based on matching the task entries to worker profiles includes creating a particular task assignment which assigns a particular task to a particular worker only when a distance between a current worker location of the particular worker, as indicated by the GPS data received from the mobile device of the current worker, and a task location for the particular task is less than a predetermined distance threshold.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein each worker profile defines (i) a current worker location of a respective worker identified by that worker profile as a first worker characteristic and (ii) a current worker capacity of the respective worker identified by that worker profile as a second worker characteristic;

wherein each task entry defines, as a task requirement, a task location for a respective task identified by that task entry; and

wherein generating the task assignments based on matching the task entries to worker profiles includes allocating task assignments among the workers based on both current worker location and current worker capacity to efficiently load balance the task assignments among the workers.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein each worker profile defines, as a worker characteristic, a current skill of a respective worker identified by that worker profile;

wherein each task entry defines, as a task requirement, a task qualification for a respective task identified by that task entry; and

wherein generating the task assignments based on matching the task entries to worker profiles includes creating a particular task assignment which assigns a particular task to a particular worker only when the current skill of the particular worker, as indicated by the work profile identifying that particular worker, satisfies the task qualification for the particular task.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the current skill of the particular worker satisfies the task qualification for the particular task only when the worker profile identifying the particular worker indicates that the particular worker has a level of work experience which is greater than a required level of work experience, as indicated by the task qualification for the particular task.

5. A method as in claim 3 wherein the current skill of the particular worker satisfies the task qualification for the particular task only when the worker profile identifying the particular worker indicates that the particular worker has completed a particular training course, as indicated by the task qualification for the particular task, within a recent predefined period of time.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein each task entry defines, as a task requirement, a task priority to indicate a level of importance for a respective task identified by that task entry;

and

wherein generating the task assignments based on matching the task entries to worker profiles includes creating the task assignments for more important tasks ahead of task assignments for less important tasks based on the task priority of each task entry.

7. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

after providing the task assignments to the workers, receiving new task entries identifying new tasks;

generating new task assignments based on matching the new task entries to the worker profiles; and

providing the new task assignments to the workers while the workers remain distributed among different locations within the work area.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein the work area includes a factory floor;

wherein the worker profiles identify, as the workers who are available for task assignment, skilled technicians who are deployed among different equipment stations on the factory floor, the different equipment stations being constructed and arranged to assemble and test products prior to shipping; and

wherein receiving the task entries includes acquiring requests, from the different equipment stations, for attention by the skilled technicians.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein the work area includes a health facility;

wherein the worker profiles identify, as the workers who are available for task assignment, skilled specialists who are visiting different patient rooms of the health facility, the different patient rooms supporting patients having different care needs; and

wherein receiving the task entries includes acquiring requests, from the different patient rooms, for attention by the skilled specialists.

14. A method as in claim 1 wherein providing the task assignments to the workers while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area includes providing the workers with mobile devices, and transmitting the task assignment to a plurality of the workers with worker characteristics matching the task requirements of the task entries using the mobile devices;

wherein matching the task entries to worker profiles includes obtaining current worker location data based upon location data from the mobile devices and assessing a distance between the current worker location and a location of the task entry to be assigned as a portion of the worker characteristics used for matching the task entries;

wherein generating the task assignments based on matching the task entries to worker profiles includes creating the task assignments for more important tasks ahead of task assignments for less important tasks based on the task priority of each task entry; and

wherein the method further comprises, in response to a particular worker of the plurality of workers receiving the task assignment selecting the task assignment, providing an electronic update message to the mobile devices to remove that task assignment from the mobile devices.

15. A method as in claim 1 wherein the work area resides within a production facility of the employer;

and wherein electronically gathering performance characteristics includes;

accumulating, as at least some of the performance characteristics, data from respective mobile devices of the employees while the employees perform previously-assigned tasks within the production facility.

16. A method as in claim 1, wherein wirelessly transmitting, by the electronic circuitry, the respective list of multiple task assignments to the mobile device of each of the workers includes providing each list in ranked order, wherein a rank of the particular task assignment on the list of the first worker differs from the rank of the particular task assignment on the list of at least one of the other workers in the subset of workers.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein, when wirelessly transmitting the respective list of multiple task assignments to the mobile device of each of the workers, the method further includes specifying, in the list transmitted to the first worker, a number of other workers whose list contains the particular task assignment.

10. Electronic apparatus to assign tasks to electronically communicate task information to mobile devices of workers within a work area, the electronic apparatus comprising:

an interface;

a database to store worker profiles which (i) identify workers who are available for task assignment and (ii) define worker characteristics of the workers; and

control circuitry coupled to the interface and the database, the control circuitry being constructed and arranged to;

receive, through the interface, task entries which (i) identify tasks in need of attention and (ii) define task requirements for performing the tasks, the electronic circuitry electronically storing the task entries in a multi-field format,

generate task assignments based on electronically matching the task entries to the worker profiles, the electronic circuitry electronically storing the worker profiles in a multi-field format, and

provide, through the interface, the task assignments to the workers in real time while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area, the task assignments directing the workers to perform the tasks identified by the task entries in accordance with the task requirements defined by the task entries;

wherein each of the workers has a respective mobile device constructed and arranged to communicate with the electronic circuitry in a wireless manner,

wherein the control circuitry, when providing the task assignments to the workers, is constructed and arranged to (i) wirelessly transmit, by the electronic circuitry, a respective list of multiple task assignments to the mobile device at least some of the workers, the list of one worker differing from the list of another worker, and (ii) providing a particular task assignment in the lists transmitted to the mobile devices of a subset of the workers, such that the lists provided to the mobile devices of the subset of workers include the same particular task assignment, and

wherein, in response to a first worker of the subset of workers selecting the particular task assignment, the control circuitry is further constructed and arranged to;

wirelessly receive, by the electronic circuitry and in real time, an indication from the mobile device of the first worker that the first worker has selected the particular task assignment; and

wirelessly transmit, to the mobile devices of each of the other workers in the subset of workers in real time, a task removal message, the task removal message directing each mobile device receiving the task removal message to remove the particular task assignment from the list of task assignments on the respective mobile device,

the electronic apparatus thereby transmitting and updating work lists in real time to workers dispersed across the work area,

wherein the control circuitry is further constructed and arranged to;

receive, via the wireless transceiver, GPS data from the mobile devices of the workers while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area,

based on the GPS data from the mobile devices of the workers, update the worker characteristics defined by the worker profiles stored in the database in real time to indicate current locations of the workers identified by the worker profiles;

after providing the task assignments to the workers, receive new task entries identifying new tasks;

generate new task assignments based on matching the new task entries to the worker profiles including the GPS data received from the mobile devices while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area; and

provide the new task assignments to the workers while the workers remain distributed among different locations within the work area.

11. Electronic apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the interface includes a wireless transceiver;

wherein the workers have mobile devices; and

wherein the control circuitry, when providing the task assignments to the workers while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area, is constructed and arranged to;

convey, via the wireless transceiver, the task assignments to the mobile devices of the first subset of the employees while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area.

12. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable medium which stores a set of instructions to electronically communicate task information in real time to mobile devices of workers within a work area, the set of instructions, when carried out by computerized circuitry, causing the computerized circuitry to perform a method of:

receiving task entries which (i) identify tasks in need of attention and (ii) define task requirements for performing the tasks, the electronic circuitry electronically storing the task entries in a multi-field format;

generating task assignments based on electronically matching the task entries to worker profiles which (i) identify workers who are available for task assignment and (ii) define worker characteristics of the workers, the electronic circuitry electronically storing the worker profiles in a multi-field format; and

providing the task assignments to the workers in real time while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area, the task assignments directing the workers to perform the tasks identified by the task entries in accordance with the task requirements defined by the task entries;

wherein each of the workers has a respective mobile device constructed and arranged to communicate with the electronic circuitry in a wireless manner,

wherein providing the task assignments to the workers includes (i) wirelessly transmitting, by the electronic circuitry, a respective list of multiple task assignments to the mobile device at least some of the workers, the list of one worker differing from the list of another worker, and (ii) providing a particular task assignment in the lists transmitted to the mobile devices of a subset of the workers, such that the lists provided to the mobile devices of the subset of workers include the same particular task assignment, and

wherein the method further comprises, in response to a first worker of the subset of workers selecting the particular task assignment;

wirelessly receiving, by the electronic circuitry and in real time, an indication from the mobile device of the first worker that the first worker has selected the particular task assignment; and

wirelessly transmitting, to the mobile devices of each of the other workers in the subset of workers in real time, a task removal message, the task removal message directing each mobile device receiving the task removal message to remove the particular task assignment from the list of task assignments on the respective mobile device,

the method thereby transmitting and updating work lists in real time to workers dispersed across the work area,

wherein the method performed by the computerized circuitry further includes;

receiving, by the electronic circuitry, GPS data from the mobile devices of the workers while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area;

based on the GPS data from the mobile devices of the workers, updating the worker characteristics defined by the worker profiles to indicate current locations of the workers identified by the worker profiles;

after providing the task assignments to the workers, receiving new task entries identifying new tasks;

generating new task assignments based on matching the new task entries to the worker profiles including the GPS data received from the mobile devices while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area; and

providing the new task assignments to the workers while the workers remain distributed among different locations within the work area.

13. A computer program product as in claim 12 wherein the workers have mobile devices;

and wherein providing the task assignments to the workers while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area includes;

conveying the task assignments to the mobile devices of the first subset of the employees in a wireless manner while the workers are distributed among different locations within the work area.