Methods and systems of managing individuals

• US 10,387,847 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bloomerang LLC
• Original Assignee: Initlive Inc. (Bloomerang LLC)
• Inventors: Pinard, Deborah, Pinard, Melissa, Bamford, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterrett, Jonathan G
• Application Number:
  US15/007,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20160217431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

Supervisors, managers, enterprises, organizers, etc. must ensure appropriate staffing by employees and/or volunteers to achieve their goals for each event, activity etc. at each location. However, unplanned absent individuals impact this ability and can absorb significant time and effort to overcome by re-allocating existing present individuals or seeking replacements at short or even no notice. Accordingly, each individual addressing this seeks the ability to establish communications to individuals or group of individuals rapidly, with low complexity and management overhead, knowing that those identified meet their requirements without searching/reviewing personnel profiles etc. Further, such individuals seek the ability to dynamically view and address problems within their domain of responsibility irrespective of where they are in relation to the event etc. Such issues can be addressed through the methods and systems according to the invention.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an event management server connected to a network and comprising a memory, the event management server configured to;

generate with the memory a database comprising data relating to a plurality of organizations associated with one or more real world pre-scheduled events (events), the database defining the one or more events, one or more venues associated with the one or more events, one or more shifts within the one or more venues, one or more roles within each shift of the one or more shifts, and one or more users of a plurality of users associated with the event assigned to each one or more shifts and one or more roles;

receive input data from an organizer of an event relating to an organization of the plurality of organizations for storage within the database, the input data transmitted to the event management server via the network from a first electronic device and relating to the definition of the event;

create a plurality of policy chains in dependence upon the input data established by the organizer, each policy chain for defining at least routing for communications by defining a hierarchy comprising an event, a venue, a shift, a role and a group comprising one or more users associated with the role;

create a plurality of quotas, each quota defining the number of users with the group associated with a role for a shift associated with an event at a venue;

transmit via the network one or more requests to a plurality of second electronic devices associated with users assigned to an event and assigned a role, a shift and a venue for the event;

receive from the plurality of second electronic devices via the network a plurality of responses generated in dependence upon the one or more requests;

establish in dependence upon each received response of the plurality of responses whether the user associated with the response is either checked in with respect to the venue and the shift for the event or will be checked in with respect to the venue and the shift for the event by the time the shift begins;

establish whether each quota for the shift at the venue has been or will be met; and

where one or more quotas for the shift have not been met or will not be met transmitting notification data to a third electronic device associated with an individual associated with the event as established by a policy chain of the plurality of policy chains associated with the event;

wherein

the individual is assigned by the event management server in dependence upon a policy chain of the plurality of policy chains associated with the event;

the first electronic device connected to the network associated with the organizer of an event relating to an organization of the plurality of organizations comprising a first user interface and a first display, the first electronic device configured to;

render a first graphical user interface to the organizer upon the first display relating to the definition of the event upon the event management server;

receive a plurality of inputs made by the organizer with the first user interface relating to the definition of the event;

generate the input data in response to the inputs made by the organizer; and

transmit the input data via the network to the event management server for storage within the database;

the plurality of second electronic devices, each second electronic device of the plurality of second electronic devices connected to the network, comprising a second user interface and a second display, associated with a user of the plurality of users, and executing an event software application for managing communications relating to the one or more pre-scheduled events and configuring the second electronic device of the second plurality of electronic devices to;

receive from the event management server one or more requests for the user of the plurality of users relating to the event and a role, a shift and a venue assigned to the user of the plurality of users;

render the one of more requests to the user of the plurality of users within a second graphical user interface upon the second display;

receive one or more responses to the one or more requests made by the user of the plurality of users with the second user interface; and

transmit the one or more responses generated by the user of the plurality of users to the event management server; and

the third electronic device connected to the network associated with the individual comprising a third user interface and a third display, the third electronic device configured to;

receive the notification data from the event management server; and

render one or more notifications within a third graphical user interface upon the third display, the one or more notifications established in dependence upon the received notification data and each notification relating to a quota for the shift that has not been met or will not be met.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the event management server is further configured to:

transmit check-in data from the event management server to the third electronic device associated with the individual, the check-in data comprising first data relating to a plurality of groups of users associated with roles for the shift associated with the event at the venue, second data indicating each user with each group of users of the plurality of users, and third data relating to whether each user within each group of users of the plurality of users has checked in; and

the third electronic device is further configured to;

render within the third graphical user interface a plurality of indicators, each indicator relating to a group of users of the plurality of groups of users;

receive a user input made by the individual with the third user interface, the user input relating to a selection made by the individual of a group of users of the plurality of users; and

render within the third graphical user interface a first visual indication of each user within the selected group of users of the plurality of users established in dependence upon the second data and a second visual indication indicative of the check-in status of each user within the selected group of users of the plurality of users established in dependence upon the third data.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the event management server is further configured to:

transmit check-in data to the third electronic device, the check-in data comprising first data relating to the quotas for each group of users of a plurality of groups of users associated with roles for the shift associated with the event at the venue and second data relating to the number of users within each group of users that have checked in; and

the third electronic device is further configured to;

render within the third graphical user interface a first visual indication of each role associated with each group of users of a plurality of groups of users, a second visual indication of the quota for that group of users of a plurality of groups of users, and a third visual indication of the number of users within the group of users of a plurality of groups of users that have checked in.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the third electronic device is further configured to:

receive user inputs entered via the third user interface, the user inputs relating to a selection made by the individual of a notification of the one or more notifications and a selection of an option to establish replacement users;

transmit the user inputs to the event management server via the network

receive the other user data relating to other users capable of replacing those users within the group of users associated with the selected notification that have not checked in;

render within the third graphical user interface the identities of each other user of the other users capable of replacing those users within the group of users associated with the selected notification that have not checked in;

receive one or more selections entered via the third user interface, each selection relating to another user of the other users capable of replacing those users within the group of users associated with the selected notification that have not checked in; and

transmit to each second electronic device associated with each another user of the other users selected by the individual an assignment request relating to the role associated with the notification selected by the individual; and

the event management server is further configured to;

receive the user inputs from the third electronic device;

establish the other user data in dependence upon the user inputs, the other data relating to other users capable of replacing those users within the group of users associated with the selected notification that have not checked in; and

transmitting the other user data to the third electronic device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein

the other users capable of replacing those users within the group of users associated with the selected notification are established in dependence upon profiles of users registered for the event and a policy chain of the plurality of policy chains associated with the event and the role associated the group of users associated with the selected notification.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the event management server is further configured to:

transmit user data to the third electronic device, the user data relating to the users within a group of users of a plurality of groups of users associated with roles for the shift associated with the event at the venue;

the third electronic device is further configured to;

render within the third graphical user interface a first visual indication of each user within the selected group of users of the plurality of users established in dependence upon the user data;

receive a user input entered via the third user interface, the user input relating to a selection made by the individual of a user of the group of users of the plurality of users; and

render within the third graphical user interface;

wherein

selection of the button by the individual removes the user from the group of users of the plurality of users.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein

the button is one of a plurality of buttons;

wherein

the other buttons of the plurality of buttons allow the individual to either remove the user from all shifts associated with the event or remove the user from multiple events of which the event is one.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the one or more users of the plurality of users associated with the event have registered for the event via the event software application upon their electronic device.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein

a policy chain establishes:

a role, a venue, and a shift for the event; and

at least one of a qualification and a skill for a user to be associated with the role.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein

each user of the plurality of users is not associated with an organization of the plurality of organizations associated with the event.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein

each individual is not associated with an organization of the plurality of organizations associated with the event.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein

a response of the plurality of responses received from the electronic device associated with a user of the plurality of users in response to a request of the one or more requests is a geographic location;

wherein

the geographic location is transmitted from the electronic device associated with the user of the plurality of users to the event management server in response to the user providing a predetermined input upon a user interface of the electronic device associated with the user of the plurality of users in response to a prompt rendered upon a graphical user interface of the electronic device associated with the user of the plurality of user in response to receipt of the request of the one or more requests.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the event management server is further configured to:

generate for each user of the plurality of users a user history, the user history established in dependence upon actual check-in times of the user of the plurality of users relative to shift start times for each shift the user of the plurality of users is assigned to for all events; and

transmit the user data to the third electronic device, the user data comprising first data relating to the users within a group of users of a plurality of groups of users associated with roles for the shift associated with the event at the venue and second data relating to their user history; and

the third electronic device is further configured to;

receive the user data from the event management server;

render within the third graphical user interface for each user within the selected group of users of the plurality of users a first visual indication established in dependence upon the first data and a second visual indication established in dependence upon the second data; and

receive user inputs entered via the third user interface, the user inputs relating to a selection made by the individual of a notification of the one or more notifications and a selection of an option to establish replacement users; and

transmit the user inputs to the event management server.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the event management server is further configured to:

generate for each user of the plurality of users a user history, the user history established in dependence upon actual check-in times of the user of the plurality of users relative to shift start times for each shift the user of the plurality of users is assigned to for all events; and

the first electronic device is further configured to;

receive the user history for each user of a subset of the plurality of users; and

render within the first graphical user interface a visual indication established in dependence upon the user history for each user of a subset of the plurality of users in association with an identity of each user of the subset of the plurality of users displayed within the first graphical user interface.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the event management server is further configured to generate for each user of the plurality of users a user history, the user history established in dependence upon actual check-in times of the user of the plurality of users relative to shift start times for each shift the user of the plurality of users is assigned to for all events;

wherein

the event management server employs the user history for each user of the plurality of users when associating users to a role in dependence upon a policy chain of the plurality of chains associated with the event.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the third electronic device is further configured to:

receive user inputs entered via the third user interface, the user inputs relating to a selection made by the individual of a notification of the one or more notifications and a selection of an option to establish replacement users;

transmit the user inputs to the event management server via the network;

receive user data from the event management server, the user data relating to the users within a group of users of a plurality of groups of users associated with roles for the shift associated with the event at the venue;

render within the third graphical user interface a first visual indication of each user within the selected group of users established in dependence upon the user data;

receive other user data from the event management server, the other user data relating to other users capable of replacing those users within the group of users associated with the selected notification that have not checked in;

receive a first user input entered via the third user interface, the first user input relating to a selection made by the individual of a user of the group of users;

receive a second user input entered via the third user interface, the second user input relating to a selection made by the individual to establish a replacement for the selected user of the group of users;

render upon the third graphical user interface after receipt of the second user input the identities of each other user of the other users capable of replacing the selected user of the group of users;

receive a selection entered via the third user interface, the selection relating to another user of the other users capable of replacing those users within the group of users associated with the selected notification that have not checked in; and

automatically checking in the another user to the role associated with the notification selected by the individual as they are being re-allocated from another shift and another role within the event overlapping in time and venue with the role associated with the notification; and

the event management server is further configured to;

receive from the third electronic device the user inputs relating to a selection made by the individual of a notification of the one or more notifications and a selection of an option to establish replacement users;

establish user data in dependence upon the user inputs, the user data relating to the users within a group of users of a plurality of groups of users associated with roles for the shift associated with the event at the venue;

transmit the user data to the third electronic device;

establish other user data, the other user data relating to other users capable of replacing those users within the group of users associated with the selected notification that have not checked in;

transmit the other user data to the third electronic device.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the event management server is further configured to:

establish a shortfall upon determining that one or more quotas for the shift have not been met or will not be met establishing with the event management server a shortfall, the shortfall being a difference between the number of users that have checked in and will check and the quota;

establish if the shortfall exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

upon a positive determination transmit a request to all users whose data is stored within the database and who fulfil the requirements for the role at the venue for that shift.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the event management server is further configured to:

establish either at a predetermined point in time prior to the shift start or when a predetermined portion of the users for all roles associated with the shift have checked in whether each quota for the shift at the venue has been or will be met; and

a first subset of the users associated with the shift for the venue at the event have pre-authorized a first software application in execution upon their second electronic device to automatically transmit their location information in response to the request from the event management server with respect to at least one of the role, shift, and event; and

a second subset of the users associated with the shift for the venue at the event who have not pre-authorized a second software application in execution upon their second electronic device to automatically transmit their location information in response to the request from the event management server provide a specific authorisation in response to the request via the second user interface of their second electronic device in order to release their location information.

19. A system comprising:

an event management server connected to a network and comprising a memory, the event management server configured to;

generate with the memory a database comprising data relating to a plurality of organizations associated with one or more real world pre-scheduled events (events), the database defining the one or more events, one or more venues associated with the one or more events, one or more shifts within the one or more venues, one or more roles within each shift of the one or more shifts, and one or more users of a plurality of users associated with the event assigned to each one or more shifts and one or more roles;

receive input data from an organizer of an event relating to an organization of the plurality of organizations for storage within the database, the input data transmitted to the event management server via the network from a first electronic device and relating to the definition of the event;

create a plurality of policy chains in dependence upon the input data established by the organizer, each policy chain for defining at least routing for communications by defining a hierarchy comprising an event, a venue, a shift, a role and a group comprising one or more users associated with the role;

create a plurality of quotas, each quota defining the number of users with the group associated with a role for a shift associated with an event at a venue;

transmit via the network one or more requests to a plurality of second electronic devices associated with users assigned to an event and assigned a role, a shift and a venue for the event;

receive from the plurality of second electronic devices via the network a plurality of responses generated in dependence upon the one or more requests;

establish in dependence upon each received response of the plurality of responses whether the user associated with the response is either checked in with respect to the venue and the shift for the event or will be checked in with respect to the venue and the shift for the event by the time the shift begins;

establish whether each quota for the shift at the venue has been or will be met; and

where one or more quotas for the shift have not been met or will not be met transmitting notification data to a third electronic device associated with an individual associated with the event as established by a policy chain of the plurality of policy chains associated with the event;

wherein

the individual is assigned by the event management server in dependence upon a policy chain of the plurality of policy chains associated with the event;

the first electronic device connected to the network associated with the organizer of an event relating to an organization of the plurality of organizations comprising a first user interface and a first display, the first electronic device configured to;

render a first graphical user interface to the organizer upon the first display relating to the definition of the event upon the event management server;

receive a plurality of inputs made by the organizer with the first user interface relating to the definition of the event;

generate the input data in response to the inputs made by the organizer; and

transmit the input data via the network to the event management server for storage within the database;

the plurality of second electronic devices, each second electronic device of the plurality of second electronic devices connected to the network, comprising a second user interface and a second display, associated with a user of the plurality of users, and executing an event software application for managing communications relating to the one or more pre-scheduled events and configuring the second electronic device of the second plurality of electronic devices to;

receive from the event management server one or more requests for the user of the plurality of users relating to the event and a role, a shift and a venue assigned to the user of the plurality of users;

render the one of more requests to the user of the plurality of users within a second graphical user interface upon the second display;

receive one or more responses to the one or more requests made by the user of the plurality of users with the second user interface; and

transmit the one or more responses generated by the user of the plurality of users to the event management server; and

the third electronic device connected to the network associated with the individual comprising a third user interface and a third display, the third electronic device configured to;

receive the notification data from the event management server; and

render one or more notifications within a third graphical user interface upon the third display, the one or more notifications established in dependence upon the received notification data and each notification relating to a quota for the shift that has not been met or will not be met;

each second electronic device is further configured to automatically authorize communications by a user within the group of users associated with a predetermined role for the shift at the venue for the event when a location of the user is within a predetermined geo-fence of a plurality of geo-fences;

for a first subset of the plurality of geo-fences the communications are unencrypted;

for a second subset of the plurality of geo-fences the communications are encrypted; and

the encryption key for encrypting communications for the second subset of the plurality of geo-fences the communications is established in dependence of the geo-fence of the plurality of geo-fences.

20. A system comprising:

an event management server connected to a network and comprising a memory, the event management server configured to;

generate with the memory a database comprising data relating to a plurality of organizations associated with one or more real world pre-scheduled events (events), the database defining the one or more events, one or more venues associated with the one or more events, one or more shifts within the one or more venues, one or more roles within each shift of the one or more shifts, and one or more users of a plurality of users associated with the event assigned to each one or more shifts and one or more roles;

receive input data from an organizer of an event relating to an organization of the plurality of organizations for storage within the database, the input data transmitted to the event management server via the network from a first electronic device and relating to the definition of the event;

create a plurality of policy chains in dependence upon the input data established by the organizer, each policy chain for defining at least routing for communications by defining a hierarchy comprising an event, a venue, a shift, a role and a group comprising one or more users associated with the role;

create a plurality of quotas, each quota defining the number of users with the group associated with a role for a shift associated with an event at a venue;

transmit via the network one or more requests to a plurality of second electronic devices associated with users assigned to an event and assigned a role, a shift and a venue for the event;

receive from the plurality of second electronic devices via the network a plurality of responses generated in dependence upon the one or more requests;

establish in dependence upon each received response of the plurality of responses whether the user associated with the response is either checked in with respect to the venue and the shift for the event or will be checked in with respect to the venue and the shift for the event by the time the shift begins;

establish whether each quota for the shift at the venue has been or will be met; and

where one or more quotas for the shift have not been met or will not be met transmitting notification data to a third electronic device associated with an individual associated with the event as established by a policy chain of the plurality of policy chains associated with the event;

wherein

the individual is assigned by the event management server in dependence upon a policy chain of the plurality of policy chains associated with the event;

the first electronic device connected to the network associated with the organizer of an event relating to an organization of the plurality of organizations comprising a first user interface and a first display;

the plurality of second electronic devices, each second electronic device of the plurality of second electronic devices connected to the network, comprising a second user interface and a second display, associated with a user of the plurality of users, and executing an event software application for managing communications relating to the one or more pre-scheduled events; and

the third electronic device connected to the network associated with the individual comprising a third user interface and a third display

each second electronic device is further configured to automatically authorize communications by a user within the group of users associated with a predetermined role for the shift at the venue for the event when a location of the user is within a predetermined geo-fence of a plurality of geo-fences;

for a first subset of the plurality of geo-fences the communications are unencrypted;

for a second subset of the plurality of geo-fences the communications are encrypted; and

the encryption key for encrypting communications for the second subset of the plurality of geo-fences the communications is established in dependence of the geo-fence of the plurality of geo-fences.