Assigning technique for a scheduling system

• US 20010047288A1
• Filed: 04/02/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ventyx Software SRL
• Inventors: Druce, Guy, Jacobs, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

Methods for providing an enhanced scheduling process are discussed. One aspect of the present invention includes a method for assigning an order to an opening in a schedule after a customer has selected an appointment window in the schedule. The opening and the appointment window are specified. The method includes generating a list of schedulable time blocks for a shift identified in the opening, intersecting the opening and the appointment window to obtain a time range, and choosing the opening in which to assign the order if a schedulable time block from the list of schedulable time blocks includes the opening. The opening is within the time range obtained by the act of intersecting.

Claims

1. A method for assigning an order to an opening in a schedule after a customer has selected an appointment window in the schedule, wherein the opening and the appointment window are specified, comprising:

generating a list of schedulable time blocks for a shift identified in the opening;

intersecting the opening and the appointment window to obtain a time range; and

choosing the opening in which to assign the order if a schedulable time block from the list of schedulable time blocks includes the opening, and wherein the opening is within the time range obtained by the act of intersecting.

2. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a computer to perform a method for assigning an order to an opening in a schedule after a customer has selected an appointment window in the schedule, wherein the opening and the appointment window are specified, the method comprising:

generating a list of schedulable time blocks for a shift identified in the opening;

intersecting the opening and the appointment window to obtain a time range; and

choosing the opening in which to assign the order if a schedulable time block from the list of schedulable time blocks includes the opening, and wherein the opening is within the time range obtained by the act of intersecting.

3. A method for assigning an order to a schedule after a customer has specified an appointment window in the schedule, comprising:

checking a list of openings for overlap with the appointment window;

generating a list of schedulable time blocks in a shift if there is no overlap; and

assigning the order to the schedule if there is an opening in the list of openings that overlaps with the appointment window or an opening in the list of schedulable time blocks that overlaps with the appointment window.

4. The method of

claim 3

, further comprising updating a tour time of the shift, wherein updating includes incrementing the time required to travel to the order and from the order to a next order, wherein updating includes incrementing a booked time for the shift by an amount of time needed for traveling to the order and an amount of time needed to work on the order, and wherein updating includes adjusting a load level of the shift to account for the order.

5. The method of

claim 4

, further comprising aggregating at least two orders according to an aggregation criteria.

6. The method of

claim 5

, further comprising defragmenting a set of free time blocks in the shift.

7. The method of

claim 6

, further comprising committing the shift, which has been modified to fit the order, to a database.

8. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a computer to perform a method for assigning an order to a schedule after a customer has specified an appointment window in the schedule, the method comprising:

checking a list of openings for overlap with the appointment window;

generating a list of schedulable time blocks in a shift if there is no overlap; and

assigning the order to the schedule if there is an opening in the list of openings that overlaps with the appointment window or an opening in the list of schedulable time blocks that overlaps with the appointment window.

9. The method of

claim 8

, further comprising updating a tour time of the shift, wherein updating includes incrementing the time required to travel to the order and from the order to a next order, wherein updating includes incrementing a booked time for the shift by an amount of time needed for traveling to the order and an amount of time needed to work on the order, and wherein updating includes adjusting a load level of the shift to account for the order.

10. The method of

claim 9

, further comprising aggregating at least two orders according to an aggregation criteria.

11. The method of

claim 10

, further comprising defragmenting a set of free time blocks in the shift.

12. The method of

claim 11

, further comprising committing the shift, which has been modified to fit the order, to a database.