Notification system and method

• US 20040024789A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wheeler, James S., Ditcharo, Patricia
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• 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 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A dispatch and notification system that can adjust resources to meet and accommodate real time changes in demand or load is disclosed. The system provides an automated assembly that includes provisions that provide an effective and low cost arrangement that notifies technicians of real time changes in their scheduled work. The system can determine if a real time intervention in a technician'"'"'s schedule is necessary and can notify the technician in near real time of changes in assigned tasks.

Claims

1. A system for dispatching technicians comprising:

(a) a database including information as to the work histories and availabilities of a plurality of technicians;

(b) a dispatch unit;

(c) a centralized call-out system; and

(d) a plurality of access units,

wherein

the dispatch unit receives a first request for service, generates a work assignment in response to the first request for service, matches the work assignment to one of the plurality of technicians, and sends the work assignment to one of the plurality of access units, said one of the plurality of access units being associated with the one of the plurality of technicians, and wherein

the centralized call-out system constructs a database including technician numbers associated with the plurality of technicians.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the database also includes the qualifications of at least one of the plurality of technicians.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system monitors a second request for service received after the first request for service by the system, analyzes the second request for service, and determines if real time intervention is required to modify the previously assigned work assignments.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the system notifies the one of the plurality of technicians by sending a message to the one of the plurality of technicians if the system determines a need for the real time intervention.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispatch unit determines if intervention by the centralized call-out system is required.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the centralized call-out system sends adjustment information to the one of the plurality of technicians.

7. A notification system comprising:

(a) a dispatch unit capable of receiving requests for service and sending assignments to an access unit;

(b) a call-out system in communication with the dispatch unit and a messaging system,

wherein the call-out system sends a message to the message system when a predetermined condition has been met.

8. The notification system according to claim 7, wherein the messaging system is adapted to send messages to a pager.

9. The notification system according to claim 7, wherein the dispatch unit receives status information from the access unit and can determine the dispatch status of the access unit.

10. The notification system according to claim 9, wherein the call-out system is capable of sending the message after the dispatch unit has determined that the access unit is in a dispatch status.

11. The notification system according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined condition includes a first factor, the first factor being the status of the access unit.

12. The notification system according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined condition includes a second factor, the second factor being a specific type of work request.

13. A method for servicing a system comprising the steps of:

(a) maintaining a database containing information regarding the work history of a plurality of technicians;

(b) receiving information about a request for servicing the system and generating a responsive work request;

(c) selecting one of the plurality of technicians to carry out the work request;

(d) assigning the work request to the one of the plurality of technicians; and

(e) receiving additional information regarding the request for servicing the system and adjusting the work request accordingly.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending the adjusted work request to the one of the plurality of technicians.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the database also comprises the qualifications of the plurality of technicians.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the system comprises a dispatch unit that communicates with the one of the plurality of technicians with an access unit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the access unit is a pager.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the one of the plurality of technicians retrieves infrastructure information from the system.

19. A method of notifying a technician comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a first request for service;

(b) creating a work order from the first request for service;

(c) assigning a technician to the work order and communicating the assignment to the technician;

(d) monitoring second requests for service, the second requests being received after the first request;

(e) determining if the technician should receive a message because of one of the second requests for service; and

(f) sending the message to the technician if it has been determined that the technician should receive the message.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the message includes a code.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the first request for service includes a target completion date and time, and wherein the second requests for services are received on the target completion date.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the first request for service includes a target completion date and time, and wherein the second requests for services are received on the target completion date.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the step of determining if the technician should receive a message because of one of the second requests for service further comprises monitoring the dispatch status of the technician.

24. The method according to claim 19, further comprising monitoring the status of the technician, one status state being a dispatch status;

and wherein the message is sent to the technician while the technician is in the dispatch status.