Work allocation system

• US 20040088206A1
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Thompson, Simon G, Stark, Thomas J, Kearney, Paul J
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The invention is concerned with a work allocation system having a plurality of agents that bid for work in accordance with preferences and behaviour of resources corresponding thereto.

Each agent represents a group of resources and is arranged to evaluate the likelihood that at least one resource in the group can carry out a work item. The evaluation is dependent on work items previously selected and/or carried out by the resource, so that the agent effectively models the preferences of its workers. The agent can use this preference information to decide a bidding strategy (i.e. to decide which work items it can bid for), and, having successfully bid for a work item, can allocate work based on individual characteristics and observed work preferences.

The bidding for work between agents is, for example, conducted in accordance with contract net based negotiation.

Claims

1. A method of reviewing a work item for allocation to a group of resources, wherein review of the work item has been instigated by a work source means, including the steps of:

creating a data structure identifying work items previously allocated to at least some of the resources in the group;

evaluating the probability that one of resources will carry out the work item based on values in the data structure; and

comparing the evaluated probability with a suitability criterion so as to identify whether one of the resources is suitable to carry out the work item.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which if one of the resources is identified as being suitable to carry out the work item the method further includes evaluating a price to bid for the work item.

3. A method according to claim 2, including generating a bid comprising the evaluated price and signalling the bid to the work source means.

4. A method according to claim 3, further including the steps of

receiving a signal identifying that the bid has been successful;

for at least some of the resources, evaluating a similarity between the work item and work items previously allocated thereto;

selecting at least one resource on the basis of the similarity;

for the or each selected resource, applying a price to the work item proportionate to the similarity; and

offering the work item to the selected resources at the respective applied price.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the evaluating step includes evaluating posterior probabilities of a resource being capable of carrying out the work item on the basis of data indicative of previous work items carried out by a resource.

6. A method of allocating a work item to a group of resources comprising the steps of

offering the work item to a plurality of groups;

receiving at least one bid generated in accordance with claim 3;

selecting one of the bids in accordance with selection criteria and allocating the work item to the group corresponding to the selected bid.

7. A method according to claim 6, in which the step of offering the work item includes evaluating a price for the work item on the basis of urgency associated therewith.

8. Apparatus for reviewing a work item for allocation to a group of resources, wherein review of the work item has been instigated by a work source means, the apparatus including:

a data structure identifying work items previously allocated to at least some of the resources in the group, the data structure comprising values corresponding both to attributes of the previously allocated work items and of the resources;

evaluating means arranged to

receive as input the data structure and the work item;

evaluate the probability that one of resources in the group will carry out the work item based on values in the data structure; and

comparing means arranged to compare the evaluated probability with a suitability criterion so as to identify whether one of the resources is suitable to carry out the work item.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, further including means arranged to evaluate a price to bid for the work item and to signal the bid to the work source means.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, which, on receipt of a signal identifying that the bid has been successful, is arranged to

for at least some of the resources, evaluate the similarity between the work item and work items previously allocated to the resource;

select at least one resource on the basis of the similarity;

apply a price to the work item proportionate to the similarity; and

offer the work item to the selected resources at the respective applied price.

11. A work allocation system comprising a plurality of apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 10 and at least one work source means, wherein, if two or more apparatus signal a bid to the work source means, the bids are processed in accordance with the contract net protocol.