Method and program for assisting a worker in charge of operations

• US 20040267592A1
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kojima, Masanori, Ogushi, Shoji
• Application Number:
  US10/684,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267592A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/105 Human resources

Abstract

A management server extracts information on an unaccepted work request from another work area other than the work area of a worker from a reception information memory section and detailed reception information memory section. The management server computes a relative distance between the worker and a client from the longitude and latitude of the terminal of the worker and the longitude and latitude of the client, and extracts information showing that the relative distance lies within a predetermined distance from the extracted information on the unaccepted work request. Further, the management server extracts information needed for a work item from the information showing the relative distance lying within the predetermined distance and sends that information to the worker'"'"'s terminal. The worker selects work request items from a work request list and sends them to the management server. The management server updates a progress code, etc. corresponding to the selected items.

Claims

1. A method of using a computer system to assist a worker who takes charge of a predetermined work category by providing the worker with information of a work item outside the work category, the computer system having a first memory device for storing reception information on goods or service requests and a second memory device for storing worker information on the worker, the method comprising the steps of:

extracting reception information about a request outside the work category of the worker and in an unaccepted state from the reception information stored in the first memory device based on the worker information;

extracting reception information about a request which can be handled by the worker from the reception information based on a predetermined condition;

sending the reception information extracted based on the predetermined condition to a terminal possessed by the worker; and

updating the selected reception information to an accepted state from an unaccepted state upon reception of notification that the reception information sent to the terminal has been selected by the worker.

2. A method of using a computer system to assist a worker who takes charge of a predetermined work area and travels to and works at a work place by providing the worker with information of a work item outside the work area, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in a memory device work reception information which is information on an accepted work request from a client and which includes information about a work place indicating a location for the accepted work request and work request information that is needed when fulfilling the accepted work request;

extracting work reception information outside the work area of the worker and in an unaccepted state from the work reception information stored in the memory device,

computing a relative distance between the work place included in the extracted work reception information, the location of the worker and the work place;

extracting work reception information showing that the relative distance lies within a predetermined distance from the extracted work reception information;

extracting work request information included in the extracted work reception information and sending that work request information to a terminal possessed by the worker; and

updating the work reception information corresponding to the selected work request information to an accepted state from an unaccepted state when the work reception information sent to the terminal is selected by the worker.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the work reception information further includes at least an identifier for the work reception information and information on a type of a machine to be a work target.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the work reception information further includes information on a longitude and a latitude representing the work place.

5. The method according to claim 2, further including the stage of storing a longitude and a latitude representing a location of the worker acquired by a position detecting mechanism.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein a relative distance between the work place and the location of the worker is computed from a longitude and latitude of the worker and the longitude and latitude of the work place.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein at a time a terminal possessed by the worker receives the work request information, information on a type of a machine to be a work target is displayed on the terminal.

14. The method according to claim 2, wherein a map screen showing the work place and the location of the worker is output to a display section of a terminal used by a supervisor who gives an instruction to the worker.

15. The method according to claim 2, further including the step of sending information about work reception information on a work which cannot be handled in one area or work request information in that work reception information to a worker in another area from a display section of a terminal used by a supervisor in the case where such work reception information exists.

16. The method according to claim 2, wherein the terminal possessed by the worker can display work reception information or work request information area-by-area.

17. The method according to claim 2, wherein the terminal possessed by the worker can display a map screen showing the work place and the location of the worker.

18. The method according to claim 2, wherein the work reception information is updated by progress update information sent from the terminal possessed by the worker.

19. The method according to claim 2, wherein at a time the terminal possessed by the worker receives the work request information, information about a degree of difficulty of a work item is displayed on the terminal.

20. The method according to claim 2, wherein the work reception information further includes a progress identifier indicating a progress state for a work item and it is determined based on presence or absence of the progress identifier of whether or not the work reception information has not been accepted yet.

21. The method according to claim 2, wherein a worker identifier is stored in the work reception information at a time when a work item is accepted and it is determined based on presence or absence of the worker identifier whether or not the work reception information has not been accepted yet.

22. The method according to claim 2, wherein the terminal possessed by the worker displays information about a procedure for the work item.

23. The method according to claim 2, wherein the work reception information includes information on a work day designating a day for doing a work and at a time when an unaccepted work item is extracted from the work reception information, the unaccepted work item is extracted from that work reception information which includes information on a work day corresponding to a designated date.

24. The method according to claim 2, wherein at a time the work reception information is updated to be in an accepted state, an identifier of the worker is stored in the unaccepted work reception information.

25. The method according to claim 2, wherein at a time the work reception information is updated to be in an accepted state, a progress identifier indicating a progress state of a work item is updated.

8. A method of using a computer system to assist a worker who takes charge of a predetermined work area and travels to and works at a work place by providing the worker with information of a work item outside the work area, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in a memory device work reception information which is information on an accepted work request from a client and which includes work request information that is needed when fulfilling the accepted work request;

extracting work reception information outside the work area of the worker and in an unaccepted state from the work reception information stored in the memory device;

extracting work reception information showing that a work target is a type of a machine assigned to the worker from the extracted work reception information;

extracting work request information included in the extracted work reception information and sending that work request information to a terminal possessed by the worker; and

updating the work reception information corresponding to the selected work request information to an accepted state from an unaccepted state when the reception information sent to the terminal is selected by the worker.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein that work reception information which indicates that the work target of the worker is a machine type assigned to the worker is extracted from the extracted work reception information by comparing information on a machine type included in the work reception information with information on the machine type assigned to the worker stored in a worker information memory section.

10. A method of using a computer system to assist a worker who takes charge of a predetermined work area and travels to and works at a work place by providing the worker with information of a work item outside the work area, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in a memory device work reception information which is information on an accepted work request from a client and which includes work request information that is needed when fulfilling the accepted work request;

extracting work reception information outside the work area of the worker and in an unaccepted state from the work reception information stored in the memory device;

extracting work reception information showing that a required skill for a work item is equal to or less than a skill of the worker from the extracted work reception information;

extracting work request information included in the extracted work reception information and sending that work request information to a terminal possessed by the worker; and

updating the work reception information corresponding to the selected work request information to an accepted state from an unaccepted state when the reception information sent to the terminal is selected by the worker.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein it is determined whether or not the required skill for the work is equal to or less than the skill of the worker by comparing the required skill stored in the work reception information with the skill of the worker stored in a worker information memory section.

12. A method of using a computer system to assist a worker who takes charge of a predetermined work area and travels to and works at a work place by providing the worker with information of a work item outside the work area, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in a memory device work reception information which is information on an accepted work request from a client and which includes information about a work place indicating a place of the accepted work request and work request information that is needed when fulfilling the accepted work request;

extracting work reception information outside the work area of the worker and in an unaccepted state from the work reception information stored in the memory device;

computing a travel time from a location of the worker to the work place;

extracting work reception information showing that the travel time lies within a predetermined time from the extracted work reception information;

extracting work request information included in the extracted work reception information and sending that work request information to a terminal possessed by the worker; and

updating the work reception information corresponding to the selected work reception information to an accepted state from an unaccepted state when the work request information sent to the terminal is selected by the worker.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the travel time from the location of the worker to the work place is computed by using a longitude and latitude of the worker, detected by a position detecting mechanism, and a longitude and latitude of the work place.

26. A computer recording medium on which computer program instructions are recorded for assisting a worker who takes charge of a predetermined work category by providing the worker with information of a work item outside the work category, wherein the computer program instructions are executed by a computer system, the computer system including at least a first memory device for storing reception information on goods or service request and a second memory device for storing worker information on the worker, wherein the computer program instructions when executed performing steps comprising:

extracting reception information about a request outside the work category of the worker and in an unaccepted state from the reception information stored in the first memory device based on the worker information;

extracting reception information about a request which can be handled by the worker from the reception information based on a predetermined condition;

transmitting the reception information extracted based on the predetermined condition to a terminal possessed by the worker; and

updating the selected reception information to an accepted state from an unaccepted state upon reception of notification that the reception information sent to the terminal has been selected by the worker.

27. A computer recording medium on which computer program instructions are recorded for assisting a worker who takes charge of a predetermined work category and travels to and works at a work place by providing the worker with information of a work item outside the work area, wherein the computer program instructions are executed by a computer system, the instructions when executed by the computer system performing steps comprising:

storing in a memory device work reception information which is information on an accepted work request from a client and which includes information about a work place indicating a place of the accepted work request and work request information that is needed when fulfilling the accepted work request;

extracting work reception information outside the work area of the worker and in an unaccepted state from the work reception information stored in the memory device;

computing a relative distance between the work place included in the extracted work reception information and the location of the worker;

extracting work reception information showing that the relative distance lies within a predetermined distance from the extracted work reception information;

extracting work request information included in the extracted work reception information and transmitting that work request information to a terminal possessed by the worker; and

updating the work reception information corresponding to the selected work request information to an accepted state from an unaccepted state when the reception information sent to the terminal is selected by the worker.

28. A computer recording medium on which computer program instructions are recorded for assisting a worker who takes charge of a predetermined work area and travels to and works at a work place by providing the worker with information of a work item outside the work area, wherein the computer program instructions are executed by a computer system, the instructions when executed by the computer system performing steps comprising:

storing in a memory device work reception information which is information on an accepted work request from a client and which includes information about a work place indicating a place of the accepted work request and work request information that is needed when fulfilling the accepted work request;

extracting work reception information outside the work area of the worker and in an unaccepted state from the work reception information stored in the memory device;

extracting information showing that a work target is a type of a machine assigned to the worker from the extracted work reception information;

extracting work request information included in the extracted work reception information and transmitting that work request information to a terminal possessed by the worker; and

updating the work reception information corresponding to the selected work request information to an accepted state from an unaccepted state when the reception information sent to the terminal is selected by the worker.

29. A computer recording medium on which computer program instructions for assisting a worker who takes charge of a predetermined work area and travels to and works at a work place by providing the worker with information of a work outside the work category is recorded, wherein the computer program instructions are executed by a computer system, the instructions when executed by the computer system performing steps comprising:

storing in a memory device work reception information which is information on an accepted work request from a client and which includes information about a work place indicating a place of the accepted work request and work request information that is needed when fulfilling the accepted work request;

extracting work reception information outside the work area of the worker and in an unaccepted state from the work reception information stored in the memory device;

extracting work reception information showing that a required skill for a work item is equal to or less than a skill of the worker from the extracted work reception information;

extracting work request information included in the extracted work reception information and transmitting that work request information to a terminal possessed by the worker; and

updating the work reception information corresponding to the selected work request information to an accepted state from an unaccepted state when the reception information sent to the terminal is selected by the worker.

30. A computer recording medium on which computer program instructions are recorded for assisting a worker who takes charge of a predetermined work area and travels to and works at a work place by providing the worker with information of a work item outside the work area, wherein the computer program instructions are executed by a computer system, the instructions when executed by the computer system performing steps comprising:

storing in a memory device work reception information which is information on an accepted work request from a client and which includes information about a work place indicating a place of the accepted work request and work request information that is needed when fulfilling the accepted work request;

extracting work reception information outside the work area of the worker and in an unaccepted state from the work reception information stored in the memory device;

computing a travel time from a location of the worker to the work place;

extracting work reception information showing that the travel time lies within a predetermined time from the extracted work reception information;

extracting work request information included in the extracted work reception information and transmitting that work request information to a terminal possessed by the worker; and

updating the work reception information corresponding to the selected work request information to an accepted state from an unaccepted state when the reception information sent to the terminal is selected by the worker.