AUTOMATED SERVICE BROKER
First Claim
1. An automated service broker communicatively linked to a plurality of systems and to a plurality of service providers, each service provider deemed suitable for performing maintenance and repair on at least one of the systems, comprising:
- a Global Positioning System (GPS) data processor for processing GPS data associated with the communicatively linked service providers, said GPS data corresponding to a geographic position;
an event handler for responding to system maintenance and repair events received from the communicatively linked systems;
a service provider selector for selecting a particular service provider to respond to a particular received maintenance and repair event received from a particular communicatively linked system, the selection being based on (a) whether said selected service provider is suitable to perform required maintenance and repair on the particular communicatively linked system, (b) the geographic position of the particular service provider relative to the particular system as reported by GPS data associated with the particular service provider, wherein the service provider selector is configured to query a selected service provider for a current geographic position, to identify a geographic position using Global Positioning System (GPS) data for said system, to compare said current geographic position of said selected service provider to said geographic position of said system, said comparison indicating how close said selected service provider is to said system; and
, a time-on-site calculating unit for calculating a total time that said selected service provider is within a predetermined zone of said system based upon said GPS data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated service broker can include a Global Positioning System (GPS) data processor for processing GPS data associated with communicatively linked service providers wherein the GPS data corresponds to a geographic position. The automated service broker also can include an event handler for responding to maintenance and repair events received from communicatively linked systems. Finally, the automated service broker can include a service provider selector for selecting a particular service provider to respond to a particular received maintenance and repair event received from a particular communicatively linked system. More particularly, the service provider can be selected based on whether the selected service provider is suitable to perform required maintenance and repair on the particular communicatively linked system, and the geographic position of the particular service provider relative to the particular system as reported by GPS data associated with the particular service provider.
70 Citations
50 Claims
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1. An automated service broker communicatively linked to a plurality of systems and to a plurality of service providers, each service provider deemed suitable for performing maintenance and repair on at least one of the systems, comprising:
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a Global Positioning System (GPS) data processor for processing GPS data associated with the communicatively linked service providers, said GPS data corresponding to a geographic position;
an event handler for responding to system maintenance and repair events received from the communicatively linked systems;
a service provider selector for selecting a particular service provider to respond to a particular received maintenance and repair event received from a particular communicatively linked system, the selection being based on (a) whether said selected service provider is suitable to perform required maintenance and repair on the particular communicatively linked system, (b) the geographic position of the particular service provider relative to the particular system as reported by GPS data associated with the particular service provider, wherein the service provider selector is configured to query a selected service provider for a current geographic position, to identify a geographic position using Global Positioning System (GPS) data for said system, to compare said current geographic position of said selected service provider to said geographic position of said system, said comparison indicating how close said selected service provider is to said system; and
,a time-on-site calculating unit for calculating a total time that said selected service provider is within a predetermined zone of said system based upon said GPS data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An automated services broker system, comprising:
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an automated services broker comprising an event handler for responding to system maintenance and repair events, a service provider selector, a time-on-site calculating unit, an event log database, a maintenance database, a service provider database, equipment database, and a historical database;
a plurality of sites, each site having at least one system including a control system for performing at least one of monitoring a status of said at least one system and detecting anomalies therein, each site communicatively linked to said automated services broker; and
,a plurality of service providers communicatively linked to said automated services broker, wherein each said service provider can perform maintenance and repair on at least one of said systems;
wherein said service provider selector is configured to query a selected service provider for a current geographic position, to identify a geographic position using Global Positioning System (GPS) data for said system, to compare said geographic position of said selected service provider to said geographic position of said system, said comparison indicating how close said selected service provider is to said system;
wherein said time-on-site calculating unit is configured to calculate a total time that said selected service provider is within a predetermined zone of said system based upon said GPS data. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An automated service brokering method comprising:
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electronically detecting a need for service in a system in a site;
responsive to said detection, automatically selecting a service provider suitable for servicing said system, said service provider selected from among a plurality of service providers suitable for servicing said system;
providing an electronic notification of said servicing need over a communications link to said selected service provider;
monitoring said communications link for an electronic response to said electronic notification;
querying said selected service provider for a current geographic position, identifying a geographic position using Global Positioning System (GPS) data for said site;
comparing said current geographic position of said selected service provider to said geographic position of said site; and
calculating a total time that said selected service provider is within a predetermined zone of said system based upon said GPS data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An automated service brokering method comprising:
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transmitting to an automated service broker geographic position data indicating a current geographic position of at least one service provider;
receiving an electronic request from said automated service broker to service a system in a site, said electronic request being sent in response to a maintenance event or error condition associated with said system;
responding to said electronic request with an electronic response, said electronic response being carried over a communications link monitored by said automated service broker;
transmitting additional geographic positioning data to said automated service broker after said step of responding;
querying said service provider for a current geographic position;
identifying a geographic position using Global Positioning System (GPS) data for said site;
comparing a current geographic location of a selected service provider to said geographic position of said site; and
calculating a total time that said selected service provider is within a predetermined zone of said system based upon said GPS data. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for automated service brokering, said computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
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electronically detecting a need for service in a system in a site;
responsive to said detection, automatically selecting a service provider suitable for servicing said system, said service provider selected from among a plurality of service providers suitable for servicing said system;
providing an electronic notification of said servicing need over a communications link to said selected service provider;
monitoring said communications link for an electronic response to said electronic notification;
querying said selected service provider for a current geographic position;
identifying a geographic position using Global Positioning System (GPS) data for said site;
comparing said current position of a selected service provider to said geographic position of said site; and
calculating a total time that said selected service provider is within a predetermined zone of said system based upon said GPS data. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification