Systems and methods for generating a work schedule

• US 20070288287A1
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Lance, Bruce, Hayler, Eric A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,005,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating work schedules are provided. Work schedules are generated based on an identification of work periods and tasks and information related to the workers. A work schedule is produced based on a selected optimization parameter. The optimization parameter can be any type of parameter related to the tasks and workers. The optimization parameter can be ergonomic impact, level of training, experience level or the like. The systems and methods can also receive assigned tasks for one or more of the workers, and generate a schedule incorporating the assignments.

Claims

1. A method for generating a work schedule, comprising the acts of:

receiving an identification of a number of work periods and a plurality of tasks;

receiving information for a plurality of workers related to the plurality of tasks;

receiving a parameter for optimization; and

outputting a work schedule distributing the plurality of workers into the plurality of tasks for each of the number of work periods, wherein the work schedule is optimized for the parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of:

receiving a restriction for a first worker of the plurality of workers, wherein the first worker is assigned to tasks in the work schedule other than one which is restricted for the worker.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the restrictions are related to ergonomic impact.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of:

receiving restrictions related to all of the plurality of workers, wherein the work schedule satisfies the restrictions related to the plurality of workers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the restrictions are related to a number of rotations between tasks.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of:

receiving an assigned task for a first worker of the plurality of workers, wherein the work schedule incorporates the assigned task.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information for the plurality of workers is an experience level for each of the plurality of tasks.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information for the plurality of workers is a level of training for each of the plurality of tasks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein an ergonomic impact is input for each of the plurality of tasks and the parameter for optimization is ergonomic impact of the plurality of task such that the work schedule does not exceed a predetermined ergonomic impact level for each of the plurality of workers.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the ergonomic impact is related to the impact on a number of body parts, and the predetermined ergonomic impact level is for each of the number of body parts.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is one of worker satisfaction, rotation, training, experience, ergonomic impact and ergonomic impact standard deviations parameters.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameter further comprises a weighted value of at least two of worker satisfaction, rotation, training, experience, ergonomic impact, ergonomic impact standard deviations parameters.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of outputting the work schedule comprises the acts of:

determining a plurality of work schedules distributing the plurality of workers into the plurality of tasks for each of the number of work periods; and

selecting for output, one of the plurality of work schedules which is optimized for the parameter.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the parameter is a weighted value of a number of parameters.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of outputting the work schedule comprises the acts of:

generating a plurality of work schedules for a first time period;

selecting a number of the plurality of work schedules based on a weighted value of a number of parameters;

generating a second plurality of work schedules for a second time period; and

selecting a number of the second plurality of work schedules based on the weighted value.

16. A processor comprising:

logic for receiving an identification of a number of work periods and a plurality of tasks;

logic for receiving information for a plurality of workers related to the plurality of tasks;

logic for receiving a parameter for optimization; and

logic for outputting a work schedule distributing the plurality of workers into the plurality of tasks for each of the number of work periods, wherein the work schedule is optimized for the selected parameter.

17. The processor of claim 16, wherein the logic for receiving information for the plurality of workers comprises:

logic for receiving a restriction for a first worker of the plurality of workers, wherein the first worker is assigned to tasks in the work schedule other than one which is restricted for the worker.

18. The processor of claim 17, wherein the restrictions are related to ergonomic impact.

19. The processor of claim 17, wherein the logic for receiving information for the plurality of workers comprises:

logic for receiving restrictions related to all of the plurality of workers, wherein the work schedule satisfies the restrictions related to the plurality of workers.

20. The processor of claim 19, wherein the restrictions are related to a number of rotations between tasks.

21. The processor of claim 16, wherein the information for the plurality of workers is an experience level for each of the plurality of tasks.

22. The processor of claim 16, wherein the information for the plurality of workers is a level of training for each of the plurality of tasks.

23. The processor of claim 16, wherein an ergonomic impact is input for each of the plurality of tasks and the parameter is ergonomic impact of the plurality of task such that the work schedule does not exceed a predetermined ergonomic impact level for each of the plurality of workers.

24. The processor of claim 23, wherein the ergonomic impact is related to the impact on a number of body parts, and the predetermined ergonomic impact level is for each of the number of body parts.

25. The processor of claim 16, wherein the parameter is one of worker satisfaction, rotation, training, experience, ergonomic impact, and ergonomic impact standard deviations parameters.

26. The processor of claim 25, wherein the parameter for optimization further comprises a weighted value of at least two of worker satisfaction, rotation, training, experience, ergonomic impact, ergonomic impact standard deviations parameters.

27. The processor of claim 16, wherein the logic for outputting the work schedule comprises:

logic for determining a plurality of work schedules distributing the plurality of workers into the plurality of tasks for each of the number of work periods; and

logic for selecting for output, one of the plurality of work schedules which is optimized for the selected parameter.

28. The processor of claim 27, wherein the parameter is a weighted value of a number of parameters.

29. The processor of claim 16, wherein the logic for outputting the work schedule comprises:

logic for generating a plurality of work schedules for a first time period;

logic for selecting a number of the plurality of work schedules based on a weighted value of a number of parameters;

logic for generating a second plurality of work schedules for a second time period; and

logic for selecting a number of the second plurality of work schedules based on the weighted value.