APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR ALLOCATING SERVICE REQUESTS

• US 20080228619A1
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Locker, Howard J., Springfield, Randall Scott, Cromer, Daryl C., Vanover, Michael Terrell, Cheston, Richard Wayne
• Application Number:
  US11/686,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228619A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for allocating service requests. A category module categorizes a service request for an information technology support service with a service category. The service request comprises a service requirement. An I/O module communicates the service request to a plurality of providers that are certified to provide the service category and receives bids from the providers. A selection module selects a bid according to a selection policy. A history module may store a history of bid prices and response times.

Claims

1. An apparatus for allocating service requests, the apparatus comprising:

a category module configured to categorize a service request for an information technology support service with a service category, wherein the service request comprises a service requirement;

an input/output (I/O) module configured to communicate the service request to a plurality of providers that are certified to provide the service category and receive bids from the providers; and

a selection module configured to select a bid according to a selection policy.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service requirement is selected from a maximum price, a contracted price, and a minimum response time.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the selection policy is configured to maximize profit while meeting the minimum response time.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selection policy comprises a reverse auction deadline, the selection module is further configured to select a current best bid, the I/O module communicates the current best bid to the providers and receives additional bids, and the selection module selects the bid when the reverse auction deadline is exceeded.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus further comprising a history module configured to store a history of bid prices and response times and wherein the selection module selects bids that are within a specified range of the history.

6. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

categorize a service request for an information technology support service with a service category, wherein the service request comprises a service requirement;

communicate the service request to a plurality of providers that are certified to provide the service category;

receive bids from the providers; and

select a bid according to a selection policy.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the service requirement is configured as a maximum price.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the maximum price is configured as a contracted price.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the selection policy is configured to not exceed the maximum price.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the service requirement is configured as a minimum response time.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the selection policy is configured to maximize profit while meeting the minimum response time.

12. The computer program of claim 11, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to cause the computer to select a current best bid and communicate the current best bid to the providers and the selection policy comprises a reverse auction deadline wherein the computer selects the bid when the reverse auction deadline is exceeded.

13. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to cause the computer to store a history of bid prices and response times and select bids that are within a specified range of the history.

14. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to cause the computer to receive a plurality of bids from each provider.

15. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to allow a user to select from a plurality of response time and price combinations.

16. A system for allocating service requests, the system comprising:

a memory module configured to store software instructions and data;

a processor module configured to execute the software instructions and process the data and comprising

a category module configured to categorize a service request for an information technology support service with a service category, wherein the service request comprises a service requirement selected from a maximum price, a contracted price, and a minimum response time;

an I/O module configured to communicate the service request to a plurality of providers that are certified to provide the service category and receive bids from the providers; and

a selection module configured to select a bid according to a selection policy.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the selection policy is configured to maximize profit while meeting the minimum response time.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the selection policy comprises a reverse auction deadline, the selection module is further configured to select a current best bid, the I/O module communicates the current best bid to the providers, and selection module selects the bid when the reverse auction deadline is exceeded.

19. The system of claim 16, the processor module further comprising a history module configured to store a history of bid prices and response times and wherein the selection module selects bids that are within a specified range of the history.

20. A method for deploying computer infrastructure, comprising integrating computer readable code into a computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing the following:

selecting a reverse auction deadline;

categorizing a service request for an information technology support service with a service category, wherein the service request comprises a service requirement;

communicating the service request to a plurality of providers that are certified to provide the service category;

receiving bids from the providers;

selecting a current best bid;

communicating the current bid to the providers;

receiving additional bids from providers in response to the current best bid; and

selecting a bid according to a selection policy when the reverse auction deadline is exceeded.