Methods, Systems, and Computer-Readable Media for Determining a Plurality of Turfs from Where to Reallocate a Workforce to a Given Turf

• US 20090024436A1
• Filed: 07/17/2007
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cole, Robert, Ingman, Robert, Miller, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media provide for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf. According to embodiments, a method for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf is provided. According to the method, an indication of the given turf is received. Optimal turfs from where to reallocate technicians to the given turf are determined from a plurality of turfs. Visual cues for identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs are generated.

Claims

1. A method for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf, comprising:

receiving an indication of the given turf,

determining which of a plurality of turfs are optimal turfs from where to reallocate technicians to the given turf, and

generating visual cues identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining which of a plurality of turfs are optimal turfs comprises determining which of the plurality of turfs are optimal turfs based on a distance between each of the plurality of turfs and the given turf.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining which of a plurality of turfs are optimal turfs comprises determining which of the plurality of turfs are optimal turfs based on an ease with which a technician is reallocated from each of the plurality of turfs to the given turf.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the ease with which a technician is reallocated comprises an availability of roads between each of the plurality of turfs and the given turf.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the ease with which a technician is reallocated comprises an amount of traffic on roads between each of the plurality of turfs and the given turf.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating visual cues identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs comprises generating a list identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs, the list ranked in an order indicating a level of optimality associated with each of at least a portion of the optimal turfs.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating visual cues identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs comprises highlighting at least a portion of the optimal turfs in a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

), each of the at least a portion of the optimal turfs associated with a level of highlighting corresponding to a level of optimality associated with each of the at least a portion of the optimal turfs.

8. A system for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf, comprising

a memory for storing a program containing code for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf,

a processor functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program and operative to:

receive an indication of the given turf,

determine which of a plurality of turfs are optimal turfs from where to reallocate technicians to the given turf, and

generate visual cues identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the optimal turfs are determined based on a distance between each of the plurality of turfs and the given turf.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the optimal turfs are determined based on an ease with which a technician is reallocated from each of the plurality of turfs to the given turf.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the ease with which a technician is reallocated comprises at least one of an availability of roads between each of the plurality of turfs and the given turf and traffic on roads between each of the plurality of turfs and the given turf.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the visual cues comprise a list identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs, the list ranked in an order indicating a level of optimality associated with each of the at least a portion of the optimal turfs.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the visual cues comprise a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) in which at least a portion of the optimal turfs are highlighted, each of the at least a portion of the optimal turfs associated with a level of highlighting corresponding to a level of optimality associated with each of the at least a portion of the optimal turfs.

14. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of the given turf,

determining which of a plurality of turfs are optimal turfs from where to reallocate technicians to the given turf, and

generating visual cues identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein determining which of a plurality of turfs are optimal turfs comprises determining which of the plurality of turfs are optimal turfs based on a distance between each of the plurality of turfs and the given turf.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein determining which of a plurality of turfs are optimal turfs comprises determining which of the plurality of turfs are optimal turfs based on an ease with which a technician is reallocated from each of the plurality of turfs to the given turf.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the ease with which a technician is reallocated comprises an availability of roads between each of the plurality of turfs and the given turf.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the ease with which a technician is reallocated comprises traffic on roads between each of the plurality of turfs and the given turf.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein generating visual cues identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs comprises generating a list identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs, the list ranked in an order indicating a level of optimality associated with each of the at least a portion of the optimal turfs.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein generating visual cues identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs comprises highlighting at least a portion of the optimal turfs in a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

), each of the at least a portion of the optimal turfs associated with a level of highlighting corresponding to a level of optimality associated with each of the at least a portion of the optimal turfs.