Method and Apparatus for Describing and Profiling Employee Schedules

• US 20100017251A1
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Beshears, Aaron C., Rawle, David
• Application Number:
  US12/167,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017251A1
• 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 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for identifying activities within a work schedule. The methods includes the steps of identifying an agent, defining at least one schedule profile associated with a single workday of the agent and identifying any occurrences within the work schedule that match the defined schedule profile.

Claims

17. An apparatus for identifying activities within a work schedule comprising:

means for identifying an agent;

means for defining at least one schedule profile associated with a single workday of the agent; and

means for identifying any occurrences within the work schedule that match the defined schedule profile.

1. A method of identifying activities within a work schedule, such method comprising:

identifying an agent;

defining at least one schedule profile associated with a single workday of the agent; and

identifying any occurrences within the work schedule that match the defined schedule profile.

2. The method of identifying activities as in claim 1 further comprising identifying any days within the work schedule where the defined schedule profile did not match.

3. The method of identifying activities as in claim 1 wherein the defined schedule profile further comprises a combination of attributes related with a Boolean operator.

4. The method of identifying activities as in claim 3 wherein the Boolean operator further comprises an AND function.

5. The method of identifying activities as in claim 3 wherein the combination of attributes further comprises a NOT function.

6. The method of identifying activities as in claim 3 wherein at least some attributes of the combination of attributes further comprise a plurality of alternative conditions.

7. The method of identifying activities as in claim 6 wherein the attributes further comprise a plurality of conditions related by an OR function.

8. The method of identifying activities as in claim 6 wherein the attributes further comprise a plurality of conditions related by a NOT function.

9. The method of identifying activities as in claim 1 wherein the defined schedule profile further comprises a segment.

10. The method of identifying activities as in claim 1 further comprises combining the schedule profile with a rule plug-in.

11. The method of identifying activities as in claim 10 wherein the rule plug-in further comprises an equity rule and the schedule profile further comprises a maximum deviation of night shift work days per time period per agent from an average number of night shift work days per time period for all agents.

12. The method of identifying activities as in claim 1 wherein the schedule profile of the event further comprises an identifier of an activity or group of activities performed by the agent.

13. The method of identifying activities as in claim 12 wherein the defined attribute further comprises a work status of the agent.

14. The method of identifying activities as in claim 13 wherein the defined attribute further comprises a time limitation.

15. The method of identifying activities as in claim 14 wherein the work status further comprises one of working time or vacation.

16. The method of identifying activities as in claim 14 wherein the defined time limitation further comprises an evening shift.

18. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 17 further comprising means for identifying any days within the work schedule where the defined schedule profile did not match.

19. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 17 wherein the defined schedule profile further comprises a combination of attributes related with a Boolean operator.

20. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 19 wherein the Boolean operator further comprises an AND function.

21. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 20 further comprising a NOT function.

22. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 20 wherein at least some attributes of the combination of attributes further comprise a plurality of alternative conditions.

23. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 22 wherein the attributes further comprise a plurality of conditions related by an OR function.

24. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 6 wherein the attributes further comprise a plurality of conditions related by a NOT function.

25. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 17 wherein the defined schedule profile further comprises a segment.

26. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 17 further comprises combining the schedule profile with a work rule plug-in.

27. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 26 wherein the rule plug-in further comprises an equity rule and the schedule profile further comprises a maximum number of a predefined type of work day.

28. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 17 wherein the schedule profile of the event further comprises an identifier of an activity or group of activities performed by the agent.

29. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 28 wherein the defined attribute further comprises a work status of the agent.

30. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 29 wherein the defined attribute further comprises a time limitation.

31. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 30 wherein the work status further comprises one of working time or vacation.

32. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 30 wherein the defined time limitation further comprises an evening shift.

33. An apparatus for identifying activities within a work schedule comprising:

an identified agent;

at least one defined schedule profile associated with a single workday of the agent; and

a rule plug-in that identifies any occurrences within the work schedule that match the defined schedule profile.

35. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 33 wherein the defined schedule profile further comprises a combination of attributes related with a Boolean operator.

36. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 35 wherein the Boolean operator further comprises an AND function.

37. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 36 further comprising a NOT function.

38. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 35 wherein at least some attributes of the combination of attributes further comprise a plurality of alternative conditions.

39. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 38 further comprising an OR function that relates the plurality of conditions.

40. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 38 further comprising an NOT function that relates the plurality of conditions.

41. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 33 wherein the defined schedule profile further comprises a segment.

42. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 33 further comprising a rule plug-in combined with the schedule profile.

43. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 33 wherein the schedule profile of the event further comprises an identifier of an activity or group of activities performed by the agent.

47. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 32 wherein the defined time limitation further comprises an evening shift.

33-1. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 32 further comprising a plurality of days identified by the rule plug-in where the defined schedule profile did not match.

44. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 34 wherein the defined attribute further comprises a work status of the agent.

45. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 44 wherein the defined attribute further comprises a time limitation.

46. The apparatus for identifying activities as in claim 45 wherein the work status further comprises one of working time or vacation.