METHOD AND APPARATUS OF TRACKING TIME WORKED IN A MULTI-TASKING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120109795A1
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datto LLC
• Original Assignee: Kaseya International Limited (Kaseya Limited)
• Inventors: Sutherland, Mark James
• Granted Patent: US 9,852,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/12 Counting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus of maintaining time information for a multi-tasking customer service agent is disclosed. One example method of operation may include maintaining time information allocated to a plurality of tasks. The method may include receiving a first task and starting a first timer at a computing device corresponding to the beginning of work performed on the first task. The method may also include receiving a second task and starting a second timer different from the first timer, which corresponds to the beginning of work performed on the second task. The method may further include transferring a total time allocation record representing a total time counted by the first timer and a total time counted by the second timer to a data record stored in memory, wherein the data record associates the total time counted by the first timer with a corresponding task, and associates the total time counted by the second timer with a different corresponding task.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining time information allocated to a plurality of tasks, the method comprising:

receiving a first task and starting a first timer at a computing device corresponding to the beginning of work performed on the first task;

receiving a second task and starting a second timer different from the first timer, which corresponds to the beginning of work performed on the second task; and

transferring a total time allocation record representing a total time counted by the first timer and a total time counted by the second timer to a data record stored in memory, wherein the data record associates the total time counted by the first timer with a corresponding task, and associates the total time counted by the second timer with a different corresponding task.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating both the first timer and the second timer simultaneously and automatically ending the first timer when the first task is completed and automatically ending the second timer when the second task is completed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein starting the second timer automatically initiates at least one of ending the first timer and pausing the first timer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third task and starting a third timer that is different from the first timer and the second timer, the third timer corresponding to the beginning of work performed on the third task.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

assigning the first task a first color indicator;

assigning the second task a second color indicator different from the first color indicator; and

assigning the third task a third color indicator different from the first color indicator and the second color indicator.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first task, the second task and the third task are received as at least one of a phone call, an email, and a text message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pausing the first timer when the second task is received and resuming the first timer when the second task is completed.

8. An apparatus configured to maintain time information allocated to a plurality of tasks, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first task and a second task;

a processor configured to start a first timer corresponding to the beginning of work performed on the first task, and configured to start a second timer different from the first timer, which corresponds to the beginning of work performed on the second task; and

a transmitter configured to transfer a total time allocation record representing a total time counted by the first timer and a total time counted by the second timer to a data record stored in memory, wherein the data record associates the total time counted by the first timer with a corresponding task, and associates the total time counted by the second timer with a different corresponding task.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first timer and the second timer are operated simultaneously, and the first timer is automatically ended when the first task is completed and the second timer is automatically ended when the second task is completed.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein starting the second timer automatically initiates at least one of ending the first timer and pausing the first timer.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a third task is received and a third timer is started that is different from the first timer and the second timer, the third timer corresponding to the beginning of work performed on the third task.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first task is assigned a first color indicator, the second task is assigned a second color indicator different from the first color indicator, and the third task is assigned a third color indicator different from the first color indicator and the second color indicator.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first task, the second task and the third task are received as at least one of a phone call, an email, and a text message.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first timer is paused when the second task is received and the first timer is resumed when the second task is completed.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor perform maintaining time information allocated to a plurality of tasks, the processor being further configured to perform:

receiving a first task and starting a first timer at a computing device corresponding to the beginning of work performed on the first task;

receiving a second task and starting a second timer different from the first timer, which corresponds to the beginning of work performed on the second task; and

transferring a total time allocation record representing a total time counted by the first timer and a total time counted by the second timer to a data record stored in memory, wherein the data record associates the total time counted by the first timer with a corresponding task, and associates the total time counted by the second timer with a different corresponding task.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

operating both the first timer and the second timer simultaneously and automatically ending the first timer when the first task is completed and automatically ending the second timer when the second task is completed.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein starting the second timer automatically initiates at least one of ending the first timer and pausing the first timer.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

receiving a third task and starting a third timer that is different from the first timer and the second timer, the third timer corresponding to the beginning of work performed on the third task.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

assigning the first task a first color indicator;

assigning the second task a second color indicator different from the first color indicator; and

assigning the third task a third color indicator different from the first color indicator and the second color indicator.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first task, the second task and the third task are received as at least one of a phone call, an email, and a text message.