GROUP SCHEDULING AND ASSIGNMENT OF RESOURCES

• US 20130103444A1
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Epic Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Epic Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Lindemann, Philip Joshua, Agarwal, Sulabh, Bina, Sean Bernard
• Application Number:
  US13/278,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20130103444A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling

Abstract

A system, computer-readable medium, and method for scheduling use of a resource based on a resource type and of assigning the resource to an appointment are provided. A resource type definition defining first characteristics of a resource type is received. An appointment type definition defining third characteristics of an appointment type is received. Appointment parameters associated with an appointment to schedule are received. The appointment parameters include the appointment type and the resource type to be used in conducting the appointment. The appointment is scheduled for a date and a time window using a number of resources of the resource type available on the date and during the time window and information associated with previously scheduled appointments. After scheduling the appointment, a resource of the resource type is assigned to the scheduled appointment.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to:

receive a resource type definition defining first characteristics of a resource type;

receive an appointment type definition defining third characteristics of an appointment type;

receive appointment parameters associated with an appointment to schedule, wherein the appointment parameters include the appointment type and the resource type to be used in conducting the appointment;

schedule the appointment for a date and a time window using a number of resources of the resource type available on the date and during the time window and information associated with previously scheduled appointments; and

after scheduling the appointment, assign a resource of the resource type to the scheduled appointment.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the computing device to update a schedule of the assigned resource to include the scheduled appointment.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the computing device to update appointment information of the scheduled appointment to include the assigned resource.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the resource type is selected from the group consisting of a type of person who may have specific qualifications to conduct the appointment, a type of equipment used to conduct the appointment, and a type of area in which to conduct the appointment.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the appointment is associated with a task to be performed on the date and during the time window.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the resource of the resource type is assigned by receiving an indicator of dragging and dropping a resource indicator for the resource onto an appointment indicator for the appointment.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the computing device to present a resource assignment selector window after scheduling the appointment and before assigning the resource, wherein the resource assignment selector window includes a resource type selector, a date selector, and a time window selector.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the computing device to present a resource scheduling and assignment window after presenting the resource assignment selector window and before assigning the resource, wherein the resource scheduling and assignment window includes a plurality of resource indicators defined based on the resource type selector and a resource assignment timeline defined by the time window selector for a date defined by the date selector, wherein the resource indicator for the resource is included in the plurality of resource indicators and the appointment indicator is included in the resource assignment timeline.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the resource assignment selector window further includes a resource assignment group selector, wherein the resource scheduling and assignment window further includes a plurality of resource assignment group indicators defined based on the resource assignment group selector, and further wherein the appointment indicator is included in the resource assignment timeline for an assignment group of the plurality of resource assignment group indicators.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the resource of the resource type is assigned by receiving an indicator of dragging and dropping a resource indicator for the resource onto a resource assignment group of the plurality of resource assignment group indicators.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the resource is assigned to each appointment of the resource assignment group that indicates a need for the resource type to conduct the appointment.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the appointment indicator includes a needed resource indicator indicating a need for the resource type to conduct the appointment.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the needed resource indicator is an icon selected to represent the resource type.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the computing device to present a resource assignment selector window after scheduling the appointment and before assigning the resource, wherein the resource assignment selector window includes a resource type selector, a date selector, and a time window selector.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the computing device to present a resource scheduling and assignment window after presenting the resource assignment selector window and before assigning the resource, wherein the resource scheduling and assignment window includes a plurality of resource indicators defined based on the resource type selector and a resource assignment timeline defined by the time window selector for a date defined by the date selector, wherein the resource indicator for the resource is included in the plurality of resource indicators and the appointment indicator is included in the resource assignment timeline, and further wherein the icon is removed from the appointment indicator after assigning the resource to the appointment.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the resource of the resource type is assigned by receiving an indicator of dragging and dropping an appointment indicator for the appointment onto an open time window associated with a schedule for the resource.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the computing device to present a resource assignment selector window after scheduling the appointment and before assigning the resource, wherein the resource assignment selector window includes a resource type selector, a date selector, and a time window selector.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the computing device to present a resource scheduling and assignment window after presenting the resource assignment selector window and before assigning the resource, wherein the resource scheduling and assignment window includes a plurality of resource indicators defined based on the resource type selector, a resource assignment timeline for the plurality of resource indicators, and the appointment indicator, wherein the open time window of the resource is included in the resource assignment timeline in association with a resource indicator for the resource.

19. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium operably coupled to the processor, the computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to

receive a resource type definition defining first characteristics of a resource type;

receive an appointment type definition defining third characteristics of an appointment type;

receive appointment parameters associated with an appointment to schedule, wherein the appointment parameters include the appointment type and the resource type to be used in conducting the appointment;

schedule the appointment for a date and a time window using a number of resources of the resource type available on the date and during the time window and information associated with previously scheduled appointments; and

after scheduling the appointment, assign a resource of the resource type to the scheduled appointment.

20. A method of scheduling use of a resource based on a resource type and of assigning the resource to an appointment, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a resource type definition defining first characteristics of a resource type;

receiving, by the computing device, an appointment type definition defining third characteristics of an appointment type;

receiving, by the computing device, appointment parameters associated with an appointment to schedule, wherein the appointment parameters include the appointment type and the resource type to be used in conducting the appointment;

scheduling, by the computing device, the appointment for a date and a time window using a number of resources of the resource type available on the date and during the time window and information associated with previously scheduled appointments; and

after scheduling the appointment, assigning, by the computing device, a resource of the resource type to the scheduled appointment.