System and Method for Directing and Monitoring the Activities of Remote Agents
First Claim
1. A method for directing activities of a remote agent, comprising the steps of:
- generating, via a remote activity manager, target locations based on geo-coded information of remote locations, wherein the target locations are locations having contacts, wherein the target locations are a subset of the remote locations;
generating, via a scheduling engine, a schedule based on pre-determined business rules, contact parameters for the target locations, and the geo-coded information, wherein the contact parameters are based on contact characteristics of the contacts;
transmitting the schedule to a handheld unit of the remote agent, wherein the handheld unit is a programmable device comprising a GPS receiver, wherein the schedule is transmitted by the remote activity manager, wherein the remote activity manager communicates with the handheld unit via a long range wireless network; and
,displaying the schedule via a user interface for the handheld unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for directing activities of remote agents via a scheduling engine which generates a proposed schedule based on predetermined business rules, contact parameters for the target locations, and the geo-coded information of the target locations. The target locations have contacts to be visited by a remote agent. The schedule is transmitted by a remote activity manager to the remote agent'"'"'s handheld unit via a wireless network. The schedule and the geo-coded information may be displayed via a use interface. The remote agent may supply visit information. The location of the handheld unit may be tracked at predetermined intervals in order verify the visit.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A method for directing activities of a remote agent, comprising the steps of:
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generating, via a remote activity manager, target locations based on geo-coded information of remote locations, wherein the target locations are locations having contacts, wherein the target locations are a subset of the remote locations; generating, via a scheduling engine, a schedule based on pre-determined business rules, contact parameters for the target locations, and the geo-coded information, wherein the contact parameters are based on contact characteristics of the contacts; transmitting the schedule to a handheld unit of the remote agent, wherein the handheld unit is a programmable device comprising a GPS receiver, wherein the schedule is transmitted by the remote activity manager, wherein the remote activity manager communicates with the handheld unit via a long range wireless network; and
,displaying the schedule via a user interface for the handheld unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 58)
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41. A system for directing the activities of remote agents comprising:
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a remote activity manager adapted to generate target locations based on geo-coded information of remote locations, wherein the target locations are locations having contacts, wherein the target locations are a subset of the remote locations; a scheduling engine adapted to generate a schedule based on pre-determined business rules, contact parameters for the target locations, and the geo-coded information, wherein the contact parameters are based on contact characteristics of the contacts; a handheld unit adapted to receive the schedule, wherein the handheld unit is a programmable device comprising a GPS receiver, wherein the remote activity manager is further adapted to communicate with the handheld unit via a long range wireless network, wherein the remote activity manager is further adapted to transmit the schedule to the handheld unit; and
,a user interface adapted to display the schedule on the handheld unit. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A first and second computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor, wherein:
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(a) the instructions on the first medium are adapted to execute on a system comprising a scheduling engine; provide target locations having contacts to the scheduling engine; provide geo-coded information of remote locations to the scheduling engine; generate, via the scheduling engine, a schedule based on pre-determined business rules, contact parameters for the target locations, and the geo-coded information, wherein the contact parameters are based on contact characteristics of the contacts; provide the schedule to a remote activity manager; provide the schedule and geo-coded information to a handheld unit, wherein the remote activity manager communicates with the handheld unit via a long range wireless network; receive, from the handheld unit, visit information and tracked geo-coded information of the handheld unit; and (b) the instructions on the second medium are adapted to execute on the handheld unit; receive the schedule and the geo-coded information; display the schedule and the geo-coded information via a use interface; receive visit information from the remote agent; track geo-coded information of the handheld unit at predetermined intervals; and transmit visit information and tracked geo-coded information to the remote activity manager.
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Specification