TASK MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

• US 20160217411A1
• Filed: 01/27/2015
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Kamp, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/606,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20160217411A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Task management techniques which use a beacon to detect mobile communication devices carried by task performers. An example task management method includes receiving by a task management system a message containing a beacon identifier from a mobile communication device carried by a task performer within communication range of a beacon, determining by the task management system a location of the beacon from the beacon identifier, determining by the task management system a task scheduled to be performed at the location, and marking the task as completed by the task management system.

Claims

1. A task management method comprising:

receiving by a task management system a message containing a beacon identifier from a mobile communication device carried by a task performer within communication range of a beacon;

determining by the task management system a location of the beacon from the beacon identifier;

determining by the task management system a task scheduled to be performed a the location; and

marking the task as completed by the task management system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message also contains a task performer identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging a time of receipt of the message by the task management system

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging a task completion time by the task management system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving completion information entered by the task performer before marking the task as completed.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending a task completion acknowledgment message by the task management system to the mobile communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a next task message to the mobile communication device containing next scheduled task information by the task management system.

8. A task management method comprising:

establishing beacons having unique beacon identifiers at locations where tasks are to be performed;

receiving by a task management system a message containing one of the beacon identifiers and a task performer identifier from a mobile communication device carried by a task performer within communication range of a corresponding beacon;

logging a time of receipt of the message by the task management system;

determining by the task management system a location of the corresponding beacon from the one beacon identifier;

determining by the task management system the task to be performed a the location;

receiving a task completion message from the mobile communication device by the task management system;

marking the task as completed by the task management system;

logging a task completion time by the task management system; and

sending a task completion acknowledgment message by the task management system to the mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending by the task management system a next task message to the mobile communication device containing a next task to be performed.

10. A task method comprising:

receiving a signal containing a beacon identifier from a beacon at a location where a task is to be performed by a mobile communication device carried by a task performer; and

sending a message to a task management system containing the beacon identifier by the mobile communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the message also contains a task performer identifier.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein a mobile application of the mobile communication device sends the message to the task management system.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

recording entry of task completion information by the task performer into the mobile communication device; and

sending the task completion information to the task management system by the mobile communication device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving an acknowledgment message from the task management system by the mobile communication device.

16. A task system comprising:

a beacon at a location where a task is to be performed for producing a signal containing a beacon identifier; and

a task management system configured to

receive a message containing the beacon identifier from a mobile communication device carried by a task performer within communication range of the beacon;

determining by the task management system a location of the beacon from the beacon identifier;

determining by the task management system a task scheduled to be performed a the location; and

marking the task as completed by the task management system.

15. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving a next task message containing a next task to be performed from the task management system by the mobile communication device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the task management system is further configured to receive completion information entered by the task performer before marking the task as completed.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the task management system is further configured to

send a task completion acknowledgment message to the mobile communication device.