Systems and methods for automatically managing work flow based on tracking job step completion status

• US 6,604,124 B1
• Filed: 10/24/2000
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anthurium Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Scribes Corporation
• Inventors: Archbold, Janice K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLETT, STEPHAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/694,884
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/103, 709/201, 701/106, 705/7, 705/8
• US Class Current: 718/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system is disclosed that includes one or more “HOME”s where there is a (1) “DAD” computer and software system for human User interaction to initiate Jobs (Transcription, Translation, Data Entry, and Transaction Creation) and to utilize voice-mail through real-time voice and tone signal input and (2) “HIS” computer and software system or keeping the databases used to process Jobs and for keeping the statistical records of jobs for analysis, general ledger, payroll and billing. In addition the system includes one or more “MOM”s where there is a software system server on a computer set on the backbone of a global communication network (e.g. Internet) that (1) receives Job packets from its HOMEs, (2) selects Scribes for work (e.g. transcription), (3) generates messages in the form of E-Mail and Voice-Mail to specified users for action, (4) updates the status of the Job Record and transferring that updated Record to a SUPERMOM, (5) implements all the details of job processing steps and logic that has been controlled by Human Supervisors. The system may further include a “SUPERMOM” where there is a software system server on a computer set on the backbone of the global computer network (e.g. Internet) that receives Job Packets from MOMs where portions of the job are spread over two or more MOMs; SUPERMOM directs and transfers that job data; receives Job Record updates and maintains a Site for on-line internet job tracking inquiries; SUPERMOM selects Scribes for Jobs that are not able to find an available Scribe within their own MOM'"'"'s HOMEs, collects the statistical and financial data from all the HOMEs, and provides general top level management decision making information.

Claims

1. A system for automatically managing workflow, comprising:

a first computer that generates a job packet containing a set of computer-readable indicators that represent a user-specified set of job steps associated with a current job; and

a central computer that receives the job packet from the first computer, selects a scribe from a list of available scribes, and automatically forwards a job request to a scribe computer associated with the selected scribe, the job request containing an electronic file to be processed by the selected scribe;

wherein the first computer and the scribe computer are coupled to the central computer via a global communications network, wherein the job is assigned a priority designation, and wherein the central computer transmits a status inquiry to the scribe computer to determine whether a current job step can be performed in accordance with the priority designation and, if the central computer determines that the current job step can not be performed in accordance with the priority designation, then the central computer forwards the job request to a second scribe computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the scribe computer forwards a processed electronic file to the central computer, and wherein the central computer automatically disposes of the processed electronic file in accordance with the set of job steps.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computer maintains and stores the list of available scribes.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the central computer receives scribe availability data from the scribe computer, and maintains the list of available scribes based on the scribe availability data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the job packet contains a priority designation associated with the electronic file to be processed by the selected scribe, and wherein the central computer selects the selected scribe based on the priority designation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computer tracks a current status of the job based on a respective current status of each of the job steps.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the central computer modifies the set of job steps based on the status of the current job.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the central computer modifies the set of job steps based on a priority designation associated with the electronic file.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computer initiates a next job step based on completion of a current job step.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computer reinitiates a current job step based on a determination that the current job step has not been completed.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computer receives a job modification request, and modifies the set of job steps based on the received job modification request.

12. A system for automatically managing work flow, the system comprising:

a local computer that receives job instructions from an authorized user and generates a job packet containing a set of computer-readable indicators that represent a set of job steps associated with a current job; and

a central computer that

receives the job packet from the local computer,

automatically forwards to a remote computer a job request associated with at least one of the job steps, the job request requesting performance of the associated job step, and

tracks a current status of the job based on a respective current status of each of the job steps;

wherein the local computer and the remote computer are coupled to the central computer via a global communications network, wherein the job is assigned a priority designation, and wherein the central computer transmits a status inquiry to the remote computer to determine whether a current job step can be performed in accordance with the priority designation and, if the central computer determines that the current job step can not be performed in accordance with the priority designation, then the central computer forwards the job request to a second remote computer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the central computer changes the priority designation before forwarding the job request to the second remote computer.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the central computer provides the current status to a user of the system via the global communications network.