System and method for performing substitute fulfillment information compilation and notification

• US 6,675,151 B1
• Filed: 10/15/1999
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frontline Technologies Group LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Frontline Data, Inc.
• Inventors: Blackstone, Michael S., Thompson, Roland R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Application Number:
  US09/419,266
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 705/9
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A system and method for automating the performance of substitute fulfillment to assign a replacement worker to substitute for a worker during a temporary absence, performing placement of floating workers, tracking absences and entitlements of workers, notifying interested parties regarding unexpected events and daily announcements, and bidding for temporary workers. Substitute fulfillment, contact, absence, entitlement and notification data is stored centrally in a database on a server at a common site for multiple organizations employing the substitute fulfillment or notification system. When a worker absence is indicated, the system searches the database to obtain a list of potential replacements for the absent worker and tracks the worker'"'"'s absences and entitlements. The system contacts potential replacements until one is found or until the list is exhausted. The system generates suitable reports and notifies organization personnel of any activity. The system also records announcements regarding unexpected or current events and contacts the interested parties of an organization with these announcements. The system stores and aggregates historical operation data, prepares reports and provides relevant services.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented substitute fulfillment system that identifies and secures substitute workers for a plurality of different organizations, comprising:

a central server that processes information associated with a plurality of different organizations;

a central database coupled to the central server, the central database including records that store substitute fulfillment data associated with each of the plurality of different organizations, wherein for each of the different organizations the fulfillment data includes worker records representing workers that may be absent from the organization and substitute worker records representing substitute workers that may be used to fill a position of an absent worker;

a plurality of local processors that are remote from the central server, each of the local processors being associated with one of the different organizations and having a separate local database coupled thereto, wherein each local database is associated with one of the different organizations and includes worker records representing workers that may be absent from the organization and substitute worker records representing substitute workers that may be used to fill a position of an absent worker;

wherein said organizations comprise one or more of schools, school districts, retail banks, branch offices of banks, convenience stores, manufacturing facilities, fire departments, police departments, hospitals, transportation departments, airlines and temporary worker agencies;

wherein the central database maintains each of the records on each local database in parallel with a corresponding record on the central database by periodically updating the records on the local databases in response to data changes on the central database, and wherein each local database maintains records on the central database in parallel with corresponding records on the local database by periodically updating the records on the central database in response to the data changes on the local database;

at least one telephone communication link coupled to the central server, wherein the telephone communication link provides information representing absent workers to the central server, the central server identifies one or more of the substitute workers in response to the information representing absent workers, and the central server communicates information representing positions to be filled to substitute workers via the telephone communication link or an Internet communication link and secures one or more substitute workers via the telephone communication link or the Internet link; and

wherein the central server periodically transmits reports that include absentee and substitute information to each of the different organizations via the telephone communication link or the Internet communication link.

2. A computer-implemented substitute fulfillment system that identifies and secures substitute workers for a plurality of different organizations, comprising:

a central server that processes information associated with a plurality of different organizations;

a central database coupled to the central server, the central database including records that store substitute fulfillment data associated with each of the plurality of different organizations, wherein for each of the different organizations the fulfillment data includes worker records representing workers that may be absent from the organization and floating worker records representing substitute workers that may be used to fill a position of an absent worker;

a plurality of local processors that are remote from the central server, each of the local processors being associated with one of the different organizations and having a separate local database coupled thereto, wherein each local database is associated with one of the different organizations and includes worker records representing workers that may be absent from the organization and floating worker records representing floating workers that may be used to fill a position of an absent worker;

wherein the central database maintains each of the records on each local database in parallel with a corresponding record on the central database by periodically updating the records on the local databases in response to data changes on the central database, and wherein each local database maintains records on the central database in parallel with corresponding records on the local database by periodically updating the records on the central database in response to the data changes on the local database;

at least one telephone communication link coupled to the central server, wherein the telephone communication link provides information representing absent workers to the central server, the central server identifies one or more of the floating workers in response to the information representing absent workers, and the central server communicates information representing positions to be filled to floating workers via the telephone communication link or an Internet communication link and secures one or more substitute workers via the telephone communication link or the Internet link; and

wherein the central server periodically transmits reports that include absentee and substitute information to each of the different organizations via the telephone communication link or the Internet communication link.

3. A method for performing substitute fulfillment for a plurality of different organizations comprising:

receiving absentee information representing an absent worker via at least one communication link;

generating and posting a list of one or more positions of one or more absent workers that need to be filled by one or more substitute workers on a website;

receiving a response by a substitute worker selecting a posted position on the website via an Internet communication link; and

securing via the Internet communication link the substitute worker who selected the posted position to fill in for the absent worker.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more absent workers are from a plurality of different organizations.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the posted list of one or more positions includes positions from a plurality of different organizations.

6. A substitute fulfillment system that secures one or more substitute workers for a plurality of organizations comprising:

a database comprising worker records, said worker records having information associated with workers for each of the organizations, and substitute records, said substitute records having information associated with at least one substitute worker; and

a server connected to the database, the server configured for;

receiving absentee information representing an absent worker via at least one communication link;

generating and posting a list of one or more positions of one or more absent workers that need to be filled by one or more substitute workers on a website;

receiving a response by a substitute worker selecting a posted position on the website via an Internet communication link; and

securing via the Internet communication link the substitute worker who selected the posted position to fill in for the absent worker.

7. The substitute fulfillment system of claim 6 wherein the server is further configured to generate a list of substitute workers and absent workers who the substitute workers will be filling in for a given organization and to transmit the generated list of substitute workers and names of the absent workers who the substitute workers will be filling in for to the given organization via the at least one communication link.

8. The substitute fulfillment system of claim 6 wherein the server is further configured to receive a message via the at least one communication link and to forward the received message to the substitute worker who agrees to fill in for the absent worker via the at least one communication link.

9. The substitute fulfillment system of claim 6 wherein each worker record comprises worker identification, contact, position, qualification, and substitute selection information.

10. The substitute fulfillment system of claim 9 wherein each worker record further comprises entitlement information and historical information of absences and substitute fulfillment events.

11. The substitute fulfillment system of claim 6 wherein each substitute worker record comprises substitute identification, contact, qualification, and availability information.

12. The substitute fulfillment system of claim 6 wherein the organizations are unaffiliated.

13. The substitute fulfillment system of claim 6 wherein the workers are teachers and the substitute workers are substitute teachers.