Systems and methods for automatically managing workflow based on optimization of job step scheduling

• US 7,031,998 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthurium Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Scribes Corporation
• Inventors: Archbold, Janice K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLETT, STEPHAN F
• Application Number:
  US10/389,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/219, 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 709/201
• 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 for 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 information or 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 local computer that receives an originating job request and job instructions from an authorized user, and generates a job packet containing at least one of a digital file and a reference to the digital file, wherein the digital file represents job input from the authorized user, the job packet further containing a job record that includes a set of computer-readable job processing requirements that are based on an interpretation by the local computer of the job instructions; and

a central computer that receives the job packet from the local computer, reads and analyzes the job processing requirements, updates the job record based on requirements associated with job steps, and automatically forwards job step data to a remote computer associated with a selected scribe, wherein the job step data contains at least one of the digital file and the reference to the digital file.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote computer forwards a job step completed digital file to the central computer, and wherein the central computer routes the job step completed digital file in accordance with the job processing requirements.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computer routes the job step data, within a processing time associated with the job step and a delivery deadline associated with the job, pursuant to an analysis of the job processing requirements, and in accordance with constraints of scribe resources.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the job processing requirements include identifications of a template, a work-type, and an originating user associated with the job, and identifications of a department, client, and group associated with the originating user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the job processing requirements include a deadline associated with delivery of a completed job.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the job processing requirements include at least one action to be performed as at least one job step.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the job processing requirements include a sequence ofjob step performance.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the job processing requirements include a calculated job step performance time.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the job processing requirements include a time zone associated with the local computer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the job processing requirements include a time zone associated with a delivery destination for a completed job.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computer maintains respective scribe data for each of a plurality of scribes, the scribe data including respective qualification information and a respective availability schedule associated with each scribe.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the central computer receives a scribe availability schedule from the remote computer, and maintains the scribe availability data based on the scribe availability schedule.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the job packet contains a deadline associated with the job, and wherein the central computer selects the selected scribe based at least in part on the deadline.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computer generates a set of job steps that define a job based on the job processing requirements, and tracks progress of the job based at least in part on completion of the job steps.

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

16. 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.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computer reinitiates a current job step based on a determination that the current job step will not be completed within an allotted block of time.