Handling unscheduled tasks in a scheduling process
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented apparatus for scheduling tasks to be performed using a plurality of resources, comprising:
- a first processing system arranged to generate schedule data comprising a plurality of schedules, each of the schedules comprising data indicative of tasks that individual ones of the resources are to carry out, prepared from task data concerning the tasks to be carried out and resource data concerning characteristics of resources available to carry out the tasks over a given period, said characteristics including location of the resource, wherein the first processing system is arranged to provide unscheduled task data concerning a task not included in the schedules, and to transmit the schedule data and the unscheduled task data to a second, different, processing system;
said second processing system being arranged to review the schedule data so as to identify at least one candidate resource to perform the unscheduled task corresponding to the unscheduled task data,wherein the second processing system is responsive to selection of said unscheduled task so as to identify two or more said candidate resources to perform the unscheduled task and to assign a ranking to each said candidate resources on the basis of the location the task and the location of the candidate resource, the second processing system being arranged to display data indicative of the identified two or more candidate resources.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Tasks (T) such as repair jobs on a telecommunications system, that are to be performed by a plurality of resources such as field engineers (E), at different locations in a geographical area (2), are scheduled by means of a scheduler (10) at a work manager server (5). The scheduler provides schedule data (11) corresponding to schedules of the tasks that individual ones of the resources are to carry out, from task data (4) concerning the tasks to be carried out and resource data (6) concerning characteristics of resources available to carry out the tasks over a given period. Not all the tasks are scheduled, resulting in unscheduled task data (11a). The schedule data (11) is downloaded to a workstation (7) together with the unscheduled task data. The downloaded data is analysed at the workstation to determine a candidate resource (E) to perform the task (T) corresponding to the unscheduled task data.
58 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented apparatus for scheduling tasks to be performed using a plurality of resources, comprising:
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a first processing system arranged to generate schedule data comprising a plurality of schedules, each of the schedules comprising data indicative of tasks that individual ones of the resources are to carry out, prepared from task data concerning the tasks to be carried out and resource data concerning characteristics of resources available to carry out the tasks over a given period, said characteristics including location of the resource, wherein the first processing system is arranged to provide unscheduled task data concerning a task not included in the schedules, and to transmit the schedule data and the unscheduled task data to a second, different, processing system; said second processing system being arranged to review the schedule data so as to identify at least one candidate resource to perform the unscheduled task corresponding to the unscheduled task data, wherein the second processing system is responsive to selection of said unscheduled task so as to identify two or more said candidate resources to perform the unscheduled task and to assign a ranking to each said candidate resources on the basis of the location the task and the location of the candidate resource, the second processing system being arranged to display data indicative of the identified two or more candidate resources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12)
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7. A computer-implemented method of scheduling tasks to be performed using a plurality of resources, the method comprising a first scheduling process and a second scheduling process:
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the first scheduling process comprising; generating schedule data comprising a plurality of schedules, each of the schedules comprising data indicative of tasks that individual ones of the resources are to carry out, prepared from task data concerning the tasks to be carried out and resource data concerning characteristics of resources available to carry out the tasks over a given period, said characteristics including location of the resources; and identifying unscheduled task data concerning a task not included in the schedules; the second scheduling process comprising; receiving the schedule data and the identified unscheduled task data; selecting an unscheduled task from the unscheduled task data; reviewing the schedule data so as to identify a plurality of candidate resources to perform the unscheduled task; ranking the identified resources on the basis of the location of the task and the location of the candidate resource; and displaying data indicative of the identified two or more candidate resources. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 13)
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Specification