System and method for managing mobile workers

• US 7,487,106 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Masterlink Corporation (360Training.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Masterlink Corporation (360Training.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fenimore, Garry, Levine, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOYCE, ANDRE D
• Application Number:
  US11/845,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 705/9
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• 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 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task

Abstract

A computer implemented system and method for managing mobile workers in an object oriented programming environment is disclosed. A plurality of target objects that correspond to facilities assets to be worked on by a mobile worker are classified within a database of the computer. The attributes of each target object are defined, including a task to be performed on each target object. Mobile workers are scheduled for the tasks to be performed on target objects by running a rule engine to determine the algorithms and heuristics to be used to schedule mobile workers for the tasks to be performed. The scheduled jobs are then output to the mobile workers.

Claims

1. A system for managing mobile workers, comprising:

a plurality of clients, each corresponding to a mobile worker to be managed, each client including a communications device for receiving messages detailing work schedules for tasks to be performed as jobs on target objects in a job environment;

a server in communication with each of said plurality of clients, said server including a database having a plurality of target objects that are classified corresponding to facilities assets to be worked on by a mobile worker, and attributes of each target object, including any tasks to be performed on target objects, said server including a rule engine operative for determining algorithms based on a utility function for partitioned jobs and mobile workers wherein different algorithms are selected and used for different partitions to schedule jobs and mobile workers in selected different regions, wherein an algorithm is selected based on a weighted sum that is calculated from a possible number of work schedules, jobs and mobile workers for each partition, wherein a selected policy for a job environment determines how mobile workers, jobs and work schedules are partitioned, said server further comprising a plurality of system agents that automate supervision including work planning, scheduling, dispatching, stores management job state management and end-of-shift management; and

a communications device operative with said server for communicating calculated work schedules and jobs as messages to said clients.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said server further comprises a simulator database and simulation module that queries the simulator database to determine the effects of a policy change on planning and scheduling of jobs and workers using different algorithms and partitions.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system agents further comprise a planner agent that inventories items requiring work and determines tasks to schedule, the skills required to complete the tasks and material needs.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said system agents further comprise a schedule agent that matches skill resources to the demands of the job and creates a proposed schedule.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said system agents further comprise a dispatcher agent for tracking the location and status of the workforce.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein said system agents further comprise a job state manager that maintains the state of active jobs and determines which jobs transitions to new states.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said server further comprises an event bus operative with the system agents and database, wherein said system agents communicate across the event bus with the database and rule engine for implementing system agent functions based on events passed over the event bus.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said rule engine determines a primary scheduling algorithm and parameters to be used for scheduling jobs to workers.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said primary scheduling algorithm comprises a brute force scheduling algorithm that is operable by determining an n number of jobs and m workers, trying all combinations of n jobs on the schedules for m workers and choosing assignments that maximize the total utility of the worker'"'"'s schedules.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the rule engine is operative for trying the brute force scheduling algorithm followed by a forward chaining rule engine or a round robin scheduling algorithm.

11. A system for managing mobile workers, comprising:

a plurality of clients, each corresponding to a mobile worker to be managed, each client including a communications device for receiving messages detailing work schedules for tasks to be performed as jobs on target objects in a job environment;

a server in communication with each of said plurality of clients, said server including a database having a plurality of target objects that are classified corresponding to facilities assets to be worked on by a mobile worker, and attributes of each target object, including any tasks to be performed on target objects, said server including a rule engine operative for determining algorithms based on a utility function for partitioned jobs and mobile workers wherein different algorithms are selected and used for different partitions to schedule jobs and mobile workers in selected different regions, wherein an algorithm is selected based on a weighted sum that is calculated from a possible number of work schedules, jobs and mobile workers for each partition, wherein a selected policy for a job environment determines how mobile workers, jobs and work schedules are partitioned, said server further comprising a plurality of system agents that automate supervision including work planning, scheduling, dispatching, stores management job state management and end-of-shift management, and a policy database for storing data relating to selected policy for a job environment and how the mobile workers, jobs and work schedules are partitioned; and

a communications device operative with said server for communicating calculated work schedules and jobs to said clients.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said server further comprises a simulator database and simulator module that queries the simulator database to determine the effects of a policy change on planning and scheduling of jobs and workers using different algorithms and partitions.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said system agents further comprise a planner agent that inventories items requiring work and determines tasks to schedule, the skills required to complete the tasks and material needs.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said system agents further comprise a schedule agent that matches skill resources to the demands of the job and creates a proposed schedule.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said system agents further comprise a dispatcher agent for tracking the location and status of the workforce.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said system agents further comprise a job state manager that maintains the state of active jobs and determines which jobs transitions to new states.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said server further comprises an event bus operative with the system agents and database, wherein said system agents communicate across the event bus with the database and rule engine for implementing system agent functions based on events passed over the event bus.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said rule engine determines a primary scheduling algorithm and parameters to be used for scheduling jobs to workers.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said primary scheduling algorithm comprises a brute force scheduling algorithm that is operable by determining an n number of jobs and m workers, trying all combinations of n jobs on the schedules for m workers and choosing assignments that maximize the total utility of the worker'"'"'s schedules.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the rule engine is operative for trying the brute force scheduling algorithm followed by a forward chaining rule engine or a round robin scheduling algorithm.