Notification of employees via pass code accessed web pages

• US 7,945,468 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2000
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frontline Technologies Group LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: FRONTLINE TECHNOLOGIES Incorporated
• Inventors: Wainright, Shannon, Bernasconi, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cobanoglu; Dilek B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapillo; Kristine K
• Application Number:
  US09/641,866
• Time in Patent Office: 3,924 Days
• Field of Search: 705 7- 11, 434/108
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Disclosed is an Internet-based database system and method (ASP), that enables school districts and temporary employment agencies to automate the dispatching (24/7) of pre-qualified substitute/temporary personnel to specified school/work site locations for specific absent employees/job openings. The system includes a profile database of permanent and substitute (temporary) employees, positions, skills, working dates/shifts, rates of pay, work sites, lesson plans/comments, reasons for absence and corresponding budget codes. Approved substitute/temporary employees may access the database using a multi-level access and secure logon code through their Internet-based browser device. The software filters job/position information to match specific job openings to the skills, qualifications (certification), preferences and availability of the substitute/temporary employee/s. As job openings (absences) are entered into the system by employees, the school district or employment agency, job details are immediately available through Internet “distributed technology” to all appropriate substitute/temporary employees through their web browser device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more electronic databases having information about a plurality of open positions and qualifications for the open positions, and qualifications of a plurality of workers;

one or more computers configured for filtering to determine, for each of a plurality of the respective workers, one or more of the open positions in the one or more databases for which the respective worker is qualified;

the one or more computers configured for serving a plurality of web pages, with each different respective web page in this plurality associated only with a different one of the respective workers and accessible by a respective worker security code, wherein, for each respective worker web page associated only with the respective worker, the serving comprising serving information on one or more of the open positions for which the respective worker is qualified based at least in part on the qualifications of the worker listed in the one or more databases;

the one or more computers configured for obtaining information about a new open position;

the one or more computers configured for obtaining information about one or more of the workers that are preferred (“

a preferred worker”

) for the new open position;

the one or more computers configured for updating electronically the information in the one or more databases to include information on the new open position;

the one or more computers configured for notifying the one or more preferred workers that the new open position is now available for acceptance by at least serving information about the new open position to the respective one or more worker web pages associated only with the one or more respective preferred workers in response to one or more respective electronic requests for open positions by or for the one or more preferred workers;

the one or more computers configured for serving the one or more web pages of the one or more preferred workers with an electronic capability to make an electronic acceptance of the position in response to the one or more respective electronic requests by or for the one or more preferred workers;

the one or more computers configured for automatically assigning the new open position only to one of the one or more preferred workers during a specified time period, in direct response to receipt of an electronic acceptance of the new open position from one of the one or more preferred workers and removing the position as an available for acceptance open position;

the one or more computers configured for automatically making available for acceptance the new open position to one or more additional respective worker web pages associated only with one or more additional respective workers that are qualified, if one of the one or more preferred workers has not accepted the new open position before expiration of the specified time period and for serving the one or more web pages of the one or more respective additional workers with an electronic capability to make an electronic acceptance of the position in response to one or more respective electronic requests by or for the one or more additional workers; and

the one or more computers configured for assigning the new open position, after the expiration of the specified time period, to one of the workers for which the new open position is made available for acceptance in direct response to receipt of an electronic acceptance of the new open position from that worker.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are configured to serve on each web page associated only with a respective one of the workers only open positions for which the respective one worker is qualified and for which the position is currently available for acceptance through the web page associated only with the one worker.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are configured to serve to each respective web page associated only with a respective one of the workers only the open positions that the respective one worker is qualified to fill.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the one or more computers configured to filter out for a respective one of the workers one or more open positions for which the respective one worker has been rejected;

the one or more computers configured to serve to the respective web page associated only with the respective one worker only open positions that the respective one worker is qualified to fill and that have not been filtered out for the respective one worker.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the workers are substitute teachers.

6. The system of claim 1, with the one or more computers configured so that each web page associated with a respective one of the workers serves only the open positions that the respective one worker is qualified to fill and has not been rejected by a worker whose absence creates the specific open position.

7. The system of claim 1, with the one or more computers further configured to receive an administrative designation of a worker who has accepted an open position at a location, for another open position at the same location for a different day.

8. The system of claim 1, with the one or more computers configured to serve information about the new open position to the one or more respective web pages associated only with the one or more respective preferred workers during the specified time period.

9. The system of claim 1, with the one or more computers further configured to notify the one or more preferred workers via e-mail or e-pager.

10. The system of claim 1, with the one or more computers further configured to serve an assignment of the new open position automatically after receiving an electronic acceptance of the specific open position from one of the one or more preferred workers.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for notifying electronically the one or more preferred workers about the new open position.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are further configured for receiving information designating one or more of the workers as the one or more preferred workers for the new open position.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising the one or more computers configured for specially marking the new open position on the respective web pages associated only with the one or more respective preferred workers, so that on each respective web page associated only with one of the respective preferred workers, the new open position is differentiated from other open positions listed on that respective web page associated only with the one respective preferred worker.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising the one or more computers configured for serving or otherwise electronically communicating a confirmation number to the worker in response to receiving the electronic acceptance of the new open position from the worker.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising the one or more computers configured for filtering to prevent serving of one of the open positions to one of the respective worker web pages based on one or more preferences associated with the respective worker in the one or more databases.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising the one or more computers configured for filtering to prevent serving of one of the open positions to one of the respective worker web pages based on the position not being available for acceptance to the respective worker.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising the one or more computers configured for filtering to prevent serving of any open position to the respective web page of any respective worker that is not qualified to fill the open position.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising the one or more computers configured for serving of the new open position during the specified time period only to the one or more respective web pages associated with the one or more respective preferred workers.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are configured for automatically making available for acceptance the new open position to a plurality of additional respective worker web pages associated only with a plurality of additional respective workers that are qualified for the new open position, if one of the one or more preferred workers has not accepted the new open position before expiration of the specified time period.

20. The system of claim 1,

wherein the one or more computers are configured for automatically assigning the new open position only to one of the one or more preferred workers during a specified time period, in immediate response to receipt of an electronic acceptance of the new open position from one of the one or more preferred workers and removing the position as an available for acceptance open position;

and

wherein the one or more computers are configured for assigning the new open position, after the expiration of the specified time period, to one of the workers for which the new open position is made available for acceptance in immediate response to receipt of an electronic acceptance of the new open position from that worker.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are configured to receive the electronic acceptance from the Internet.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are configured for automatically assigning the new open position in response to receipt of an electronic acceptance from one of the web pages.

23. A method, comprising:

accessing one or more electronic databases having information about a plurality of open positions and qualifications for the open positions, and qualifications of a plurality of workers;

filtering, by one or more computers, to determine, for each of a plurality of the respective workers, one or more of the open positions in the one or more databases for which the respective worker is qualified;

serving, by the one or more computers, a plurality of web pages, with each different respective web page in this plurality associated only with a different one of the respective workers and accessible by a respective worker security code, wherein, for each respective worker web page associated only with the respective worker, the serving information on comprising serving one or more of the open positions for which the respective worker is qualified based at least in part on the qualifications of the worker listed in the one or more databases;

obtaining information about a new open position;

obtaining information about one or more of the workers that are preferred (“

a preferred worker”

) for the new open position;

notifying, by the one or more computers, the one or more preferred workers that the new open position is now available for acceptance by at least serving information about the new open position to the respective one or more worker web pages associated only with the one or more respective preferred workers in response to one or more respective electronic requests for open positions by or for the one or more preferred workers;

serving, by the one or more computers, the one or more web pages of the one or more preferred workers with an electronic capability to make an electronic acceptance of the position in response to the one or more respective electronic requests by or for the one or more preferred workers;

assigning automatically, by the one or more computers, the new open position only to one of the one or more preferred workers during a specified time period, in direct response to receipt of an electronic acceptance of the new open position from one of the one or more preferred workers and removing the position as an available for acceptance open position;

making available for acceptance automatically, by the one or more computers, the new open position to one or more additional respective worker web pages associated only with one or more additional respective workers that are qualified, if one of the one or more preferred workers has not accepted the new open position before expiration of the specified time period and serving the one or more web pages of the one or more respective additional workers with an electronic capability to make an electronic acceptance of the position in response to one or more respective electronic requests by or for the one or more additional workers; and

assigning, by the one or more computers, the new open position, after the expiration of the specified time period, to one of the workers for which the new open position is made available for acceptance in direct response to receipt of an electronic acceptance of the new open position from that worker.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising serving on the respective web page associated only with the respective one worker only open positions for which the respective one worker is qualified and which are currently available for acceptance through the web page associated only with the one worker.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising serving on the respective web page associated only with a respective one of the workers only the open positions that the respective one worker is qualified to fill.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

filtering out for a respective one of the workers, by one or more computers, open positions for which the respective one worker has been rejected; and

serving on the respective web page associated with the respective one worker only the open positions that the respective one worker is qualified to fill and that have not been filtered out for the respective one worker.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising allowing access to the respective web page associated only with a respective one of the workers in response to receiving at least one pass code and verifying the received at least one pass code.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the workers are substitute teachers.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising serving, by one or more computers, one of the open positions only to the respective web page associated only with one of the workers that is qualified only if that qualified worker has not been rejected by a worker whose absence creates the specific open position.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving an administrative designation of a worker, who has accepted an open position at a location, for another open position at the same location for a different day.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the serving step serves, by one or more computers, information about the new open position to the respective web pages associated only with the respective one or more preferred workers during the specified time period.

32. The method of claim 23, further comprising notifying the one or more preferred workers via an e-mail or e-pager message.

33. The method of claim 23, further comprising serving an assignment of the new open position automatically after receiving an electronic acceptance of the specific open position from one of the one or more preferred workers.

34. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of notifying electronically the one or more preferred workers about the new open position.

35. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving information designating one or more of the workers as the one or more preferred workers for the new open position.

36. The method of claim 23, further comprising specially marking the new open position on the respective web pages associated only with the one or more respective preferred workers, so that on each respective web page associated only with one of the respective preferred workers, the new open position is differentiated from other open positions listed on that respective web page associated only with the one respective preferred worker.

37. The method of claim 23, further comprising serving or otherwise electronically communicating a confirmation number to the worker in response to receiving the electronic acceptance of the new open position from the worker.

38. The method of claim 23, further comprising filtering, by the one or more computers, to prevent serving of one of the open positions to one of the respective worker web pages based on one or more preferences associated with the respective one worker in the one or more databases.

39. The method of claim 23, further comprising filtering, by the one or more computers, to prevent serving of one of the open positions to one of the worker web pages based on the position not being available for acceptance to the respective worker.

40. The method of claim 23, further comprising filtering, by the one or more computers, to prevent serving of any open position to the respective web page of any respective worker that is not qualified to fill the open position.

41. The method of claim 23, further comprising serving of the new open position during the specified time period only to the one or more respective web pages associated with the one or more respective preferred workers.

42. The method of claim 23, automatically making available for acceptance, by the one or more computers, the new open position to a plurality of additional respective worker web pages associated only with a plurality of additional respective workers that are qualified for the new open position, if one of the one or more preferred workers has not accepted the new open position before expiration of the specified time period.

43. The method of claim 23,

wherein the assigning automatically, by the one or more computers, the new open position only to one of the one or more preferred workers during a specified time period, is performed in immediate response to receipt of an electronic acceptance of the new open position from one of the one or more preferred workers and removing the position as an available for acceptance open position;

and

wherein the assigning, by the one or more computers, the new open position, after the expiration of the specified time period, to one of the workers for which the new open position is made available for acceptance is performed in immediate response to receipt of an electronic acceptance of the new open position from that worker.

44. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more computers are configured for the assigning steps to receive the electronic acceptance from the Internet.

45. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more computers are configured for the assigning steps for automatically assigning the new open position in response to receipt of an electronic acceptance from one of the web pages.