Systems and methods for generating a work schedule

• US 8,005,701 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Lance, Bruce, Hayler, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEINECKE DIAZ, SUSANNA M
• Application Number:
  US11/448,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,902 Days
• Field of Search: 705/9, 705/7.13
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• 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

Systems and methods for generating work schedules are provided. Work schedules are generated based on an identification of work periods and tasks and information related to the workers. A work schedule is produced based on a selected optimization parameter. The optimization parameter can be any type of parameter related to the tasks and workers. The optimization parameter can be ergonomic impact, level of training, experience level or the like. The systems and methods can also receive assigned tasks for one or more of the workers, and generate a schedule incorporating the assignments.

Claims

1. A method for generating a work schedule, comprising the acts of:

receiving, by a processor, an identification of a number of work periods and a plurality of tasks;

receiving, by the processor, information for a plurality of workers related to the plurality of tasks;

receiving, by the processor, a parameter for optimization;

receiving, by the processor, a first input from a user interface of an assigned task for a first worker of the plurality of workers for a particular time period;

determining and outputting, by the processor, a work schedule incorporating the assigned task for the first worker and distributing the plurality of workers into the plurality of tasks for each of the number of work periods, wherein the work schedule is optimized for the parameter; and

receiving, by the processor, a second input from the user interface of quality data for a second worker of the plurality of workers for a particular task;

wherein the quality data for the second worker is taken into account in determining the work schedule;

wherein the parameter for optimization includes a weighted value determined from at least two of worker satisfaction, rotation, training, experience, ergonomic impact, and ergonomic impact standard deviations parameters;

wherein at least one of the parameters used to determine the weighted value is more heavily weighted than other parameters used to determine the weighted value; and

wherein an ergonomic impact is input for each of the plurality of tasks and the parameter for optimization is ergonomic impact of the plurality of tasks such that the work schedule does not exceed a predetermined ergonomic impact level for each of the plurality of workers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of:

receiving, by the processor, a restriction for a second worker of the plurality of workers, wherein the second worker is assigned to tasks in the work schedule other than one which is restricted for the second worker.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the restriction is related to ergonomic impact.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of:

receiving, by the processor, restrictions related to all of the plurality of workers, wherein the work schedule satisfies the restrictions related to the plurality of workers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the restrictions are related to a number of rotations between tasks.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information for the plurality of workers is an experience level for each of the plurality of tasks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information for the plurality of workers is a level of training for each of the plurality of tasks.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ergonomic impact is related to the impact on a plurality of body parts, and the predetermined ergonomic impact level is for each of the plurality of body parts.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of outputting the work schedule comprises the acts of:

determining, by the processor, a plurality of work schedules distributing the plurality of workers into the plurality of tasks for each of the number of work periods; and

selecting for output, by the processor, one of the plurality of work schedules which is optimized for the parameter.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parameter is a weighted value of a number of parameters.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining and outputting the work schedule comprises the acts of:

generating, by the processor, a plurality of work schedules for a first time period;

selecting, by the processor, a number of the plurality of work schedules based on a weighted value of a number of parameters;

generating, by the processor, a second plurality of work schedules for a second time period; and

selecting a number of the second plurality of work schedules based on the weighted value.

12. A processor including a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with logic for generating a work schedule, the logic comprising instructions for:

receiving an identification of a number of work periods and a plurality of tasks;

receiving information for a plurality of workers related to the plurality of tasks;

receiving a parameter for optimization;

receiving, by the processor, a first input from a user interface of an assigned task for a first worker of the plurality of workers for a particular time period;

determining and outputting, by the processor, a work schedule incorporating the assigned task for the first worker and distributing the plurality of workers into the plurality of tasks for each of the number of work periods, wherein the work schedule is optimized for the selected parameter; and

receiving, by the processor, a second input from the user interface of quality data for a second worker of the plurality of workers for a particular task;

wherein the quality data for the second worker is taken into account in determining the work schedule;

wherein the parameter for optimization includes a weighted value determined from at least two of worker satisfaction, rotation, training, experience, ergonomic impact, and ergonomic impact standard deviations parameters;

wherein at least one of the parameters used to determine the weighted value is more heavily weighted than other parameters used to determine the weighted value; and

wherein an ergonomic impact is input for each of the plurality of tasks and the parameter is ergonomic impact of the plurality of tasks such that the work schedule does not exceed a predetermined ergonomic impact level for each of the plurality of workers.

13. The processor of claim 12, wherein the instruction for receiving information for the plurality of workers comprises:

receiving a restriction for a second worker of the plurality of workers, wherein the second worker is assigned to tasks in the work schedule other than one which is restricted for the second worker.

14. The processor of claim 13, wherein the restriction is related to ergonomic impact.

15. The processor of claim 13, wherein the instruction for receiving information for the plurality of workers comprises:

receiving restrictions related to all of the plurality of workers, wherein the work schedule satisfies the restrictions related to the plurality of workers.

16. The processor of claim 15, wherein the restrictions are related to a number of rotations between tasks.

17. The processor of claim 12, wherein the information for the plurality of workers is an experience level for each of the plurality of tasks.

18. The processor of claim 12, wherein the information for the plurality of workers is a level of training for each of the plurality of tasks.

19. The processor of claim 12, wherein the ergonomic impact is related to the impact on a plurality of body parts, and the predetermined ergonomic impact level is for each of the plurality of body parts.

20. The processor of claim 12, wherein the instruction for outputting the work schedule comprises:

determining a plurality of work schedules distributing the plurality of workers into the plurality of tasks for each of the number of work periods; and

selecting for output, one of the plurality of work schedules which is optimized for the selected parameter.

21. The processor of claim 20, wherein the parameter is a weighted value of a number of parameters.

22. The processor of claim 12, wherein the instruction for outputting the work schedule comprises:

generating a plurality of work schedules for a first time period;

selecting a number of the plurality of work schedules based on a weighted value of a number of parameters;

generating a second plurality of work schedules for a second time period; and

selecting a number of the second plurality of work schedules based on the weighted value.