Method and systems for routing items to resources

• US 8,082,159 B1
• Filed: 07/03/2009
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Extend Health (Willis Towers Watson plc)
• Original Assignee: Extend Health (Willis Towers Watson plc)
• Inventors: Stafford, Mark, Annesley-DeWinter, David C., Hauert, Ryan, Liljenquist, Cameron C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BORISSOV, IGOR N
• Application Number:
  US12/497,616
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11, 705/7.12, 705/7.36, 705/1.1, 379/265.12, 379/265.13, 379/266.01, 379/266.02, 379/269, 379/309, 707/723, 708/422, 708/426, 708/5, 708/813, 706/20, 706/21, 706/22, 706/25, 706/41
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-program products for routing items to resources are disclosed. Potential matches between items and resources are generated and scored according to one or more match-factor criterion. An initial assignment of potential matches is made to a Match Tracker Set, and a Set of Global conflicts is created representing resources that are not matched by the members of the initial Match Tracker set. One or more augmented versions of the Match Tracker Set are created to resolve conflicts between the Match Tracker Set and the Global Conflicts Set. Items are routed to the resources based on the matches listed in an augmented version of the Match Tracker Set.

Claims

1. A method of routing one or more items to one or more resources, the method comprising:

generating a set of potential matches between a set of one or more first objects and a set of one or more second objects, each potential match pertaining to exactly one of the first objects and to exactly one of the second objects, one of the sets of first and second objects pertaining to the one or more items, and the other of the sets of first and second objects pertaining to the one or more resources;

evaluating each potential match with one or more match-factor definitions and generating therefrom a corresponding base score for the potential match;

assigning the potential matches to a plurality of First-Object groups, each First-Object group corresponding to a first object, each potential match being assigned to the First-Object group to which it pertains as a member of said group;

sorting the members of each First-Object group by base score, each sorted First-Object group having a top member having the highest base score in the group;

generating a starting version of a Match Tracker Set from the top members, wherein a top member is included in the starting version of the Match Tracker Set when it is determined that there is no other member of the starting version Match Tracker Set that shares the same second object as said top member;

generating, by a computer, a Global Conflicts Set from the top members, wherein a top member is included in the Global Conflicts Set when it is determined that there is a member of the starting version of the Match Tracker Set that shares the same second object as said top member;

generating, by a computer, one or more augmented versions of the Match Tracker Set, each augmented version having a total of base scores that is not less than the total of base scores of the prior version, wherein a member of an augmented version of the Match Tracker Set pertains to the same first object as a member of the Global Conflicts Set, wherein no two members of an augmented version pertain to the same first object and no two members of an augmented version pertain to the same second object; and

routing the items to the resources based on the matches listed in an augmented version of the Match Tracker Set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an augmented version of the Match Tracker Set comprises:

forming a Starting Set comprising a member of the Global Conflicts List and the members of a prior version of the Match Tracker Set;

generating a plurality of Working Sets from the Starting Set, each Working Set being generated by replacing a member of the Starting Set with a replacement potential match pertaining to the same first object;

generating a plurality of additional Working Sets from one or more previously-generated Working Sets, each additional Working Set being generated by replacing a member of the previously-generated Working Set with a replacement potential match pertaining to the same first object;

selecting a Working Set or additional Working Set as the augmented version of the Match Tracker Set, the selected Working Set, the selected Working Set having a total of base scores which is equal to or greater than the total of base scores of the prior version of the Match Tracker Set.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein four Working Sets are generated from a Prior Set, the Prior Set being one of the Starting Set or a previously-generated Working Set, the Prior Set having a member designated at a Conflict Initiator and another member designated as a Conflict Target,

a first Working Set comprising the Prior Set with the Conflict Target replaced by the potential match on the same First-Object Group as the Conflict Target that has the next lower base score to that of the Conflict Target,

a second Working Set comprising the Prior Set with the Conflict Initiator replaced by the potential match on the same First-Object Group as the Conflict Initiator that has the next lower base score to that of the Conflict Initiator,

a third Working Set comprising the Prior Set with the Conflict Target replaced by the potential match on the same First-Object Group as the Conflict Target that has the next lower base score to that of the Conflict Target and that is not in conflict with the other members of the third Working Set, or replaced by a null match if said potential match does not exist,

a fourth Working Set comprising the Prior Set with the Conflict Initiator replaced by the potential match on the same First-Object Group as the Conflict Initiator having the next lower base score to that of the Conflict Initiator and that is not in conflict with the other members of the third Working Set, or replaced by a null match if said potential match does not exist.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the starting version of the Match Tracker Set comprises:

assigning the top members from the First-Object groups to a plurality of Second-Object groups, each Second-Object group corresponding to a second object, each top member being assigned to the Second-Object group to which its potential match pertains as a member of said Second-Object group;

for each Second-Object group having two or more members, performing the following actions in sequence;

generating a base score difference for each member of the Second-Object group, the base score difference being the difference between the base score of the member and the base score of a replacement match for the member if such replacement match exists, otherwise being related to the base score of the member, wherein the replacement match is a potential match in the same First-Object group as the member, wherein the replacement match has a lower base score than that of the member and does not conflict with the starting version of the Match Tracker set;

replacing the member of the starting version that is also a member of the Second-Object group with the member of the Second-Object group having the lowest base score difference in the Second-Object group.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the Global Conflicts Set comprises assigning those members from the Second-Object groups that are not in the starting version of the Match Tracker Set to the Global Conflicts Set.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the starting version of the Match Tracker Set comprises:

generating an initial version of a Match Tracker Set from the top members, wherein a top member is included in the initial version of the Match Tracker Set if there is no other member of the initial version Match Tracker Set that shares the same second object as said top member;

assigning the top members from the First-Object groups to a plurality of Second-Object groups, each Second-Object group corresponding to a second object, each top member being assigned to the Second-Object group to which its potential match pertains as a member of said Second-Object group;

for each Second-Object group having only one member, assigning the member to the starting version of the Match Tracker Set;

generating a base score difference for each member of a Second-Object group having two or more members, the base score difference being related to the difference between the base score of the member and the base score of a replacement match for the member if such replacement match exists, otherwise being related to the base score of the member, wherein the replacement match is a potential match in the same First-Object group as the member, wherein the replacement match has a lower base score than that of the member and does not conflict with the initial version of the Match Tracker Set; and

for each member of a Second-Object group having two or more members, assigning the member having the lowest base score difference to the starting version of the Match Tracker Set.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating the Global Conflicts Set comprises assigning those members from the Second-Object groups that are not in the starting version of the Match Tracker Set to the Global Conflicts Set.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a match-factor definition determines a value based upon one or more of:

an item, information about an item, a resource, information about a resource, one or more external conditions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the resources comprise customer-service agents and the items comprise one or more of:

incoming phone lines, callers, customers.

10. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program code embodied therein, said computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method of routing one or more items to one or more resources, said method comprising:

generating a set of potential matches between a set of one or more first objects and a set of one or more second objects, each potential match pertaining to exactly one of the first objects and to exactly one of the second objects, one of the sets of first and second objects pertaining to the one or more items, and the other of the sets of first and second objects pertaining to the one or more resources;

evaluating each potential match with one or more match-factor definitions and generating therefrom a corresponding base score for the potential match;

assigning the potential matches to a plurality of First-Object groups, each First-Object group corresponding to a first object, each potential match being assigned to the First-Object group to which it pertains as a member of said group;

sorting the members of each First-Object group by base score, each sorted First-Object group having a top member having the highest base score in the group;

generating a starting version of a Match Tracker Set from the top members, wherein a top member is included in the starting version of the Match Tracker Set when it is determined that there is no other member of the starting version Match Tracker Set that shares the same second object as said top member;

generating a Global Conflicts Set from the top members, wherein a top member is included in the Global Conflicts Set when it is determined that there is a member of the starting version of the Match Tracker Set that shares the same second object as said top member;

generating one or more augmented versions of the Match Tracker Set, each augmented version having a total of base scores that is not less than the total of base scores of the prior version, wherein a member of an augmented version of the Match Tracker Set pertains to the same first object as a member of the Global Conflicts Set, wherein no two members of an augmented version pertain to the same first object and no two members of an augmented version pertain to the same second object.

11. The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises storing one or more augmented versions of the Match Tracker Set in a computer readable storage.

12. The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein an augmented version of the Match Tracker Set is operable to route the items to the resources based on the matches listed in said augmented version.

13. The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein generating an augmented version of the Match Tracker Set comprises:

forming a Starting Set comprising a member of the Global Conflicts List and the members of a prior version of the Match Tracker Set;

generating a plurality of Working Sets from the Starting Set, each Working Set being generated by replacing a member of the Starting Set with a replacement potential match pertaining to the same first object;

generating a plurality of additional Working Sets from one or more previously-generated Working Sets, each additional Working Set being generated by replacing a member of the previously-generated Working Set with a replacement potential match pertaining to the same first object;

selecting a Working Set or additional Working Set as the augmented version of the Match Tracker Set, the selected Working Set, the selected Working Set having a total of base scores which is equal to or greater than the total of base scores of the prior version of the Match Tracker Set.

14. The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein four Working Sets are generated from a Prior Set, the Prior Set being one of the Starting Set or a previously-generated Working Set, the Prior Set having a member designated at a Conflict Initiator and another member designated as a Conflict Target,

a first Working Set comprising the Prior Set with the Conflict Target replaced by the potential match on the same First-Object Group as the Conflict Target that has the next lower base score to that of the Conflict Target,

a second Working Set comprising the Prior Set with the Conflict Initiator replaced by the potential match on the same First-Object Group as the Conflict Initiator that has the next lower base score to that of the Conflict Initiator,

a third Working Set comprising the Prior Set with the Conflict Target replaced by the potential match on the same First-Object Group as the Conflict Target that has the next lower base score to that of the Conflict Target and that is not in conflict with the other members of the third Working Set, or replaced by a null match if said potential match does not exist,

a fourth Working Set comprising the Prior Set with the Conflict Initiator replaced by the potential match on the same First-Object Group as the Conflict Initiator having the next lower base score to that of the Conflict Initiator and that is not in conflict with the other members of the third Working Set, or replaced by a null match if said potential match does not exist.

15. The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein a match-factor definition determines a value based upon one or more of:

an item, information about an item, a resource, information about a resource, one or more external conditions.

16. The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein the resources comprise customer-service agents and the items comprise one or more of:

incoming phone lines, callers, customers.

17. The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein generating the starting version of the Match Tracker Set comprises:

assigning the top members from the First-Object groups to a plurality of Second-Object groups, each Second-Object group corresponding to a second object, each top member being assigned to the Second-Object group to which its potential match pertains as a member of said Second-Object group;

for each Second-Object group having two or more members, performing the following actions in sequence;

generating a base score difference for each member of the Second-Object group, the base score difference being the difference between the base score of the member and the base score of a replacement match for the member if such replacement match exists, otherwise being related to the base score of the member, wherein the replacement match is a potential match in the same First-Object group as the member, wherein the replacement match has a lower base score than that of the member and does not conflict with the starting version of the Match Tracker set;

replacing the member of the starting version that is also a member of the Second-Object group with the member of the Second-Object group having the lowest base score difference in the Second-Object group.

18. A system for routing a plurality of items to a plurality of resources, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store a plurality of instruction sets which, when executed by the processor, become operational with the processor for routing a plurality of items to a plurality of resources, the memory comprising;

an instruction set for generating a set of potential matches between a set of one or more first objects and a set of one or more second objects, each potential match pertaining to exactly one of the first objects and to exactly one of the second objects, one of the sets of first and second objects pertaining to the one or more items, and the other of the sets of first and second objects pertaining to the one or more resources;

an instruction set for evaluating each potential match with one or more match-factor definitions and generating therefrom a corresponding base score for the potential match;

an instruction set for assigning the potential matches to a plurality of First-Object groups, each First-Object group corresponding to a first object, each potential match being assigned to the First-Object group to which it pertains as a member of said group;

an instruction set for sorting the members of each First-Object group by base score, each sorted First-Object group having a top member having the highest base score in the group;

an instruction set for generating a starting version of a Match Tracker Set from the top members, wherein a top member is included in the starting version of the Match Tracker Set when it is determined that there is no other member of the starting version Match Tracker Set that shares the same second object as said top member;

an instruction set for generating a Global Conflicts Set from the top members, wherein a top member is included in the Global Conflicts Set when it is determined that there is a member of the starting version of the Match Tracker Set that shares the same second object as said top member; and

an instruction set for generating one or more augmented versions of the Match Tracker Set, each augmented version having a total of base scores that is not less than the total of base scores of the prior version, wherein a member of an augmented version of the Match Tracker Set pertains to the same first object as a member of the Global Conflicts Set, wherein no two members of an augmented version pertain to the same first object and no two members of an augmented version pertain to the same second object.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the memory further comprises an instruction set for storing one or more augmented versions of the Match Tracker Set in a computer readable storage.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein an augmented version of the Match Tracker Set is operable to route the items to the resources based on the matches listed in said augmented version.