System and method for dispatching field technicians based on locations of virtual warehouses

• US 8,219,467 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kosseifi, Mario, Meredith, Sheldon K.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALMATRAHI, FARIS S
• Application Number:
  US12/332,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20100153165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• 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 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method is disclosed for determining a technician to dispatch to a customer site requiring a service call. A first plurality of technicians assigned to a customer site requiring a service call is determined. A location of each of the technicians is also determined. A first plurality of distances is determined between each of the technicians and a plurality of locations at which is disposed equipment needed for the service call. A second plurality of distances is determined between each of the technicians and a plurality of service vehicles at which is disposed the equipment needed for the service call. One of the technicians is dispatched to the customer site based on the location of each of the technicians, on the first plurality of distances, and on the second plurality of distances. A system for implementing the method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, at a server, a plurality of first service vehicles assigned to a service site in need of a service visit;

obtaining, at the server, a service-visit location of the service site;

obtaining, at the server, a first location of each of the first service vehicles;

determining, at the server, a first plurality of distances between each of the first locations and a plurality of storage locations at which are disposed equipment for the service visit;

determining, at the server, a second plurality of distances between each of the first locations and second locations corresponding to a plurality of second service vehicles at which are disposed the equipment for the service visit;

determining, at the server, multiple total transit times for each of the first service vehicles, each of the total transit times representing an amount of time for the first service vehicle to travel from its first location to (i) one of the second locations and then to the service site or (ii) one of the storage locations and then to the service site, wherein determining the total transit times for each of the first service vehicles is based on;

(a) the first plurality of distances corresponding to the first service vehicle;

(b) the second plurality of distances corresponding to the first service vehicle; and

(c) the service-visit location; and

dispatching one of the first service vehicles to the service site based on the total transit times for the first service vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the storage locations and the second locations prior to determining the first plurality of distances.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the storage locations are associated with warehouses.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the equipment comprises telecommunications equipment.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

identifying a plurality of first service vehicles assigned to a service site in need of a service visit;

obtaining a service-visit location of the service site;

obtaining a first location of each of the first service vehicles;

determining a first plurality of distances between each of the first locations and a plurality of storage locations at which are disposed equipment for the service visit;

determining a second plurality of distances between each of the first locations and second locations corresponding to a plurality of second service vehicles at which are disposed the equipment for the service visit;

determining multiple total transit times for each of the first service vehicles, each of the total transit times representing an amount of time for the first service vehicle to travel from its first location to (i) one of the second locations and then to the service site or (ii) one of the storage locations and then to the service site, wherein determining the total transit times for each of the first service vehicles is based on;

(a) the first plurality of distances corresponding to the first service vehicle;

(b) the second plurality of distances corresponding to the first service vehicle; and

(c) the service-visit location; and

dispatching one of the first service vehicles to the service site based on the total transit times for the first service vehicles.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine the storage locations and the second locations prior to determining the first plurality of distances.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 wherein the storage locations are associated with warehouses.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 wherein the equipment comprises telecommunications equipment.

9. A server comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising;

identifying a plurality of first service vehicles assigned to a service site in need of a service visit;

obtaining a service-visit location of the service site;

obtaining a first location of each of the first service vehicles;

determining, at the server, a first plurality of distances between each of the first locations and a plurality of storage locations at which are disposed equipment for the service visit;

determining a second plurality of distances between each of the first locations and second locations corresponding to a plurality of second service vehicles at which are disposed the equipment for the service visit;

determining multiple total transit times for each of the first service vehicles, each of the total transit times representing an amount of time for the first service vehicle to travel from its first location to (i) one of the second locations and then to the service site or (ii) one of the storage locations and then to the service site, wherein determining the total transit times for each of the first service vehicles is based on;

(a) the first plurality of distances corresponding to the first service vehicle;

(b) the second plurality of distances corresponding to the first service vehicle; and

(c) the service-visit location; and

dispatching one of the first service vehicles to the service site based on the total transit times for the first service vehicles.

10. The server of claim 9 wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine the storage locations and the second locations prior to determining the first plurality of distances.

11. The server of claim 9 wherein the storage locations are associated with warehouses.

12. The server of claim 9 wherein the equipment comprises telecommunications equipment.