Notification system and method

• US 8,510,297 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ditcharo, Patrichia, Wheeler, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): AL HASHEMI, SANA A
• Application Number:
  US13/299,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20120239449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 707/728, 707/791, 707/793, 707/796, 707/825, 707/826
• US Class Current: 707/728
• 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 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A dispatching system adjusts resources to meet real-time changes in demand. When a customer requests service, a work assignment is generated and sent to an employee. When a customer cancels the requested service, a cancellation code is sent to the employee. The cancellation code informs the employee that the work assignment has been canceled.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

assigning a work order to a technician;

dispatching the technician to resolve the work order;

determining the technician has worked in excess of a number of hours in a pay period; and

sending a cancellation code to an access unit associated with the technician to cancel assignment of the work order.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending the work order to the access unit associated with the technician.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing the work order with a qualification of the technician.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing the work order with qualifications of a plurality of technicians.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting the technician from the plurality of technicians.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a cancellation from a customer associated with the work order.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising retrieving overtime worked by the technician.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising retrieving an availability of the technician.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising retrieving a location associated with the technician.

10. A system, comprising:

a dispatch unit assigning a work order to a technician, dispatching the technician to resolve the work order, and determining the technician has worked in excess of a number of hours in a pay period; and

an access unit assigned to the technician and wirelessly communicating with the dispatch unit, the access unit receiving a real-time cancelation code sent from the dispatch unit to cancel the work order.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the dispatch unit sends the work order to the access unit associated with the technician.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the dispatch unit compares the work order with a qualification of the technician.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the dispatch unit compares the work order with qualifications of a plurality of technicians.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the dispatch unit selects the technician from the plurality of technicians.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein the dispatch unit receives a cancellation of the work order.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein the dispatch unit retrieves overtime worked by the technician.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein the dispatch unit retrieves an availability of the technician.

18. The system according to claim 10, wherein the dispatch unit retrieves a location associated with the technician.

19. A system, comprising:

a database storing information associated with technicians; and

a dispatch unit that;

generates a work order;

queries the database and assigns the work order to a technician;

determines the technician has worked in excess of a number of hours in a pay period; and

sends a cancellation code to cancel assignment of the work order.

20. The system according to claim 19, further comprising an access unit assigned to the technician that wirelessly communicates with the dispatch unit to receive the cancellation code sent from the dispatch unit.