Systems and methods for managing workflow based on dynamic modification of job processing requirements

• US 8,954,499 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anthurium Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Anthurium Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Archbold, Janice K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Survillo, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US11/002,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,722 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/204, 709/206, 705/8, 705/7.11, 705/7.12, 705/7.13, 705/7.22, 705/7.26, 705/7.27, 705/301, 705/346
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues
• 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 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system is disclosed that includes a computer and software system for human user interaction to initiate jobs (e.g., Transcription, Translation, Data Entry, and Transaction Creation) and to utilize voice-mail through real-time voice and tone signal input. The system also includes a computer and software system for keeping the databases used to process Jobs and for keeping the statistical records of jobs for analysis, general ledger, payroll and billing. The system includes one or more computers that receive Job packets, selects Scribes for work (e.g. transcription), generates messages for information or action, updates Job Record status, and job processing steps. The system may further include a computer collects the statistical and financial data and provides general top level management decision making information.

Claims

1. A method for automatically managing workflow, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first computing device, a request for a digital job, the request having included therein a job record comprising a plurality of job steps, the plurality of job steps to be performed in connection with the digital job;

receiving, at the first computing device, an intercept request, while one of the plurality of job steps is being performed, that includes a request to add at least one new job step to the plurality of job steps;

determining, by the first computing device, whether the job record can be changed in accordance with the intercept request, wherein determining whether the job record can be changed in accordance with the intercept request comprises determining, by the first computing device, whether the intercept request was received during the time between an electronic file, which corresponds to the digital job, being created and the electronic file being uploaded to a second computing device;

in response to determining that the job record can be changed in accordance with the intercept request, adding, by the first computing device, at least one new job step to the plurality of job steps, the at least one new job step including the step of proofing the electronic file;

determining, by the first computing device, whether performing the step of proofing the electronic file will make the digital job late for delivery;

uploading, by the first computing device, the electronic file to the second computing device, which is configured for proofing the electronic file, when it is determined that performing the step of proofing the electronic file will not make the digital job late for delivery; and

when it is determined that performing the step of proofing the electronic file will make the digital job late for delivery, sending a message to an originator of the intercept request indicating that the digital job will be late for delivery and uploading, by the first computing device, the electronic file to the second computing device without the step of proofing the electronic file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital job is associated with a corresponding electronic file.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the corresponding electronic file is a multi-content file.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the corresponding electronic file is a multimedia document.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital job is a transcription.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the intercept request is a request to preview the transcription.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the transcription is performed by speech recognition software.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the transcription is performed by independent speech recognition software.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the intercept request is a request to proof the transcription.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the request to proof the transcription is a request for a human to proof the transcription.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the job record can be changed in accordance with the intercept request further comprises determining whether the digital job is tagged for proofing.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the digital job to the second computing device includes sending an original source of the digital job and the corresponding electronic file to the second computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying, by the second computing device, a graphical representation of the original source and the contents of the electronic file in split-screen windows, which are scrolled synchronously at an adjustable speed.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the original source is audio and the electronic file is a transcription of the audio, further comprising playing, by the second computing device, the audio in synchrony with each line of the transcription at an adjustable speed until an input command stops the playing of the audio to allow for editing.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the uploaded electronic file with a proofed electronic file for evaluating the performance of the plurality of job steps.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting the original source to a third computing device prior to completing the plurality of job steps;

and

transmitting the proofed electronic file to the third computing device after completing the plurality of job steps.