Adjusting, synchronizing and service to varying rates of arrival of customers
First Claim
1. A method for synchronizing numbers of servers at a latter stage of service in a multi-stage service system with rates of arrivals of customers at said latter stage, comprising:
- a. detecting entries of customers into the system, detecting passages by intermediate points in the system, and detecting arrivals at the latter stage of service;
b. communicating the detectings in real-time to a computer processor;
c. counting the detectings and computing rates of movement by the detectings of the entries and the detectings of the passages by the intermediate points;
d. computing, with frequent updates, durations of times between the entries and the passages by the intermediate points, and the arrivals at the latter stage of service, and updating estimates of key characteristics in real-time based on observation of actual current behavior of each of the customers and thereby adjusting anticipation of customer demand based on changing conditions;
e. computing rates of service at the latter stage of service depending on the numbers of servers active at the latter stage;
f. producing estimated changed requirements for more or fewer of the servers at the latter stage, and producing estimates of times when the estimated changed requirements are predicted to occur;
g. providing recommendations to an automated controller or to a human manager for increases or decreases in the numbers of the servers with sufficient lead times to facilitate smooth transitions in implementing the recommendations; and
h. synchronizing numbers of servers at the latter stage of service in the multi-stage service system with rates of arrivals of customers at said latter stage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Numbers of servers at latter stage services are synchronized with arrivals of customers at the latter stage services. Detecting entering customers'"'"' entries and passages by intermediate points are communicated to a computer. The computer predicts arrivals of customers for the latter stage services and needs for increases or decreases in numbers of servers. Lead times allow changing numbers of servers at the latter stage services to meet changing needs. Detections of times of servers with customers and detections of arrivals of customers at the latter stage services are communicated to the computer aid the estimations of changed requirements for numbers of servers. The computer provides the estimations of server requirement changes to managers and automated controllers with sufficient lead time to facilitate smooth transitions in increasing or decreasing the numbers of servers. Wait lines at checkout registers, call center on-hold times and inter-computer communication delays are avoided.
24 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for synchronizing numbers of servers at a latter stage of service in a multi-stage service system with rates of arrivals of customers at said latter stage, comprising:
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a. detecting entries of customers into the system, detecting passages by intermediate points in the system, and detecting arrivals at the latter stage of service; b. communicating the detectings in real-time to a computer processor; c. counting the detectings and computing rates of movement by the detectings of the entries and the detectings of the passages by the intermediate points; d. computing, with frequent updates, durations of times between the entries and the passages by the intermediate points, and the arrivals at the latter stage of service, and updating estimates of key characteristics in real-time based on observation of actual current behavior of each of the customers and thereby adjusting anticipation of customer demand based on changing conditions; e. computing rates of service at the latter stage of service depending on the numbers of servers active at the latter stage; f. producing estimated changed requirements for more or fewer of the servers at the latter stage, and producing estimates of times when the estimated changed requirements are predicted to occur; g. providing recommendations to an automated controller or to a human manager for increases or decreases in the numbers of the servers with sufficient lead times to facilitate smooth transitions in implementing the recommendations; and h. synchronizing numbers of servers at the latter stage of service in the multi-stage service system with rates of arrivals of customers at said latter stage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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7. An apparatus comprising:
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first detectors for detecting entries of customers, first communicators connected to the first detectors for communicating customer entry information, second detectors for detecting passage of the customers by intermediate points, second communicators connected to the second detectors for communicating customer intermediate point passage information and updating estimates of key characteristics in real-time based on observation of actual current behavior of each of the customers and thereby adjusting anticipation of customer demand based on changing conditions, plural servers for latter stage servicing of the customers, a processor coupled to memory, a receiver connected to the processor for receiving the customer entry information and the customer intermediate point passage information and providing the customer entry information and customer point passage information to the processor, software in the processor for processing the customer entry information and the customer intermediate point passage information and predicting requirements of numbers of the plural servers required for serving the customers before arrival of the customers at the servers, an output connected to the processor for producing recommendations for increasing or decreasing the numbers of the plural servers which are activated for arrival of the customers, and an automated control responsive to the output synchronizing the numbers of the servers at a latter stage of service in a multi-stage service system with rates of arrivals of customers at said latter stage. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus comprising a multiple stage customer service system, further comprising:
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entries of customers to the system and exits from the system, intermediate points within the system between the entries and the exits, servers near the exits, detectors near the entries, near the intermediate points in the system and near the servers, a processor coupled to a memory in the system, communicators connected to the detectors near the entries and near the intermediate points in the system to communicate to the processor detections of passages through the entries and passages by the intermediate points in the system and activity at the servers and updating estimates of key characteristics in real-time based on observation of actual current behavior of each of the customers and thereby adjusting anticipation of customer demand based on changing conditions, software in the processor to receive the detections from the detectors near the entries, the intermediate points and the servers and to produce an output with estimates of changed requirements for activation of numbers of the servers, and automated controls responsive to the output synchronizing the numbers of the servers at a latter stage of service in a multi-stage service system with rates of arrivals of the customers at said latter stage. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification