Method and apparatus for supporting individualized selection rules for resource allocation
First Claim
1. A work allocation system, comprising:
- a first resource entry pool associated with a first service, said first resource entry pool including a first plurality of resource entries;
a first resource entry included in said first plurality of resource entries, wherein said first resource entry is associated with a first system resource;
a first work entry pool associated with said first service, said first work entry pool including a first plurality of work entries;
a first work entry included in said first plurality of work entries, wherein said first work entry is associated with a first work item;
a matchmaker, wherein each work entry included in said first plurality of work entries in said first work entry pool is considered with respect to each resource entry included in said first plurality of resource entries in said first resource entry pool according to at least one work selection rule, and wherein each work entry included in said first plurality of work entries in said first work entry pool is evaluated against each resource entry included in said first plurality of resource entries in said first resource entry pool according to at least one work validation rule, to determine whether a prospective work item and resource pair is valid, wherein each valid prospective work item and resource pair is scored, wherein a first valid prospective work item and resource pair is scored according to a first criterion, and wherein a second valid prospective work item and resource pair is scored according to a second criterion;
identifying a best work item and resource item;
assigning the work item and the resource item with the best score to one another; and
a server, the server further comprising memory and a processor operable to execute instructions.
26 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to the matching of resources to work entries. In particular, the present invention allows work items to be assigned to a particular resource based on the characteristics of the work item and on the qualifications and preferences of the resource. Furthermore, the present invention does not rely on queues, thereby allowing characteristics of a work item other than or in addition to the amount of time that a work item has been waiting for service to be considered in assigning the work item to a resource. The types of work items that may be validly assigned to a resource, or the preference rules used to select a valid work item for handling by a resource, may be altered by altering the validation rules and preference rules associated with the resource and/or work item. Accordingly, the rules for allocating work may be adjusted easily and quickly, including at run-time, and may represent any attribute desired for use in allocating work.
298 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A work allocation system, comprising:
-
a first resource entry pool associated with a first service, said first resource entry pool including a first plurality of resource entries; a first resource entry included in said first plurality of resource entries, wherein said first resource entry is associated with a first system resource; a first work entry pool associated with said first service, said first work entry pool including a first plurality of work entries; a first work entry included in said first plurality of work entries, wherein said first work entry is associated with a first work item; a matchmaker, wherein each work entry included in said first plurality of work entries in said first work entry pool is considered with respect to each resource entry included in said first plurality of resource entries in said first resource entry pool according to at least one work selection rule, and wherein each work entry included in said first plurality of work entries in said first work entry pool is evaluated against each resource entry included in said first plurality of resource entries in said first resource entry pool according to at least one work validation rule, to determine whether a prospective work item and resource pair is valid, wherein each valid prospective work item and resource pair is scored, wherein a first valid prospective work item and resource pair is scored according to a first criterion, and wherein a second valid prospective work item and resource pair is scored according to a second criterion; identifying a best work item and resource item; assigning the work item and the resource item with the best score to one another; and a server, the server further comprising memory and a processor operable to execute instructions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
Specification