Patent · US Expired

Assigning customer orders to schedule openings utilizing overlapping time windows

US7487105B2 · kind B2 · utility

13Cited by
64References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 2, 2001
Grant dateFeb 3, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 16, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P90/80
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods for providing an enhanced scheduling process are discussed. One embodiment of the present invention includes a method for assigning an order to an opening in a schedule after a customer has selected an appointment window in the schedule. The opening and the appointment window are specified. The method includes generating a list of schedulable time blocks for a shift identified in the opening, intersecting the opening and the appointment window to obtain a time range, and choosing the opening in which to assign the order if a schedulable time block from the list of schedulable time blocks includes the opening. The opening is within the time range obtained by the act of intersecting.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.