Methods and systems for scheduling complex work orders for a workforce of mobile service technicians
US8768738B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 18, 2008 |
| Grant date | Jul 1, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 5, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P90/80
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Provided herein are data structures, processes and systems to facilitate scheduling of complex work orders to a mobile workforce. Complex work orders are comprised of several distinct sub-orders that require coordinated scheduling because the start of one sub-order is dependent on the start or completion of another. The data structure provided herein identifies a set of member sub-orders required for completing complex work orders and relates those sub-orders to one another by precedence criteria that establish which sub-orders are dependent on which other sub-orders. This data structure is used in computer processes integrated with workforce management systems to permit such systems to schedule and/or assign individual work orders in a coordinated manner to satisfy the precedence criteria. Also provided are processes for validating the completion of predecessor sub-orders prior to starting successor sub-orders and transmitting warning messages to field technicians when the precedence criteria have not been satisfied.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.