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BR-112020003112-B1 - METHOD OF ENSURING THE VIABILITY OF A MACHINE FOR A SCHEDULED TASK

BR112020003112B1BR 112020003112 B1BR112020003112 B1BR 112020003112B1BR-112020003112-B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device management system that is capable of scheduling connected devices and people for tasks, monitoring the ability of the devices to perform the scheduled task by checking in with the devices based on their usage and locations, and modifying the operation of the devices according to the tasks scheduled for the devices and their usage. Additionally, the system can incorporate uncommunicated "dumb" devices into the task scheduling and track and manage said devices.

Inventors

  • Christine Koski
  • Ryan Heaton

Assignees

  • NMETRIC, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260317
Application Date
20180816
Priority Date
20170816

Claims (13)

  1. 1. A method for ensuring the feasibility of a machine for a scheduled task, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: receiving (210), by a computing device (110), a request to schedule a task, the request including a plurality of task attribute/value pairs corresponding to the task, the task attribute/value pairs including a desired time period attribute/value pair corresponding to a requested time period for a task, the task attribute/value pairs further including one or more minimum device readiness attributes; selecting (320), by the computing device, a person for the task based on the task attribute/value pairs and attribute/value pairs of each of a plurality of people, including the desired time period attribute/value pair; selecting (220), by the computing device, a machine for a task based on the task attribute/value pairs and attribute/value pairs of each of a plurality of machines, including the attribute/value pair of desired time period, and one or more calculated values of the device's anticipated readiness attributes for the task, wherein selecting a machine for the task comprises consulting a database (130) containing a plurality of machine attributes, including the power status, supply status, resupply status, condition status and maintenance status of the machine, as well as the number of available backup devices and the locations of the backup devices; obtain, by the computing device and at check-in time before a requested time period, sufficiency information that corresponds to the machine, wherein the check-in time is determined based on a comparison (222, 223) between one or more readiness attributes of the selected machine predicted for the check-in time and the respective one or more minimum readiness attributes of the machine required by the task; increase the difference between the check-in time and the scheduled time if the difference between one or more identified machine readiness attributes, predicted at check-in time, and the respective one or more minimum machine readiness attributes required by the task are below a certain threshold; in response to obtaining sufficiency information, determine, at check-in time, by the computing device, a sufficiency status for the machine for the task during the requested time period, either as a positive sufficiency status and a negative sufficiency status, based on the sufficiency information obtained; and within a requested time period, communicate, by the computing device, with the machine to execute a corresponding machine function in response to determining the positive sufficiency status for a machine; if the attributes are sufficient to allow the scheduled task to be executed by the machine at the scheduled time, the computing device (110) communicates (330) with the machine to allow the execution of one or more machine functions, for use by the selected person at the scheduled time, sending an execution message to the machine at an updated start time; if the attributes are not sufficient to allow the scheduled task to be executed by the machine at the scheduled time, the task is rescheduled.
  2. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises, in response to determining a positive sufficiency status for the machine, verifying the availability of the selected person for the task within the desired time period.
  3. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises, in response to selecting a machine: selecting, by the computing device, at least one second machine for the task based on the task's attribute/value pairs and the attribute/value pairs of each of the machines, including the desired time period attribute/value pair; determining, by the computing device, a designed set of attribute/value pairs for each of the at least one second machine based on at least one corresponding set of task scheduling attribute/value pairs for each of the at least one second machine, or at least one set of task scheduling attribute/value pairs that corresponds to at least one previously scheduled task for the at least one corresponding second machine before a requested time period; and adjusting the check-in time based on the designed set of attribute/value pairs.
  4. 4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the task scheduling attribute/value pairs include a location attribute/value pair that corresponds to a location of the corresponding previously scheduled task.
  5. 5. A method according to any one of claims 1 and 3, characterized in that it further comprises, in response to selecting a machine: selecting, by the computing device, at least one second potential machine for the task based on the task's attribute/value pairs and the attribute/value pairs of each of the machines, including the desired time period attribute/value pair; determining, by the computing device, the number of machines selected; and adjusting, by the computing device, the check-in time based on the number of machines selected.
  6. 6. A method according to any one of claims 1 and 5, characterized in that it further comprises: in response to determining a negative sufficiency status for the machine, selecting a second machine for the task based on the task's attribute/value pairs and each machine's attribute/value pairs, including the desired time period attribute/value pair; obtaining sufficiency information corresponding to the second machine; in response to obtaining the sufficiency information, determining a second sufficiency status for the machine for the task during the desired time period; and determining a positive sufficiency status for the second machine; and within the desired time period, communicating with the second machine to perform the second machine's function in response to determining a positive sufficiency status for the second machine.
  7. 7. A method according to any one of claims 1 and 5, characterized in that it further comprises: in response to determining a negative sufficiency status for the machine for the desired time period, determining an alternative sufficiency status for the machine for the task during a second desired time period, either as an alternative positive sufficiency status and an alternative negative sufficiency status, based on the sufficiency information obtained; and within the second desired time period, communicating with the machine to perform the machine function in response to determining an alternative positive sufficiency status for the machine.
  8. 8. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the obtaining step is performed after the machine selection.
  9. 9. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises sending, via the computing device, a notification to the selected person that the task has been scheduled and that the person has to help perform the task during the desired time period.
  10. 10. A method, according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it further comprises: if the machine loses availability or the ability to perform the task at the scheduled time, and if no backup device is found available and ready to perform the task at the scheduled time, rescheduling the machine to perform the task at a time different from the scheduled time.
  11. 11. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it further comprises altering a machine functionality, restricting at least one of the following machine characteristics: (a) operational capacity and (b) total production, based on a change in the task requirement for the machine.
  12. 12. A method, according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the communication step is performed directly with the machine.
  13. 13. A method, according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the communication step between the computing device is performed by means of a proxy.

Description

Field of Invention [001] The field of the invention is that of managing device operations in a scheduling of tasks involving the devices. Background [002] The general description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not admitted that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the invention now claimed, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. [003] When a company has a series of tasks that need to be completed, a manager typically allocates employees to each task. Computer scheduling systems, for example, Microsoft Outlook®, can be useful for visualizing these schedules. For example, a manager might use a computer scheduling system to block out specific times of day for employees to perform certain tasks and assign specific employees to that task. Each employee would have a calendar of tasks to perform throughout each day, week, and month, which could be easily viewed and organized. For a manager to assign specific employees to each task, however, they need to manually track each employee's schedule and allocate each employee to the appropriate task. [004] US 2009/0315735 to Bhavani teaches a computer system for managing patient flow in a hospital, where a manager can tag specific patients, medical staff, and resources with RFID chips to determine where each patient, staff member, and resource is located and allocate each resource appropriately as needed. For example, if there are many patients waiting for an exam room, a patient could be automatically relocated to an exam room with a shorter queue by sending a message to an available staff member to redirect them. Bhavani, however, requires the system to manually track each patient, staff member, and resource by a unique identifier. [005] US 7,587,329 to Thompson teaches a computer system for managing a health clinic, where a manager can enter a series of attributes into a computer that an on-duty nurse needs to have to perform a specific task. The system then matches available nurses with those requirements with the task in order to perform the task, and can send schedules to each nurse, informing the nurse which tasks to perform. [006] Furthermore, the aforementioned systems and other prior art systems fail to continue to guarantee device viability for a scheduled task as the schedule develops and manages the functions of the devices, so that the devices can be used in scheduled tasks with schedule changes. Similarly, prior art systems do not provide for the seamless inclusion of devices with processing and communication capabilities with legacy devices or other "dumb" devices that lack this capability. [007] Bhavani, Thompson, and all other extrinsic materials discussed herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual extrinsic material were specifically and individually indicated for incorporation by reference. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent with, or contrary to, the definition of that term given herein, the definition of that term given herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply. [008] Thus, there is a need for a scheduling system that provides simultaneous management of connected device functions for scheduled tasks, including output adjustments and functionality for those connected to development, optimized exception resolution for these devices, and incorporation of "dumb" devices not connected to an online scheduling system within a facility. Summary of the Invention [009] The object of the present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods in which a machine, device or piece of equipment can be scheduled for a task, and the availability of a machine, device or piece of equipment schedule for a specific scheduled task can be monitored, so that if the device/machine is no longer suitable for the task, a replacement can be found so that the task can be performed. [0010] In various embodiments of the present invention, a computer receives a request to schedule a task, the request including task attributes with corresponding values that are associated with the task. The request includes a pair of desired time period attributes/values that correspond to the desired date/time of the task. The request may also include a location attribute, which corresponds to the desired location for a task. The computer selects at least one device based on the task attribute/value pairs, including the desired time period attribute/value and the corresponding device attribute/value pairs, and at least one person for a task based on the task attribute/value pairs including the desired time period/attribute value and corresponding person attribute/value pairs from among a plurality of persons. At the designated check-in time after scheduling the task, the computer obtains sufficiency information regarding the selected device and determines a suff