Abstract: Systems and methods for scheduling events are described. In some embodiments, a method comprises: at a computer system, obtaining a request to schedule a calendar event including a plurality of constraints. In response to the request, a plurality of candidate calendar events that meets at least two of the plurality of constraints is obtained. The plurality of candidate calendar events and a plurality of user-editable options corresponding to the plurality of constraints are concurrently presented for display. In some embodiments, the method optionally includes obtaining, via a user-editable option, a modification to a constraint in the plurality of constraints which is then used to update the plurality of candidate calendar events. In some embodiments, the user-editable options are determined, at least in part, by user preferences. In some embodiments, the plurality of user-editable options further corresponds to a designation of one or more invitees to the scheduled calendar event.

Abstract: A computing device for use with a demand response system is provided. The computing device includes a processor that is programmed to select at least one participant from a plurality of customers to participate in at least one demand response event. The processor is also programmed to schedule the demand response event. The processor is programmed to compare the selected participant with participants of previously scheduled demand response events to confirm whether the selected participant is able to participate in the demand response event. The processor is also programmed to compare the demand response event with the previously scheduled demand response events. The processor is further programmed to reschedule the demand response event and/or at least one of the previously scheduled demand response events when any conflicts are identified based on the comparison between the demand response event and the previously scheduled demand response events.

Abstract: A method and system for scheduling is disclosed. A computer generated generic matrix is provided allowing for creation of discrete pairs of discrete elements in combination, permutation, and the like. Applications of the method and system include, but are not limited to, sports scheduling, labor scheduling, manufacturing scheduling, laboratory experiments scheduling, sales performance scheduling.

Abstract: Methods and systems enable the electronic scheduling of medical procedures. Schedulers log into a scheduling system to electronically submit medical procedure requests. Requests include entry of patient data together with at least one of: procedure date, procedure place, procedure time, required equipment, requested medical personnel, as part of the first medical procedure request. Once request is accepted by the scheduling system, electronic notifications about the request are automatically sent over a data network to parties associated with the medical procedure (e.g., medical facility, medical personnel, equipment distributors). System enables rescheduling or resolution where scheduling conflicts are indicated.

Abstract: Organizations must manage employee schedules to ensure that adequate personnel are present as required, regulatory requirements met, and costs tracked/minimized. Prior art systems are taught as internal to an organization and hence do not address part-time or temporary employees who have multiple conflicts on their time. An employee scheduling software system is taught that accesses multiple extrinsic databases hosting schedules relating to an employee allowing scheduling to avoid external conflicts for the employer and allowing employees to respond to schedules as well as trade/auction with other employees with confidence. Further, by associating a portable electronic device to the employee and hosting a scheduling application on these devices the employees are able to review/modify/trade/auction shifts with increased flexibility and employers are provided with a more accurate clocking in/out process to verify the employee's attendance and completion of their shift.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-executable instructions for event synchronized reporting in an process control system are disclosed. Events may be synchronized by a synchronization parameter, whose instances of occurrence may be non-contiguous in time. Examples of synchronization parameters may include a work shift, a work group, an individual's on-duty time, a logged-on period of an individual, the execution times of a process control entity, a batch run type, and a procedure or sub-unit of a batch run. Instances of occurrence of the synchronization parameter may be recorded into a process control event database. Event synchronized reports may contain at least one synchronization value based on both the instances of occurrence of the synchronization parameter as well as historical process control data. Data from various historian databases may be accessed from process control system tools and integrated into a single report.

Abstract: An information processing system includes a setting unit, an obtaining unit, a calculating unit, a display information generating unit, and an updating unit. The setting unit sets activity schedule information indicating an activity schedule of a user in an evaluation target period on the basis of an activity which is selected from among plural activities. The obtaining unit obtains activity information specifying the activity that has been performed by at least one point of time within the evaluation target period. The calculating unit calculates a total environmental load value of the activity in the evaluation target period. The display information generating unit generates display information including the total environmental load value and a target value of an environmental load. The updating unit updates the activity scheduled in the activity schedule information.

Abstract: Systems and methods of workforce scheduling are disclosed. One example embodiment, among others, comprises a computer-implemented method of scheduling workers. Each worker is associated with one of a set of flexibility classifications, which include non-flex-time and at least one flex-time. The method includes generating a set of shift instances to cover forecasted demand over a planning period, and assigning the shift instances to the set of workers by iterating through the each of the workers to assign at least a portion of the shift instances to a selected one of the workers. The assigning is such that total hours assigned to the selected worker depends on a number associated with the classification of the selected worker.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for handling scheduling conflicts. The method can include a step of conveying scheduled events to a mobile communication device. Times associated with the events can be analyzed to determine potential conflicts. A set of previously established conflict resolution rules can be applied to the potential conflicts. Recommendations for resolving the potential conflicts can be generated based upon the applied rules. A notification of the potential conflicts and the generated recommendations can be presented to a user of the mobile device through an interface of the mobile communication device. The notifications and recommendations can occur a sufficient time before the potentially conflicting events occur to permit anticipatory actions to be taken to alleviate the conflicts before their occurrence.

Abstract: In a remote technical support system, a technical support controller receives an indication of a maximum number of support sessions to be serviced by a remote technician. Thereafter, the technical support controller receives a service request for a user device. The technical support controller determines if handling of the service request by the remote technician would cause the number of support sessions currently being handled by the remote technician to exceed the previously-indicated maximum number of support sessions. If not, the service request is added to a work queue for the remote technician. Each service request may be classified into categories such that only remote technicians associated with a given category can handle service requests for that category. Furthermore, the process of selecting a remote technician to handle a given service request can be completely automated or based on individual remote technicians selecting service requests from a preliminary queue.

Abstract: The method of extending floats in the critical path method (CPM) method allows for extending the project duration while keeping the networking basic parameter of total float intact. The method allows for rescheduling of the start times of some activities so that the resource requirements never exceed the specified resource limit. The extendable network transforms the process of seeking an extended schedule that fulfills resource constraints from searching in a boundless solution space to searching in a well-defined and definite solution space. The definite searching space harnesses for the mathematical formulation of the optimization techniques, i.e., integer programming, which provides the optimum solution as a schedule that fulfills the resource constraint and yet minimizes the project duration.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, apparatus and products for technical support routing among members of a technical support group, including maintaining, by a configuration manager, a system configuration history of a user's computer system, the system configuration history including historical records of changes in configuration of the user's computer system; receiving, by a technical support module, a support request identifying a current error that occurred during operation of the user's computer system including receiving information describing the error and the system configuration history of the user's computer system; and routing, by the technical support module automatically without human intervention, the support request to one or more particular members of the technical support group in dependence upon the information describing the error and the system configuration history.

Abstract: The systems and methods for providing an integrated means for monitoring, managing and auditing employees performance at a workplace or job site, such as monitoring the time worked by the employees, ensuring employee compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and coordinating and assigning duties to be performed by the employees. Each employee may be provided with a mobile wireless device in communication with the system to provide alerts of potential or actual violations, notifications of any change in duties or position, and notification of time clock status (i.e., time to take a break, time to clock in, etc.).

Abstract: Schemes providing master list functionality that allows a user to reorder to-do items from across multiple projects and/or multiple project management tools. Such schemes can ensure that whatever project management tools the user and others associated with the various projects are using at any time, changes in their task planning will be reflected both in the master list and across all other projects and project management tools, as needed. The necessary hierarchy is maintained by creating an absolute order between different projects and reflecting changes in task order in both directions.

Abstract: The present invention can include a solution that dynamically manages electronic calendar events based upon the key performance indicators (KPIs) of a business process monitoring (BPM) system. Such a system can include a BPM system, an electronic calendar software application, and a dynamic calendar event manager. The BPM system can be configured to manage data for many user-defined KPIs. The electronic calendar software application can be configured to manage the calendar data of various calendar events for many users. The dynamic calendar event definition can be configured to define a condition for modifying the calendar data of a user-specified calendar event. The dynamic calendar event definition can consist of a KPI threshold value, a calendar action, and an applicable attendee list. The dynamic calendar event manager can be configured to dynamically and automatically handle the modification of the calendar data in accordance with the dynamic calendar event definition.

Abstract: A system provides program management for indeterminate scope initiatives. The system includes a user interface, a processor, and a management component. The management component, when executed by the processor, receives initiative data defined by preliminary initiative development, assigns the initiative to a program management team if the initiative is indeterminate in scope, and enables the program management team to develop the initiative to determine whether the initiative is to be developed as multiple projects. The management component assigns the initiative to a project management team if the initiative is not to be developed as multiple projects, and enables the program management team to develop the initiative as multiple projects if the initiative is to be developed as multiple projects. The program management team has a capacity to manage a group of related projects in a coordinated manner to obtain benefits and control unavailable from managing the group of related projects individually.

Abstract: A service request management system is disclosed that enables collaborative information sharing between an occupant of a building and an individual associated with building operations who is responsible for receiving, delegating, or performing a function related to the service request. The system includes one or more processors capable of receiving, from the occupant of the building, a new service request requesting a service or maintenance task to be performed for the occupant at the building, and storing the service request and related service request information in a service request database of the system. The processors are capable of enabling the individual to retrieve the service request from the service request database and to provide service request modification information to modify the service request information stored in the database. The processors are capable of updating the service request information stored in the database based on the service request modification information.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for facilitating coordination of user activities in accordance with information processing systems and, more particularly, to techniques for managing encounters with persons using such information processing systems. For example, a method for facilitating user coordination of one or more activities comprises the following steps. User personal preference input for managing an encounter with at least one other person is accepted. Input of at least one user schedule entry is received. Schedule entries of the at least one other person are evaluated and it is automatically determined whether there is an overlap between the at least one user schedule entry and the schedule entries of the at least one other person. A response to a determined overlap is automatically determined. The user personal preference input may comprise an indication of whether the user wishes to avoid an encounter with the at least one other person or coordinate an encounter with the at least one other person.

Abstract: Advanced patient management systems include a unit for collecting data from a device associated with a patient, and a host in communication with the unit, the host identifying a time for the device to update data on the device. The system can identify a time for the device to update data associated with the device by developing a histogram of the availability of the device for interrogation. The system can also optimize processing loads for the system by developing a histogram of the time at which the caregiver is most likely to access the system to review the collected and processed data. Methods for optimizing device data update and processing times are also included.

Abstract: Technician control, in which a control system is configured to control scheduling and dispatch operations for work orders being handled by technicians. Multiple technician devices are each associated with one or more technicians, are configured to communicate, over a network, with the control system, and also are configured to provide output in response to communications that are received from the control system and that are related to the scheduling and dispatch operations performed by the control system. A set of scheduling configuration options may be pre-defined and user input weighting at least one of the scheduling configuration options relative to other of the scheduling configuration options may be received. A scheduling application used by the control system to perform scheduling operations may be configured based on configuration data that reflects the weighting and scheduling operations may be performed using the configured scheduling application.

Abstract: A project management system manages project schedule data using separate current and historical task schedule data structures. In general, current schedule data is stored separately from historical schedule data, so that the current schedule data may be retrieved separately from the historical task schedule data. The project management system may also maintain unscheduled tasks as “to-do lists.” Tasks may be added to a member's schedule without specifying any planned dates and the tasks are added to the database. The tasks have an associated revision number of 0 to indicate that the tasks were added, but not yet scheduled. The tasks are displayed in the member schedule editor and in Web page schedules. The tasks may then be displayed in the member schedule editor and in Web page schedules in a manner that allows a user to readily determine that the tasks are “to-do list” tasks.

Abstract: A tool integrates various components of project planning and management. The tool enables the creation and tracking of authorization for expense (AFE) information for a project. Also, the tool allows risks to be assigned to corresponding activities of the project.

Abstract: A labor resource decision support system, in which labor resource data is maintained across multiple units within an organization using a standardized data record format. A demand measurement for a first type of labor resource having a unique combination of values for fields of the standardized data record format is determined based on input describing forecasted demand for the first type of labor resource within the organization and a supply measurement for the first type of labor resource is determined based on input describing forecasted supply for the first type of labor resource within the organization and the labor resource data. A gap measurement is calculated based on the determined demand measurement and the determined supply measurement and an output is provided based on the calculated gap measurement.

Abstract: A project management system uses a work breakdown structure to define the project tasks. The work breakdown structure is organized as set of hierarchical related project tasks. The work breakdown structure can be loaded in part from a template. A calendar breakdown structure defines events associated with project resources. The calendar breakdown structure is defined on departmental basis. A resource breakdown structure defines available resources. The resource breakdown structure includes personnel and tools. The allocation of available resources to the project tasks is optimized within the constraints of the work breakdown structure and calendar breakdown structure. A histogram of project demand versus available resources is generated. The histogram of project demand versus available resources is used to optimize resource allocation.

Abstract: Systems and computer-implemented methods for managing a workforce include receiving a request for support including a location of the request for support, converting the request for support into a work ticket, classifying the work ticket, allocating the work ticket to a field operative out of a set of at least one field operatives, transmitting a request for a map including data from the work ticket, receiving a map image including data relating to the work ticket, and transmitting the map image including data relating to the work ticket to the field operative.

Abstract: A method, and apparatus for software and resource management with a model-based architecture.

Abstract: A dispatching system adjusts resources to meet real-time changes in demand. When a customer requests service, a work assignment is generated and sent to an employee. When a customer cancels the requested service, a cancellation code is sent to the employee. The cancellation code informs the employee that the work assignment has been canceled.

Abstract: In a computerized system and method for scheduling medical procedures implemented by a number of medical apparatuses in a clinic or hospital, an exam or therapy is scheduled using a particular medical apparatus with a set time duration, and the exam or therapy is conducted and the actual time duration occupied by the medical apparatus to conduct the exam or therapy is recorded. The time durations for each medical procedure conducted by each medical apparatus are entered into and stored in a statistical data base. A scheduling computer has access to this statistical data base, and the next exam or therapy for the same apparatus is then scheduled using a time duration that is statistically updated based on the statistical compilation in the data base.

Abstract: Members working on the same project can access similar resources at substantially the same time to facilitate active participation in the project. A meeting associated with the project can be given a unique identifier that can allow the project members to access a meeting or other content and view similar documents or other content as it is discussed in the meeting. As information is edited, modified, created, etc. the members can selectively be presented with the information. A common repository can provide the members with an area or platform in which the project material can be accessed, discussed or other functions performed by the project members, allowing for collaboration of the project details.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources available to deliver them. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the delivery operation information system tracks quantities of articles, schedules their distribution, and schedules and tracks the work force that distributes the articles.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating context-based movie information. For example, a movie application on an electronic device can obtain show times of a movie from multiple movie theaters. In some embodiments, the movie application can combine one or more show times into a single time slot in order to condense the number of show times that are displayed. Furthermore, the movie application can provide slot labels corresponding to each time slot based on one or more context-sensitive factors (e.g., current time of day, current location, one or more upcoming calendar events, and the like). As a result, the movie application can provide a user with a condensed view of the most accessible show times based on current context.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for determining staffing requirements or other resource requirements for a plurality of contact channels are disclosed. A contact volume forecast may be performed at a beginning of a season. The contact volume forecast may predict variability in contact volume over a plurality of time periods in the season for each of the contact channels. A resource plan may be determined based on the contact volume forecast. The resource plan may indicate an amount of resources required for each contact channel for each of the plurality of time periods in the season. For at least one time period, the resource plan may specify that resources are to be shifted into a first contact channel from one or more other contact channels.

Abstract: The design and process scheduling optimization method is a technique that circumvents problems encountered in previous optimization techniques. The method performs comparison against multiple possible outcomes rather than a single-valued benchmark. Pattern Recognition (PR) techniques are utilized to classify the work planned at specified cut-off dates during the planning stage. Classification is used to monitor and evaluate the progress during the construction stage. The PR technique generalizes a virtual benchmark to represent the whole project based on multiple possible outcomes generated at a given cut-off date. The generalization feature offers a potential tool to overcome the problem of variation in the quality of data collected. Patterns are constructed to encode work of the project at different cut-off dates. The present invention utilizes a robust pattern recognition method applied to Critical Path Method (CPM) procedures to monitor and evaluate progress of construction projects.

Abstract: A solution for improved management of user events scheduled during a user absence period a determination module configured to determine a user absence period having a start date and an end date. A detection module configured to detect a new user event scheduled during the user absence period. A reporting module configured to report statistics on the new user events. A response module configured to automatically respond to the new user event scheduled during the user absence period, the new user event scheduled after the user absence period is defined. A definition module configured to define the user absence period having a start date and an end date. A search module configured to search two or more calendaring repositories for a scheduled user event having a start/end date during the user absence period, and a presentation module configured to present to the user the scheduled user event.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for reassigning worker profiles to units of work. For example, a scheduling system can reassign worker profiles to units of work and ensure that (a) workers/users are appropriately qualified to complete or perform units of work, (b) scheduling conflicts on a worker's/user's schedule are avoided, and (c) customizable rules and guidelines are followed.

Abstract: This invention relates to providing a system for project planning and scheduling which supports simplified, interactive, graphics-based project planning and scheduling using new planning concepts, new scheduling concepts and new graphics-based software systems. Further, this invention permits an inexperienced user to simultaneously plan and schedule a project including establishing appropriate relationship (or dependency) links between activities, also commonly referred to as tasks, and between activities and milestones. This invention offers the simplest possible scheme of thought that can tie together activities, relationships and milestones, with or without deadlines, to yield a complete, correct network project schedule in the shortest possible time.

Abstract: To improve the scheduling and tasking of resources, the present disclosure describes an improved planning system and method for the allocation and management of resources. The planning system uses a branch and bound approach of tasking resources using a heuristic to expedite arrival at a deterministic solution. For each possible functional mode of the resources, an upper bound is determined. The upper bounds are employed in an objective function for the branch and bound process to determine the functional mode in which to place the resources and to determine movement paths for the resources, all in an environment where a hostile force may attempt to destroy the resources.

Abstract: Computer-based system and computer-implemented methods for providing an automated computer network-based, or online, appointment scheduling service through which registered customers are individually capable of scheduling an appointment with a plurality of businesses that are also registered with the online appointment scheduling service. The application describes an optimization algorithm for controlling the start times presented to a customer when selecting an appointment time that seeks to cluster the new appointment to existing appointments for the business in order to reduce time gaps during the day for the business/service provider that are of insufficient duration to schedule other appointments for other customers of the business.

Abstract: A method for scheduling a meeting for a set of recipients is provided. The set of recipients includes a special attendee and at least one additional attendee including a meeting organizer. The method includes obtaining an initial meeting request from the meeting organizer. The meeting request does not specify meeting commencement information corresponding to at least one of a start time and a date. The method also includes generating a user interface for displaying the initial meeting request to the special attendee. The method also includes collecting input designated by the special attendee from the user interface. The input specifies the meeting commencement information. The method further includes transmitting the collected input. The collected input is used to generate an updated meeting request designating the set of recipients and specifying the meeting commencement information.

Abstract: In response to a request from a user, multiple reply mails are accessed and a changed portion for each of the reply mails is determined. Here, when the reply mail has a quotation from a past mail in the body and when the quotation includes newly-added information, a part where the information is added is determined as the changed portion. Otherwise, an original reply part in the body of the current mail is determined as the changed portion. Then, schedule information on a schedule is extracted from the changed portion. Based on the schedule information, summary information including a schedule of each person is created.

Abstract: A system that manages development of software is described. During operation, this system aggregates status information and requirement information as a function of time, where the status information specifies the status of the development of the software and the requirement information specifies target requirements for the software. Next, the system dynamically determines a project estimate for the development of the software based on the status information and the requirement information.

Abstract: A system for managing a project that includes multiple tasks and a plurality of workers. Input information includes characterizations based upon a human model, a team model and a product model. Periodic reports, such as one or more of a monthly report, a task plan report, a schedule report, a budget report and a risk management report, are generated and made available for display or further analysis or collection into a customized report template. An extensible database allows searching for information based upon context and upon content. Seven different types of project risks are addressed, including non-availability of required skill mix of workers. The system can be configured to exchange data and results with corresponding portions of similar project analyses, and to provide user-specific access to specified information.

Abstract: A resource management system includes a work plan builder module configured to build work plans for workers. The work plan builder module is configured to allow each worker to specify, for each of a plurality of different time periods, one of a plurality of different activities that the worker plans to perform during that time period. The work plans built by the work plan builder module are stored in a computer-accessible memory.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed for requirements decomposition and management. The apparatus includes a collection module, an organization module, and a graph module. These modules carry out the steps of collecting a project task description, the project task description comprising one or more properties, generating a directed acyclic hierarchy of one or more project tasks associated with the project task description, and generating a directed acyclic hierarchical graph view of the project, wherein the directed acyclic hierarchical graph view of the project comprises one or more nodes representing the one or more project tasks, and wherein the one or more nodes are arranged to graphically illustrate a directed acyclic hierarchical relationship between the one or more project tasks.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing a project. A board having rows and columns forming a grid of cells is first created or accessed. Security rules may be assigned to each of the cells. A number of task files each containing information about one of the project tasks are then created. Authorized persons may access the board and the task files with computers linked to the host computer and place representations of selected task files within selected cells of the board. Authorized persons may view a representation of the board with the selected task files shown within the selected cells or move the selected task files from cell to cell to indicate progress made on the tasks.

Abstract: A system and methods for managing dynamic teams, and in particular, for dynamically creating and modifying a team-based workflow is provided. The methods include defining a plurality of generic roles; assigning participants to the team; defining focus items; associating the focus items with the plurality of generic roles; and assigning each of the participants at least one of the plurality of generic roles.

Abstract: A system, computer program product, and related methods are described for obtaining, processing, and/or and archiving full-field breast image data, such as full-field breast ultrasound (FFBU) data, in a manner that promotes ready integration with current x-ray mammogram-based breast cancer screening methodologies, and which can alternatively be used to support a full-field-only environment. Two-dimensional thick-slice images computed from a three-dimensional data volume are used to facilitate efficient archiving for a breast imaging session, the two-dimensional thick-slice images corresponding to slab-like subvolumes of the breast. Clinician data overload problems that can arise from the existence of large amounts of three-dimensional full-field breast image data are reduced. Archive space is also preserved while still providing sufficient information data for future reference purposes. Related adjunctive full-field workflow methods are also described.

Abstract: A system and method for providing real-time appointment rescheduling by providing access to one or more computer-based appointment scheduling systems and a virtual open appointment wait-list associated with one or more appointment slots in the scheduling systems. One or more service consumers request to be placed on the wait-list. When an appointment becomes available, wait-list data is searched to find the first consumer that is next on the wait-list and whose wait-list data is consistent with the newly available appointment. The first consumer is then contacted with a designated period of time to respond and accept the appointment. After the designated period of time has passed with no response from the first consumer, the wait-list data is searched again to find the second service consumer that is next on the wait-list. The process is repeated automatically until the newly available appointment is accepted.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for scheduling and searching meetings in a network environment. A form is transmitted over a network to be rendered at an organizer computer to enable entry of information on a meeting. The form is received having organizer entered information on one meeting. The information in the received form is stored in a meeting database, wherein the stored information from the received form is associated with the meeting identified in the received form. A user computer accessed by a user is enabled to register for at least one selected meeting. An email database accessed by the user is updated automatically to include information on the at least one selected meeting indicated.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the performance of at least one task associated with operation of a retail store. The system includes at least one monitoring device positioned and adapted to provide images of at least one location within the retail store, with each image showing at least one factor related to performance of the at least one task. A controller is adapted to obtain and store images from the at least one monitoring device. An interface is adapted to enable a user to selectively view stored images and to manually analyze the at least one factor shown in the viewed images to evaluate the performance of the at least one task.