Patent Application

App. No. 11/090,084

Abstract

Claims (117)

1 . A method for assigning a plurality of locations to individuals and for creating schedules and routes to and from the locations, the individuals using the routes to travel to the locations, comprising:

receiving location data including a list of locations and location addresses;

determining the location coordinates from the location addresses;

receiving identity data including addresses of the individuals;

determining the individual coordinates from the individual addresses;

receiving workload data of the individuals, the workload data including the amount of time an individual is available to work;

determining distances between the individual coordinates and location coordinates;

assigning locations to the individuals based on the distances and the workload data;

determining the schedules of the individuals including the number of assigned locations to visit based on the distances and the workload data;

determining routes to and from the locations for the individuals based on the distances and the workload data.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assigning each location to the individuals further comprises:

identifying, for a particular location, the closest individual to the particular location, the closest individual being at the shortest distance from the particular location;

identifying, for the particular location, the next closest individual to the particular location, the next closest individual being at the next shortest distance from the particular location;

determining the difference in distance between the closest individual and the next closest individual with respect to the particular location;

if the difference in distance between the closest individual and the next closest individual is greater than a predetermined percentage, assigning the particular location to the closest individual;

if the difference in distance between the closest individual and the next closest individual is less than the predetermined percentage, not assigning the particular location.

3 . The method of claim 2 further comprising allocating the un-assigned location by calculating the percentage of original work availability of the closest individual and the next closest individual, and assigning the location to the individual that has a higher percentage of original work availability.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the step of determining routes for the individuals comprises:

creating a map displaying the coordinates of the locations assigned to a particular individual and the individual coordinates;

starting at a first angle, centered at the individual coordinate, incrementing the angle to locate and add locations to the route;

calculating total distance traveled originating from the individual coordinate as more locations are added to the route;

returning to the individual coordinates and completing the daily route when a maximum daily allowable travel distance is reached;

incrementing the angle to create additional daily routes for additional days until all locations are routed by a first set of routes, wherein the first set of routes has a plurality of daily routes.

5 . The method of claim 4 further comprising incrementing the starting angle and repeating the steps of claim 4 to create a plurality of sets of routes, wherein each set of routes is generated using a different starting angle and wherein each set of routes has a plurality of daily routes.

6 . The method of claim 5 further comprising calculating the total distance associated with each set of routes, and selecting the set of routes having the least total distance.

7 . The method of claim 3 wherein the step of determining daily routes for the individuals further comprises:

creating a map displaying the coordinates of the locations assigned to a particular individual and the individual coordinates;

selecting the location farthest from the individual coordinates;

building a daily route by adding locations closest to the previously selected location;

calculating total distance traveled originating from the individual coordinate as more locations are added to the route;

returning to the individual coordinates and completing the daily route when a maximum daily allowable travel distance is reached or all locations are routed.

8 . The method of claim 7 further comprising creating additional daily routes by repeating the steps of claim 7 until all locations are assigned.

9 . The method of claim 7 further comprising calculating the total distance associated with the routes.

10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising comparing the total distance associated with the routes in claim 9 to the total distance associated with the routes in claim 6 for each individual, and selecting the routes having a shorter total distance.

11 . The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a report listing the assigned locations for the individual.

12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a report providing the routes for the individual.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the report provides a daily work schedule for the individual.

14 . The method of claim 12 wherein the report provides the number of locations the individual is required to visit each day.

15 . The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the location coordinates by determining longitudes and latitudes of the locations.

16 . The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the individual coordinates by determining longitudes and latitudes of the individual's addresses.

17 . The method of claim 1 wherein the workload data includes the amount of time the individual is available to work during a day, a week, a month or in any time period.

18 . The method of claim 1 wherein the location data is stored in a location database, the location database including the list of locations and longitudes and latitudes of the locations.

19 . The method of claim 1 wherein the identity data and the workload data are stored in an individual database, the individual database including longitudes and latitudes of the individuals and the amount of time an individual is available to work.

20 . The method of claim 1 further comprising adding new locations to the individual's assigned routes.

21 . The method of claim 1 further comprising adding new routes to the individual's assigned routes.

22 . The method of claim 1 further comprising removing one or more locations from the individual's assigned locations.

23 . The method of claim 1 further comprising removing routes from the individual's assigned routes.

24 . A computer system, comprising:

a data input device;

a data output device;

a processor coupled to the data input and output devices;

a memory device coupled to the processor;

a storage device coupled to the processor having computer readable program code embodied in the storage device for causing an application program to execute on the computer system method steps for assigning a plurality of locations to individuals and for creating work schedules and routes to and from the locations, the individuals using the routes to commute to the locations in order to perform tasks at the locations, comprising:

receiving location data including a list of locations and location addresses;

determining the location coordinates;

receiving identity data including addresses of the individuals;

determining the individual coordinates;

receiving workload data of the individuals, the workload data including the amount of time an individual is available to work;

determining distances between the individual coordinates and location coordinates;

assigning the locations to the individuals based on the distances and the workload data;

determining work schedules of the individuals including the number of assigned locations to visit based on the distances and the workload data;

determining routes to and from the locations for the individuals based on the distances and the workload data.

25 . The computer system of claim 24 wherein the step of assigning a location to the individuals further comprises:

identifying, for a particular location, the closest individual to the particular location, the closest individual being at the shortest distance from the particular location;

identifying, for the particular location, the next closest individual to the particular location, the next closest individual being at the next shortest distance from the particular location;

determining the difference in distance between the closest individual and the next closest individual with respect to the particular location;

if the difference in distance between the closest individual and the next closest individual is greater than a predetermined percentage, assigning the particular location to the closest individual;

if the difference in distance between the closest individual and the next closest individual is less than the predetermined percentage, not assigning the particular location.

26 . The computer system of claim 24 wherein the method steps further comprises allocating the un-assigned location by calculating the percentage of original work availability of the closest individual and the next closest individual, and assigning the location to the individual that has a higher percentage of original work availability.

27 . The computer system of claim 26 wherein the step of determining routes for the individuals comprises:

creating a map displaying the coordinates of the locations assigned to a particular individual and the individual coordinates;

starting at a first angle, centered at the individual coordinate, incrementing the angle to locate and add locations to the route;

calculating total distance traveled originating from the individual coordinate as more locations are added to the route;

returning to the individual coordinates and completing the daily route when a maximum daily allowable travel distance;

incrementing the angle to create additional daily routes for other days until all locations are routed by a first set of routes, wherein the first set of routes has a plurality of daily routes.

28 . The computer system of claim 27 wherein the step of determining routes for the individuals further comprises incrementing the starting angle and repeating the steps of claim 27 to create a plurality of sets of routes, wherein each set of routes is generated using a different starting angle and wherein each set of routes has a plurality of daily routes.

29 . The computer system of claim 27 wherein determining routes for the individuals further comprises calculating the total distance associated with each set of routes, and selecting the set of routes having the least total distance.

30 . The computer system claim 27 wherein the step of determining routes for the individuals further comprises:

creating a map displaying the coordinates of the locations assigned to a particular individual and the individual coordinates;

selecting the location farthest from the individual coordinates;

building a daily route by adding locations closest to the previously selected location;

calculating total distance traveled originating from the individual coordinate as more locations are added to the route;

returning to the individual coordinates and completing the daily route when a maximum daily allowable travel distance is reached.

31 . A computer program product coupled to a processor having computer readable program code embodied in the computer readable media for causing an application program to execute on a computer system method steps for assigning a plurality of job-sites to employees and for creating work schedules and routes to and from the job-sites, the employees using the routes to commute to the job-sites in order to work at the job-sites, comprising:

receiving job-site data including a list of job-sites, required tasks to be performed at the job-sites and job-site addresses;

determining the job-site coordinates from the job-site addresses;

receiving identity data including addresses of the employees;

determining the employee coordinates from the employee addresses;

receiving workload data of the employees, the workload data including the amount of time an individual employee is available to work;

determining distances between the employee coordinates and job-site coordinates;

assigning job-sites to the employees based on the distances and the workload data;

determining work schedules of the employees including the number of assigned job-sites to visit based on the distances and the workload data;

determining routes to and from the job-sites for the employees based on the distances and the workload data.

32 . The computer program product of claim 31 wherein the step of assigning a job-site to the employees further comprises:

identifying, for a particular job-site, the closest employee to the particular job-site, the closest employee being at the shortest distance from the particular job-site;

identifying, for the particular job-site, the next closest employee to the particular job-site, the next closest employee being at the next shortest distance from the particular job-site;

determining the difference in distance between the closest employee and the next closest employee with respect to the particular job-site;

if the difference in distance between the closest employee and the next closest employee is greater than a predetermined percentage, assigning the particular job-site to the closest employee;

if the difference in distance between the closest employee and the next closest employee is less than the predetermined percentage, not assigning the particular job-site.

33 . The computer program product of claim 32 wherein the method steps further comprises allocating the un-assigned job-site by calculating the percentage of original work availability of the closest employee and the next closest employee, and assigning the job-site to the employee that has a higher percentage of original work availability.

34 . The computer program product of claim 33 wherein the step of determining routes for the employees comprises:

creating a map displaying the coordinates of the job-sites assigned to a particular employee and the employee coordinates;

starting at a first angle, centered at the employee coordinate, incrementing the angle to locate and add job-sites to the route;

calculating total distance traveled originating from the employee coordinate as more job-sites are added to the route;

returning to the employee coordinates and completing the daily route when a maximum daily allowable travel distance is reached;

incrementing the angle to create additional daily routes for other days until all job-sites are routed by a first set of routes, wherein the first set of routes has a plurality of daily routes.

35 . The computer program product of claim 34 wherein the step of determining routes for the employees further comprises incrementing the starting angle and repeating the steps of claim 33 to create a plurality of sets of routes, wherein each set of routes is generated using a different starting angle and wherein each set of routes has a plurality of daily routes.

36 . The computer program product of claim 34 wherein the step of determining routes for the employees further comprises calculating the total distance associated with each set of routes, and selecting the set of routes having the least total distance.

37 . The computer program product of claim 34 wherein the step of determining routes for the employees further comprises:

creating a map displaying the coordinates of the job-sites assigned to a particular employee and the employee coordinates;

selecting the job-site farthest from the employee coordinates;

building a daily route by adding job-sites closest to the previously selected job-site;

calculating total distance traveled originating from the employee coordinate as more job-sites are added to the route;

returning to the employee coordinates and completing the daily route when a maximum daily allowable travel distance is reached or all job-sites are assigned.

38 . The computer program product of claim 37 wherein the step of determining routes further comprises creating additional daily routes by repeating the steps of claim 36 until all job-sites are assigned.

39 . The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the step of determining routes further comprises calculating the total distance associated with the routes.

40 . The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the step of determining routes further comprises comparing the total distance associated with the routes in claim 38 to the total distance associated with the routes in claim 33 , and selecting the routes having a shorter total distance.

Assignments (16)