(:2) EX PARTE REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE (71 16th)
`United States Patent
`
`US 6,675,151 Cl
`(10) Number:
`Thompson et al.
`
`(45) Certificate Issued: *Oct. 20, 2009
`
`USOO6675151C1
`
`(54) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING
`SUBSTITUTE FULFILLMENT
`INFORMATION COMPILATION AND
`NOTIFICATION
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Roland R. Thompson. Malvem. PA
`(US); Michael S. Blackstone,
`Downingtown. PA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Frontline Placement Technoloflea,
`Inc.. Elverson. PA (US)
`
`Reexamination Request:
`No. 90/008,803. Aug. 9, 2007
`
`Reexaminadon Certificate for:
`Patent No.2
`6,675,151
`Issued:
`Jan. 6, 2M4
`Appl. No.:
`09/419,266
`Filed:
`Oct. 15, I999
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation-in-pm't of applicaion No. 09f217.l l6. filed on
`Dec. 21. 1998. now Pat. No. 6.334.133.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`6009 10/00
`
`(2006.01)
`
`. .......................................................... 705/9
`(52) US. Cl.
`(58) Field of Classification Search ........................ None
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5.117.353 A
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`50002 Kurzius et al.
`6f2m2 Dietz et al.
`
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Daly. Lesley. “Substitute Teacher Shortage Hits Schools."
`Apr. 24. 1998 [retrieved from the Internet]. 3 Sheets.
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Exanune'r—Fred Ferris
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`
`A system and method for automating the performance of
`substitute fulfillment to assign a replacement worker to sub-
`stitute for a worker during a temporary absence. performing
`placement of floating workers. tracking absences and entitle—
`ments of workers. notifying interested parties regarding
`unexpected events and daily announcements. and bidding
`for temporary workers. Substitute fulfillment. contact.
`absence. entitlement and notification data is stored centrally
`in a database on a server at a common site for multiple
`organizations employing the substitute fulfillment or notifi-
`cation system. When a worker absence is indicated. the sys-
`tem searches the database to obtain a list of potential
`replacements for the absent worker and tracks the worker's
`absences and entitlements. The system contacts potential
`replacements until one is found or until the list is exhausted.
`The system generates suitable reports and notifies organiza-
`tion personnel of any activity. The system also records
`announcements regarding unexpected or current events and
`contacts the interested parties of an organization with these
`announcements. 'Ihe system stores and aggregates historical
`operation data. prepares reports and provides relevant ser-
`vices.
`
`
`
`CRS EXHIBIT 1002
`
`CRS EXHIBIT 1002
`
`

`

`US 6,675,151 C1
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6.415.259 8|
`6,457,005 81
`6,466.9” 82
`6.524.|09 8|
`6,564,188 82
`6.567.784 82
`6.587.822 82
`6.662.194 8|
`6.675.15I 8|
`6.735.570 8|
`6.873.964 8|
`2005/00l0467 Al
`
`7/2002 Wolfingeretal.
`9/2002 Torrey
`|0/2002 Mitsuokaetal.
`2/2003 Lacyetal.
`5/2003 Hanmanetal.
`5/2003 8ukow
`7/2003 Brown et al.
`|2/2003 loao
`l/2004 Thompsonetal.
`5/2004 Lacy et al.
`3/2005 Williametal.
`1/2005 Dietzetal.
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`King. Kristen. EBR Schools Install System to Track Substi-
`tute Teachers. Advocate. Baton Rouge. La. Apr. 27. I998, 2
`Sheets.
`Subs are needed! Fast!; Computer Software Innovations,
`Inc.. May 2|. I999. I Sheet.
`Work. Deborah. In a Class by Itself Revolutionary Computer
`Finds Substitute Teachers—Sometimes More Than Needed,
`Sun Sentinal. Fort Lauderdale. Apr. l. I99 I . 2 Sheets.
`
`Technology White PaperThe Implementation of Distributed
`Time and Attendance Systems over Corporate Intranets and
`the
`Internet
`/ WWW,
`copyrighted
`I997. http://web.
`archive.orglwebl I 998020 I O62Wf~tech.comlwebtin‘te.
`htm.
`
`Aspect Telecommunications Announced Plans To Offer
`World Wide Web Solutions For Call Centers; New Web
`Interaction Capabilities For Agility Will Transform Call
`Centers Into Even More Powerful Customer Information
`Transaction Centers. Business Wire, Sep. I9. I995, http:/l
`thefreelibrary.coml_/prin|/PrintAnicIe.aspx?Id= I 7436I 73.
`3 Sheets.
`
`TALX Corporation Releases TALXWare 8.I Featuring
`State—of—the—Art Enhancements for Interactive Web and
`Interactive Voice Response. Business Wire, Aug. 27, I997,
`http://www.thefreelibrarycom/Jprint/PrintArfi-
`cle.aspx?id= | 970I 564. 2 Sheets.
`
`Web—On—Call Voice Browser Redefines Access To The Web;
`Organizations Can Now Extend Their Reach Beyond The
`Net. Business Wire. Mar. 4, I996. http://www.thefreelibrary.
`conV_Jprint/PrintArticIe.aspx?id=l8052502. 2 Sheets.
`
`

`

`US 6,675.151Cl
`
`1
`
`EX PARTE
`
`REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE
`
`ISSUED UNDER 35 U.S.C. 307
`
`THE PATENT IS HEREBY AMENDED AS
`INDICATED BELOW.
`
`Matter enclosed In heavy brackets [ ]appented In the
`paungbuthubeendeletednndlsnolongerapastofthe
`patent; matter prlnted In Italics Indicates additions nude
`to the patent.
`
`l0
`
`AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION. IT HAS BEEN
`DETERMINED THAT:
`
`l5
`
`2
`generating and posting a list of one or more positions of
`one or more absent workers that nwd to be filled by one
`or more substitute workers on a website and providing.
`for one or more of the positions. infomtation indicating
`directly or indirectly an organization wo rksite location
`for the respective position;
`receiving a response [by] comprising an acceptance from
`a substitute worker selecting a posted position on the
`website via an lntemet communication link; and
`
`securing. in response to receiving the acceptance from the
`substitute worker. via the lntemet communication link
`and the one or more computers. the posted position for
`the substitute worker who selected the posted position
`to fill in for the abunt worker, the securing corrtprising
`halting, at the one or more corrtputers. further pnrcess-
`ing to mm the posted position with any other substi-
`tute worker.
`
`Claims 3. 6 and 9 are determined to be patentable as
`amended.
`
`Claims 4-5. 7. 8 and 10-13. dependent on an amended
`claim. are determined to be patentable.
`
`New claims 14-55 are added and determined to be patent-
`able.
`
`Claims I and 2 were not reexamined.
`
`3. A method for performing substitute fulfillment for a
`plurality of different organizations comprising:
`receiving absentee information representing an absent
`worker that will be or is physically absent from an
`organization worksite via at least one communication
`link:
`
`generating and posting by one or more computers a list of
`one or more positions of one or more absent workers
`that need to be filled by one or more substitute workers
`on a website and providing. for one or more of the
`positions. information indicating directly or indirectly
`an organization worksite location for the respective
`position;
`receiving a response [by] comprising an acceptance. by
`the one or more computers. from a substitute worker
`selecting a posted position on the website via an Inter-
`net communication link; and
`
`securing. in response to receiving the acceptance form the
`substitute worker. via the Internet communication link
`and the one or more corrtputers. the posted position for
`the substitute worker who selected the posted position
`to fill in for the absent worker. the securing comprising
`halting. at the one or more computers, further process-
`ing to fulfill the posted position with any other substi-
`tute worker.
`6. A substitute fulfillment system that secures one or more
`substitute workers for a plurality of organizations compris-
`ing:
`a database comprising worker records, said worker
`records having information associated with workers for
`each of the organizations. and substitute records. said
`substitute records having information associated with
`at least one substitute worker; and
`
`one or more computers comprising a server connected to
`the database. the server configured for:
`receiving absentee information representing an absent
`worker that will be or is physically absent from an
`organization worksite via at least one communication
`link:
`
`25
`
`9. The substitute fulfillment system of claim 6 wherein
`each of a plurality of worker [record] records comprises
`2° worker identification. contact. position. qualification. and
`[substitute selection information] an identification of one or
`more prefened substitute workers tofill the position.
`14. The method ofclairn 3.
`wherein the list generated and posted comprises a plural-
`ity ofpositions that need to be filled, andfurther com-
`prising:
`generating or obtaining, for each respective one of a plu-
`rality ofthe positions that need to be filled. a respective
`electronic list of one or more preferred substitutes.
`before the posting step, and using the one or more lists
`of prefened substitutes to o’er the one or more posi-
`tions on the website.
`15. The method of claim 14. further comprising:
`creating, for each respective one of one or more of the
`positions that need to be filled, a respective electronic
`backup list ofone or more substitute workers. and using
`the one or more backup lists to ofer the one or more
`positions on the website.
`[6. The method ofclaim 3,
`wherein the receiving an acceptance by a substitute
`worker comprises receiving electronically the accep-
`tance by the substitute worker from the website on
`which the list of one or more positions was posted; and
`wherein the securing step comprises generating by the
`one or more computers information that the position
`was secured to the substitute worker and sending or
`posting this information via the Internet communica-
`tion link to the substitute worker.
`
`35
`
`45
`
`17. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the securing step com-
`prises generating by the one or more computers information
`that the position was secured to the substitute worker and
`sending or posting this information via the lntemet commu-
`nication link to the substitute worker and to an organization
`associated with the position.
`18. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
`facilitating provision ofa worker web page that a worker
`may access with a respective personal identifier and
`capable of receiving details of a future absence of the
`respective workerfor a position ofan organization.
`19. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
`obtaining for each of a plurality of positions of an
`organization. one or more criteria for selecting a sub-
`stitute worker to fill in at the respective position;
`facilitating provision of a worker web page that a respec-
`tive worker may access with a respective personal iden-
`
`55
`
`65
`
`

`

`US 6,675,151 Cl
`
`3
`tifier and capable of receiving details era future
`absence of the respective worker from one of the posi-
`tions;
`receiving electronically, on the worker web page, details
`of a fitture absence of one of the respective workers
`from one of the plurality ofpositions; and
`selecting, by one or more computers, based at least in part
`on the one or more criteria for the respective position.
`one or more one substitute workers to which to commu-
`nicate electronically an ofer to fill in at the one posi-
`tion.
`20. The method of claim I 9, wherein one or more details
`of a respective future absence is received electronically for
`each of a plurality of respective positions of a plurality of
`organizations.
`2!. The method ofclaim I 9, fitrther comprising:
`generating or obtaining a list of one or more preferred
`substitutes for the posted position;
`calling via a telephone communication link automatically
`by the one or more computers one or more ofthe substi-
`tute workers on the list ofone or more preferred substi-
`tutes;
`
`communicating, by the one or more computers, with a
`called one of the substitute workers on the list by the
`telephone communication link to fulfill the posted posi-
`tion; and
`wherein the securing step, by the one or more computers,
`comprises halting further processing to fulfill the
`posted position with the called one of the substitute
`workers.
`-
`‘
`
`22. The method ofclaim 2!, further comprising:
`storing in an electronic database information about tele-
`phone calls to the one or more computers ofa substitute
`fulfillment system from workers and substitute workers
`and website accesses to the substitutefulfillment system
`from workers and substitute workers.
`23., The method of claim 3, further comprising:
`generating or obtaining a list of one or more preferred
`substitutes for the posted position;
`calling via a telephone communication link automatically
`by the one or more computers one or more ofthe substi-
`tute workers on the list ofone or more preferred substi-
`tutes;
`
`communicating, by the one or more computers, with a
`called one of the substitute workers on the list by the
`telephone communication link to fulfill the posted posi-
`tion; and
`wherein the securing step, by the one or more computers,
`comprises halting further processing to fulfill the
`posted position with the called one of the substitute
`workers.
`24. The method of claim 3, wherein the information pro-
`vided comprises information on a start time for an absence
`of the absent worker:
`25. The method ofclaim 24, wherein the location infonna-
`tion comprises classroom location information.
`26. The method of claim 3, wherein the infonnation pro-
`videdfurther comprises shift and start time infonnation.
`27. The method of claim 3, further comprising identifying
`by one or more computers organization worksites where
`substitute workers with particular qualifications are in
`demand.
`28. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
`wherein the receiving absentee information step com-
`prises receiving by one or more computers from a
`worker information about a future absence; and
`
`5
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`65
`
`4
`
`triggering by one or more computers the generating and
`posting step in direct response to receiving from the
`absent worker the future absence infomration.
`29. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
`maintaining by one or more computers on electronic main
`database comprising worker records, said worker
`records having infonnation associated with workersfor
`each of the organizations, and substitute records, said
`substitute records having information associated with a
`plurality of substitute workers, and information indi-
`cating directly or indirectly an organization worksite
`location for each of the workers;
`receiving by one or more computers new information
`about a worker absence from an organization database
`ofan organization associated with the position;
`updating automatically by one or more computers the
`main database with the new information about the
`worker absence: and
`
`triggering by one or more computers the generating and
`posting step in direct response to receiving the new
`information from the organization database.
`30. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
`generating update information relating to a position and
`causing transmission of the update information to an
`organization database of an organization associated
`with the position.
`3!. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
`sending, by the one or more computer,
`information
`derivedfrom the fitture absence information via one or
`more communication links to notify one or more
`selected personnel of an organization associated with
`the position of the worker:
`32. The method of claim 3,
`wherein the receiving step, by computer; comprises receiv-
`ing an acceptancefrom one ofthe substitute workers by
`a telephone communication link.
`33. The method of claim 3,
`wherein the receiving step, by computer; comprises receiv-
`ing an acceptancefrom one ofthe substitute workers by
`a web communication link.
`34. The system ofclaim 6,
`wherein the list generated and posted comprises a plural-
`ity ofpositions that need to be filled, and further com-
`prising:
`the one or more computers configured for generating or
`obtaining, for each respective one of a plurality of the
`positions that need to be filled, a respective electronic
`list ofone or more preferred substitutes before the post-
`ing operation, and using the one or more lists of pre-
`ferred substitutes to ofer the one or more positions on
`the website.
`
`35. The system of claim 34, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configured for creating, for
`each respective one ofone or more ofthe positions that
`need to be filled, a respective electronic backup list of
`one or more substitute workers, and using the one or
`more backup lists to Ofer the one or more positions on
`the website.
`
`36. The system ofclaim 6, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configured for receiving an
`acceptance by a substitute worker from the website on
`which the list ofone or more positions was posted; and
`the one or more computers configured for generating
`information that the position was secured to the substi-
`tute worker and sending or posting this information via
`the Internet communication link to the substitute
`worker:
`
`

`

`5
`
`US 6.675.151Cl
`
`6
`
`37. The system of claim 6, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configured for generating
`infomsation that the position was secured to the substi-
`tute worker and sending or posting this infomtation via
`the Internet communication link to the substitute 5
`workerand to an organization associated with the posi-
`tion.
`
`the one or more computers configured for securing by
`halting further processing to fitlfill the posted position
`with the called one of the substitute workers.
`44. The system of claim 6, wherein the infomsation pro-
`vided comprises infomsation on a start time for an absence
`of the absent worker.
`45. The system of claim 44, wherein the location informa-
`tion comprises classroom location infommtion.
`46. The system of claim 6, wherein the information pro-
`videdfurther comprises shtfi and start time information.
`47. The system of claim 6, further comprising the one or
`more computers configured for identifying organization
`worksites where substitute workers with particular qualifi-
`cations are in demand.
`
`48. The system ofclaim 6, further comprising:
`the one ormore computers configuredfor receiving from a
`worker information about afuture absence; and
`the one or more computers configured for triggering the
`generating and posting operation in direct response to
`receiving from the absent worker the future absence
`information.
`49. The system of claim 6, wherein the database for the
`substitute fidfillrnent system comprises a main database, and
`further comprising:
`
`the one or more computers configured for receiving new
`infomtation about a worker absence from an organiza-
`tion database of an organization associated with the
`position;
`
`the one or more computers configured for updating auto-
`matically the main database with the new infomsation
`about the worker absence; and
`
`the one or more computers configured for triggering the
`generating and posting operation in direct response to
`receiving the new information from the organization V
`database.
`
`50. The system of claim 43, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configured for generating
`update information relating to a position and causing
`transmission of the update information to an organiza-
`tion database of an organization associated with the
`position.
`51. The system ofclaim 43, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configured for sending infor-
`mation derivedfrom thefuture absence infomsation via
`one or more electronic corrtrnunication links to notify
`one or more selected personnel of an organization
`associated with the position of the worker:
`52. The system of claim 6,
`wherein the one or more computers are configured for
`receiving an acceptance from one of the substitute
`workers by a telephone communication link.
`53. The system of claim 6,
`
`wherein the one or more computers are configured for
`receiving an acceptance from one of the substitute
`workers by a web communication link.
`54. The system of claim 43, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configured for playing a con-
`fimtation number over the telephone communication
`link to the substitute worker that has accepted the posi-
`tion.
`
`55. The method of claim 23,
`playing a confimsation number by the one or more com-
`puters over the telephone communication link to the
`substitute worker that has accepted the position.
`i
`i
`i
`i
`i
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`38. The system of claim 6, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configuredforfacilitating pro-
`vision of a worker web page that a worker may access
`with a respective personal identifier and capable of '0
`receiving details of a future absence of the respective
`workerfor a position ofan organization.
`39. The system of claim 6, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configured for obtaining for
`each of a plurality ofpositions of an organization, one 15
`or more criteria for selecting a substitute worker to fill
`in at the respective position;
`the one or more computers configuredforfacilitating pro—
`vision of a worker web page that a res ective worker
`may access with a respective persona identifier and 20
`capable of receiving details of a future absence of the
`respective workerfrom one of the positions:
`the one or more computers configured for receiving
`electronically, on the worker web page, details of a
`future absence of one of the respective workers from
`one of the plurality ofpositions; and
`the one or more computers configuredfor selecting, based
`at least in part on the one or more criteria for the
`respective position, one or more substitute workers to
`which to communicate electronically an ofer tofill in at
`the one position.
`40. The system ofclaim 39, wherein one or more details of
`a respective future absence is received electronically for
`each of a plurality of respective positions of a plurality of
`organizations.
`41. The system of claim 39, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configured for generating or
`obtaining a list of one or more preferred substitutes for
`the posted position;
`the one or more computers configured for calling via a
`telephone communication link automatically one or
`more of the substitute workers on the list ofone or more 4"
`preferred substitutes;
`the one or more computers configuredfor communicating
`with a called one of the substitute workers on the list by
`the telephone communication link to fulfill the posted
`position ; and
`the one or more computers configured for securing by
`halting further processing to fulfill the posted position
`with the called one of the substitute workers.
`42. The system of claim 41, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configured for storing in an 50
`electronic database infomsation about telephone calls
`to the one or more computers of the substitute fulfill-
`ment system from workers and substitute workers and
`website accesses to the substitute fulfillment system
`from workers and substitute workers.
`43. The system of claim 6, further comprising:
`the one or more computers configured for generating or
`obtaining a list of one or more preferred substitutes for
`the posted position;
`the one or more computers configured for calling via a 50
`telephone communication link automatically one or
`more of the substitute workers on the list ofone or more
`preferred substitutes;
`the one or more computers configuredfor communicating,
`with a called one of the substitute workers by the tele—
`phone communication link to fulfill the posted position;
`and
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`