(12) United States Patent
`Kalantar et al.
`
`USOO6954737B2
`(10) Patent No.:
`US 6,954,737 B2
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WORK
`MANAGEMENT FOR FACILITY
`MAINTENANCE
`
`(75) Inventors: Sayed Javad Kalantar, Racine, WI
`(US); Carey W. Zimmerman, Racine,
`WI (US); Cameron Adams, Waukegan,
`WI (US); Thomas E. Blenkhorn,
`Frankenmuth, MI (US
`(US)
`(73) Assignee: Johnson Diversey, Inc., Sturtevant, WI
`(US)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 824 days.
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/992,406
`(22) Filed:
`Nov. 5, 2001
`(65)
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2003/0088534 A1 May 8, 2003
`7
`(51) Int. Cl." ............................. G06E 1700; G06E 3/00;
`G06G 7/00; G06F 15/18; G06F 17/00
`(52) U.S. Cl. .................................. 705/50; 705/7; 705/8
`(58) Field of Search ................................ 706/50; 705/7,
`705/8; 715/751
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,852,001 A 7/1989 Tsushima et al.
`4,896.269 A 1/1990 Tong
`5,111,391 A * 5/1992 Fields et al. ................... 7S
`5,343,387 A * 8/1994 Honma et al. ......
`705/9
`5,557.515 A
`9/1996 Abbruzzese et al.
`5,767,848 A * 6/1998 Matsuzaki et al. .......... 715/751
`5,819,263 A 10/1998 Bromley et al.
`5,848,395 A 12/1998 Edgar et al.
`
`2/1999 Richardson .................... 705/9
`5,867.823 A
`3/1999 Ernst
`5,890,133. A
`5,893,906 A 4/1999 Daffin et al.
`5,907.829 A
`5/1999 Kida
`5,923,552. A 7/1999 Brown et al.
`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Bailey et al., “Preparing the Information Technology Work
`force for the New Millenium.” ACM SIGCPR Computer
`Personnel, 20 (4), pp. 4-15 (Oct. 1999).
`(Continued)
`Primary Examiner Anthony Knight
`ASSistant Examiner Michael B. Holmes
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Vernon W. Francissen;
`Gardner Carton & Douglas LLP
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A System and method are shown for work management for
`facility maintenance. The System includes a central man
`agement Server configured to receive a first Set of informa
`tion including tasks to be performed at a first facility and to
`generate a first work Schedule for a first user Selected to
`perform the first work Schedule at the first facility. The
`system further includes a first client device at the first
`facility, where the first client device is configured to receive
`the first work Schedule from the central management Server
`and display the first work Schedule to the first user via an
`electronic management interface. The electronic interface is
`further configured to receive task completion data from the
`first user and Send the data to the central management Server.
`When the central management Server receives the task
`completion data, the central management server is config
`ured to update a status of the work Schedule based upon the
`task completion data received from the first user.
`
`62 Claims, 33 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`110
`
`120
`
`FIRST
`FACLTY
`
`y
`
`SECON)
`FACTY
`
`
`
`
`
`WIDEAREA
`NETWORK
`102.
`
`CENTRAL
`MANAGEMENT
`SERVER
`130
`
`FOREACHFACILITY:
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Cld STAFF LS
`DATABASE
`140
`
`
`
`WORK QUALITY
`(GRAPHS
`-RENDS
`-RANKING)
`
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`US 6,954,737 B2
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,963,911
`6,006,195
`6,006,215
`6,073,109
`6,134,557
`6,138,104
`6,151,583
`6,157915
`6,263,313
`6,345,256
`6,389,403
`6,389,538
`6,398.245
`6,418.421
`
`10/1999
`12/1999
`12/1999
`6/2000
`10/2000
`10/2000
`11/2000
`12/2000
`7/2001
`2/2002
`5/2002
`5/2002
`6/2002
`7/2002
`
`Walker et al.
`Marchak et al.
`Retallick
`Flores et al.
`Freeman
`Marchak et al.
`Ohmura et al.
`Bhaskaran et al.
`Milsted et al.
`Milsted et al.
`Dorak, Jr.
`Gruse et al.
`Gruse et al.
`Hurtado et al.
`
`6/2003 Lesaint et al. ................. 705/8
`6,578,005 B1
`2001/0042001 A1 11/2001 Goto et al. .................... 705/9
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Martin, “Training Help Desk Students: The Never Ending
`Task.” User Services Conference, Proceeding of the 27'
`Annual ACM SIGUCCS Conference on User Services. Mile
`High Expectations, pp. 153–159 (1999).
`Niederman et al., “Valuing the IT Workforce as Intellectual
`Capital,” Special Interest Group on Computer Personnel
`Research Annual Conference, Proceeding of the 1999 ACM
`SIGCPR Conference on Computer Personnel Research, pp.
`174–181 (1999).
`* cited by examiner
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 1 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 2 of 33
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 3 of 33
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`US 6,954,737 B2
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 4 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`2O6
`
`TASK RECORD
`TASKID 12
`- TASKCON
`- INSTRUCTION
`ENGLISH
`SPANSH
`POLISH
`- MAP
`- STATUS = SCHEDULED
`USER D = SYSTEM
`TASKID = 17
`- TASKCON
`- INSTRUCTION
`ENGLISH
`SPANISH
`POLISH
`- MAP
`- STATUS = SCHEDULED
`USER D = SYSTEM
`TASK Dec 29
`- TASK CON
`- INSTRUCTION
`ENGLISH
`SPANISH
`POLISH
`- MAP
`- STATUS = SCHEDULED
`USER D = SYSTEM
`TASKID = 32
`
`TASK D = 82
`
`TASKD = 97
`
`204
`
`FACLITY RECORD
`FACILITY D = 131
`DATE
`(20011007)
`WORKSCHEDULE
`TASKID = 32; USER D = 34
`TASKID = 29; USER D = 34
`TASKID = 12; USER D = 34
`TASK D = 17; USER D = 28
`TASKID = 97; USER D = 28
`TASKID = 82: USER D = 28
`
`USER RECORD
`-1 2O2
`USER D = 28
`WORKSCHEDULE
`TASK D = 17
`TASK D = 82
`TASKID = 92
`ERRORCOUNT = 0
`ESSAGE(file)
`NSTRUCT = N
`LANGUAGE
`USER DE 34
`WORKSCHEDULE
`TASKID = 12
`TASK D = 29
`TASKO 32
`ERRORCOUNT = 3
`ESSAGE(file)
`INSTRUCT = Y
`LANGUAGE
`
`FIGURE 4
`
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 5 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`CUSTOMER RECORD 1/ 208
`CUSTOMER D = 355
`REGION ID = 110
`FACILITY D = 131
`FACILITY D - 133
`FACILITY D = 134
`REGION D = 111
`FACLITY D = 135
`FACILITY D = 136
`FACLITY D = 137
`REGION ID = 112
`FACILITY D = 138
`FACLITY DE 139
`FACLITY D = 140
`ACCESS
`USER D = 56
`LEVEL = 110
`USER D = 88
`LEVEL = 355
`USER D = 34
`LEVEL = 34
`USER D = 28
`LEVEL = 28
`USER DE 30
`LEVEL = 13.1
`
`CUSTOMER D = 441
`REGION DE 460
`FACILITY D = 461
`FACILITY D = 462
`FACLITY D = 463
`REGION D = 470
`FACILITY D = 4.72
`FACLITY DE 474
`FACILITY D - 476
`ACCESS
`USER D = 267
`LEVELE 470
`USER DE 332
`LEVE - 441
`
`FIGURE 5
`
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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Sheet 6 of 33
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`US 6,954,737 B2
`US 6,954,737 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Sheet 7 of 33
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`US 6,954,737 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Sheet 8 of 33
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`US 6,954,737 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Sheet 9 of 33
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`US 6,954,737 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Sheet 10 0f 33
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`US 6,954,737 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Sheet 11 of 33
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`US 6,954,737 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Sheet 12 of 33
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Sheet 14 of 33
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`US 6,954,737 B2
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`US 6,954,737 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Sheet 20 of 33
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`Sheet 21 of 33
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`Oct. 11, 2005
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`Sheet 22 of 33
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`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`a FIGURE 22
`
`( START
`
`? 300
`
`1302
`
`RECEIVE A FIRST SET OF INFORMATION
`NCLUDING TASKS TO BE PERFORMED
`AND SCHEDUE AT A FIRST FACLITY
`
`GENERATE A FIRST WORKSCHEDULE
`FOR A FIRSTEMPLOYEE SELECTED TO
`PERFORM THE FIRST WORKSCHEDULE
`
`RECEIVE A WORKSCHEDULE RECQUEST
`FOR THE FIRSTEMPLOYEE FROMA
`CLENT DEVICE AT THE FIRST FACILITY
`
`1304
`
`1306
`
`1308
`
`AUTHENTICATE THE EMPLOYEE
`
`1310
`
`AUTHENTICATION
`SUCCESSFUL2
`
`YES
`
`1312
`
`SEND THE FIRST WORKSCHEDULE TO THE
`CLIENT DEVICE AT THE FIRST FACILITY
`
`NO
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 24
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 23 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`FIGURE 23
`
`( START
`
`? 400
`
`1402
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ESTABLISHA COMMUNICATIONLINK
`FROM A CLIENT DEVICE AT A FIRST FACILITY
`TO A CENTRAL MANAGEMENT SERVER
`
`RECEIVE AN AUTHENTICATION DATA
`FROMA FIRSTEMPLOYEE WIAA USER
`INTERFACE ON THE CLIENT DEVICE
`
`1404
`
`1406
`
`SEND A WORKSCHEDULE REGUEST
`INCLUDING EMPLOYEE AUTHENTICATION
`DATA AND CLIENT DEVICE IDENTIFIER TO THE
`CENTRAL MANAGEMENT SERVER
`
`1408
`
`1410
`
`RECEIVE A FIRST WORKSCHEDULE
`FOR THE FIRSTEMPLOYEE
`
`DISPLAY THE FIRST WORKSCHEDULE
`ON THE CLIENT DEVICE
`
`( END
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 25
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 24 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`FIGURE 24
`
`( START
`
`? 500
`
`
`
`
`
`RECEIVE A FIRST TASK STATUS
`UPDATE MESSAGE CORRESPONDING
`TO A FIRST WORKSCHEDULE FROMA
`EMPLOYEE ATA CLIENT DEVICE
`
`UPDATE A STATUS OF EACH TASK SPECIFIED
`IN THE FIRST TASK UPDATE MESSAGE
`
`
`
`1502
`
`1504
`
`RECEIVE
`
`sa STATUS REPORT
`
`REQUEST FROMA SECOND
`MPLOYEE2
`
`YES
`
`
`
`GENERATE AWORKSTATUS REPORT
`FOR THE SECOND EMPLOYEE
`
`SEND THE WORKSTATUS REPORT
`TO THE CLENT DEVICE
`
`
`
`RECEIVE A SECONO
`UPDATE MESSAGE?
`
`YES
`
`UPDATE THE STATUS OF EACH TASK
`BASED ON TASK DATA IN THE
`SECONDUPDATE MESSAGE
`
`
`
`
`
`NO
`
`1508
`
`
`
`1510
`
`NO
`
`OEND D
`
`1514
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 26
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 25 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`FIGURE 25
`(START
`
`1600
`
`?
`
`16O2
`
`QUERY AFIRSTEMPLOYEE TO
`UPDATEA STATUS FOREACH TASK
`
`
`
`RECEIVE TASK COMPLETON DATA
`FROM THE FIRSTEMPLOYEE WIAA
`CLIENT DEVICE AT A FIRST FACLITY
`
`SEND A FIRST STATUS UPDATE
`MESSAGE FROM THE CLIENT DEVICE TO
`A CENTRAL MANAGEMENT SERVER, THE
`FIRST STATUS UPDATE MESSAGE
`NCLUDING THE TASK COMPLETON DATA
`
`1604
`
`1606
`
`RECEIVE
`A WORKSTATUS REPORT
`REQUEST FOR A SECOND
`
`
`
`
`
`YES
`
`NO
`
`1610
`
`DISPLAY THE WORKSTATUS REPORT ON THE
`CLENT DEVICE TO THE SECOND EMPLOYEE
`
`
`
`STATUS
`CHANGED FOR ANY TASK IN THE
`REPORT
`
`YES
`
`SEND A SECONDUPDATE MESSAGE
`INCLUDING CHANGED STATUS TASKDATA TO
`THE CENTRAL MANAGEMENT SERVER
`
`
`
`NO
`
`C END D
`
`1614
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 27
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 26 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`FIGURE 26
`
`( START
`
`? 700
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`RETRIEVE ATASK RECORD INCLUDING
`A TASKMARKED WITH A TASK
`"SCHEDULED"IDENTIFIER
`
`1702
`
`
`
`
`
`IS THE TASK DUEP
`
`1704
`
`
`
`YES
`
`1706
`
`UPDATE ATASK SCHEDULED IDENTIFIER TO A
`TASK DUE IDENTIFIER IN A TASK RECORD
`
`NO
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`MORE
`THAN ONE TASK RECORD
`NCLUDING ASCHEDULED TASK
`DENTIFIER2
`
`
`
`
`
`YES
`
`RETRIEVE A NEXT TASK RECORD
`
`NO
`
`1710
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 28
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 27 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`FIGURE 27
`
`C START
`
`A. 800
`
`
`
`RETREVE AASK RECORD INCLUDING A
`TASK MARKED WITH A TASK DUE DENTFER
`
`1802
`
`S THE TASK LATE
`
`1804
`
`UPDATE THE TASK DUE DENTIFIER TO
`A TASK LATE DENTIFIER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`NO
`
`
`
`SEND AN ALERT TO AN EMPLOYEE HAVING
`A PREDETERMINED HERARCHY LEVEL
`
`
`
`MORE
`THAN ONE TASK RECORD
`INCLUDING ATASK DUE
`DENTIFIER2
`
`
`
`YES
`
`RETRIEVE A NEXT TASK RECORD
`
`1808
`
`NO
`
`1812
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 29
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`Sheet 28 of 33
`FIGURE 28
`
`( START
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`? 900
`
`
`
`
`
`RETRIEVE ATASK RECORD INCLUDING
`A TASK MARKED WITH A TASK
`APPROVED IDENTIFIER
`
`1902
`
`
`
`
`
`CLOSE THE TASK RECORD?
`
`1904
`
`
`
`YES
`
`1906
`
`UPDATE THE TASKAPPROVED IDENTIFIER
`TO A TASK CLOSED IDENTIFIER
`
`
`
`
`
`NO
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`MORE
`THAN ONE TASK RECORD
`INCLUDING ATASKAPPROVED
`DENTIFIER2
`
`
`
`YES
`
`RETREVE A NEXT TASK RECORD
`
`NO
`
`1910
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 30
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 29 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`FIGURE 29
`
`C START
`
`RETRLEVE ATASK RECORD INCLUDING
`A TASK MARKED WHA TASK
`OONE DENTFER
`
`
`
`
`
`APPROVE THE TASK BY
`A SYSTEM?
`
`UPDATE ATASK DONE DENTIFIER TO
`AN AUTOMATICALLY APPROVED TASK
`IDENTFER AND CLOSED IDENTIFIER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`NO
`
`-o
`
`2002
`
`2004
`
`2006
`
`MORE
`THAN ONE TASK (NCLUDING A
`TASK DONE IDENTIFIER2
`
`
`
`YES
`
`RETRIEVE A NEXT RECORD INCLUDING
`A TASK DONE DENTFER
`
`NO
`
`2010
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 31
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 30 0f 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`NO
`
`
`
`
`
`FIGURE 30
`( START
`
`RETRIEVE A FIRST TASK RECORD
`INCLUDING ATASK MARKED WITH
`A TASK NOT DONE ONETFER
`
`2100
`
`?
`
`2O2
`
`2104
`
`CANCEL OR RESCHEDULE
`THE TASK?
`
`YES
`
`2106
`
`A ROUTINE TASK TYPEP
`
`UPDATE ATASK NOT DONE DENTIFIER
`O ATASK CANCELLED ONETFER
`
`UPDATE ATASK NOT DONE IDENTFER
`TO A TASK RESCHEDULE ONETFER
`
`NO
`2110
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`MORE THAN
`ONE TASK INCLUDING ATASK NOT
`DONE IDENTIFER2
`
`YES
`
`RETRIEVE A NEXT TASK RECORD
`
`NO
`
`2114
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 32
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 31 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`START
`
`RETRIEVE ATASK RECORD INCLUDING
`A TASK MARKED WITH A TASK
`RESCHEDULE (DENTFER
`
`-no
`
`22O2
`
`2204
`
`NO
`
`CANCE CLOSE THE TASK2
`
`REscHEDULE
`THE TASK
`
`YES
`
`
`
`2208
`
`
`
`
`
`UPDATE THE TASK RESCHEDULED DENTIFIER
`TO A CANCEL CLOSE DENTFER
`
`
`
`
`
`2210
`
`MORE
`THAN ONE TASK NCLUDING A
`TASK RESCHEDULE
`DENTFER2
`
`
`
`
`
`YES
`
`RETREVE A NEXT TASK RECORD
`
`NO
`
`2212
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 32 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`FIGURE 32
`
`( START
`
`-ms
`
`RECEIVE AWORKSCHEDULE REQUEST
`INCLUDING USER ID AND FACILITY D, REGION
`ID OR CUSTOMER ID
`
`2232
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`RETRIEVE CUSTOMER RECORD
`CORRESPONDING TO THE FACILITY ID,
`REGION ID OR CUSTOMERO OF THE WORK
`SCHEDULE REGUEST
`
`2234
`
`SEARCH CUSTOMER RECORD FOR USERD
`AND CORRESPONDINGLEVEL VALUE
`
`2236
`
`
`
`
`
`2240
`
`DOES LEVEL VALUE
`MATCH FACILITY ID, REGION ID OR
`CUSTOMERD
`RECQUESTED7
`
`NO
`
`YES
`
`
`
`RETRIEVE RECQUESTED WORKSCHEDULE
`DATA AND SEND TO USER
`
`2242
`
`
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 34
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 11, 2005
`
`Sheet 33 of 33
`
`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`FIGURE 33
`
`( START
`
`-at
`
`2252
`
`RECEIVE A BROADCAST MESSAGE REQUEST
`FROM A HIGH LEVELUSER
`
`RETRIEVE CUSTOMER RECORD
`CORRESPONDING TO THE USERD OF HIGH
`LEVE USER
`
`2254
`
`SEARCH CUSTOMER RECORD FOREACH
`USER D VALUE
`
`2256
`
`RETRIEVE EACH USER RECORD FOREACH
`USER D FOUND IN CUSTOMER RECORD
`
`2258
`
`INSERT BROADCAST MESSAGE TEXT FROM
`BROADCAST MESSAGE REGUEST INTO EACH
`USER RECORD
`
`2260
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`(
`
`END
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 35
`
`

`

`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`1
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WORK
`MANAGEMENT FOR FACILITY
`MAINTENANCE
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This present invention relates to facility management.
`More specifically, it relates to a System and method for
`managing facilities using client devices at each facility that
`communicate with a central management Server through a
`network.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`Facility maintenance is no longer considered just an
`overhead expense, and it plays an important role in a
`company's Success. The more an enterprise can optimize
`and maintain its assets, the more it can compete in the areas
`of cost and quality.
`One of the important factors in maintaining a Successfully
`operating facility is work Scheduling. Prior to the introduc
`tion of computerized work Scheduling Systems, Scheduling
`of work was performed manually. The manual Scheduling
`proceSS involved determining what work has to be per
`formed and the time, materials and resources, Such as
`workers and tools required to perform it, as well as infor
`mation which influenced the Schedule, Such as the priority
`associated with the work orders. The frequency with which
`the Scheduling proceSS had to be performed along many
`other factors contributed to the development of computer
`ized Scheduling Systems.
`One of Such computerized Schedule Systems is described
`in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,391, Fields et al. The Fields' patent
`relates to a System and method for the creation of Staff
`Schedules at remote locations, and takes into account loca
`tion Specific values and historical data, while Simultaneously
`conforming to corporate policy regarding Scheduling Stan
`dards and labor regulations. Another computerized Schedule
`system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,387, Honma et al.
`The Honma's patent is directed to a building management
`System. Specifically, the Honma's patent describes a cyclic
`building maintenance work Schedule preparation System that
`is useful in preparing a Schedule table of cyclic work in
`advance upon Sending workers to periodically visit client
`buildings under a maintenance contract to conduct inspec
`tions at the buildings.
`In addition to the work Scheduling, a maintenance analy
`sis and worker training are also important factors in main
`taining a Successfully operating facility. One Such System is
`described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,867.823, to Richardson. The
`Richardson's patent describes a hand-held System that pro
`vides work guidance and instruction for carrying out a given
`task and records maintenance duties without the need for
`written records and that is carried by a worker.
`While the existing systems describe electronic work
`Scheduling and providing instructions to a worker, a need
`Still remains for a dynamic work management System
`enabling a user interaction with the System.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The System and method of the present invention includes
`a System and method for work management.
`In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a
`System for work management includes a central manage
`ment Server configured to receive a first Set of information
`including tasks to be performed and Scheduled at a first
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`2
`facility. When the central management Server receives the
`first Set of information, the central management Server
`generates a first work Schedule for a first user Selected to
`perform the first work schedule at the first facility. Accord
`ing to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
`the central management Server is further configured to
`receive a first task Status update message corresponding to
`the first work Schedule and, responsively, update a status of
`each task of the work Schedule based upon task completion
`data received in the first task Status update message. The
`exemplary System of the present invention further includes
`a first client device corresponding to the first facility. The
`first client device includes an electronic management inter
`face configured to display the first work Schedule to the first
`user at the first facility and further receive task completion
`data from the first user for each task in the first work
`Schedule. The client device is further configured to incor
`porate the task completion data from the first user into the
`first task update message and Send the first task update
`message to the central management Server. The central
`management Server according to an exemplary embodiment
`of the present invention further includes a database config
`ured to Store the first work Schedule, and the database
`includes a plurality of task identifiers each of which is
`asSociated with a corresponding one of a plurality of tasks
`Specified in the first work Schedule. According to an exem
`plary embodiment of the present invention, the central
`management Server is a web-based central management
`Server, and the electronic management interface on the first
`client device is a web-based electronic management inter
`face.
`In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a method for
`managing work at a facility includes receiving on a central
`management Server from a first facility a first message
`including a first Set of information including tasks to be
`performed and Scheduled at the first facility, and generating
`a first work schedule for a first user selected to perform the
`first work schedule at the first facility. The method further
`includes Sending from the central management Server to the
`first facility a Second message including the first work
`Schedule responsive to receiving a work Schedule request
`from the first user. The method further includes receiving on
`the central management Server from the first facility a third
`message including task Status update data corresponding to
`the first work Schedule, and updating a Status of each task in
`the first work Schedule based upon the task completion data
`received in the third message. The method further includes
`Sending to the first facility a fourth message including the
`Status of each task in the first Schedule. The central man
`agement Server Sends the fourth message responsive to
`receiving a first work Status request message from the first
`facility. The method in accordance with the present inven
`tion further includes monitoring a Status of each task Speci
`fied in the first work Schedule using the task Status update
`data received from the first facility, detecting that the Status
`for a task indicates that the task is uncompleted, and
`rescheduling the uncompleted task responsively to detecting
`the uncompleted task status. The method further includes
`Sending an alert message to a manager of the first facility
`asSociated with the uncompleted task.
`In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
`invention, another method for managing work at a facility
`includes Sending from a client device at a first facility to a
`central management Server a first message defining a first Set
`of information including tasks to be performed and Sched
`uled at the first facility, receiving at the first client device a
`Second message including a first work Schedule for a first
`
`IPR2022-00600
`Apple EX1020 Page 36
`
`

`

`US 6,954,737 B2
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`3
`user selected to perform the first work Schedule at the first
`facility, and displaying the first work Schedule to the first
`user on an electronic management interface associated with
`the first client device. The method in accordance with the
`present invention further includes receiving via the elec
`tronic management interface a first user input for a task
`Specified in the first work Schedule, where the first user input
`includes task completion data corresponding to the first
`work Schedule, and responsively, generating on the first
`client device and Sending to the central management Server
`a third message including task completion data correspond
`ing to the first work Schedule. The method in accordance
`with the present invention further includes receiving from
`the central management Server a fourth message including
`Status of each task in the first work Schedule.
`In accordance with another aspect of the present
`invention, a fixed location interface unit configured to per
`mit information transfer between an end user and a central
`management Server includes a first application configured to
`establish a communication link between the fixed location
`interface unit and the central management Server, an elec
`tronic interface configured to display a first work Schedule to
`a first user and receive from the first user task completion
`status data for each task in the first work Schedule. The fixed
`location interface unit in accordance with the present inven
`tion further includes a Second application configured to
`generate and Send to the central management Server a first
`task Status update message upon receiving the task comple
`tion Status data from the first user. In accordance with
`embodiments of the present invention, the electronic inter
`face is a web-based interface, a graphical user interface, a
`touch Screen interface, or the combination thereof. Further,
`in accordance with embodiments of the present invention,
`the first work schedule displayed to the first user is an
`icon-based work Schedule in which each task in the work
`Schedule is associated with a task icon. In one embodiment
`of the present invention, the icon-based work Schedule may
`include a color-coded task icon for each task in the first work
`Schedule. The fixed location interface unit, in accordance
`with the present invention, includes a fourth application
`configured to permit a Supervisory user to request a first
`work Schedule report, receive the first work Schedule report
`from the central management Server, and display the report
`to the Supervisory user.
`In accordance with another aspect of the present
`invention, a central management Server is configured to
`manage work on a plurality of facilities. The central man
`agement Server according to the present invention includes
`a database configured to Store work Schedules for a plurality
`of facilities, a plurality of facility records, a plurality of task
`identifiers for each task Specified in the plurality of work
`Schedules, and a plurality of instruction information records
`for each task. The central management Server further
`includes a first application configured to receive from a first
`facility a first Set of information including tasks to be
`performed and scheduled for the first facility. The central
`management further includes a Second application config
`ured to retrieve a first facility record from the database and
`generate a plurality of first facility work Schedules for a
`plurality of first facility users Selected to perform the tasks
`at the first facility. The central management Server Stores the
`work Schedules in a database. The central management
`Server further includes a third application to generate an
`icon-based schedule for each of the plurality of first facility
`work Schedules. In accordance with the present invention,
`each task Specified in the work Schedules is associated with
`a predetermined task icon. The central management Server
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`4
`further includes a fourth application configured to receive a
`first work Schedule request from a first user at a first facility.
`In accordance with the present invention, the first user
`requests the first work Schedule Via a fixed location interface
`unit configured to permit information transfer between the
`plurality of first facility users and the central management
`Server. The fourth application is further configured to
`retrieve a first work Schedule for the first user and send the
`first work Schedule to the first user. The central management
`Server in accordance with the present invention further
`includes a fifth application configured to receive a first task
`Status update message corresponding to the first work Sched
`ule and, responsively, update a Status of each task of the first
`work Schedule based upon task completion data received in
`the first task Status update message.
`The foregoing and other features and advantages of the
`System and method for work management will be apparent
`from the following more particular description of preferred
`embodiments of the system and method as illustrated in the
`accompanying drawings.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`Preferred embodiments of the present inventions are
`described with reference to the following drawings,
`wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of
`the network architecture for providing facility work man
`agement in accordance with the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating one
`example of an embodiment of an Electronic Management
`Interface according to the present invention;
`FIG. 3 is a data diagram illustrating an example of some
`data Structures that may be present in a central Server
`database in accordance with the present invention;
`FIG. 4 is a data diagram illustrating an example of data
`contained in a facility record, a task record and a user record
`in accordance with the present invention;
`FIG. 5 is a data diagram illustrating an example of a
`customer record populated with data for two customers in
`accordance with the present invention;
`FIG. 6 is a simplified diagram illustrating an embodiment
`of a Software architecture that may be employed on an
`Electronic Management Interface in accordance with the
`present invention;
`FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a