Patent ID: 7788121
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for scheduling a plurality of service vehicles from a selected origin point to a plurality of geographically dispersed tasks within a selected period of time by evaluating parametrically filtered assessments on a series of incrementally rotated optimization overlays, the method comprising: identifying a candidate set of tasks to be scheduled, and, for each of the tasks in the candidate set, identifying a geographic position, and approximate required task duration; identifying a set of constraints associated with each member of the candidate set of tasks to be scheduled; determining the number of vehicles to be allocated to the tasks, and for each vehicle determining a vehicle task sequence by determining at least one evaluation metric for the first trial schedule; determining additional trial schedules by reallocating the candidate set of tasks by rotating the coordinate set centered on the origin point through an arbitrary angle, and determining at least one evaluation metric for each additional trial schedule; and selecting a schedule from the set of trial schedules; wherein said determining a vehicle task sequence, determining at least one evaluation metric, and determining additional trial schedules are performed by the computer.