Time Slot Scheduling System with Priority Bidding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Large employers face challenges in balancing employee preferences for vacation days and work schedules with staffing requirements, as existing scheduling systems struggle to efficiently assign time slots, particularly when multiple employees vie for the same shifts or vacation periods.

Innovation Solution

A time slot scheduling system that includes a processor, database, and memory to manage preferences and assign time slots based on predetermined priority rules, allowing for sorting and assignment of work shifts and vacation periods through client devices, with features for bidding sessions and vacation period reassignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a computerized scheduling system assigns employees to time slots based on staffing requirements, then staffing needs are met, but employee preferences for vacation days and work schedules cannot be balanced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestaffing requirements fulfillmentVSAvoidemployee preference satisfaction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by having employees submit their preferences for work shifts and vacation days before the assignment process. The system then uses these pre-collected preferences along with staffing requirements to make assignments, thereby satisfying both staffing needs and employee preferences without conflict

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by considering multiple variables simultaneously including employee preferences, staffing requirements, and availability constraints. By adjusting and optimizing across these multiple parameters, the system finds assignments that satisfy both operational needs and employee preferences

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If multiple employees bid for the same time slot, then employee choice and preference satisfaction increase, but time slot assignment complexity and conflicts increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemployee choiceVSAvoidassignment conflict resolution

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback mechanisms by processing bid information from multiple employees and applying priority rules to resolve conflicts. The feedback loop continues until all time slots are assigned, with the system adjusting assignments based on bid priorities and availability to eliminate conflicts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system manages complexity by changing parameters such as bid priorities, employee availability status, and time slot assignment states. By dynamically adjusting these parameters based on bid outcomes, the system resolves conflicts efficiently while maintaining employee choice

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11488078B2System and method for time slot assignment

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 SHIFTX LLC

AI summary

A time slot scheduling system is provided. Employees are divided into bid groups and a bidding session is created for a group of time slots in which preference time windows are specified for each employee in the bid group(s) of the bid to input their time slot preferences, and a bidding time window is specified for each employee in the bid group(s) of the bid to select their time slots among the vacant time slots in the bidding session.