The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 11, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 15, 2002
Simon G Thompson, Ipswich, GB;
Thomas J Stark, Chelmsford, GB;
Paul J Kearney, Felixstowe, GB;
British Telecommunications plc, London, GB;
Abstract
A work allocation system has a plurality of agents that bid for work in accordance with preferences and behavior of corresponding resources. Each agent represents a group of resources and is arranged to evaluate the likelihood that at least one resource in the group can carry out a work item. The evaluation is dependent on work items previously selected and/or carried out by the resource, so that the agent effectively models the preferences of its workers. The agent can use this preference information to decide a bidding strategy (i.e. to decide which work items it can bid for), and, having successfully bid for a work item, can allocate work based on individual characteristics and observed work preferences. The bidding for work between agents is, for example, conducted in accordance with contract net based negotiation.