All The Claims

1. A method of operating a schedule system to generate a schedule for a plurality of agents in a contact center environment, the method comprising:
receiving in a user interface a plurality of user inputs to a scheduling program stored on a storage device and executed by a processing device, including a number of agent designations each of which refers to a unique agent;
receiving in the user interface a user input that changes the number of agent designations by indicating at least one changed agent;
estimating in the processing device an effect of the at least one changed agent on effective staffing levels for each of various tasks;
determining in the processing device whether to simulate the schedule based at least in part on an adaptive algorithm; and
generating in the processing device estimated effective staffing levels for each of the various tasks.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adaptive algorithm is operative to measure an error that results from the estimating step to determine whether to simulate the schedule.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the adaptive algorithm is operative to determine how many changes can be made to the schedule based on the error and a predetermined amount of allowed error to determine whether to simulate the schedule.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a number of changes that can be made to the schedule during the scheduling method without simulating a proposed schedule.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein estimating comprises:
calculating a total effective work the changed agent will perform;
scaling each task by at least one predetermined factor; and
adjusting a work distribution for every unique agent other than the changed agent based upon the total effective work the changed agent will perform.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising distributing the total effective work of the changed agent across a plurality of tasks.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one predetermined factor includes a measure of average time to handle a subtask divided by a number of subtasks per time interval, and a measure of how much work remains in a task based upon results of a previous simulation.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein calculating the total effective work the changed agent will perform comprises applying a function to: a number of skills of the changed agent; proficiencies of the changed agent; and priorities of the changed agent.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting the work distribution for every unique agent other than the changed agent includes adjusting an effective contribution to each task worked by one of the other unique agents by a factor reflecting that a different amount of work will be required for tasks worked by the changed agent.
10. A computer readable storage medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, generate a schedule in a contact center environment by directing the processing system to:
receive a plurality of user inputs to a scheduling program, including a number of agent designations each of which refers to a unique agent;
receive a user input that changes the number of agent designations by indicating at least one changed agent;
estimate an effect of the at least one changed agent on effective staffing levels for each of various tasks;
determine whether to simulate the schedule based at least in part on an adaptive algorithm; and
generate estimated effective staffing levels for each of the various tasks.
11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the adaptive algorithm is operative to measure an error that results from the estimating step to determine whether to simulate the schedule.
12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the adaptive algorithm is operative to determine how many changes can be made to the schedule based on the error and a predetermined amount of allowed error to determine whether to simulate the schedule.
13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising the executable instructions configured to direct the processing system to determine a number of changes that can be made to the schedule during the schedule generation without simulating a proposed schedule.
14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the executable instructions, to direct the processing system to estimate the effect of the at least one changed agent on the effective staffing levels for each of the various tasks, directs the processing system to:
calculate a total effective work the changed agent will perform;
scale each task by at least one predetermined factor; and
adjust a work distribution for every unique agent other than the changed agent based upon the total effective work the changed agent will perform.
15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising the executable instructions configured to direct the processing system to distribute the total effective work of the changed agent across a plurality of tasks.
16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the at least one predetermined factor includes a measure of average time to handle a subtask divided by a number of subtasks per time interval, and a measure of how much work remains in a task based upon results of a previous simulation.
17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the executable instructions, to direct the processing system to calculate the total effective work the changed agent will perform, directs the processing system to apply a function to: a number of skills of the changed agent; proficiencies of the changed agent; and priorities of the changed agent.
18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the executable instructions, to direct the processing system to adjust the work distribution for every unique agent other than the changed agent, directs the processing system to adjust an effective contribution to each task worked by one of the other unique agents by a factor reflecting that a different amount of work will be required for tasks worked by the changed agent.
19. A computer-implemented method for generating a schedule in a contact center environment, the method comprising:
initiating an automatic scheduling process that receives agent data including skill sets as an input;
determining, in a computer system, whether to simulate a proposed schedule based at least in part on an adaptive algorithm, the adaptive algorithm including measuring an error of using an estimation function from results of the simulation and a predetermined allowed error;
determining whether a change has been made to the agent data;
estimating an effect of the change made to the agent data; and
generating estimated effective staffing levels for each of the various tasks.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A tablet filling instrument comprising:
a vial supply unit;
a tablet supply unit;
a conveyor unit;
a discharging unit comprising a plurality of outlets including at least one designated priority outlet and a plurality of designated normal outlets; and
a controlling unit,
the controlling unit responsive to input commands based upon prescription data to cause coordinated operation of the vial supply, tablet supply, conveying and discharge units such that tablets from the tablet supply unit are delivered to vials from the vial supply unit and conveyed by the conveying unit to the discharging unit through which the vials are discharged to one of the outlets for dispensing,
the controlling unit causing a prioritized vial with tablets that are designated to be dispensed at one of the outlets, at a time-point within a predetermined time length from a preset time-point, to be discharged by the discharging unit initially to the at least one designated priority outlet and not one of the designated normal outlets in the event that the at least one designated priority outlet is determined to be vacant.
2. The tablet filling instrument according to claim 1,
wherein the time-point to dispense the tablets is contained in the prescription data.
3. The tablet filling instrument as defined in claim 1,
wherein the controlling unit causes the prioritized vial with tablets to be discharged to one of the designated normal outlets in the event that it is determined that the at least one designated priority outlet is occupied.
4. The tablet filling instrument according to claim 3,
wherein the time-point to dispense the tablets is contained in the prescription data.
5. The tablet filling instrument according to claim 3,
wherein the tablet filling instrument further comprises a display upon which a user is alerted to a priority nature of the prioritized vial with tablets and urged to take the prioritized vial with tablets out of the one of the designated normal outlets.
6. The tablet filling instrument according to claim 5,
wherein the time-point to dispense the tablets is contained in the prescription data.

1. A data storage medium, comprising:
a data unit;
a control field within the data unit; and
a control block, separate from the data unit,
wherein the control block comprises an identifier, a first control area for use if the identifier is recognized, and a second control area for use if the identifier is not recognized;
wherein the control field comprises at least one bit having a control action specified by the first control area.
2. The data storage medium of claim 1, where the data unit is one of: a sector, an error correction block, and a track.
3. A data storage medium, comprising:
a control block having an identifier, a first control field for use if the identifier is recognized, and a second control field for use if the identifier is not recognized; and
a data unit, separate from the control block,
wherein the first control field specifies at least one control bit in the data unit and specifies a control action associated with the at least one control bit.
4. The data storage medium of claim 3, where the data unit is one of: a sector, an error correction block, and a track.
5. A data storage medium, comprising:
a control block having an identifier, a first control area for use if the identifier is recognized, and a second control area for use if the identifier is not recognized;
a data unit, separate from the control block; and
a control field within the data unit,
wherein at least one bit of the control field is specified by the first control area;
wherein a control action associated with the at least one bit of the control field is specified by firmware in a drive reading the data storage medium.
6. The data storage medium of claim 5, where the data unit is one of: a sector, an error correction block, and a track.
7. A method, comprising:
providing, in a control block of a data storage medium, an identifier, a first control field for use if the identifier is recognized, and a second control field for use if the identifier is not recognized;
specifying, in the first control field of the control block, at least one control bit in a data unit stored on the data storage medium, the data unit separate from the control block; and
specifying, in the first control field of the control block, a control action associated with the at least one control bit.
8. A method for reading a data storage medium, comprising:
reading a control block of the data storage medium, the control block having an identifier, a first control field for use if the identifier is recognized, and a second control field for use if the identifier is not recognized;
reading an area of the first control field that specifies at least one control bit in a data unit stored in the data storage medium, the data unit separate from the control block;
reading an area of the first control field that specifies a control action associated with the at least one control bit;
reading the at least one control bit in the data unit; and
conforming to the control action associated with the at least one control bit.
9. The data storage medium of claim 1, wherein the control block is written once and wherein the data unit is re-writable.
10. The data storage medium of claim 1, wherein the at least one bit is set such that the control action applies to the data unit.
11. The data storage medium of claim 1, wherein the at least one bit is set such that the control action does not apply to the data unit.
12. The data storage medium of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of data units, wherein the control block specifies which data units are controlled by the control block.
13. The data storage medium of claim 1 wherein the control action corresponds to password control.
14. The data storage medium of claim 13 wherein the at least one bit is set to enable data associated with the data unit to be sent to a requesting device if a valid password is provided.
15. The data storage medium of claim 13 wherein the at least one bit is set to enable data associated with the data unit to be sent to a requesting device without a valid password being provided.
16. The data storage medium of claim 1 wherein the control action corresponds to encryption control.
17. The data storage medium of claim 16 wherein the at least one bit is set to enable encrypted data associated with the data unit to be sent to a requesting device.
18. The data storage medium of claim 16 wherein the at least one bit is set to enable decrypted data associated with the data unit to be sent to a requesting device.
19. The data storage medium of claim 1 wherein the control action corresponds to a combination of password control and encryption control.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising:
a plurality of word lines;
a plurality of bit lines each intersecting the plurality of word lines;
a plurality of memory cells each arranged at a desired crossing point between any one of the plurality of word lines and any one of the plurality of bit lines;
first and second memory arrays of a rectangular shape, inclusive of the plurality of memory cells, both the first and second memory arrays having a first memory capacity;
third and fourth memory arrays of a rectangular shape, inclusive of the plurality of memory cells, both the third and fourth memory arrays having a second memory capacity smaller than the first memory capacity;
a first memory block including the first and third memory arrays;
a second memory block including the second and fourth memory arrays; and
first and second bank addresses for selecting the first and second memory blocks, respectively,
wherein:
the first memory block forms an L shape by being disposed such that the third memory array has one side shorter than and opposed to one side of the first memory array;
the second memory block forms an L shape by being disposed such that the fourth memory array has one side shorter than and opposed to one side of the second memory array; and
the third and fourth memory arrays are arranged between the first and second memory arrays such that respective long sides of the third and fourth memory arrays face each other, and the first and second memory blocks are arranged so as to be point-symmetrical with respect to each other.
2. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein:
the first memory array further includes a first column decoder;
the second memory array further includes a second column decoder;
the third memory array further includes a third column decoder; and
the first column decoder, the second column decoder, and the third column decoder are arranged on the same straight line.
3. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, further comprising:
a plurality of first inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the first memory array;
a plurality of second inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the second memory array;
a plurality of third inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the third memory array;
a plurality of fourth inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the fourth memory array;
a first data amplifier block including a plurality of first data amplifiers arranged adjacently to the first column decoder;
a second data amplifier block including the plurality of first data amplifiers arranged adjacently to the second column decoder; and
a third data amplifier block including a plurality of second data amplifiers arranged adjacently to the third column decoder;
wherein:
any one of the first inputoutput lines are connected to the first data amplifier block;
any one of the second inputoutput lines are connected to the second data amplifier block;
any one of the third inputoutput lines and the fourth inputoutput lines are connected to the third data amplifier block; and
any one of the third inputoutput lines and any one of the fourth inputoutput lines are selected using the first and second bank addresses, respectively, and connected to the second data amplifier block.
4. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, further comprising:
a first row decoder disposed in the same direction as that of a short side of the third memory array and at a position where the memory capacity of the first memory array is bisected;
a second row decoder disposed in the same direction as that of a short side of the fourth memory array and at a position where the memory capacity of the second memory array is bisected;
a third row decoder disposed in the same direction as that of the short side of the third memory array and at a position where the memory capacity of the third memory array is bisected; and
a fourth row decoder disposed in the same direction as that of the short side of the fourth memory array and at a position where the memory capacity of the fourth memory array is bisected.
5. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, wherein:
the first memory array further includes a first row decoder;
the second memory array further includes a second row decoder;
the third memory array further includes a third row decoder; and
the fourth memory array further includes a fourth row decoder;
wherein:
the first row decoder and the third row decoder are arranged adjacently to each other; and
the second row decoder and the fourth row decoder are arranged adjacently to each other.
6. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising:
fifth and sixth memory arrays of a rectangular shape, both having a memory capacity equal to the first memory capacity;
seventh and eighth memory arrays of a rectangular shape, both having a memory capacity equal to the second memory capacity;
a third memory block including the fifth and seventh memory arrays;
a fourth memory block including the sixth and eighth memory arrays; and
third and fourth bank addresses for selecting the third and fourth memory blocks, respectively;
wherein:
the seventh and eighth memory arrays are arranged between the fifth and sixth memory arrays such that respective long sides of the seventh and eighth memory arrays face each other;
the third memory block forms an L shape by having the seventh memory array disposed with a short side opposed to one side of the fifth memory array;
the fourth memory block forms an L-shape by having the eighth memory array disposed with a short side opposed to one side of the sixth memory array; and
the third and fourth memory blocks are arranged so as to be point-symmetrical with respect to each other.
7. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 6, wherein:
the first and second memory blocks and the third and fourth memory blocks are arranged at positions horizontally symmetrical to one another via a circuit group which includes a peripheral circuit.
8. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 7, further comprising:
a plurality of first inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the first memory array;
a plurality of second inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the second memory array;
a plurality of third inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the third memory array;
a plurality of fourth inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the fourth memory array;
a plurality of fifth inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the fifth memory array;
a plurality of sixth inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the sixth memory array;
a plurality of seventh inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the seventh memory array;
a plurality of eighth inputoutput lines each for receivingsending a plurality of pieces of data fromto the eighth memory array;
a first data amplifier block including a plurality of first data amplifiers;
a second data amplifier block including the plurality of first data amplifiers; and
a third data amplifier block including a plurality of second data amplifiers;
wherein:
any one of the first inputoutput lines and any one of the fifth inputoutput lines are connected to the first data amplifier block;
any one of the second inputoutput lines and any one of the sixth inputoutput lines are connected to the second data amplifier block; and
any one of the third inputoutput lines, any one of the fourth inputoutput lines, any one of the seventh inputoutput lines, and any one of the eighth inputoutput lines are connected to the third data amplifier block.