Systems and methods for improved management of construction project data

• US 10,121,112 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2014
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyphen Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hyphen Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Vasquez, Jr., Felix, Sugg, Christopher F., Beseda, Brent B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Padot, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US14/250,339
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 705 723, 705 141, 705 1434
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase

Abstract

A method includes receiving location information, and determining one or more addresses based on the location information. At least one of the one or more addresses is associated with a construction site. The method includes presenting the one or more addresses as selectable elements within a first graphical user interface, and in response to receiving an input indicating selection of a particular selectable element within the first graphical user interface, receiving a second input corresponding to a request to capture item data, and capturing item data in response to the second input. The method includes storing the captured item data in association with a builder at a database. The captured item data is associated with a specific product provided by a vendor in association with construction of a home.

Claims

1. A method for improving accuracy of rebate claims and tracking distribution of items, the method comprising:

determining, by a processor of a mobile device, location information associated with a location of the mobile device;

transmitting, by the mobile device, the location information to an integration server;

receiving, by the mobile device, address information from the integration server in response to transmission of the location information, wherein the address information identifies a community in which one or more homes are being constructed, addresses associated with each of the one or more homes being constructed in the community, and a builder associated with each of the one or more homes being constructed in the community;

presenting, by the processor at a display of the mobile device, the addresses associated with each of the one or more homes being constructed in the community as selectable elements within a first graphical user interface;

receiving, by the processor, an input indicating selection of a particular selectable element within the first graphical user interface, wherein the input indicates selection of a particular address corresponding to a particular home of the one or more homes being constructed in the community, the particular home associated with a particular builder;

in response to receiving the input indicating selection of the particular address, receiving, by the processor, a second input corresponding to a request to capture item data that specifically identifies a product installed at the particular home by a vendor in response to a purchase order from the particular builder;

in response to the second input;

acquiring, by a camera communicatively coupled to the processor, image data representative of a label of the product installed at the home by the vendor;

analyzing, by the processor, the image data to determine whether the label includes new product information and/or redundant product information, wherein the redundant product information corresponds to information previously included in the purchase order, and wherein the new product information corresponds to information comprising at least one of a model number and a serial number that is not included in the purchase order;

executing, by the processor, a barcode capability to extract item data from a barcode included on the label, the extracted item data corresponding to the new product information; and

transmitting, by a communication module communicatively coupled to the processor, the extracted item data to the integration server;

receiving, at the integration server, the extracted item data;

updating, by the integration server, a record in a database accessible to the integration server, wherein the updating of the record links the extracted item data with the particular address of the particular home; and

periodically generating, by the integration server, one or more rebate reports on behalf of the particular builder, wherein at least one of the rebate reports identifies a number of rebate claims that the builder is entitled to claim from a manufacturer for installing a threshold quantity of a particular product made by the manufacturer in homes built by the builder, wherein the number of rebate claims is determined by identifying a number of homes built by the builder and in which the threshold quantity of the particular product was installed based on the records that link the extracted item data corresponding to products installed in the homes built by the builder with the addresses of the homes built by the builder, and wherein the rebate report includes information that provides the manufacturer with the addresses of the homes built by the builder in which the threshold quantity of the particular product was installed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising searching, by the integration server, the database based on the location information to identify the addresses.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the item data that specifically identifies the product includes a serial number of the product, wherein the extracted item data is captured from a still image of the barcode, and wherein the method includes transmitting, by the communication module, the record linking the extracted item data with the particular address of the particular home to a server associated with the vendor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the item data that specifically identifies the product includes a model number of the product, wherein the extracted item data is captured from a still image of the barcode, and wherein the method includes transmitting, by the communication module, the record linking the extracted item data to a server associated with the vendor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the item data is acquired by the builder.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the item data is acquired by the vendor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information corresponds to a current location of the mobile device and is generated by a geographical information system of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes:

receiving an input indicating a manufacturer of the product; and

receiving an input indicating a category associated with the product, wherein the captured item data indicates the manufacturer and the category.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes presenting a selectable option to use a graphical user interface to capture the extracted item data in response to determining that a serial number associated with the product cannot be extracted by the barcode capability of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data representative of the label of the product is captured during installation of the product by the vendor, the method further comprising:

validating information derived from the label to determine whether the particular product being installed by the vendor is a correct, wherein the validating comprises;

determining, based on information stored in the database, whether the purchase order comprises information that identifies the model number of the particular product; and

verifying that the model number identified in the purchase order matches the model number derived from the label.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for improving accuracy of rebate claims and tracking distribution of items, the operations comprising:

receiving location information;

transmitting the location information to an integration server, wherein the integration server is configured to store information corresponding to construction of homes within one or more communities;

receiving address information from the integration server in response to transmission of the location information, wherein the address information identifies a community in which one or more homes are being constructed, addresses associated with each of the one or more homes being constructed in the community, and a builder associated with each of the one or more homes being constructed in the community;

presenting, at a display of a mobile device, the addresses associated with each of the one or more homes being constructed in the community as selectable elements within a first graphical user interface; and

in response to receiving an input indicating selection of a particular selectable element within the first graphical user interface, receiving a second input corresponding to a request to capture item data that specifically identifies a particular product installed at a particular home by a vendor, the particular home corresponding to a particular address associated with the particular selectable element, and wherein the particular product is installed at the home by the vendor in response to a purchase order from a particular builder;

in response to receiving the second input;

acquiring, by a camera communicatively coupled to the processor, image data representative of a label of the particular product installed at the particular home by the vendor;

analyzing the image data to determine whether the label includes new product information and/or redundant product information, wherein the redundant product information corresponds to information previously included in the purchase order, and wherein the new product information corresponds to information comprising at least one of a model number and a serial number that is not included in the purchase order;

executing a barcode capability to extract item data from a barcode included on the label, the extracted item data corresponding to the new product information;

updating a record in a database accessible to the integration server, wherein the updating of the record links the captured item data with the particular address of the particular home; and

periodically generating one or more rebate reports for the particular builder, wherein at least one of the rebate reports identifies a number of rebate claims that the builder is entitled to claim from a manufacturer for installing a threshold quantity of a particular product made by the manufacturer in homes built by the builder, wherein the number of rebates is determined by identifying, based on the records stored in the database accessible to the integration server, a number of homes built by the particular builder in which the threshold quantity of the particular product was installed based on the records that link the extracted item data corresponding to products installed in the homes built by the builder with the addresses of the homes built by the builder, and wherein the rebate report includes information that provides the manufacturer with the addresses of the homes built by the builder in which the threshold quantity of the particular product was installed.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the item data that specifically identifies the particular product includes a serial number of the particular product, wherein the extracted item data is captured from a still image of a barcode, and wherein updating the record in the database includes transmitting the record linking the extracted item data with the particular address of the particular home to a server associated with the vendor.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the item data is acquired by the builder.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations include:

receiving a request to create a new job;

presenting, at the display of the mobile device, a second graphical user interface including a plurality of selectable options for configuring the new job, wherein the plurality of selectable options includes at least one of a select builder option, a select category option, a select community option, a select manufacturer option, and a select address option;

receiving inputs via the second graphical user interface to configure the new job; and

storing information associated with a configuration of the new job at the database.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the image data representative of the label of the particular product is captured during installation of the particular product by the vendor, the operations further comprising:

validating information derived from the label to determine whether the particular product being installed by the vendor is a correct, wherein the validating comprises;

determining, based on information stored in the database, whether the purchase order comprises information that identifies the model number of the particular product; and

verifying that the model number identified in the purchase order matches the model number derived from the label.

16. A system for improving accuracy of rebate claims and tracking distribution of items, the operations comprising:

an integration server; and

a mobile device comprising;

a first processor;

a camera communicatively coupled to the first processor;

a display device;

a first communication module communicatively coupled to the first processor; and

a first memory communicatively coupled to the first processor, the first memory storing instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first processor to perform operations comprising;

determining location information associated with a location of the mobile device;

transmitting the location information to the integration server;

receiving address information from the integration server in response to transmission of the location information, wherein the address information identifies a community in which one or more homes are being constructed, addresses associated with each of the one or more homes being constructed in the community, and a builder associated with each of the one or more homes being constructed in the community;

presenting, at the display device, the addresses associated with each of the one or more homes being constructed in the community as selectable elements within a first graphical user interface;

in response to receiving an input indicating selection of a particular selectable element within the first graphical user interface, receiving a second input corresponding to a request to capture item data that specifically identifies a particular product installed by a vendor at a particular home corresponding to a particular address associated with the particular selectable element, and wherein the particular product is installed at the particular home by the vendor in response to a purchase order from a particular builder;

in response to the second input;

acquiring, by the camera communicatively coupled to the first processor, image data representative of a label of the particular product installed at the particular home by the vendor;

analyzing image data to determine whether the label includes new product information and/or redundant product information, wherein the redundant product information corresponds to information previously included in the purchase order, and wherein the new product information corresponds to information comprising at least one of a model number and a serial number that specifically identifies the particular product installed in the particular home by the vendor and is not included in the purchase order;

executing a barcode capability to extract item data from a barcode included on the label, the extracted item data corresponding to the new product information; and

transmitting, by the first communication module, the extracted item data to the integration server associated with the builder,

wherein the integration server comprises;

a second processor;

a second communication module communicatively coupled to the second processor and configured to communicatively couple the integration server to the mobile device via a network communication link; and

a second memory communicatively coupled to the second processor, the second memory storing;

a database configured to store information corresponding to construction of homes within one or more communities, wherein the information corresponding to construction of the homes includes information provided by builders constructing homes in each of the one or more communities and information provided by vendors in connection with work performed during construction of the homes at the request of the builders;

instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the second processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by the second communication module, the extracted item data from the mobile device;

updating a record in the database, wherein the updating of the record links the extracted item data with the particular address of the particular home; and

periodically generating one or more rebate reports for the particular builder in response to a request to prove rebate eligibility, wherein at least one of the rebate reports identifies a number of rebate claims that the particular builder is entitled to for installing a threshold quantity of a particular product made by a manufacturer in homes built by the builder, wherein the number of rebate claims is determined by identifying, based on the records stored in the database, a number of homes built by the particular builder in which the threshold quantity of the particular product was installed based on the records that link the extracted item data corresponding to products installed in the home with the addresses of the homes built by the builder, and wherein the rebate report includes information that provides the manufacturer with the addresses of the homes built by the builder in which the threshold quantity of the particular product was installed.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the item data that specifically identifies the particular product includes a serial number of the particular product, wherein the extracted item data is captured from a still image of a barcode.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the item data is acquired by the builder.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations performed by the first processor include:

receiving a request to create a new job;

presenting, at the display device, a second graphical user interface including a plurality of selectable options for configuring the new job, wherein the plurality of selectable options includes at least one of a select builder option, a select category option, a select community option, a select manufacturer option, and a select address option;

receiving inputs via the second graphical user interface to configure the new job; and

storing information associated with a configuration of the new job at the database.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the image data representative of the label of the particular product is captured during installation of the particular product by the vendor, the operations performed by the first processor further comprising:

validating information derived from the label to determine whether the particular product being installed by the vendor is a correct, wherein the validating comprises;

determining, based on information stored in the database, whether the purchase order comprises information that identifies the model number of the particular product; and

verifying that the model number identified in the purchase order matches the model number derived from the label.