Work Order System

• US 20040117154A1
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tek-Link Software Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Tek-Link Software Systems LLC
• Inventors: Patel, Rajeev, Lane, George H. III, Cox, Joseph L. III
• Application Number:
  US10/605,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117154A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method for processing maintenance work orders includes: identifying a plurality of maintenance problems; generating a work order for each maintenance problem in a computer, including at least the location of each problem and the type of each problem; assigning each of the work orders to one of a plurality of technicians to fix each of the problems; entering data from each technician in the computer relating to the technician completing each work order, including at least the action taken to fix the problem and the elapsed time to complete the work order; and collecting the data from each of the work orders and analyzing the collected data with respect to at least one of the characteristics of similar types of problems stored in the computer.

Claims

1. A method for processing maintenance work orders, comprising:

identifying a plurality of maintenance problems;

generating a work order for each said maintenance problem in a computer, including at least the location of each said problem and the type of each said problem;

assigning each of said work orders to one of a plurality of technicians to fix each of said problems;

entering data from each said technician in said computer relating to said technician completing each said work order, including at least the action taken to fix said problem and the elapsed time to complete said work order; and

collecting said data from each of said work orders and analyzing said collected data with respect to at least one of the characteristics of similar types of problems stored in said computer.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, including communicating each said problem to a maintenance office.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, including electronically assigning each said work order.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, including recording each said technician work order assignment in said computer.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, including electronically transmitting and entering said data from said technician.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, including a customer identifying at least one of said maintenance problems.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, including said customer communicating said problem to a maintenance office.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, including said customer electronically communicating said problem to said maintenance office.

9. The method as defined in claim 6, including notifying said customer of the completion of said work order.

10. The method as defined in claim 6, including said customer electronically communicating said problem and generating said work order.

11. The method as defined in claim 8, including said customer electronically checking the status of the work order.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, including wirelessly transmitting each said work order and electronically assigning said work order.

13. The method as defined in claim 1, including updating said collected data with at least one characteristic of said completed work order.

14. The method as defined in claim 1, including tailoring each said work order to include specific characteristics of said location.

15. The method as defined in claim 1, including analyzing said elapsed time and said data to determine if training of said technician is warranted.

16. The method as defined in claim 1, including analyzing said data and generating reports relating to said data and said technician.

17. The method as defined in claim 1, including analyzing said data and identify trends relating to said data.

18. A method for processing maintenance work orders, comprising:

identifying a plurality of maintenance problems;

communicating each of said problems to a maintenance office;

generating a work order for each said maintenance problem in a computer, including at least the location of each said problem and the type of each said problem;

electronically assigning each of said work orders to one of a plurality of technicians to fix each of said problems;

recording each of said technician work order assignments in said computer;

electronically transmitting and entering data from each said technician in said computer relating to said technician completing each said work order, including at least the action taken to fix said problem and the elapsed time to complete said work order; and

collecting said data from each of said work orders and analyzing said collected data with respect to at least one of the characteristics of similar types of problems stored in said computer.

19. The method as defined in claim 18, including a customer identifying at least one of said maintenance problems.

20. The method as defined in claim 19, including said customer communicating said problem to said maintenance office.

21. The method as defined in claim 20, including said customer electronically communicating said problem to said maintenance office.

22. The method as defined in claim 19, including notifying said customer of the completion of said work order.

23. The method as defined in claim 20, including said customer electronically communicating said problem and generating said work order.

24. The method as defined in claim 21, including said customer electronically checking the status of the work order.

25. The method as defined in claim 18, including wirelessly transmitting said work order and electronically assigning said work order.

26. The method as defined in claim 18, including updating said collected data with at least one characteristic of said completed work order.

27. The method as defined in claim 18, including tailoring said work order to include specific characteristics of said location.

28. The method as defined in claim 18, including analyzing said elapsed time and said data to determine if training of said technician is warranted.

29. The method as defined in claim 18, including analyzing said data and generating reports relating to said data and said technician.

30. The method as defined in claim 18, including analyzing said data and identify trends relating to said data.

31. A method for processing maintenance work orders, comprising:

identifying a plurality of maintenance problems a customer identifying at least one of said plurality of maintenance problems;

said customer communicating said problem to a maintenance office;

generating a work order for each said maintenance problems in a computer, including at least the location of each said problem and the type of each said problem;

wirelessly transmitting each of said work orders and electronically assigning each of said work orders to one of a plurality of technicians to fix each of said problems;

recording each of said technician work order assignments in said computer;

electronically transmitting and entering data from each said technician in said computer relating to said technician completing each said work order, including at least the action taken to fix said problem and the elapsed time to complete said work order;

notifying said customer of the completion of said work order; and

collecting said data from each of said work orders and analyzing said collected data with respect to at least one of the characteristics of similar types of problems stored in said computer.

32. The method as defined in claim 31, including said customer electronically communicating said problem to said maintenance office.

33. The method as defined in claim 31, including said customer electronically communicating said problem and generating said work order.

34. The method as defined in claim 32, including said customer electronically checking the status of the work order.

35. The method as defined in claim 31, including updating said collected data with at least one characteristic of each said completed work order.

36. The method as defined in claim 31, including tailoring said work order to include specific characteristics of said location.

37. The method as defined in claim 31, including analyzing said elapsed time and said data to determine if training of said technician is warranted.

38. The method as defined in claim 31, including analyzing said data and generating reports relating to said data and said technician.

39. The method as defined in claim 31, including analyzing said data and identify trends relating to said data.