Mobile contractor performance evaluation system and method

• US 20040215701A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Basic Resources, Inc (Sempra)
• Original Assignee: Basic Resources, Inc (Sempra)
• Inventors: Vrajich, Sasha
• Application Number:
  US10/746,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215701A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]

Abstract

A mobile performance evaluation system for inspecting a site is provided. The system includes a main system having a storage portion and a mobile unit operable to communication with the main system. The mobile unit includes a storage portion and an input portion. The system also includes an inspection survey database for information related to the inspection of the site. At least a portion of the inspection survey database resides on one of the storage portion of the main system and the storage portion of the mobile unit. The system further includes an inspection survey interface coupled to the inspection survey database and the input portion of the mobile unit to update the inspection survey database via the mobile unit. In one aspect, the mobile unit wirelessly communicates with the main system. A method of evaluating the performance of contractors is also provided.

Claims

1. A method of surveying an site prior to initiating service to the construction site, the method comprising:

providing a mobile unit having a communication portion and a storage portion;

providing an construction site survey on the mobile unit for inspecting overhead and underground construction sites, the construction site survey including criteria for evaluating whether the construction site is prepared to receive service;

inspecting the construction site;

entering survey data into the construction site survey on the mobile unit based on the inspection of the construction site;

storing the survey data on the storage portion of the mobile unit;

transmitting at least a portion of the survey data from the mobile unit to a main system;

evaluating the survey data received by the main system to verify whether the construction site is prepared to receive service;

transmitting survey response data from the main system to the mobile unit; and

evaluating the survey response data to determine whether the construction site satisfied the criteria for receiving service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission of at least a portion of the survey data from the mobile unit to a main system is a wireless transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the service is electrical service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluation of the survey data received by the mobile unit from the main system further includes evaluating whether the construction site fails to satisfy the criteria for receiving service and in such event, the method further comprises:

re-inspecting the construction site;

entering additional survey data;

re-transmitting the survey data from the mobile unit to the main system;

re-evaluating the survey data; and

re-transmitting the survey response data from the main system to the mobile system based on the re-evaluation of the survey data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the transmission of at least a portion of the survey data from the mobile unit to a main system is a wireless transmission.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transmission of the survey response data from the main system to the mobile unit is a wireless transmission.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the survey data includes comments data, a flag indicative of a response to yes/no questions, and data related to the location of the construction site and indication of whether the construction site satisfied the criteria for receiving service.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the survey data on the mobile unit;

synchronizing the survey data on the main system with the survey data on the mobile;

modifying the survey data on the main system; and

synchronizing the survey data on the mobile system with the survey data on the main system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying a user of the main system that the survey data has been received from the mobile system; and

notifying the user of the mobile system that the survey response data has been received from the main system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating service to the construction site.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving the survey data to complete the inspection at a later time.

12. A mobile performance evaluation system for inspecting a site, comprising:

a main system including a storage portion;

a mobile unit operable to communication with the main system, the mobile unit including a storage portion and an input portion;

an inspection survey database including information related to the inspection of the site, wherein at least a portion of the inspection survey database resides on at least one of the storage portion of the main system and the storage portion of the mobile unit; and

an inspection survey interface in communication with the inspection survey database and the input portion of the mobile unit to update the inspection survey database via the mobile unit.

13. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the inspection survey database is stored on the storage portion of the main system and the storage portion of the mobile unit.

14. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 13, further comprising:

a synchronization module to periodically synchronize the portion of the inspection survey database on the storage portion of the mobile unit with the portion of the inspection survey database stored on the storage portion of the main system.

15. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 12, wherein the mobile unit is operable to update a first portion of the inspection survey database and wherein the main system is operable to update a second portion of the inspection survey database.

16. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 12, wherein the inspection survey database includes a verification portion to verify the inspection of the site.

17. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 16, wherein the verification portion of the inspection survey database is further defined as verification data indicative of whether the inspection of the site was completed.

18. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 16, wherein the verification portion of the inspection survey database is further defined as verification data indicative of whether additional information is needed for the site to pass inspection.

19. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 12, wherein the mobile unit is in wireless communication with the main system.

20. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 12, wherein the inspection survey database is further defined as a first database stored on the storage portion of the mobile unit and a second database stored on the storage portion of the main system.

21. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 20, wherein the first and second databases include inspection survey data related to inspection of a construction site.

22. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 21, wherein the inspection survey data includes inspection location data, contractor data, date of inspection data, and data to indicate whether the site inspected is one of an overhead or an underground construction site.

23. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 20, further comprising a synchronization module to synchronize the first and second databases.

24. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 12, wherein

the inspection survey database completely stored on the main system and,

the mobile system wirelessly updates the inspection survey database on the main system.

25. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 12, further comprising:

an email database and a calendar database, wherein

at least a portion of the email and calendar databases are stored on the storage portions of the main system and the mobile system.

26. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 25, further comprising:

a synchronization module, operable to synchronize the portions of the inspection survey database residing on the storage portions of the mobile system and the main system.

27. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 26, wherein the synchronization module is further operable to synchronize the portions of email and calendar databases on the storage portions of the main system and the mobile system.

28. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 12, wherein the site is a construction site and wherein the inspection survey database retains information related to a construction site.

29. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 12, wherein

the site is an electrical construction site, and

the inspection survey database retains information related to an electrical construction site.

30. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 28, wherein the construction site information includes overhead electrical construction site information.

31. The mobile performance evaluation system of claim 28, wherein the construction site includes underground electrical construction site information.