Monitoring system and method
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring a plurality of environmental equipment systems with respect to timely servicing of said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said environmental equipment systems being serviced by one or more service personnel from one or more service companies, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for payment to said one or more service companies for servicing of said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said method comprising:
- electronically sensing repair status for said plurality of environmental equipment systems;
electronically producing a repair warning when repairs are required;
electronically storing inspection data related to scheduled inspection requirements of said one or more service personnel for each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;
producing personnel data related to a physical presence of said one or more service personnel at said plurality of environmental equipment systems;
producing time stamp data comprising times of said repair warnings and times of said scheduled inspection requirements and times of said physical presence of said one or more service personnel for each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;
automatically collecting repair status data, said personnel data, and said time stamp data; and
electronically providing access to said repair status data, said personnel data, and said time stamp data to said plurality of responsible parties.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an electronic system and method that permits a responsible parties to determine whether services such as maintenance and repairs have been timely made on environmental equipment installations, such as homeowner wastewater treatment plants, to comply with regulatory requirements. The environmental equipment installations may be installed at different locations, operating on different inspection schedules, with different service companies, different owners, of different types, and be of different processing capacity. A personnel detector is preferably utilized to verify the actual physical presence of service personnel. In a preferred embodiment, the system provides a scheduler for service companies whereby information regarding service schedules and required repairs is available online. The scheduler is operable for generating service routes based on present requirements and/or for providing maps to locations for service personnel.
48 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring a plurality of environmental equipment systems with respect to timely servicing of said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said environmental equipment systems being serviced by one or more service personnel from one or more service companies, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for payment to said one or more service companies for servicing of said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said method comprising:
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electronically sensing repair status for said plurality of environmental equipment systems;
electronically producing a repair warning when repairs are required;
electronically storing inspection data related to scheduled inspection requirements of said one or more service personnel for each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;
producing personnel data related to a physical presence of said one or more service personnel at said plurality of environmental equipment systems;
producing time stamp data comprising times of said repair warnings and times of said scheduled inspection requirements and times of said physical presence of said one or more service personnel for each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;
automatically collecting repair status data, said personnel data, and said time stamp data; and
electronically providing access to said repair status data, said personnel data, and said time stamp data to said plurality of responsible parties. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A monitoring system for a plurality of environmental equipment systems operable for monitoring said plurality of environmental equipment systems with respect to timely servicing of said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said environmental equipment systems being serviced by one or more service personnel from one or more service companies, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for payment to said one or more service companies for said plurality of environmental equipment systems, a regulatory body for monitoring said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said system comprising:
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an electronic monitor operable for monitoring repair status of each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems and for producing a warning that repairs are required;
at least one data storage element for electronically storing when said repairs are required and when said repairs are made, said at least one data storage element being further operable for storing when scheduled maintenance is required and when said scheduled maintenance is made; and
electronic linkage with said one or more service companies, said plurality of responsible parties, and said regulatory body, said electronic linkage permitting said responsible parties to determine whether said scheduled maintenance and said repairs are timely made. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for servicing a plurality of environmental equipment systems, said environmental equipment systems being serviced by a plurality of service companies, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for payment to said one or more service companies for servicing of said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said method comprising:
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electronically sensing repair status of each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;
automatically producing a warning when repairs are required for each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;
automatically storing time data relating to each said warning;
electronically storing inspection data related to scheduled inspection requirements of said one or more service personnel for each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems; and
generating a web site accessible by each of said plurality of service companies, said website being accessible by said plurality of service companies to retrieve service data relating to when and where repairs and servicing of said plurality of environmental equipment systems is due. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A servicing system for a plurality of environmental equipment systems, said environmental equipment systems being serviced by a plurality of service companies, each of said plurality of service companies comprising service personnel, said system comprising:
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an electronic monitor for monitoring repair status of each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems and for producing a warning that repairs are required;
at least one data storage element for electronically storing when said repairs are required and when scheduled maintenance is required;
electronic linkage with said plurality of service companies whereby access to service data relating to when said repairs are required and when scheduled maintenance is required;
a scheduler operable for automatically utilizing said service data retrieved through said electronic linkage to selectively generate a plurality of service schedules for said service personnel at each of said plurality of service companies, each service schedule comprising a separate list of environmental equipment systems requiring service. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification