Job site communications systems, methods, and computer program products

• US 20050198354A1
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Field2Base, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Field2Base, Inc.
• Inventors: Holloway, Edwards Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,571,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Job site communications systems, methods, and computer program products. According to one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein, a job site communications system is provided. The job site communications system can include a wireless communications device adapted to be positioned at a job site and operable to wirelessly communicate annotated computer-aided design documents from the job site. The job site communications system can also include a computer positioned at a site remote from a job site and operable to receive or transmit the computer-aided design documents.

Claims

1. A job site communications system, comprising:

(a) a wireless communications device adapted to be positioned at a job site and operable to wirelessly communicate a document from a job site, wherein the wireless communications device is operable to determine whether the document has not been communicated, and the wireless communication device is operable to automatically attempt another communication of the document in response to determining that the document has not been communicated; and

(b) a computer positioned at a site remote from a job site and operable to transmit and receive the document.

2. The job site communications system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications device comprises a tablet personal computer.

3. The job site communications system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications device communicates the document to the computer via a wireless base station.

4. The job site communications system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications device is operable to populate a digital envelope with the document for transmission.

5. The job site communications system of claim 4 wherein the wireless communications device is operable to populate the digital envelope with digital photographs.

6. The job site communications system of claim 5 wherein the wireless communications device is operable to populate the digital envelope with annotated documents.

7. The job site communications system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications device comprises a digital camera.

8. The job site communications system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications device is operable to determine a predetermined format for transmitting the document.

9. The job site communications system of claim 1 comprising a server computer operable to receive the document for access by the computer.

10. The job site communications system of claim 9 wherein the server computer is operable to log communications between the wireless communications device and the computer.

11. The job site communications system of claim 9 wherein the server computer is operable to receive and transmit a digital envelope comprising annotated documents from the wireless communications device.

12. The job site communications system of claim 10 wherein the server computer is operable to separate the annotated documents from the digital envelope and communicate the separated annotated documents to predetermined recipient devices.

13. A method for communication with a job site by means of a communications system, the method comprising:

(a) providing a job site communications system at a job site comprising;

(i) a wireless communications device adapted to be positioned at a job site and operable to wirelessly communicate a job site document at a job site; and

(ii) a computer positioned at a site remote from a job site and operable to communicate the job site document;

(b) attempting communication of a job site document between the wireless communications device at the job site and the computer remote from the job site;

(c) determining whether the job site document was not communicated; and

(d) in response to determining that the job site document was not communicated, automatically attempting another communication of the job site document.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the wireless communications device comprises a tablet personal computer.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of transmitting comprises communicating the job site document via a wireless base station.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of transmitting comprises populating a digital envelope with the job site document for transmission.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising populating the digital envelope with an annotated computer-aided design document.

18. The method of claim 16 comprising populating the digital envelope with digital photographs.

19. The method of claim 13 comprising determining a predetermined format for communicating the job site document.

20. The method of claim 13 comprising providing a server computer operable to receive the job site document for access by the computer.

21. The method of claim 20 comprising receiving a digital envelope at the server computer, wherein the digital envelope comprises annotated documents from the wireless communications device.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising separating the annotated documents from the digital envelope and transmitting the annotated documents to predetermined recipient devices.

23. A job site communications system, comprising:

(a) a computer positioned at a site remote from a job site and operable to automatically communicate a document in response to a failed communication of the computer-aided design document; and

(b) a wireless communications device adapted to be positioned at a job site and operable to receive or transmit the document from a job site.

24. The job site communications system of claim 23 comprising a server computer operable to receive the document for forwarding to the wireless communications device.

25. The job site communications system of claim 23 wherein the computer is operable to automatically push the document to the wireless communications device.

26. A method for communication with a job site by means of a communications system, the method comprising:

(a) providing a job site communications system at a job site comprising;

(i) a computer positioned at a site remote from a job site and operable to automatically communicate a document in response to a failed communication of the computer-aided design document; and

(ii) a wireless communications device adapted to be positioned at a job site and operable to receive or transmit the document at a job site;

(b) automatically communicating document from or to the computer remote at the job site;

(c) receiving the document at the wireless communications device at the job site.

27. The method of claim 26 comprising:

(a) providing a server computer operable to receive the document; and

(b) forwarding the document from the server computer to the wireless communications device.

28. The method of claim 26 comprising queuing the document prior to the step of automatically transmitting the document.

29. A wireless communications device, comprising:

(a) an envelope generator for generating an envelope including documents for transmission to a recipient device positioned at a remote site; and

(b) a communication interface operable to wirelessly transmit the envelope to the recipient device, wherein the communication interface is operable to determine whether the envelope has not been transmitted to the recipient device, and automatically attempt another transmission of the envelope in response to determining that the envelope has not been transmitted.

30. The wireless communications device of claim 29, wherein the wireless communications device comprises a tablet personal computer.

31. The wireless communications device of claim 29, wherein the envelope comprises a first and second portion, and wherein the communication interface is operable to determine whether the first portion of the envelope is communicated.

32. The wireless communications device of claim 31, wherein the communication interface is operable to transmit the second portion of the envelope when the first portion of the envelope is communicated.

33. The wireless communications device of claim 32, wherein the communications interface is operable to automatically communicate the second portion of the envelope when communication of the envelope is interrupted.

34. The wireless communications device of claim 29, comprising a photo module operable to capture photographs.

35. The wireless communications device of claim 34, wherein the envelope generator is operable to include the captured photographs in the envelope.

36. The wireless communications device of claim 29, comprising a recipient list including a list of recipient devices for receiving the envelope.

37. A method for communicating with a remote recipient device, the method comprising:

(a) generating an envelope including documents for communication with a recipient device positioned at a remote site;

(b) wirelessly communicating the envelope to the recipient device;

(c) determining whether the envelope has not been communicated to the recipient device; and

(d) in response to determining that the envelope has not been communicated to the recipient device, automatically attempting another communication of the envelope.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the envelope comprises a first and second portion, and comprising whether the first portion of the envelope is communicated.

39. The method of claim 38, comprising transmitting the second portion of the envelope when the first portion of the envelope is communicated.

40. The method of claim 39, comprising automatically communicating the second portion of the envelope when communication of the envelope is interrupted.

41. The method of claim 37, comprising capturing photographs with a photo module.

42. The method of claim 41, comprising including the captured photographs in the envelope.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein wirelessly communicating the envelope comprises communicating the envelope to a plurality of recipient devices listed in a recipient list.

44. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) generating an envelope including documents for transmission to a recipient device positioned at a remote site;

(b) wirelessly communicating the envelope with the recipient device;

(c) determining whether the envelope has not been communicated to the recipient device; and

(d) in response to determining that the envelope has not been communicated to the recipient device, automatically attempting another communication of the envelope.

45. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the envelope comprises a first and second portion, and comprising whether the first portion of the envelope is communicated.

46. The computer program product of claim 45, comprising communicating the second portion of the envelope when the first portion of the envelope is communicated.

47. The computer program product of claim 46, comprising automatically communicating the second portion of the envelope when communication of the envelope is interrupted.

48. The computer program product of claim 44, comprising capturing photographs with a photo module.

49. The computer program product of claim 48, comprising including the captured photographs in the envelope.

50. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein wirelessly communicating the envelope comprises communicating the envelope to a plurality of recipient devices listed in a recipient list.