Apparatus, method and system of information gathering and use
First Claim
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the distributing is electronically distributing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, method, and system for efficient data collection of field service calls and the like, and subsequent use of that data. One example of a method according to the invention comprises entering data in a portable digital device based on a systematic template which is pre-designed to limit subjectivity and promote consistency of data collection. An apparatus according to the invention includes a portable digital device that allows display of standardized templates that cue the field service agronomist with regard to the information and content to collect and store in the portable digital device. One example of a system according to the present invention includes a plurality of portable digital devices used by a plurality of field service agronomists to collect field service calls at different times, locations, and situations, and a communication medium or network to communicate at least some of the collected data to a database. The database can be used to store collected data and can be accessed and mined for information that can be used in many phases of agribusiness, including but not limited to marketing and sales of agricultural products, research and development for future agricultural products, and analysis and solutions to agricultural problems.
69 Citations
85 Claims
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the distributing is electronically distributing.
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14-1. The method of claim 14 further comprising selecting at least one of the plurality of seed types for a field location based on the geo-referenced field observations and the genetic information.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the environmental classification comprises characterizing a seed product or land base at least in part in relation to an environmental variable.
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15-2. A method of collection of data related to a crop in a field comprising:
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a. carrying to the field a portable digital device and a geo-position device that is in operative communication with the portable digital device;
b. displaying a template pre-designed relevant or correlated queries regarding the field and the crop in the field, at least some of the queries including a checklist;
c. entering answers to the queries on the portable digital device; and
d. storing the answers in a digital storage medium.
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16-3. The method of claim 15 wherein the template comprises a plurality of sections, at least one section relating to customer and field identification, at least one section relating to condition of the crop in the field.
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17-4. The method of claim 16 wherein the customer and field identification comprises information regarding one or more of:
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a. person entering the answers;
b. customer name;
c. field location;
d. date and time; and
e. reason for visit to field.
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26. A system for gathering information about field crops comprising:
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a. a portable digital device;
b. a geo-reference or position device in operative communication with the portable digital device;
c. software on the portable digital device including the following functions;
i. display of at least one pre-designed template comprising relevant or correlated queries regarding the field and the crop in the field, at least some of the queries including a checklist;
ii. data entry to allow input of answers to the queries;
iii. data storage of the answers; and
iv. display of selected information regarding the field or crop and/or information regarding other fields or crops. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for data gathering related to a field service call by a field service agronomist comprising:
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a. presenting to the field service agronomist i. a predetermined systematic list of possible observations regarding 1. at least one crop and field condition;
ii. standardized rating questions for the at least one crop or field condition regarding its 1. distribution and 2. severity;
b. receiving, in digitally storable form, answers to the list of possible observations and the standardized rating questions from the field service agronomist;
c. correlating, in digitally storable form, the answers with i. identifying information about the field, and ii. geographic position of the field. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. An apparatus for efficient gathering, storage, communication and use of information regarding a field service call by a field service agronomist comprising:
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a. a portable digital device including a display and a digital storage medium;
b. a mobile GPS receiver and software to produce geographic position data in digital format in operative communication with the portable digital device;
c. software operatively associated with the portable digital device adapted to i. display a standardized, pre-designed template on the display, the template comprising 1. a predetermined systematic list of possible observations regarding a. at least one crop and field condition;
2. standardized rating questions for the at least one crop or field condition regarding its a. distribution and b. severity;
ii. allow data input based on the template;
iii. create a database in the digital storage medium;
iv. marry the geographic position data, identifying information about the field, and observations and rating of the at least one crop or crop and field condition. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. A method of updating field service call information in a central data base through a communications network in operative connection to a plurality of portable digital devices comprising:
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a. compiling, on a digital device, field observations from a field service call;
b. operatively connecting the digital device to the communications network;
c. causing data related to the field observations to be communicated to the central data base. - View Dependent Claims (82)
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83. A method of updating a web site server from a database containing field service call information from a plurality of field service calls comprising:
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a. operatively connecting the database to the website server;
b. periodically sweeping data from the database to the web site server. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85)
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Specification