Conducting field operations using handheld data management devices

• US 20070095887A1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fleet Connect Solutions LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Field Data Management Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Ortiz, Luis, Barbosa, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063118 Staff planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Providing users in the field includes portable access to industry-specific programs, instructions and data. Field data synchronization and/or delivery is enabled using wireless capabilities resident in handheld personal computing devices. Data can be synchronized with a server over a network using wireless radio transmission, or directly to a computer workstation using wireless infrared or radio transmission or connected physical connection. Two-way communications is provided between remote computers and handheld data management devices to facilitate real-time access to remote programs, assistance and/or information related to the field assessment being undertaken by using a handheld data management device user. Field data management includes activities for at least one of: construction industry project analysis, HVAC system analysis, project management, equipment readiness inspection, troubleshooting, inventory tracking, inventory ordering, sales (e.g., providing cost estimates to customers), customer invoicing, conducting legal investigations, field data collection, and multi-user remote function coordination.

Claims

1. A handheld device for use in the management of data during operations in the field, comprising:

a memory for storing at least one field data management program and related data;

a microprocessor for executing said at least one field data management program;

at least one field data management program stored within said memory and including instructions for enabling its user to;

find a field location, collect data at the field location, communicate with a remote server while at the field location, retrieve new data from the server that is associated with the collected data;

a wireless communication module for providing access to the remote server by said handheld data management device; and

a user interface adapted for enabling the handheld data management device user to interact with said at least one field data management program.

2. The handheld data management device of claim 1, further comprising a positioning module for providing handheld device location identification in support of instructions enabling the user to find a field location.

3. The handheld data management device of claim 1, wherein said at least one field data management program stored within said memory and includes instructions for the handheld data management device user to collect and retrieve data related to at least one of:

construction industry project analysis, HVAC system analysis, project management, equipment readiness inspection, equipment troubleshooting, remote inventory tracking, inventory ordering, carrying out a sale, providing cost estimates to customers, customer invoicing, conducting legal investigations in the field, field data collection, and multi-user remote function coordination.

5. The handheld data management device of claim 1, wherein said at least one field data management program module includes instructions for the handheld data management device user to collect and retrieve data related to at least one of:

construction industry project analysis, HVAC system analysis, project management, equipment readiness inspection, equipment troubleshooting, remote inventory tracking, inventory ordering, carrying out a sale, providing cost estimates to customers, customer invoicing, conducting legal investigations in the field, field data collection, and multi-user remote function coordination.

4. A handheld field assessment device, comprising:

a memory containing at least one field data management program module for providing instructions enabling a handheld field assessment device user to find a field operation location, collect data at the field operation location, and communicate and transfer data to and from a remote server;

a microprocessor executing said at least one field data management program;

a positioning module providing handheld device location identification;

a user interface adapted for enabling the handheld data management device user to interact with said at least one field data management program; and

a wireless communication module for providing communications between the handheld field assessment device and the remote server.

6. A method for managing data in the field using a handheld field data management device, comprising the steps of:

providing a handheld field data management device to a user to enable the user to manage data collected in the field, wherein said field data management device includes;

a memory containing at least one field data management program module for providing instructions enabling a handheld field assessment device user to find a field operation location, collect industry-specific data at the field operation location, and communicate and transfer data to and from a remote server;

a microprocessor executing said at least one field data management program;

a positioning module providing handheld device location identification;

a user interface adapted for enabling the handheld data management device user to interact with said at least one field data management program; and

a wireless communication module for providing communications between the handheld field assessment device and the remote server;

enabling the user to access instructions from at least one field data management program to assist the user in finding a field operation location;

enabling the user to access instructions from at least one field data management program to assist the user in collecting industry-specific data at the field operation location; and

enabling the user to access instructions from at least one field data management program to assist the user to communicate with a remote server using the handheld field data management device before, during and after the collection of industry-specific data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least one field data management program includes instructions enabling the user to carry out a crime scene investigation and said industry-specific data includes information related to the collection of crime scene data, said instructions comprising the steps of:

starting a legal investigation program within a jurisdiction including investigative requirements including rules and laws applicable to the jurisdiction;

identifying the subject matter for the legal investigation; and

obtaining guidance through the handheld data management device to perform a compliant legal investigation.

8. The method of claim 7, said instruction further enabling the user to carry out the steps of:

collecting factual data at the jurisdiction in accordance with the guidance;

entering the factual data into the handheld data management device; and

wirelessly communicating said data entered into said handheld data management device to a remote server for remote analysis.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least one field data management program includes instructions enabling the user to manage inventory and data related to the inventory, said instructions comprising the steps of:

starting an inventory program from a handheld data management device, said program used to ensure that the proper inventory will be provided to the handheld data management device user prior to the user undertaking a daily field service schedule;

enabling the user to identify service schedule requirements;

enabling the user to synchronize the schedule with inventory data stored in a server wirelessly accessible by said handheld data management device;

said handheld management device adapted to conduct in cooperation with the server an assessment of service schedule requirements and available inventory; and

providing the user with inventory availability status through the handheld data management device that is based on inventory needs identified in said service schedule.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein inventory needed and available for said service schedule are reserved through said program and said server to an inventory supplier, and wherein needed inventory is available to the user for scheduled service calls.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least one field data management program includes instructions enabling the user to troubleshoot a field problem and collect data related to the field problem, said instructions comprising the steps of:

starting an assessment program associated with a field problem;

providing information related to the field problem as requested by the field data management program;

enabling analysis of said specific information by the user and said handheld data management device; and

rendering post-analysis instructions from said handheld data management device for use in resolving the field problem.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said analysis includes communication and support through a remote server.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said analysis includes communication with and support from a remote expert over a communications network.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing data to a remote resource for analysis; and

retrieving enhanced data from said remote resource for use in conducting the field assessment.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of providing data to a remote resource for analysis includes communications providing industry-specific data to the remote expert as query message from the user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein data from said remote resource is a response message provided by said remote counselor in response to said query message, and wherein said response message includes supporting data files.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising accessing a remote data resource for retrieving data in support of said assessment.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said data resource is a third party database accessible over the Internet.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing two-way communication between remote computing means and handheld data management devices to facilitate real-time access to remote programs, assistance and/or information related to the field assessment being undertaken by using a handheld data management device user.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein data is provided to said remote resource in the form of a query message from a field operator to a remote counselor and enhanced data from said remote resource is a response message provided by said remote counselor in response to said query message.