Systems and methods for survey scheduling and implementation
First Claim
1. ) An apparatus for assisting a user in scheduling a plurality of facilities for a survey, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one storage device comprising a first database of entries, each entry representing one of said facilities, comprising data representing the geographical location of said facility, and comprising data representing a plurality of ranking factors, said at least one storage device further comprising a second database of entries, each entry representing a surveyor;
at least one computer processor configured to estimate the time it would take for each of said facilities to be surveyed, said at least one computer processor further configured to calculate a ranking for each of said facilities, wherein said ranking is formed from at least one ranking factor, said one or more computer processors further configured to select a subset of facilities based on said ranking;
a display unit capable of representing said subset; and
a human-machine interface, said human-machine interface and said at least one computer processor configured to enable the user to select at least one facility from said subset and add it to a tour list, said human-machine interface and said at least one computer processor further configured the enable the user to schedule an order in which said facilities within said tour list will be visited by at least one surveyor from said second database.
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Abstract
An apparatus for assisting a user in scheduling a plurality of facilities for a survey includes: a storage device having a first database of entries representing facilities, geographical locations of facilities, and data representing ranking factors; a second database representing surveyors; a computer processor configured to estimate the time it would take for each of the facilities to be surveyed and to calculate a ranking for each of the facilities formed from ranking factors and to select a subset of facilities based on the ranking; a display unit capable of representing the subset; and, a human-machine interface configured with the processor to enable the user to select at least a facility from a subset and add it to a tour list and to schedule an order in which the facilities in the tour list will be visited by a surveyor from the second database. Related methods and systems are also described.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. ) An apparatus for assisting a user in scheduling a plurality of facilities for a survey, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one storage device comprising a first database of entries, each entry representing one of said facilities, comprising data representing the geographical location of said facility, and comprising data representing a plurality of ranking factors, said at least one storage device further comprising a second database of entries, each entry representing a surveyor;
at least one computer processor configured to estimate the time it would take for each of said facilities to be surveyed, said at least one computer processor further configured to calculate a ranking for each of said facilities, wherein said ranking is formed from at least one ranking factor, said one or more computer processors further configured to select a subset of facilities based on said ranking;
a display unit capable of representing said subset; and
a human-machine interface, said human-machine interface and said at least one computer processor configured to enable the user to select at least one facility from said subset and add it to a tour list, said human-machine interface and said at least one computer processor further configured the enable the user to schedule an order in which said facilities within said tour list will be visited by at least one surveyor from said second database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. ) A method of assisting a user in scheduling a plurality of facilities for a survey, the method comprising:
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providing the user with a first database of entries, each entry representing one of said plurality of facilities, including data representing the geographical location of one of said plurality of facilities, and including data representing a plurality of ranking factors;
estimating the time it would take for each of said facilities to be surveyed;
providing the user with a second database of entries, each entry representing one of a plurality of surveyors;
calculating at least one ranking for at least one of said plurality of facilities, wherein said at least one ranking is formed from at least one of said plurality of ranking factors;
forming a subset of said plurality of facilities based on said at least one ranking;
providing the user with a display representing said subset;
providing the user with an interface to select at least one facility from said subset and add it to a tour list; and
providing the user with an interface to schedule an order in which the facilities from said tour list will be visited by at least one surveyor from said second database. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. ) A system for assisting a user in scheduling a plurality of facilities for a survey, the system comprising:
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means for storing a first database of entries, each entry representing one of said plurality of facilities, including data representing the geographical location of one of said plurality of facilities, and including data representing a plurality of ranking factors;
means for estimating the time it would take for each of said facilities to be surveyed;
means for storing a second database of entries, each entry representing one of a plurality of surveyors;
means for calculating at least one ranking for at least one of said plurality of facilities, wherein said at least one ranking is formed from at least one of said plurality of ranking factors;
means for forming a subset of said plurality of facilities based on said at least one ranking;
means for displaying said subset;
means for selecting at least one facility from said subset to add to a tour list; and
means for scheduling an order in which the facilities within said tour list will be visited by at least one surveyor from said second database.
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16. ) A method for storing and presenting multiple surveys and questions, the method comprising:
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storing questions and answers with question identifiers and answer identifiers, wherein said questions and said answers are combinable to form question groups stored with question group identifiers and are combinable to form assessment courses stored with assessment course identifiers;
causing a graphical user interface to be displayed, over a communications network, to a user;
presenting to said user, via said graphical user interface, a subset of said questions comprised by a first of said assessment courses;
receiving a plurality of responses from said user to said subset of questions; and
scoring said plurality of responses based on answers corresponding to said questions in order to determine whether said user should receive a certification for said first assessment course, wherein at least one of said question identifiers indicates a logical relationship between a presented first question and a second question, wherein at least one of said question group identifiers indicate a logical relationship between a first question group and a second question group, and wherein at least one of said assessment course identifiers indicates a logical relationship between said first assessment course and a second assessment course. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification