TICKET APPROVAL SYSTEM FOR AND METHOD OF PERFORMING QUALITY CONTROL IN FIELD SERVICE APPLICATIONS
First Claim
1. An apparatus for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area by placing at least one locate mark in the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
- a communication interface;
a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and
a processing unit coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit;
A) controls the communication interface to receive ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation;
B) controls the communication interface to receive a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area;
C) processes at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation, the at least one electronic indication indicating one of;
C1) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory;
C2) that the locate and marking operation is unsatisfactory and requires further quality control assessment and/or at least partial re-performance of the locate and marking operation;
orC3) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory but the first locate technician requires coaching; and
D) generates an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for assessing a locate and marking operation. Ticket information is received regarding the locate and marking operation prior to performance. Following performance, a locate manifest is received that includes a digital image associated with a dig area for which the operation was performed. One or more electronic indications are provided, based at least in part on a comparison of the ticket information and the locate manifest, of a quality assessment of the locate and marking operation. The electronic indication(s) indicate one of: 1) a satisfactory operation; 2) an unsatisfactory operation requiring further quality control assessment and/or at least partial re-performance; or 3) a satisfactory operation, but nonetheless requiring technician coaching. An electronic record is generated of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on the electronic indication(s).
263 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area by placing at least one locate mark in the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication interface; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit; A) controls the communication interface to receive ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation; B) controls the communication interface to receive a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area; C) processes at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation, the at least one electronic indication indicating one of; C1) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory; C2) that the locate and marking operation is unsatisfactory and requires further quality control assessment and/or at least partial re-performance of the locate and marking operation;
orC3) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory but the first locate technician requires coaching; and D) generates an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processing unit, perform a method for documenting a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area by placing at least one locate mark in the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) electronically receiving ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation; B) electronically receiving a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area; C) processing at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation, the at least one electronic indication indicating one of; C1) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory; C2) that the locate and marking operation is unsatisfactory and requires further quality control assessment and/or at least partial re-performance of the locate and marking operation;
orC3) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory but the first locate technician requires coaching; and D) generating an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C).
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20. A method for assessing a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area by placing at least one locate mark in the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) receiving ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation; B) electronically receiving a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area; C) providing at least one electronic indication, based at least in part on a comparison of the ticket information and the locate manifest, of a quality assessment of the locate and marking operation, the at least one electronic indication indicating one of; C1) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory; C2) that the locate and marking operation is unsatisfactory and requires further quality control assessment and/or at least partial re-performance of the locate and marking operation;
orC3) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory but the first locate technician requires coaching; and D) generating an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C).
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Specification