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).
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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