TICKET APPROVAL SYSTEM FOR AND METHOD OF PERFORMING QUALITY CONTROL IN FIELD SERVICE APPLICATIONS
First Claim
1. An apparatus for facilitating oversight and quality control of a plurality of locate and marking operations performed by a plurality of locate technicians forming an approver group reviewed by an approver, each locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
- a communication interface;
at least one display device;
at least one user input device;
a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and
a processing unit coupled to the communication interface, the at least one display device, the at least one user input device, 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 log-in information from the approver;
B) controls the at least one display device to display, in response to A), an approver inbox, the approver inbox comprising a plurality of locate technician windows, each locate technician window associated with one locate technician of the approver group;
C) acquires from the approver via the at least one user input device a first selection of a first locate technician window of the plurality of locate technician windows, the first locate technician window representing a first locate technician;
D) in response to C), controls the at least one display device to display information relating to a first locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician;
E) acquires from the approver via the at least one user input device an approver quality assessment input representing a first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation;
F) generates an electronic record of the first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation based at least in part on E); and
G) controls the memory to store the electronic record of the first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for facilitating oversight and quality control of a plurality of locate and marking operations performed by a plurality of locate technicians forming an approver group reviewed by an approver. An approver logs-in to access an approver inbox comprising a plurality of displayed locate technician windows, each locate technician window associated with one locate technician of the approver group. The approver selects a first locate technician window representing a first locate technician, and in response information relating to a first operation performed by the first technician is displayed. The approver provides an approver quality assessment input representing a first quality assessment of the first operation, and an electronic record of the first quality assessment is generated and stored.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for facilitating oversight and quality control of a plurality of locate and marking operations performed by a plurality of locate technicians forming an approver group reviewed by an approver, each locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication interface; at least one display device; at least one user input device; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the communication interface, the at least one display device, the at least one user input device, 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 log-in information from the approver; B) controls the at least one display device to display, in response to A), an approver inbox, the approver inbox comprising a plurality of locate technician windows, each locate technician window associated with one locate technician of the approver group; C) acquires from the approver via the at least one user input device a first selection of a first locate technician window of the plurality of locate technician windows, the first locate technician window representing a first locate technician; D) in response to C), controls the at least one display device to display information relating to a first locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician; E) acquires from the approver via the at least one user input device an approver quality assessment input representing a first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation; F) generates an electronic record of the first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation based at least in part on E); and G) controls the memory to store the electronic record of the first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation. - 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 facilitating oversight and quality control of a plurality of locate and marking operations performed by a plurality of locate technicians forming an approver group reviewed by an approver, each locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) receiving log-in information from the approver; B) displaying, in response to A), an approver inbox, the approver inbox comprising a plurality of locate technician windows, each locate technician window associated with one locate technician of the approver group; C) receiving a first selection from the approver of a first locate technician window of the plurality of locate technician windows, the first locate technician window representing a first locate technician; D) in response to C), displaying information relating to a first locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician; E) receiving from the approver an approver quality assessment input representing a first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation; F) generating an electronic record of the first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation based at least in part on E); and G) storing the electronic record of the first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation.
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20. A method for facilitating oversight and quality control of a plurality of locate and marking operations performed by a plurality of locate technicians forming an approver group reviewed by an approver, each locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) receiving, at a computing device, log-in information from the approver; B) displaying on at least one display device associated with the computing device, in response to A), an approver inbox, the approver inbox comprising a plurality of locate technician windows, each locate technician window associated with one locate technician of the approver group; C) receiving a first selection from the approver, via a user interface device associated with the at least one display device, of a first locate technician window of the plurality of locate technician windows, the first locate technician window representing a first locate technician; D) in response to C), displaying on the at least one display device information relating to a first locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician; E) receiving from the approver, via the at least one user interface, an approver quality assessment input representing a first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation; F) generating, via the computing device, an electronic record of the first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation based at least in part on E); and G) storing, in at least one memory associated with the computing device, the electronic record of the first quality assessment of the first locate and marking operation.
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Specification