SYSTEM FOR AND METHODS OF CONFIRMING LOCATE OPERATION WORK ORDERS WITH RESPECT TO MUNICIPAL PERMITS

• US 20120066137A1
• Filed: 07/19/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Steven, Chambers, Curtis, Farr, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US13/186,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066137A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/317
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction

Abstract

Determining a permit status of a jobsite at which a locate operation is requested and/or performed. A work order that describes the locate operation is received and processed, and a permit database of a permitting entity is accessed based at least in part on information from the work order. The permit database is electronically reviewed to determine whether a valid permit covers work at the jobsite.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining a permit status of a jobsite at which a locate operation is requested and/or performed, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a work order that describes the locate operation;

accessing, by the computing device, a permit database of a permitting entity based at least in part on information from the work order; and

determining, by the computing device, from the permit database of the permitting entity, whether a valid permit covers work at the jobsite.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the permit database includes accessing an index of the permit database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the permit database includes accessing at least one searchable field of the permit database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing information in the valid permit.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an expiration date of the valid permit.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if a valid permit is not found in the permit database, performing the locate operation and generating an alert indicating that a valid permit was not found in the permit database.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if a valid permit is not found in the permit database, delaying the locate operation and sending an alert indicating that a valid permit was not found in the permit database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the permit database is accessed based on an address of the jobsite.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the permit database is accessed based on geographic coordinates of the jobsite.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the permit database is accessed based on a permit identifier.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the permit database is accessed based on a job identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the permit database is accessed based on a property identifier.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the permit database is accessed based on information from a virtual white line image included with the work order.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, on a display unit of the computing device, the valid permit.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for determining a permit status of a jobsite at which a locate operation is requested and/or performed, the method comprising:

receiving a work order that describes the locate operation;

accessing a permit database of a permitting entity based at least in part on information from the work order; and

determining from the permit database of the permitting entity whether a valid permit covers work at the jobsite.

16. An apparatus for determining a permit status of a jobsite at which a locate operation is requested and/or performed, the apparatus comprising:

a communication interface;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor;

controls the communication interface so as to receive a work order that describes the locate operation;

controls the communication interface so as to access a permit database of a permitting entity based at least in part on information from the work order; and

determines from the permit database of the permitting entity whether a valid permit covers work at the jobsite.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor further determines an expiration date of the valid permit.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor accesses the permit database based on at least one of:

an address of the jobsite;

geographic coordinates of the jobsite;

a permit identifier;

a job identifier; and

a property identifier.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor accesses the permit database based on information from a virtual white line image included with the work order.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a display device coupled to the processor to display the valid permit if present in the permit database.