MANAGING INFORMATION AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE

• US 20130138606A1
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Kahle, Kent, Bohle, Pat, Painter, Robert, Messmer, Markus, Glockner, Oliver, Beckenbauer, Angela, Cramer, Till, Winter, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 9,817,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/17 Details of further file system functions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction

Abstract

A method for managing information at a construction site is disclosed. In one embodiment, task data is received from a handheld tool at a construction site. A database is populated with the task data such that the task data can be retrieved from the database. The task data is then used to generate at least one report.

Claims

1. A method for managing information at a construction site comprising:

receiving task data from a handheld tool at a construction site;

populating a database with the task data such that the task data can be retrieved from said database; and

using the task data to generate at least one report.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using the task data to determine at least one operating parameter of said handheld tool to perform a task; and

conveying said at least one operating parameter of said handheld tool via said report.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

conveying via said report an indication to terminate a task; and

displaying said indication at the location of said handheld tool.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving task data from said handheld tool further comprises:

receiving an indication of a position of a working end of said handheld tool before a task is performed; and

receiving an indication of an orientation of said handheld tool before said task is performed.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

conveying in said report a message to position a working end of said handheld tool at a particular point of a site; and

conveying in said report data indicating an orientation of said handheld tool.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving task data from said handheld tool further comprises:

receiving in real-time an indication of a current position of a working end of said handheld tool;

determining that said working end of said handheld tool is proximate to an object; and

conveying via said report a real-time indication to terminate a task.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving task data from said handheld tool further comprises:

receiving an indication of a first material used to perform a task; and

generating said report conveying a second material to be used with said first material to perform the task.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the task data comprises a description of a task which has been completed, said method further comprising:

updating a blueprint of a site to indicate an as-built configuration of said site.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating the task data in real-time as a task is being performed; and

monitoring the task in real-time based upon the task data.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving via the task data an identity of an operator of said handheld tool;

determining that said operator is not qualified to perform a task using said handheld tool; and

generating a message via said report preventing said operator from performing said task.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable code for directing a processor to execute method for communicatively coupling a sensor unit system, said method comprising:

receiving task data from a handheld tool at a construction site;

populating a database with the task data such that the task data can be retrieved from said database; and

using the task data to generate at least one report.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein said method further comprises:

using the task data to determine at least one operating parameter of said handheld tool to perform a task; and

conveying said at least one operating parameter of said handheld tool via said report.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein said method further comprises:

conveying via said report an indication to terminate a task; and

displaying said indication at the location of said handheld tool.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein said method further comprises:

receiving an indication of a position of a working end of said handheld tool before a task is performed; and

receiving an indication of an orientation of said handheld tool before said task is performed.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein said method further comprises:

conveying in said report a message to position a working end of said handheld tool at a particular point of a site; and

conveying in said report data indicating an orientation of said handheld tool.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein said method further comprises:

receiving in real-time an indication of a current position of a working end of said handheld tool;

determining that said working end of said handheld tool is proximate to an object; and

conveying to said handheld tool via said report a real-time indication to terminate a task.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein said method further comprises:

receiving from said handheld tool an indication of a first material used to perform a task; and

generating said report conveying a second material to be used with said first material to perform the task.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the task data comprises a description of a task which has been completed, and wherein said method further comprises:

updating a blueprint of a site to indicate an as-built configuration of said site.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein said method further comprises:

generating the task data in real-time as a task is being performed; and

monitoring the task in real-time based upon the task data.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein said method further comprises:

receiving via the task data an identity of an operator of said handheld tool;

determining that said operator is not qualified to perform a task using said handheld tool; and

generating a message via said report preventing said operator from performing the task.

21. A system for managing information at a construction site, said system comprising:

a handheld tool configured to generate task data describing a task performed at a construction site;

a database configured to be populate with the task data and to retrieve said task data at a later time; and

a report generator configured to use the task data to generate at least one report.

22. The system of claim 21 further comprising an information management system comprising said database and said report generator, and wherein said information management system uses the task data to determine at least one operating parameter of said handheld tool to perform a task, and causes said report generator to generate said report conveying said at least one operating parameter of said handheld tool.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said information management system determines that said task should be terminated and conveys via said report an indication to terminate said task and wherein indication is displayed using a display device disposed at the location of said handheld tool.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein said handheld tool further comprises:

a tool position detector configured to determine the position and orientation of a working end of said handheld tool before said task is performed; and

a communication transceiver configured to generate the task data conveying the position and orientation of said working end of said handheld tool to said information management system.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said information management system is configured to determine a particular point at a site where said working end of said handheld tool is to be positioned, and wherein said report generator conveys in said report a message to position said working end of said handheld tool at said particular point and indicates an orientation of said handheld tool.

26. The system of claim 22 said handheld tool is configured to generate the task data in real-time and wherein said information management system determines that a working end of said handheld tool is proximate to an object and wherein said report conveys a real-time indication to terminate said task to said handheld tool.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein said handheld tool generates an indication of a first material used to perform said task and wherein said information management system identifies a second material to be used with said first material to perform said task and indicates said second material to said handheld tool via said report.

28. The system of claim 22 wherein the task data comprises a description of a task which has been completed, and wherein said information management system uses the task data to update a blueprint of a site to indicate an as-built configuration of said site.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein said information management system is configured to monitor said task in real-time based upon the task data sent from said handheld tool.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein said handheld tool is configured to receive an indication of an identity of an operator of said handheld tool and wherein said information management system is configured to determine that said operator is not qualified to perform said task using said handheld tool and generate a message via said report preventing said operator from performing said task.