MOBILE APPLICATION FOR ASSISTING A TECHNICIAN IN CARRYING OUT AN ELECTRONIC WORK ORDER

• US 20140089028A1
• Filed: 09/26/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Connectivity UK Limited (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics UK Limited (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Marshall, Owen, Colley, Simon, Townend, Kevin David, Butler, Ian
• Granted Patent: US 11,113,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a mobile application executing on a smartphone that is used to assist a technician in carrying out electronic work orders. In some embodiments, the mobile application uses a camera in the smartphone to take photos that are associated with one or more steps of the work order. In some embodiments, the mobile application is used to cause one or more LEDs associated with a step of the work order to be illuminated or otherwise visually actuated.

Claims

1. A method of performing the steps of a work order, the method comprising:

generating an electronic work order, the electronic work order comprising a set of steps;

communicating the electronic work order to a mobile application executing on a smartphone;

using a camera included in the smartphone to take a picture related to the performance of at least one step associated with the electronic work order;

associating the picture with the at least one step; and

communicating the picture to an entity for use in documenting the at least one step.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying information about one or more of the steps associated with the electronic work order using the mobile application executing on the smartphone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying information about events and alarms using the mobile application executing on the smartphone.

4. A method of performing the steps of a work order, the method comprising:

generating an electronic work order, the electronic work order comprising a set of steps;

communicating the electronic work order to a mobile application executing on a smartphone;

receiving a user input indicating that a visual indicator associated with at least one step included in the electronic work order should be visually actuated; and

sending a message from the mobile application executing on the smartphone to an external entity, wherein the external entity is configured to visually actuate the visual indicator in response to receiving the message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the visual indicator comprises at least one light emitting diode.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein visually actuating the light emitting diode comprises at least one of illuminate the light emitting diode, flashing the light emitting diode, and changing the color of the light emitting diode.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a user input indicating that the visual indicator associated with the at least one step included in the electronic work order should stop being visually actuated; and

sending a stop message from the mobile application executing on the smartphone to the external entity, wherein the external entity is configured to stop visually actuating the visual indicator in response to receiving the stop message.

8. A program product for implementing a mobile application on a smartphone, tangibly stored on a non-transitory storage medium, comprising instructions operable to cause at least one programmable processor in the smartphone to:

receive an electronic work order comprising a set of steps;

use a camera included in the smartphone to take a picture related to the performance of at least one step associated with the electronic work order;

associate the picture with the at least one step; and

communicate the picture to an entity for use in documenting the at least one step.

9. The program product of claim 8, further comprising instructions operable to cause the at least one programmable processor in the smartphone to display information about one or more of the steps associated with the electronic work order using the mobile application executing on the smartphone.

10. The program product of claim 8, further comprising instructions operable to cause the at least one programmable processor in the smartphone to display information about events and alarms using the mobile application executing on the smartphone.

11. A program product for implementing a mobile application on a smartphone, tangibly stored on a non-transitory storage medium, comprising instructions operable to cause at least one programmable processor in the smartphone to:

receive an electronic work order comprising a set of steps;

receive a user input indicating that a visual indicator associated with at least one step included in the electronic work order should be visually actuated; and

send a message from the mobile application executing on the smartphone to an external entity, wherein the external entity is configured to visually actuate the visual indicator in response to receiving the message.

12. The program product of claim 11, wherein the visual indicator comprises at least one light emitting diode.

13. The program product of claim 12, wherein visually actuating the light emitting diode comprises at least one of illuminate the light emitting diode, flashing the light emitting diode, and changing the color of the light emitting diode.

14. The program product of claim 11, further comprising instructions operable to cause the at least one programmable processor in the smartphone to:

receive a user input indicating that the visual indicator associated with the at least one step included in the electronic work order should stop being visually actuated; and

send a stop message from the mobile application executing on the smartphone to the external entity, wherein the external entity is configured to stop visually actuating the visual indicator in response to receiving the stop message.

15. A system comprising:

an aggregation point configured to receive and store information about connections made in a communication network;

an electronic work order entity configured to generate an electronic work order, the electronic work order comprising a set of steps; and

a smartphone configured to receive the electronic work order using a mobile application executing on a smartphone;

wherein the smartphone comprises a camera, wherein the mobile application is configured to;

take a picture related to the performance of at least one step associated with the electronic work order, associate the picture with the at least one step, and communicate the picture to at least one of the aggregation point and the electronic work order entity for use in documenting the at least one step.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the mobile application is configured to display information about one or more of the steps associated with the electronic work order.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the mobile application is configured to display information about events and alarms.

18. A system comprising:

an aggregation point configured to receive and store information about connections made in a communication network;

an electronic work order entity configured to generate an electronic work order, the electronic work order comprising a set of steps; and

a smartphone configured to receive the electronic work order using a mobile application executing on a smartphone;

wherein the mobile application is configured to;

receive a user input indicating that a visual indicator associated with at least one step included in the electronic work order should be visually actuated and send a message from the mobile application executing on the smartphone to an external entity, wherein the external entity is configured to visually actuate the visual indicator in response to receiving the message.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the visual indicator comprises at least one light emitting diode.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein visually actuating the light emitting diode comprises at least one of illuminating the light emitting diode, flashing the light emitting diode, and changing the color of the light emitting diode.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the mobile application is configured to:

receive a user input indicating that the visual indicator associated with the at least one step included in the electronic work order should stop being visually actuated and send a stop message from the mobile application executing on the smartphone to the external entity, wherein the external entity is configured to stop visually actuating the visual indicator in response to receiving the stop message.