Methods and systems for routing travel between origin and destination service locations using global satellite positioning

• US 7,103,476 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sylvester, Jeffery A., Morton, Jr., Roland T., Hamrick, Marvin R., Davis, Mitchell E., Willis, Jr., Robert H., Smith, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/856,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20040220732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/212, 701/213, 731/78.R, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 340/989
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for generating directions for traveling from a first service location to at least a second service location. One exemplary method embodiment includes obtaining through a server at least one set of “from” coordinates associated with the first service location; obtaining through the server at least one set of “to” coordinates associated with the second service location; transmitting the “from” and the “to” coordinates to a mapping system; and receiving directions from the mapping system based on the “to” and the “from” coordinates. Another exemplary method embodiment includes receiving first knowledge of one or more service personnel locations, receiving second knowledge of one or more service locations, and applying an algorithm with a computer using the first and the second knowledge to facilitate moving a service person to a most appropriate service location.

Claims

1. A method for generating directions for traveling from a first service location to at least a second service location, comprising:

obtaining through a server at least one set of “

from”

coordinates associated with the first service location;

obtaining through the server at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location, wherein the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location was previously obtained and saved by the server wherein the server previously requested the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location from a service technician during a previous visit to the second service location, the server requesting the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates after the server determined that no “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location were on record and that the service technician was visiting the second service location during the previous visit;

transmitting the “

from” and

“

to”

coordinates to a mapping system; and

receiving directions from the mapping system based on the “

to” and

the “

from”

coordinates.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking for the presence of the “

from”

coordinates in a database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the database is operatively associated with the server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a positioning system to obtain the “

from”

coordinates.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the positioning system includes a global satellite positioning system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the positioning system interacts with a transponder associated with an input device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the positioning system interacts with a transponder associated with a vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting the “

from”

coordinates through an input device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the “

to” and

“

from coordinates include at least one of a latitude and a longitude associated with at least one of the first and second service locations.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting the directions in an electronic format.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting the directions in a hard copy format.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the directions include at least one map.

13. A system for generating directions for traveling from a first service location to at least a second service location, the system comprising:

a server configured for receiving data transmissions from an input device, the input device configured for use at the first service location, the server being in connection with a positioning system configured for determining at least one set of “

from”

coordinates associated with the input device on an as needed basis;

at least one database configured for storing at least one of a “

to”

set of coordinates associated with the second service location and the “

from”

set of coordinates wherein the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location was previously obtained and saved in the database wherein the server previously requested the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location from a service technician during a previous visit to the second service location, the server requesting the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates after the server determined that no “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location were on record and that the service technician was visiting the second service location during the previous visit; and

a mapping system operatively associated with the input device for generating directions based on the “

from” and

the “

to”

coordinates.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the positioning system includes a global positioning satellite system.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the sets of coordinates includes at least one of a latitude and a longitude associated with the input device.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a customer records system operatively associated with the server, the customer records system having a database configured for storing at least one of the sets of coordinates.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising an address guide system operatively associated with the server, the address guide system having a database configured for storing at least one of the sets of coordinates.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising a dispatch system configured for communicating instructions through the server on work to be performed at the second service location.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the input device is configured for sending data transmissions via at least a wireless data network.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the input device is configured for sending data transmissions via at least a modem connection.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising a protocol server operatively associated with the server for processing information transmitted from the input device.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the directions include at least one map.

23. In a system for generating directions for traveling from a first service location to at least a second service location, an input device configured to perform at least the following functions:

obtaining through a server at least one set of “

from”

coordinates associated with the first service location;

obtaining through the server at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location wherein the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location was previously obtained and saved by the server wherein the server previously requested the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location from a service technician during a previous visit to the second service location, the server requesting the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates after the server determined that no “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location were on record and that the service technician was visiting the second service location during the previous visit;

transmitting the “

from” and

“

to”

coordinates to a mapping system; and

receiving directions from the mapping system based on the “

to” and

the “

from”

coordinates.

24. The input device of claim 23, wherein the input device is further configured for communicating with the server via a wireless data network.

25. The input device of claim 23, wherein the input device is further configured for communicating with the server via a modem connection.

26. The input device of claim 23, wherein the input device is operatively associated with a transponder device.

27. The input device of claim 26, wherein the transponder device is operatively associated with a positioning system.

28. The input device of claim 27, wherein the positioning system is a global positioning satellite system.

29. The input device of claim 23, wherein the directions include at least one map.

30. A method for generating directions for traveling from a first piece of critical equipment to at least a second piece of critical equipment, the method comprising:

obtaining through a server at least one set of “

from”

coordinates associated with the first piece of critical equipment;

obtaining through the server at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second piece of critical equipment wherein the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location was previously obtained and saved by the server wherein the server previously requested the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location from a service technician during a previous visit to the second service location, the server requesting the at least one set of “

to”

coordinates after the server determined that no “

to”

coordinates associated with the second service location were on record and that the service technician was visiting the second service location during the previous visit;

transmitting the “

from” and

“

to”

coordinates to a mapping system; and

generating directions in the mapping system based on the “

to” and

the “

from”

coordinates.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising checking for the presence of the “

from”

coordinates in a database.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the database is operatively associated with the server.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising accessing a positioning system to obtain the “

from”

coordinates.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the positioning system includes a global satellite positioning system.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the positioning system interacts with a transponder associated with an input device.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the positioning system interacts with a transponder associated with a vehicle.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein at least one of the “

to” and

“

from”

coordinates include at least one of a latitude and a longitude associated with at least one of the first and second service locations.

38. The method of claim 30, further comprising requesting the “

from”

coordinates through an input device.

39. The method of claim 30, further comprising outputting the directions in an electronic format.

40. The method of claim 30, further comprising outputting the directions in a hard copy format.

41. The method of claim 30, wherein the directions include a map.