System and method for managing asset installation and evaluation

• US 8,135,611 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2011
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Reflexis Systems, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Stan, Swiedler, Thomas, Turner, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): PATS, JUSTIN
• Application Number:
  US13/031,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20110288966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 387 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.38, 705/7.42
• US Class Current: 705/7.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

Efficient and effective centralized management of automated field force installation and evaluation of assets. Service representatives can each perform an asset installation and/or an asset evaluation with the aid of a handheld device. The handheld device can display worksheets comprising a sequence of instructions and prompts related to the installation/evaluation. In performing the asset installation/evaluation, the service representative can follow the instructions and enter responses to the prompts into the handheld device. The handheld device can communicate with a server to download the worksheets onto the handheld device and to upload from the handheld device data related to the installation/evaluation. Authorized users'"'"' network devices can interact with a reporting module of the server to generate reports based on the uploaded data. The reports can provide the authorized users with real-time or near real-time information about the service representatives'"'"' performance and about particular assets, including, e.g., information about particular asset installations/evaluations.

Claims

1. A method for managing and evaluating a plurality of assets comprising:

for a first asset of the plurality of assets;

generating on a mobile computing device a sequence of prompts for producing worksheet data, wherein the sequence of prompts include a prompt to enter a serial number of the first asset into a field, a question of whether or not a particular component of the first asset is needed, a question of whether or not installation of the first asset is complete and working, and a prompt to take a digital image of the first asset and digital image of an asset tag for the first asset;

receiving a signal indicating that a service representative has arrived at an asset location for the first asset to perform an installation of the first asset;

receiving the worksheet data comprising responses to the prompts on the mobile computing device;

synchronizing the worksheet data with a server, wherein the synchronizing includes;

sending a file index over a wireless network before any of the worksheet data is transmitted over the wireless network from the mobile computing device to a server;

parsing with the server each file index received from the wireless network;

cross-referencing each indexed file with the server against a list of files stored at the server and received previously from the mobile computing device;

instructing the mobile computing device to send only files that have not been received previously by the server; and

uploading files that have not been previously received by the server, including the worksheet data, from the mobile computing device to the server;

repeating the above steps for each of the remainder of the plurality of assets; and

evaluating the worksheet data for each of the plurality of assets and generating a report based on the evaluating, wherein the report includes a summary chart that indicates, for ones of the plurality of assets, the responses comprising positive and negative values that assist in determining whether or not a particular component of the asset is needed and whether or not installation of the asset is complete and working.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a handheld mobile computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, transmitting each of the prompts to a plurality of mobile computing devices over a wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises a radio-frequency (RF) wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the wireless network is available.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the report displays a visual indicator of progress for an installation of at least one of the plurality of assets.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the report comprises an estimated repair cost for at least one of the plurality of assets.

8. A system of managing and evaluating a plurality of assets comprising:

for a first asset of the plurality of assets;

a server operable to transmit data for display on a mobile computing device and to produce a sequence of prompts for producing worksheet data, wherein the sequence of prompts include a prompt to enter a serial number of the first asset into a field, a question of whether or not a particular component of the first asset is needed, a question of whether or not installation of the first asset is complete and working, and a prompt to take a digital image of the first asset and digital image of an asset tag for the first asset; and

the mobile computing device operable to;

receive the worksheet data comprising responses to the prompts on the mobile computing device;

send a file index over a wireless network before any of the worksheet data is transmitted over the wireless network to the server;

the server further operable to;

parse each file index received from the wireless network;

cross-reference each indexed file against a list of files stored at the server and received previously from the mobile computing device; and

instruct the mobile computing device to send only files that have not been received previously by the server;

the mobile computing device further operable to;

upload files that have not been previously received by the server, including the worksheet data, to the server, whereby the worksheet data is synchronized between the mobile computing device and the server;

the server and mobile computing device operable to perform the above respective steps for each of the remainder of the plurality of assets; and

the mobile computing device further operable to interact with a reporting module of the server to;

evaluate the worksheet data for each of the plurality of assets and generate a report based on the evaluating, wherein the report includes a summary chart that indicates, for ones of the plurality of assets, the responses comprising positive and negative values that assist in determining whether or not a particular component of the asset is needed and whether or not installation of the asset is complete and working.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the server is operable to transmit each of the prompts to a plurality of mobile computing devices over a wireless network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the wireless network comprises a radio-frequency (RF) wireless network.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile computing device is operable to determine if the wireless network is available.

12. The system of claim 11, further wherein the report displays a visual indicator of progress for an installation of at least one of the plurality of assets.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the report comprises an estimated repair cost for at least one of the plurality of assets.