System and method for providing facilities management based on weather vulnerability

• US 9,104,988 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Drew, James H., Schneur, Rina R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Alan S
• Application Number:
  US11/950,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20090144115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,807 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705 711- 742, 379 101- 1505, 379/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group

Abstract

An approach is provided for managing facilities (e.g., wire centers) based on weather vulnerability analysis. Data representing trouble tickets associated with a plurality of facilities is received. Weather information relating to the facilities is received. A determination is made of the vulnerability of the facilities to weather based on the data and the weather information. The facilities are prioritized based on the determined vulnerability. Preventative maintenance activities (as well as financial forecasts) can be performed for one or more of the facilities based on the prioritization of the facilities.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving data representing trouble tickets associated with a plurality of facilities;

receiving observed weather information relating to the facilities;

determining, by a processor, vulnerability of the facilities to weather based on the data and the observed weather information;

prioritizing the facilities based on the determined vulnerability;

determining vulnerability of geographic locations serviced by a prioritized facility to weather based on the data and the observed weather information;

prioritizing the geographic locations based on the determined vulnerability of the geographic locations, and

producing a schedule for one or more of inspection and preventative maintenance for one or more of the facilities and one or more of the geographic locations based on the prioritization of the facilities and the prioritization of the geographic locations.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a preventative maintenance activity for one or more of the facilities and one or more of the geographic locations based on the prioritization of the facilities and the prioritization of the geographic locations.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating budgetary data for one or more of the facilities based on the prioritization of the facilities.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining vulnerability includes,

filtering trouble tickets that are non-weather related to yield weather-related trouble tickets,

correlating each of the weather-related trouble tickets to either a first weather event or a second weather event,

determining statistical information relating to the first weather event and the second weather event using the correlation, and

ranking the facilities based on the statistical information.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the statistical information includes average number of trouble tickets correlated to the first weather event and average number of trouble tickets correlated to the second weather event.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the weather information comprises a location, a date, a time, high and/or low temperatures, and a presence of precipitation.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the vulnerability and the prioritizing of the facilities is based on a proportional increase in a number of the trouble tickets stemming from days without rainfall compared to a number of the trouble tickets stemming from days with rainfall.

8. An apparatus comprising:

one or more interfaces configured to receive data representing trouble tickets associated with a plurality of facilities, and to receive observed weather information relating to the facilities; and

a processor configured to determine vulnerability of the facilities to weather based on the data and the observed weather information, to prioritize the facilities based on the determined vulnerability, determine vulnerability of geographic locations serviced by a prioritized facility to weather based on the data and the observed weather information, prioritize the geographic locations based on the determined vulnerability of the geographic locations, and produce a schedule for one or more of inspection and preventative maintenance for one or more of the facilities and one or more of the geographic locations based on the prioritization of the facilities and the prioritization of the geographic locations.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

initiate a preventative maintenance activity for one or more of the facilities and one or more of the geographic locations based on the prioritization of the facilities and the prioritization of the geographic locations.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein budgetary data is generated for one or more of the facilities based on the prioritization of the facilities.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to filter trouble tickets that are non-weather related to yield weather-related trouble tickets, to correlate each of the weather-related trouble tickets to either a first weather event or a second weather event, to determine statistical information relating to the first weather event and the second weather event using the correlation, and to rank the facilities based on the statistical information.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the statistical information includes average number of trouble tickets correlated to the first weather event and average number of trouble tickets correlated to the second weather event.

13. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the weather information comprises a location, a date, a time, high and/or low temperatures, and a presence of precipitation.

14. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the vulnerability and the prioritizing of the facilities is based on a proportional increase in a number of the trouble tickets stemming from days without rainfall compared to a number of the trouble tickets stemming from days with rainfall.

15. A system comprising:

a trouble ticket system including one or more processors configured to store data representing trouble tickets associated with a plurality of facilities; and

a network management system including one or more processors configured to retrieve the stored data from the trouble ticket system and to receive observed weather information relating to the facilities, wherein the network management system includes, a vulnerability analysis module configured to determine vulnerability of the facilities to weather based on the data and the observed weather information, to prioritize the facilities based on the determined vulnerability, to determine vulnerability of geographic locations serviced by a prioritized facility to weather based on the data and the observed weather information, to prioritize the geographic locations based on the determined vulnerability of the geographic locations, and to produce a schedule for one or more of inspection and preventative maintenance for one or more of the facilities and one or more of the geographic locations based on the prioritization of the facilities and the prioritization of the geographic locations.

16. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a workforce management system configured to initiate a preventative maintenance activity for one or more of the facilities based on the prioritization of the facilities and one or more of the geographic locations based on the prioritization of the facilities and the prioritization of the geographic locations.

17. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a financial system configured to generate budgetary data for one or more of the facilities based on the prioritization of the facilities.

18. A system according to claim 15, wherein the vulnerability analysis module is further configured to perform the steps of:

filtering trouble tickets that are non-weather related to yield weather-related trouble tickets;

correlating each of the weather-related trouble tickets to either a first weather event or a second weather event;

determining statistical information relating to the first weather event and the second weather event using the correlation; and

ranking the facilities based on the statistical information.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the statistical information includes average number of trouble tickets correlated to the first weather event and average number of trouble tickets correlated to the second weather event.

20. A system according to claim 15, wherein the weather information comprises a location, a date, a time, high and/or low temperatures, and a presence of precipitation.

21. A system according to claim 15, wherein the vulnerability and the prioritizing of the facilities is based on a proportional increase in a number of the trouble tickets stemming from days without rainfall compared to a number of the trouble tickets stemming from days with rainfall.