System and method for organizing field data obtained through a plurality of devices

• US 9,569,061 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globex Corp. (Nishita Shah)
• Original Assignee: Globex Corp. (Nishita Shah)
• Inventors: Stanic, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruiz, Angelica
• Application Number:
  US14/141,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20150186472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 707600-831, 707/899, 707999001-999206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services

Abstract

An automated process collects and organizes field data from an inspection of a building or other structure such as pipe supports, bridges, buildings, over head supports, and smoke stacks.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for collecting and organizing field data from an inspection of a structure, the method comprising:

receiving field data at a local memory of a portable computing device via a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface executing on processor of the portable computing device, wherein the field data includes inspection data and structure data, the inspection data including one or more findings and other inspection data, the one or more findings describing identifiable physical characteristics and deficiencies of an inspected structure, and the other inspection data includes data corresponding to each finding;

uploading the received field data to one or more databases that are remote from the portable computing device;

displaying the uploaded field data within the graphical user interface, wherein the displayed uploaded field data indicates a first status upon uploading the received field data to the one or more remote databases;

receiving one or more edits to the uploaded field data at the local memory of the portable computing device via the graphical user interface;

uploading the received edits to the one or more remote databases; and

modifying the display of the uploaded field data from the first status to a second status upon uploading the received edits to the one or more remote databases; and

generating a report including an interactive digital map depicting a representation of the structure at its geographic location, wherein the representation of the structure is selectable to activate a display of the one or more findings corresponding to the structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first status indicates a complete finding and the second status indicates an incomplete finding, the complete finding consisting of a first data set that includes at least one or more photos, a text recommendation for repair, a schedule for repair dates, and a detailed description of damage, and the incomplete finding consisting of a second data set that includes anything less than the first data set.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating a report including the uploaded field data further includes generating the report including the uploaded field data only if all of the one or more findings of the uploaded field data are completed findings.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein uploading the received field data to one or more databases that are remote from the portable computing device includes tagging the received findings with the received other inspection data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the other inspection data includes, for each finding, one or more of an inspector identification, login credentials, a date and time, text, a unique identifier, and GPS data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the uploaded field data within the graphical user interface includes automatically populating a plurality of fields within the graphical user interface with an identification of each finding of the uploaded field data.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the graphical user interface, a user input indicating a circle radius on the interactive digital map;

automatically identifying one or more findings within the circle radius; and

displaying an expanded version of the one or more identified findings, the expanded version including information corresponding to each finding.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

tallying the number of identified findings within the circle radius; and

displaying the tally below the interactive digital map.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying information corresponding to the one or more identified findings in a grid below the interactive digital map.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

receive field data at a local memory of a portable computing device via a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface executing on processor of the portable computing device, wherein the field data includes inspection data and structure data, the inspection data including one or more findings and other inspection data, the one or more findings describing identifiable physical characteristics and deficiencies of an inspected structure, and the other inspection data includes data corresponding to each finding;

upload the received field data to one or more databases that are remote from the portable computing device;

display the uploaded field data within the graphical user interface, wherein the displayed uploaded field data indicates a first status;

receive one or more edits to the uploaded field data at the local memory of the portable computing device via the graphical user interface;

upload the received edits to the one or more remote databases; and

modify the display of the uploaded field data from the first status to a second status upon uploading the received edits to the one or more remote databases, wherein the first status indicates a complete finding and the second status indicates an incomplete finding, the complete finding consisting of a first data set that includes at least one or more photos, a text recommendation for repair, a schedule for repair dates, and a detailed description of damage, and the incomplete finding consisting of a second data set that includes anything less than the first data set; and

generate a report including an interactive digital map depicting a representation of the structure at its geographic location, wherein the representation of the structure is selectable to activate a display of the one or more findings corresponding to the structure only if all of the one or more findings of the uploaded field data are completed findings.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to transfer the field data from a plurality of portable computing devices to a tablet computing device before uploading the field data to one or more remote databases.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instruction to cause the processor to upload the received field data to one or more databases that are remote from the portable computing device includes an instruction to cause the processor to tag the received findings with the received other inspection data, wherein the other inspection data includes, for each finding, one or more of an inspector identification, login credentials, a date and time, text, a unique identifier, and GPS data.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to display a graphical element within the graphical user interface upon uploading the received field data to one or more databases that are remote from the portable computing device and the displayed graphical element indicates which inspection data is uploaded to the remote databases.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instruction to cause the processor to display the uploaded field data within the graphical user interface includes an instruction to cause to processor to automatically populate a plurality of fields within the graphical user interface with an identification of each finding of the uploaded field data.

15. A computer system for collecting and organizing field data from an inspection of a structure, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memories communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a report tool module stored in the one or more memories including instructions for execution on the one or more processors, the instructions to;

receive field data at a local memory of a portable computing device via a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface executing on processor of the portable computing device, wherein the field data includes inspection data and structure data, the inspection data including one or more findings and other inspection data, the one or more findings describing identifiable physical characteristics and deficiencies of an inspected structure, and the other inspection data includes data corresponding to each finding;

upload the received field data to one or more databases that are remote from the portable computing device;

display the uploaded field data within the graphical user interface, wherein the displayed uploaded field data indicates a first status;

receive one or more edits to the uploaded field data at the local memory of the portable computing device via the graphical user interface;

upload the received edits to the one or more remote databases; and

modify the display of the uploaded field data from the first status to a second status upon uploading the received edits to the one or more remote databases, wherein the first status indicates a complete finding and the second status indicates an incomplete finding, the complete finding consisting of a first data set that includes at least one or more photos, a text recommendation for repair, a schedule for repair dates, and a detailed description of damage, and the incomplete finding consisting of a second data set that includes anything less than the first data set; and

generate a report including an interactive digital map depicting a representation of the structure at its geographic location, wherein the representation of the structure is selectable to activate a display of the one or more findings corresponding to the structure.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the report tool further includes an instruction to cause the processor to transfer the field data from a plurality of portable computing devices to a tablet computing device before uploading the field data to one or more remote databases.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instruction to cause the processor to upload the received field data to one or more databases that are remote from the portable computing device includes an instruction to cause the processor to tag the received findings with the received other inspection data, wherein the other inspection data includes, for each finding, one or more of an inspector identification, login credentials, a date and time, text, a unique identifier, and GPS data.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the report tool further includes an instruction to cause the processor to display a graphical element within the graphical user interface upon uploading the received field data to one or more databases that are remote from the portable computing device and the displayed graphical element indicates which inspection data is uploaded to the remote databases.