TICKET APPROVAL SYSTEM FOR AND METHOD OF PERFORMING QUALITY CONTROL IN FIELD SERVICE APPLICATIONS
First Claim
1. An apparatus for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
- a communication interface;
a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and
a processing unit coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit;
A) controls the communication interface to receive ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation;
B) controls the communication interface to receive a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area;
C) processes at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based at least in part on the locate manifest, the ticket information, and at least one of;
a time required to complete the locate and marking operation;
a time at which the locate and marking operation was performed;
a cost of the locate and marking operation;
one or more conditions associated with the dig area;
a number of facilities to be located as indicated in the ticket information;
a discrepancy between the facilities to be located as indicated in the ticket information, but not indicated as marked in the locate manifest; and
an efficiency with which the first locate technician performed the locate and marking operation; and
D) generates an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation. Ticket information and a locate manifest are received regarding the operation as performed by a technician. One or more electronic indications of the quality assessment are processed based on the locate manifest, the ticket information, and at least one of: a time required to complete the locate and marking operation; a time at which the locate and marking operation was performed; a cost of the locate and marking operation; one or more conditions associated with a dig area in which the operation was performed; a number of facilities to be located as indicated in the ticket information; a discrepancy between the facilities to be located as indicated in the ticket information, but not indicated as marked in the locate manifest; and an efficiency with which the technician performed the locate and marking operation.
255 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication interface; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit; A) controls the communication interface to receive ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation; B) controls the communication interface to receive a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area; C) processes at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based at least in part on the locate manifest, the ticket information, and at least one of; a time required to complete the locate and marking operation; a time at which the locate and marking operation was performed; a cost of the locate and marking operation; one or more conditions associated with the dig area; a number of facilities to be located as indicated in the ticket information; a discrepancy between the facilities to be located as indicated in the ticket information, but not indicated as marked in the locate manifest; and an efficiency with which the first locate technician performed the locate and marking operation; and D) generates an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processing unit, perform a method for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) receiving ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation; B) receiving a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area; C) processing at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based at least in part on the locate manifest, the ticket information, and at least one of; a time required to complete the locate and marking operation; a time at which the locate and marking operation was performed; a cost of the locate and marking operation; one or more conditions associated with the dig area; a number of facilities to be located as indicated in the ticket information; a discrepancy between the facilities to be located as indicated in the ticket information, but not indicated as marked in the locate manifest; and an efficiency with which the first locate technician performed the locate and marking operation; and D) generating an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C).
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18. A method for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) receiving ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation; B) electronically receiving a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area; C) processing at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based at least in part on the locate manifest, the ticket information, and at least one of; a time required to complete the locate and marking operation; a time at which the locate and marking operation was performed; a cost of the locate and marking operation; one or more conditions associated with the dig area; a number of facilities to be located as indicated in the ticket information; a discrepancy between the facilities to be located as indicated in the ticket information, but not indicated as marked in the locate manifest; and an efficiency with which the first locate technician performed the locate and marking operation; and D) generating an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C). - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification