Utilities module for proactive maintenance application

• US 7,027,563 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beamon, Elizabeth Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US11/014,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20050100137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 379/9, 379/9.01, 379/9.02, 379/9.03, 379/9.04, 379/9.06, 379/15.01, 379/15.02, 379/15.03, 379/14, 379/27.01, 379/29.01, 379/201.03, 379/201.12, 714/100, 714/12, 714/25, 714/26, 370/241, 370/241.1, 702/183, 702/184
• US Class Current: 379/9.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/051 technician dispatch system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2254 in networks

Abstract

A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks for a communication system. The method includes storing proactive maintenance tasks and searching the tasks using at least one search criteria. Deletion of a proactive maintenance tasks is permitted if the proactive maintenance task has not been sent to a technician dispatch module which dispatches proactive maintenance tasks to technicians. Exclusion of proactive maintenance tasks is permitted if the proactive maintenance task has been sent to the technician dispatch module.

Claims

1. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks for a communication system, the method comprising:

storing proactive maintenance tasks;

searching the tasks using at least one search criteria;

permitting deletion of proactive maintenance tasks if the proactive maintenance task has not been sent to a technician dispatch module which dispatches proactive maintenance tasks to technicians;

permitting exclusion of proactive maintenance tasks if the proactive maintenance task has been sent to the technician dispatch module.

2. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, further comprising predicting proactive maintenance tasks.

3. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, wherein the at least one search criteria includes at least one of Proactive Maintenance Application number, Trouble Ticket Number, area code, status, Wire Center, district, manager, and supervisor.

4. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, wherein the at least one search criteria includes at least one of technician date, address, description, technician narrative, disposition code, priority, intermediate status code, work code, authorization, cable, and line pair.

5. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, further comprising sorting the tasks using at least one sort criteria.

6. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 5, wherein the sort criteria includes at least one of Proactive Maintenance Application number, Trouble Ticket Number, area code, status, Wire Center, district, manager, and supervisor.

7. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 5, wherein the sort criteria includes at least one of technician, date, address, priority, status code, work code, and authorization.

8. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, further comprising editing the proactive maintenance tasks using at least one edit criteria, the edit criteria including at least one of wire center, district, priority, date, work code, manager, supervisor, technician, maintenance center, authorization, address, and work description.

9. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, further comprising acquiring cable and line pair information associated with the proactive maintenance tasks.

10. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, further comprising generating work order information describing the proactive maintenance tasks.

11. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, further comprising dispatching the proactive maintenance tasks.

12. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, further comprising adding additional proactive maintenance tasks to the stored tasks.

13. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, further comprising communicating with a communications network and acquiring information associated with a Loop Maintenance Operating System.

14. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, further comprising searching pending proactive maintenance tasks.

15. A method of managing proactive maintenance tasks according to claim 1, further comprising generating summary reports describing the tasks.

16. A system configured for predicting proactive maintenance of a communication system, the system comprising:

at least one module communicating with a communications network and acquiring information associated with the communications network;

a database stored in memory, the database storing the acquired information;

a processor capable of processing information stored in the database and of generating predicted proactive maintenance; and

a utilities module for managing the predicted proactive maintenance, the managing including;

storing proactive maintenance tasks;

searching the tasks using at least one search criteria;

permitting deletion of proactive maintenance tasks if the proactive maintenance task has not been sent to a technician dispatch module which dispatches proactive maintenance tasks to technicians;

permitting exclusion of proactive maintenance tasks if the proactive maintenance task has been sent to the technician dispatch module.

17. A computer program product for proactively maintaining a communications system;

comprising;

a computer-readable medium; and

a utilities module stored on the medium, the utilities module managing proactive maintenance tasks, the managing including;

storing proactive maintenance tasks;

searching the tasks using at least one search criteria;

permitting deletion of proactive maintenance tasks if the proactive maintenance task has not been sent to a technician dispatch module which dispatches proactive maintenance tasks to technicians;

permitting exclusion of proactive maintenance tasks if the proactive maintenance task has been sent to the technician dispatch module.