Methods and systems for determining a telecommunications service location using global satellite positioning

• US 7,188,027 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamrick, Marvin R., Davis, Mitchell E., Willis, Jr., Robert H., Smith, Steven G., Sylvester, Jeffery A., Morton, Jr., Roland T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaude, Gertrude A.
• Application Number:
  US10/445,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/207, 701/213, 701/214, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.09
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0252 Radio frequency fingerprinting

Abstract

In one aspect, a customer service information system includes a technician server configured to communicate with at least one input device used by a service technician at a customer service location and with a global satellite positioning system. The technician server is capable of directing the global satellite positioning system to obtain a set of coordinates associated with the customer service location upon receiving a data transmission from the input device.

Claims

1. A customer service information system comprising:

a technician server configured to communicate with at least one input device used by a service technician at a customer service location and with a global satellite positioning system,

wherein said technician server is capable of directing the global satellite positioning system to obtain a set of coordinates associated with the customer service location upon receiving a data transmission from the input device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the technician server communicates with the at least one input device through at least one of a wireless network and a radio connection.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one input device comprises at least one of a wireless personal computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, and a wireless pager.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said technician server communicates with the at least one input device through at least one of a modem connection and a landline server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said technician server communicates with the at least one input device through a protocol server.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the protocol server receives and processes information from the at least one input device, the information comprising one or more of:

a user identification, a password, a radio serial number, an input device serial number, and service technician data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device and the global positioning system are operatively associated with a transponder system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the global satellite positioning system determines the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location based on signals received from the transponder system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the transponder system comprises a transponder mounted on a mobile vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database for storing the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the database is updated to reflect current coordinates associated with the customer service location.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dispatch system capable of transmitting order information to one or more technicians, the order information comprising service required at a particular customer service location and the set of coordinates associated with the particular customer service location.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the dispatch system transmits the order information to an input device of a technician.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the dispatch system comprises one or more of a server, a database, and a graphical user interface for receiving commands from a user.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising an address guide system capable of associating the set of coordinates with a validated street address.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the address guide system is capable of validating a street address provided by a customer.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the address guide system is capable of validating a street address provided by a service technician.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a customer record system capable of maintaining a customer record for a particular customer, the customer record including the set of coordinates and one or more of customer name, customer address, and customer telephone number associated with the particular customer.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the customer record system is connected to an address guide system capable of associating the set of coordinates with a validated street address.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mapping system capable of providing a travel route to one or more customer service locations based on the set of coordinates.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the set of coordinates corresponds to a travel origin.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the set of coordinates corresponds to a travel destination.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the data transmission comprises a response to a query transmitted by the technician server to the input device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the query comprises a request for verification that the service technician is located at the customer service location.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the response comprises a verification that the service technician is located at the customer service location.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of coordinates includes at least one of a latitude and a longitude associated with the at least one input device.

27. A technician server comprising:

means for communicating with at least one input device used by a service technician at a customer service location and with a global satellite positioning system; and

means for directing the global satellite positioning system to obtain a set of coordinates associated with the customer service location upon receiving a data transmission from the input device.

28. The technician server of claim 27, wherein the means for communicating enables communication through at least one of a wireless network and a radio connection.

29. The technician server of claim 28, wherein the at least one input device comprises at least one of a wireless personal computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, and a wireless pager.

30. The technician server of claim 27, wherein the means for communicating enables communication with the at least one input device through at least one of a modem connection and a landline server.

31. The technician server of claim 27, wherein the means for communicating enables communication with the at least one input device through a protocol server.

32. The technician server of claim 31, wherein the protocol server receives and processes information from the at least one input device, the information comprising one or more of:

a user identification, a password, a radio serial number, an input device serial number, and service technician data.

33. The technician server of claim 27, wherein the at least one input device and the global positioning system are operatively associated with a transponder system.

34. The technician server of claim 33, wherein the global satellite positioning system determines the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location based on signals received from the transponder system.

35. The technician server of claim 33, wherein the transponder system comprises a transponder mounted on a mobile vehicle.

36. The technician server of claim 27, further comprising means for storing the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location.

37. The technician server of claim 36, further comprising means for updating the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location.

38. The technician server of claim 27, wherein the data transmission comprises a response to a query transmitted by the at least one input device.

39. The technician server of claim 38, wherein the query comprises a request for verification that the service technician is located at the customer service location.

40. The technician server of claim 38, wherein the response comprises a verification that the service technician is located at the customer service location.

41. The technician server of claim 27, wherein the set of coordinates includes at least one of a latitude and a longitude associated with the at least one input device.

42. A customer service information system comprising:

means for communicating with at least one input device used by a service technician at a customer service location and with a global satellite positioning system;

means for directing the global satellite positioning system to obtain a set of coordinates associated with the customer service location upon receiving a data transmission from the input device; and

means for transmitting order information to one or more service technicians, the order information comprising service required at a particular customer service location and the set of coordinates associated with the particular customer service location.

43. A customer service information system comprising:

means for communicating with at least one input device used by a service technician at a customer service location and with a global satellite positioning system;

means for directing the global satellite positioning system to obtain a set of coordinates associated with the customer service location upon receiving a data transmission from the input device;

means for validating a street address; and

means for associating the set of coordinates with a validated street address.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein a street address to be validated is provided by a customer.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein a street address to be validated is provided by a service technician.

46. The system of claim 43, further comprising means for maintaining a customer record for a particular customer, the customer record including the set of coordinates and one or more of customer name, customer address, and customer telephone number associated with the particular customer.

47. A customer service information system comprising:

means for communicating with at least one input device used by a service technician at a customer service location and with a global satellite positioning system;

means for directing the global satellite positioning system to obtain a set of coordinates associated with the customer service location upon receiving a data transmission from the input device; and

means for maintaining a customer record for a particular customer, the customer record including the set of coordinates and one or more of customer name, customer address, and customer telephone number associated with the particular customer.

48. A customer service information system comprising:

means for communicating with at least one input device used by a service technician at a customer service location and with a global satellite positioning system;

means for directing the global satellite positioning system to obtain a set of coordinates associated with the customer service location upon receiving a data transmission from the input device; and

means for providing a travel route to one or more customer service locations based on the set of coordinates.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the set of coordinates corresponds to a travel origin.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein the set of coordinates corresponds to a travel destination.

51. A customer service information method comprising:

communicating with at least one input device used by a service technician at a customer service location and with a global satellite positioning system; and

directing the global satellite positioning system to obtain a set of coordinates associated with the customer service location upon receiving a data transmission from the input device,

wherein the steps of communicating and directing are performed by a technician server.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of communicating comprises communicating through at least one of a wireless network and a radio connection.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the at least one input device comprises at least one of a wireless personal computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, and a wireless pager.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of communicating comprises communicating through at least one of a modem connection and a landline server.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of communicating comprises communicating with the at least one input device through a protocol server.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the protocol server receives and processes information from the at least one input device, the information comprising one or more of:

a user identification, a password, a radio serial number, an input device serial number, and service technician data.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the at least one input device and the global positioning system are operatively associated with a transponder system.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the global satellite positioning system determines the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location based on signals received from the transponder system.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the transponder system comprises a transponder mounted on a mobile vehicle.

60. The method of claim 51, further comprising storing the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising updating the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location.

62. The method of claim 51, further comprising transmitting order information to one or more technicians, the order information comprising service required at a particular customer service location and the set of coordinates associated with the particular customer service location.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting the order information to an input device of a service technician.

64. The method of claim 51, further comprising validating a street address and associating the set of coordinates with a validated street address.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the step of validating comprises validating a street address provided by a customer.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the step of validating comprises validating a street address provided by a technician.

67. The method of claim 51, further comprising maintaining a customer record for a particular customer, the customer record including the set of coordinates and one or more of customer name, customer address, and customer telephone number associated with the particular customer.

68. The method of claim 51, further comprising providing a travel route to one or more customer service locations based on the set of coordinates.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the set of coordinates corresponds to a travel origin.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein the set of coordinates corresponds to a travel destination.

71. The method of claim 51, wherein the data transmission comprises a response to a query transmitted by the technician server to the input device.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the query comprises a request for verification that the technician is located at the customer service location.

73. The method claim 71, wherein the response comprises a verification that the service technician is located at the customer service location.

74. The method claim 51, wherein the set of coordinates includes at least one of a latitude and a longitude associated with the at least one input device.

75. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for assisting a technician server to perform a customer service method, said method comprising:

communicating with at least one input device used by a service technician at a customer service location and with a global satellite positioning system; and

directing the global satellite positioning system to obtain a set of coordinates associated with the customer service location upon receiving a data transmission from the input device.

76. The medium of claim 75, wherein the step of communicating comprises communicating through at least one of a wireless network and a radio connection.

77. The medium of claim 76, wherein the at least one input device comprises at least one of a wireless personal computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, and a wireless pager.

78. The medium of claim 75, wherein the step of communicating comprises communicating through at least one of a modem connection and a landline server.

79. The medium of claim 75, wherein the step of communicating comprises communicating with the at least one input device through a protocol server.

80. The medium of claim 79, wherein the protocol server receives and processes information from the at least one input device, the information comprising one or more of:

a user identification, a password, a radio serial number, an input device serial number, and service technician data.

81. The medium of claim 75, wherein the at least one input device and the global positioning system are operatively associated with a transponder system.

82. The medium of claim 81, wherein the global satellite positioning system determines the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location based on signals received from the transponder system.

83. The medium of claim 81, wherein the transponder system comprises a transponder mounted on a mobile vehicle.

84. The medium of claim 75, wherein the method further comprises storing the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location.

85. The medium of claim 84, wherein the method further comprises updating the set of coordinates associated with the customer service location.

86. The medium of claim 75, wherein the method further comprises transmitting order information to one or more technicians, the order information comprising service required at a particular customer service location and the set of coordinates associated with the particular customer service location.

87. The medium of claim 86, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting the order information to an input device of a service technician.

88. The medium of claim 75, wherein the method further comprises validating a street address and associating the set of coordinates with a validated street address.

89. The medium of claim 88, wherein the step of validating comprises validating a street address provided by a customer.

90. The medium of claim 88, wherein the step of validating comprises validating a street address provided by a technician.

91. The medium of claim 75, wherein the method further comprises maintaining a customer record for a particular customer, the customer record including the set of coordinates and one or more of customer name, customer address, and customer telephone number associated with the particular customer.

92. The medium of claim 75, wherein the method further comprises providing a travel route to one or more customer service locations based on the set of coordinates.

93. The medium of claim 92, wherein the set of coordinates corresponds to a travel origin.

94. The medium of claim 92, wherein the set of coordinates corresponds to a travel destination.

95. The medium of claim 75, wherein the data transmission comprises a response to a query transmitted by the technician server to the input device.

96. The medium of claim 95, wherein the query comprises a request for verification that the technician is located at the customer service location.

97. The medium claim 95, wherein the response comprises a verification that the service technician is located at the customer service location.

98. The medium of claim 75, wherein the set of coordinates includes at least one of a latitude and a longitude associated with the at least one input device.