Ticket approval system for and method of performing quality control in field service applications

• US 8,194,932 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Steven E., Chambers, Curtis, Pennington, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Tom Y
• Application Number:
  US12/432,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.41, 382/109, 345/619, 702/5
• US Class Current: 382/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for assessing a locate and marking operation. Ticket information is received as provided to a first locate technician prior to performing the operation. A locate manifest is received including a digital marked-up image of a geographic area surrounding a dig area in which the operation was performed, on which image at least one digital representation of at least one locate mark is electronically overlaid. The locate manifest, at least some of the ticket information, and a plurality of icons representing different possible quality assessments of the locate and marking operation are displayed. The plurality of icons includes an approved icon representing a satisfactory locate and marking operation, a QC icon representing an unsatisfactory locate and marking operation, and a coach icon representing that the first locate technician requires coaching. One of the displayed icons is selected so as to provide a quality assessment of the locate and marking operation.

Claims

1. In a system comprising at least one processing unit, at least one memory, at least one communications interface, at least one display device, and at least one user interface device, a method for assessing 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 by placing at least one physical locate mark in the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:

A) electronically receiving via the at least one communications interface a copy of a ticket as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation, the ticket including ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation to be performed;

B) electronically receiving via the at least one communications interface 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, wherein the at least one digital image includes a marked-up image of a geographic area surrounding the dig area, the marked-up image including at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark electronically overlaid thereon;

C) electronically associating, via the at least one processing unit, the locate manifest received in B) with the ticket received in A);

D) displaying on the at least one display device at least a portion of the locate manifest, at least some of the ticket information, and a plurality of icons representing different possible quality assessments of the locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician, the plurality of icons including;

an approved icon representing a satisfactory locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician;

a QC icon representing an unsatisfactory locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician; and

a coach icon representing that the first locate technician requires coaching;

E) receiving a selection, via the at least one user interface, of one of the approved icon, the QC icon, and the coach icon so as to provide a quality assessment of the locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician;

F) generating, via the at least one processing unit, an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician based on the selection received in E), the electronic record further comprising the ticket information and the associated locate manifest; and

G) storing the electronic record in the at least one memory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising electronically maintaining a numerical count of satisfactory locate and marking operations, unsatisfactory locate and marking operations, and locate and marking operations requiring coaching based on E).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein D), E) and F) are completed within one day of the first locate technician performing the locate and marking operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein B) comprises electronically receiving the locate manifest via email.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ticket information comprises at least one of:

a ticket number;

an address or other location information regarding the dig area; and

at least one member code identifying a facility owner of the at least one underground facility.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one digital image comprises GPS data associated with the dig area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the locate manifest further comprises at least one of:

a time, date and/or duration of the locate and marking operation;

a ticket number for the ticket associated with the locate manifest;

an address or other location information regarding the dig area;

at least one first identifier for a facility owner of the at least one underground facility;

at least one second identifier relating to work performed during the locate and marking operation;

a third identifier for a party requesting the locate and marking operation;

a fourth identifier for the first locate technician performing the locate and marking operation;

a signature of the first locate technician;

a fifth identifier for a crew to which the first locate technician belongs;

at least one sixth identifier for one or more types of locate markings used for the locate and marking operation; and

one or more notes made by the first locate technician.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the displayed portion of the locate manifest comprises the at least one digital image and a work performed text display field; and

the displayed ticket information includes a ticket manifest text display field.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein E) comprises receiving the selection based at least in part on a comparison of the at least one digital image with the ticket manifest text display field and the work performed text display field.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein E) comprises receiving the selection based at least in part on 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.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation in an employee personnel file for the first locate technician.

12. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processing unit, perform a method for assessing 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 by placing at least one physical locate mark in the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:

A) electronically receiving a copy of a ticket as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation, the ticket including ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation to be performed;

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, wherein the at least one digital image includes a marked-up image of a geographic area surrounding the dig area, the marked-up image including at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark electronically overlaid thereon;

C) electronically associating the locate manifest received in B) with the ticket received in A);

D) displaying at least a portion of the locate manifest, at least some of the ticket information, and a plurality of icons representing different possible quality assessments of the locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician, the plurality of icons including;

an approved icon representing a satisfactory locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician;

a QC icon representing an unsatisfactory locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician; and

a coach icon representing that the first locate technician requires coaching;

E) receiving a selection of one of the approved icon, the QC icon, and the coach icon so as to provide a quality assessment of the locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician;

F) generating an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician based on the selection received in E), the electronic record further comprising the ticket information and the associated locate manifest; and

G) storing the electronic record.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises electronically maintaining a numerical count of satisfactory locate and marking operations, unsatisfactory locate and marking operations, and locate and marking operations requiring coaching based on E).

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein B) comprises electronically receiving the locate manifest via email.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the ticket information comprises at least one of:

a ticket number;

an address or other location information regarding the dig area; and

at least one member code identifying a facility owner of the at least one underground facility.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the at least one digital image comprises GPS data associated with the dig area.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the locate manifest further comprises at least one of:

a time, date and/or duration of the locate and marking operation;

a ticket number for the ticket associated with the locate manifest;

an address or other location information regarding the dig area;

at least one first identifier for a facility owner of the at least one underground facility;

at least one second identifier relating to work performed during the locate and marking operation;

a third identifier for a party requesting the locate and marking operation;

a fourth identifier for the first locate technician performing the locate and marking operation;

a signature of the first locate technician;

a fifth identifier for a crew to which the first locate technician belongs;

at least one sixth identifier for one or more types of locate markings used for the locate and marking operation; and

one or more notes made by the first locate technician.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein:

the displayed portion of the locate manifest comprises the at least one digital image and a work performed text display field; and

the displayed ticket information includes a ticket manifest text display field.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises maintaining the electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation in an employee personnel file for the first locate technician.

20. An apparatus for assessing 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 by placing at least one physical locate mark in the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:

a communication interface;

at least one display device;

at least one user input device;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and

a processing unit coupled to the communication interface, the at least one display device, the at least one user input device, and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit;

A) controls the communication interface to electronically receive a copy of a ticket as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation, the ticket including ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation to be performed by the first locate technician;

B) controls the communication interface to electronically 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, wherein the at least one digital image includes a marked-up image of a geographic area surrounding the dig area, the marked-up image including at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark electronically overlaid thereon;

C) electronically associates the locate manifest received in B) with the ticket received in A);

D) controls the at least one display device to display at least a portion of the locate manifest, at least some of the ticket information, and a plurality of icons representing different possible quality assessments of the locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician, the plurality of icons including;

an approved icon representing a satisfactory locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician;

a QC icon representing an unsatisfactory locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician; and

a coach icon representing that the first locate technician requires coaching;

E) receives, via the at least one user interface device, a selection of one of the approved icon, the QC icon, and the coach icon so as to provide a quality assessment of the locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician;

F) generates an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation performed by the first locate technician based on the selection received in E), the electronic record further comprising the ticket information and the associated locate manifest; and

G) controls the memory so as to store the electronic record.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processing unit further electronically maintains a numerical count of satisfactory locate and marking operations, unsatisfactory locate and marking operations, and locate and marking operations requiring coaching based on E).

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein D), E), and F) are completed by the processing unit within one day of the first locate technician performing the locate and marking operation.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processing unit electronically receives the locate manifest via email.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the ticket information comprises at least one of:

a ticket number;

an address or other location information regarding the dig area; and

at least one member code identifying a facility owner of the at least one underground facility.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one digital image comprises GPS data associated with the dig area.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the locate manifest further comprises at least one of:

a time, date and/or duration of the locate and marking operation;

a ticket number for the ticket associated with the locate manifest;

an address or other location information regarding the dig area;

at least one first identifier for a facility owner of the at least one underground facility;

at least one second identifier relating to work performed during the locate and marking operation;

a third identifier for a party requesting the locate and marking operation;

a fourth identifier for the first locate technician performing the locate and marking operation;

a signature of the first locate technician;

a fifth identifier for a crew to which the first locate technician belongs;

at least one sixth identifier for one or more types of locate markings used for the locate and marking operation; and

one or more notes made by the first locate technician.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the displayed portion of the locate manifest comprises the at least one digital image and a work performed text display field; and

the displayed ticket information includes a ticket manifest text display field.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the processing unit receives the selection based at least in part on a comparison of the at least one digital image with the ticket manifest text display field and the work performed text display field.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processing unit receives the selection based at least in part on 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.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processing unit further maintains the electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation in an employee personnel file for the first locate technician.