System and methods for management of mobile field assets via wireless handheld devices

• US 8,862,184 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2013
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fleet Connect Solutions LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Riulistro Solutions NY LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Barbosa, Frank A., Ortiz, Luis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US13/925,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20130281157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/66.1, 455/90.01, 455/90.02, 455/90.03, 705/400, 705/500
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063118 Staff planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Communication from enterprise servers to handheld devices in the field supports dispatch, data synchronization, logistics and personnel. Bi-directional data delivery from enterprise-based servers over wireless data networks is enabled using wireless capabilities resident in handheld personal computing devices. Real time communications facilitates real-time access to remote programs, assistance and/or information related to the field operations and asset (personnel and inventory) resource management. Management is facilitated for at least one of: construction industry project analysis, HVAC system analysis, project management, equipment readiness inspection, troubleshooting, inventory tracking, inventory ordering, sales (e.g., providing cost estimates to customers), customer invoicing, conducting legal investigations, field data collection, and multi-user remote function coordination.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

downloading a field assessment program to a handheld device from a server geographically distant from the handheld device;

executing the field assessment program on the handheld device, the field assessment program configured to enable assessment of a job;

collecting data associated with the job in response to prompts from the field assessment program;

obtaining information associated with a location of the job based at least part on determining the location of the job;

rendering the collected data using the handheld device based at least in part on the obtained information; and

providing the assessment of the job in response to the rendering.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the data associated with the job in response to the prompts comprises collecting structural characteristics of a building associated with the job, intended use information for the building associated with the job, marketing data associated with the job, or payment information associated with the job.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein rendering the collected data comprises analyzing the collected data using the handheld device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the location of the job further comprises automatically determining the location of the job using a GPS device in the handheld device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly downloading the field assessment program to the handheld device from the server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtained information associated with the location of the job comprises directions to and from the location of the job or location-based marketing information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the data associated with the job in response to the prompts comprises wirelessly transmitting the collected data from the handheld device to the server.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising synchronizing the collected data with other data downloaded from the server using the handheld device.

9. A device, comprising:

a memory device configured to store instructions; and

a processing device configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to;

download a field assessment program configured to enable an assessment of a job from a server;

execute the field assessment program;

collect data associated with the job in response to prompts from the field assessment program;

obtain information associated with a location of the job based at least part on determining the location of the job;

render the collected data based at least in part on the obtained information; and

provide the assessment of the job in response to the rendering.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to collect structural characteristics of a building associated with the job, intended use information for the building associated with the job, marketing data associated with the job, or payment information associated with the job.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to automatically determine the location of the job using a GPS device.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to wirelessly download the field assessment program from the server.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to wirelessly transmit the collected data to the server.

14. A memory device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

downloading a field assessment program to a handheld device from a server geographically distant from the handheld device, the field assessment program configured to enable assessment of a job;

executing the field assessment program on the handheld device;

collecting data associated with the job in response to prompts from the field assessment program;

obtaining information associated with a location of the job based at least part on determining the location of the job;

rendering the collected data using the handheld device based at least in part on the obtained information; and

providing the assessment of the job in response to the rendering.

15. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

collecting structural characteristics of a building associated with the job, intended use information for the building associated with the job, marketing data associated with the job, or payment information associated with the job.

16. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

automatically determining the location of the job using a sensor housed in the handheld device.

17. The memory device of claim 16, wherein rendering the collected data further comprises analyzing the collected data at the handheld device.

18. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

wirelessly downloading the field assessment program to the handheld device from the server.

19. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

wirelessly transmitting the collected data from the handheld device to the server.

20. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

synchronizing the collected data with other data downloaded from the server using the handheld device.