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

• US 9,747,565 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2016
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fleet Connect Solutions LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Barbosa, Frank A., Ortiz, Luis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US15/071,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20160307144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 4555561, 4555562, 455 661, 455 9001, 455 9002, 455 9003, 705400, 705500, 705 9
• 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:

accessing a template stored on a server located remotely from a handheld device, the template listing tasks to be completed before an end of a work shift;

reporting a status of each of the tasks at least once by synchronizing the handheld device to the server; and

updating the template responsive to the status with unfinished or new tasks at the end of the work shift.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the template lists the tasks that a worker completes during the work shift.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

triggering generating another template in response to the updating, wherein the another template lists another tasks that another worker completes during another work shift.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly synchronizing the handheld device to the server.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the reporting the status of each of the tasks occurs at least once during the work shift.

6. 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;

access a template stored on a server located remotely from the device, the template listing tasks to be completed before an end of a work shift;

report a status of each of the tasks at least once by synchronizing the device to the server; and

update the template responsive to the status with unfinished or new tasks at the end of the work shift.

7. The device of claim 6,

wherein the at least one template lists the tasks to be completed by a worker during the work shift.

8. The device of claim 6,

wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to enable generating at least another template corresponding to at least another worker in response to the update;

and

wherein the at least another template lists at least another task assigned to the at least another worker to be completed by the at least another worker before an end of another work shift corresponding to the at least another worker.

9. The device of claim 6,

wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to wirelessly synchronize the device to the server.

10. The device of claim 6,

wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to report the status of each of the tasks at least once during the work shift by synchronizing the device to the server.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

access a template stored on a server located remotely from the device, the template listing tasks to be completed before an end of a work shift;

report a status of each of the tasks at least once by synchronizing the device to the server; and

update the template responsive to the status with unfinished or new tasks at the end of the work shift.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11,

wherein the at least one template lists the tasks to be completed by a worker during the work shift.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11,

wherein execution of the instructions by the processing device cause the processing device to enable generating at least another template corresponding to at least another worker in response to the update;

and

wherein the at least another template lists tasks assigned to the at least another worker to be completed by the at least another worker before an end of a work shift corresponding to the at least another worker.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11,

wherein execution of the instructions by the processing device cause the processing device to wirelessly synchronize the device to the server.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11,

wherein execution of the instructions by the processing device cause the processing device to report the status of each of the tasks at least once during the work shift by synchronizing the device to the server.