Systems, methods, and apparatus for providing paving information electronically

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for electronically providing paving information for paving quality and control actions includes receiving paving information at a first computer or processor, which can host an application to perform some or all of these paving quality and control actions. The paving information may include one or more electronic work orders associated with a corresponding paving material dumping location. If an electronic device is associated with the first computer or processor, the paving information can be displayed on a display. The first computer or processor can also receive paving quality and control information in response to one or more inputs to the electronic device. The paving quality and control information can be output to another electronic device for consideration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to providing site service information electronically, and more specifically to providing paving information electronically for quality and control operations. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, site contractors and quality inspection / management entities (e.g., any entity authorized to inspect / manage the site, such as a private or government agency) may need to coordinate quality inspections and control checks performed by the quality inspection / management entity. This process usually involves the contractor physically providing a work order to the quality inspection / management entity, which then performs quality inspections in connection with the physical work order.

[0003] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0228108 (“'108 Publication”) describes a process management tool for paving operations. The process management tool includes a communication device configured to receive data messages associated with a work site, a display device, and an input device configured to receive user input. The process management tool also includes a processor communicating with the communication device, the display device, and the input device, configured to generate an interactive map of the work site on the display device. According to the '108 Publication, the interactive map includes multiple map portions selectable via the input device, each map portion being associated with corresponding paving process data. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one aspect, the invention implements an inspection method comprising: receiving paving information at a first mobile device hosting an application for performing paving quality and control operations, the paving information including a bundle of electronic work tickets associated with corresponding paving material dumping locations; providing a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display of the first mobile device using the application hosted on the first mobile device to selectively display portions of the paving information in response to user input at the GUI; and recording paving quality and control information using the application hosted on the first mobile device in response to user input to the GUI. The paving quality and control information may include requests for additional information and / or requests for actions to be taken at one or more paving material dumping locations.

[0005] In another aspect, the present invention implements or provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform a method. The method may include: receiving paving information at a first computer among the one or more computers, which hosts an application performing paving quality and control operations; the paving information including one or more electronic work tickets linked to corresponding paving material dumping sites; providing a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display using the application hosted on the first computer to display the paving information in response to input at the GUI; and receiving paving quality and control information using the application hosted on the first computer in response to input to the GUI. The paving quality and control information may be a characterization of paving material at one or more paving material dumping sites. This paving information may include the location of the paving material dumping site, the creation date and time of the paving material dumping site, an electronic ticket identifier, a trailer truck identifier, a customer identifier associated with the trailer truck, a paving material identifier, a paving material plant identifier associated with the paving material, and / or the weight of the paving material supplied at the paving material dumping site.

[0006] On another front, a system for local troubleshooting of the paving machine can be provided or implemented. This system may include: a first communication circuit for the paving machine; a back-end system; a first mobile device hosting an application for paving quality and control operations to be performed by an operator of an authorized inspection / management entity; a first communication network accessible by the back-end system and the first communication circuit, providing a communication link between the back-end system and the first communication circuit; and a second communication network accessible by the first mobile device and the back-end system, providing a communication link between the first mobile device and the back-end system, wherein the second communication network is a wireless communication network. The back-end system may provide the first mobile device with paving information about an electronic work order associated with a corresponding paving material dumping location at the work site. The application hosted on the first mobile device may provide a graphical user interface (GUI) on the display of the first mobile device to selectively display portions of the paving information corresponding to a specific electronic work order in response to input from an operator of an authorized inspection / management entity at the GUI for paving information of a particular electronic work order. The first mobile device can use a graphical user interface provided by an application hosted on the first mobile device to provide the back-end system with paving quality and control information input by authorized operators of the inspection / management entity.

[0007] Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 An exemplary environment for embodiments of the disclosed subject matter is shown.

[0009] Figure 2 It is a block diagram schematically illustrating an embodiment of a system according to the disclosed subject matter.

[0010] Figure 3-11 These are images of exemplary graphical user interfaces generated based on embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

[0011] Figure 12-16 These are images of exemplary graphical user interfaces generated based on embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

[0012] Figure 17 This is a diagram illustrating the determination of paving material dumping locations or sites according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

[0013] Figure 18 This is a block diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. Detailed Implementation

[0014] This invention relates to providing site service information electronically, and more particularly to providing paving information electronically for quality and control operations. While embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may be described as specifically relating to paving operations, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter are not limited thereto and may be applicable to other site environments.

[0015] Figure 1 An exemplary environment 100 is shown with respect to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

[0016] Environment 100 may include a plant 120 and a site or construction site 150. Environment 100 may also include at least one paving machine or paving machine 200 and one or more tractor units 300, which may be trailer trucks. Plant 120 may be defined by a virtual boundary or geofence 125. Similarly, construction site 150 may be defined by a virtual boundary or geofence 155. The geofence 155 of construction site 150 may be fixed or may move with the paving machine 200 as it moves along a road.

[0017] Typically, a traction machine 300, which may have circuitry that continuously or intermittently transmits location information (e.g., GPS data), can move between a plant 120 and a construction site 150 to bring road surface or paving materials (e.g., asphalt, mixed asphalt, etc.) to the construction site 150. More specifically, the traction machine 300 may fill paving materials at the plant 120 and traction the paving materials to a paving machine 200 for loading the paving materials onto the paving machine 200. Discussed in more detail below, a mobile unloading virtual boundary or geofence 160 may be provided around the paving machine 200, and boundaries for unloading paving materials from the traction machine 300 to the paving machine 200 may be identified.

[0018] Each time the tractor 300 loads paving material and departs from plant 120, a work order 305 may be generated. This order may be in the form of an electronic work order 305 and may include an electronic work order identifier (e.g., a number) associated with information about the work performed by the tractor 300. An electronic work order 305 may correspond to one work cycle of one of the tractor 300s and therefore to a single paving material unloading location where paving material is transferred from the tractor 300 to the paving machine 200. Such work information may include an identifier for plant 120, an identifier for the tractor 300, a project identifier (e.g., name, site, etc.), a customer identifier, a paving material identifier (e.g., identification number and / or material name), the weight of the paving material added to the tractor 300 (e.g., net weight, gross weight, and / or tare weight ratio), a load identifier (e.g., load number), the creation date and / or time of the paving material added to the tractor 300, and / or the date and / or time when the tractor 300 departs from plant 120 toward site 150.

[0019] Electronic work order 305 can be generated by the operator or administrator of plant 120. Optionally, for example, electronic work order 305 can be updated after initial generation to include additional work information, such as the time of arrival at site 150, the time of supplying paving materials to paving machine 200, and / or the location of supplying paving materials to paving machine 200 (i.e., the dumping location). For example, such updates can be performed by the operator or administrator of site 150. In particular, after the paving materials have been applied by paving machine 200, the electronic work order 305 can also be accessed and updated by a quality inspection / management entity authorized to inspect the paving materials at site 150 using quality and control information. It may be necessary to demonstrate authorization for updating with quality and control information through an electronic authentication process (e.g., login, authentication, etc.).

[0020] Environment 100 may also include one or more electronic devices 400. Some, none, or all of the electronic devices 400 may be mobile electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or personal digital assistants (PDAs). Additionally or optionally, some, none, or all of the electronic devices 400 may be fixed electronic devices, such as personal computers (PCs).

[0021] According to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, electronic device 400 can run mobile or non-mobile applications (e.g., web-based computer software programs) depending on the type of electronic device 400. Optionally, the application can be subscription-based. Discussed in more detail below, when running the application, electronic device 400 can electronically provide paving information about paving materials at multiple different locations within site 150. This paving information can be used to perform quality and control operations regarding the paving materials.

[0022] The operator of the electronic device 400 may be, for example, a contractor or their employee supervising the project at or away from site 150, or an agent (e.g., an employee) of a quality inspection / management entity authorized to inspect paving materials. For example, the contractor may provide or possess paving information that is made accessible to the electronic device 400 operated by the quality inspection / management entity. Typically, as part of the inspection, the quality inspection / management entity may use the electronic device 400 to analyze the paving information and, if necessary, provide feedback on the paving materials. This feedback may be linked to or associated with electronic work order 305. Discussed in more detail below, this feedback may include comments or characterizations of the paving materials and / or sampled data from the paving materials (e.g., images, temperature, etc.), thus forming the basis of the inspection. Optionally, the electronic device 400 used by the quality inspection / management entity may be located in or part of a data collection vehicle.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating an embodiment of system 500 according to the disclosed subject matter. System 500 may include one or more electronic devices 400 and a back-end system 600. System 500 may also include a paving machine 200.

[0024] The paving machine 200 may include at least one controller 230, a steering system 220, a control interface 222, a position sensor 224, a communication device or entity 226 (e.g., communication circuitry, logic, interface, etc.), a camera 228, one or more sensors 214, 216, and / or any other sensors or components of the paving machine 200; the controller 230 may receive corresponding signals from these components. For example, the controller 230 may receive one or more signals from the position sensor 224 that include information indicating the position of the paving machine 200. In some examples, the position sensor 224 may determine the position of the paving machine 200 as it traverses the work site 150. The position sensor 224 may also be used to set an unloading geofence 160.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, position sensor 224 can connect to and / or communicate with one or more satellites 202 or other GPS components to help position sensor 224 determine the position of paving machine 200. In some examples, such satellites 202 or other GPS components may include components of system 500. Position sensor 224 may provide signals to controller 230, either alone or in combination with satellites 202, including information and / or other information indicating the position of paving machine 200. Such information can be determined substantially continuously during the movement of paving machine 200. Alternatively, such information can be determined at regular time intervals (milliseconds, one second, two seconds, five seconds, ten seconds, etc.) as paving machine 200 travels. Any such information can be stored in memory associated with controller 230. Such memory may be located on paving machine 200 and / or may be located in the cloud, on a server, and / or on any other electronic device remote from paving machine 200.

[0026] The controller 230 can also receive corresponding signals from sensors 214 and 216. Sensor 214 can determine the paving width for operation of the paving machine 200, for example, based on the width setting of the leveling device of the paving machine 200. That is, sensor 214 (which may include multiple sensors) can sense the paving width dimension of the leveling device of the paving machine 200 to determine the paving width. The controller 230 can determine when the paving machine 200 is in paving "on" mode based on the operating characteristics of the paving machine 200 (e.g., whether it is moving, speed, etc.), and record the width setting of the leveling device when the paving machine 200 is in "on" mode (and therefore paving). Similarly, sensor 216 can determine the paving height or depth for operation of the paving machine 200. Therefore, sensor 216 may include one or more sensors (e.g., acoustic waves, pads, and / or cameras) to determine the paving depth. The controller 230 can determine when the paving machine 200 is in paving "on" mode based on the operating characteristics of the paving machine 200 (such as whether it is moving, speed, etc.), and record depth measurements when the paving machine 200 is in "on" mode (and therefore paving).

[0027] Paving width and / or paving depth data can be collected on paving machine 200, for example, using controller 230, and can be correlated with position data of paving machine 200 from position sensor 224. The data can then be electronically output from paving machine 200 in bundled or unbundled form via communication device 226 to one or more electronic devices 400 and / or back-end system 600. Such data can be used to provide paving progress information, such as paving width and / or paving depth, along with specific sections or roads. Furthermore, such data can be used to confirm paving progress using electronic devices 400 with applications running on them according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, based on distance, width, and / or paving depth specifications or requirements, and according to inspections by quality inspection / management entities.

[0028] As described above, system 500 may also include a backend system 600, which may include one or more remote servers, processors, or other such computing devices. Such computing devices may include, for example, one or more servers, laptops, or other computers located at a location remote from site 150. In such an example, communication device 226 and / or controller 230 may be connected to and / or otherwise communicate with backend system 600 via network 206.

[0029] Network 206 may be a local area network (“LAN”), a large network such as a wide area network (“WAN”), or a collection of networks such as the Internet. Protocols used for network communication, such as TCP / IP, may be used to implement network 206. Network 206 is referred to herein as a first communication network and may be a wireless communication network. Network 206 may also represent a communication network between one or more electronic devices 400 and a backend system 600. Such a network may be referred to herein as a second communication network and may be a wireless communication network. Optionally, network 206 may be referred to as a “cloud”, in which paving data from paving machine 200 may be received by the cloud and sent to the backend system 600 or otherwise accessed by the backend system 600. Similarly, paving information from the backend system 600 may be received by the cloud and sent to one or more electronic devices 400 or otherwise accessed by one or more electronic devices 400. Furthermore, information provided at one or more electronic devices 400, such as paving quality and control information, may be sent from one or more electronic devices 400 to the cloud and then to the backend system 600 or accessed by the backend system 600.

[0030] As described above, depending on the type of electronic device 400, it can run mobile or non-mobile applications (e.g., web-based computer software programs). When running the application, the electronic device 400 can electronically provide paving information (e.g., paving material dumping locations) about paving materials at multiple different locations within the construction site 150. This paving information can be provided on the display 402 of the electronic device 400. Alternatively, the application can generate a graphical user interface (GUI) on the display 402 of the electronic device 400 to provide the paving information.

[0031] Figure 3-11 This is a diagram of an exemplary graphical user interface 410 according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, which can be generated using an application running on an electronic device 400 and based on, for example, paving information from a background system 600.

[0032] Typically, the graphical user interface 410 can be a progress monitoring tool to monitor the paving progress at site 150 and the operation of corresponding sections of the paving, such as at factory 120 and traction machine 300. Such a tool can be accessed by, for example, a contractor or their employees monitoring the project at or away from site 150, as well as agents (e.g., employees) of a quality inspection / management entity authorized to inspect paving materials. In some cases, access can be selectively granted to specific users. For example, only feedback (e.g., annotations) regarding paving quality and control information can be allowed from the quality inspection / management entity. As another example, optionally, when successful remedial measures are taken to resolve an initial problem marked by the quality inspection / management entity, only the quality inspection / management entity can clear the mark or other quality indicators. The graphical user interface 410 can display paving progress information 420, such as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown.

[0033] The graphical user interface 410 may include a work ticket input (e.g., an icon) 412 to access electronic work ticket information. Optionally, selection... Figure 3 Inputting 412 into the work order can generate Figure 4 The image shown. (As shown) Figure 4 As shown, the image can provide work order information, such as the number of printed electronic work orders 305 and work order identifier 414. The work order identifier 414 can be in numerical form, as shown, but is not limited to. Furthermore, the work order identifier 414 can be provided in association with other work order information, such as the date and time of generation. The work order identifier 414 can be an active link, meaning that activation of a specific work order identifier 414 (i.e., by providing a selection of input to the graphical user interface 410) can cause the graphical user interface 410 to provide additional information about the electronic work orders 305 associated with the selected work order identifier 414. Figure 5 Examples of additional information that can be provided about the selected work order identifier 414 are shown. More generally, for each paving material dumping location, the paving information 411 associated with each electronic work order 305 may include the location of the paving material dumping location, the creation date and time of the paving material dumping location, the electronic ticket identifier, the trailer truck identifier, the customer identifier associated with the trailer truck, the paving material identifier, the paving material plant identifier associated with the paving material, and / or the weight of the paving material provided at the paving material dumping location.

[0034] Quality and control inputs (e.g., icons) 416 may be provided in association with some or all of the work order identifiers 414. Such quality and control inputs 416 can add quality and control information to the electronic work order 305. For example, when physical inspection of paving materials is performed at site 150 and / or when viewing... Figure 5 When providing work order information, quality and control information can be added. Alternatively, this quality and control input 416, when displayed, can indicate that a specific electronic work order 305 has associated quality and control information (i.e., has been added). In the latter case, a non-quality inspection entity responsible for paving operations (e.g., a contractor) can access the added quality and control information. Optionally, the non-quality inspection entity can provide information in response to the quality and control information, such as answers to inquiries or that identified quality problems have been corrected.

[0035] like Figure 5 As shown, when displaying work ticket information for a specific electronic work ticket 305, the quality and control inputs 416 can be displayed differently. Figure 5 The selection of quality and control input 416 in the middle can lead to Figure 6 and Figure 7 Adding paving quality and control information 417 to the image sequence. Adding paving quality and control information 417 using the graphical user interface 410 can result in this information being provided to the back-end system 600. Therefore, the quality inspection / management entity can send quality and control information 417, for example, associated with a specific electronic work order 305, to one or more parties responsible for paving operations via the back-end system 600. Figure 8-10 They are shown respectively Figure 5-7 The corresponding replacement part.

[0036] Paving quality and control information 417 may be a characterization of paving operations at one or more paving material dumping sites. For example, this characterization may be relative to the properties of the paving material, such as its consistency, temperature, etc. Optionally, paving quality and control information 417 may be additional information and / or action requirements regarding one or more paving material dumping sites. Additionally or alternatively, paving quality and control information 417 may be or include data corresponding to electronically captured images and / or the temperature of the paving material. That is, instead of, or in addition to, the text-based description input into paving quality and control information 417, electronic device 400 may directly capture paving material information as paving quality and control information, wherein such paving material information may be sent to a back-end system 600, for example, for further analysis to assess quality and control problems identified at site 150 using electronic device 400. Electronic device 400 may directly capture paving material information by using a camera to capture images of the paving material and / or by using a temperature capture device to obtain the temperature of the paving material and / or by using a laser to capture temperature data of the paving material.

[0037] Figure 11 An image of a graphical user interface 410 is shown, illustrating multiple paving material dumping sites 310. These paving material dumping sites 310 can be overlaid on a map, such as... Figure 11 As shown (and / or in non-satellite views). Each paving material dumping site 310 may represent a defined or identified paving material dumping site 310, i.e., the location where one of the traction machines 300 delivers paving material to the paving machine 200. Additional or alternative locations may be provided on the map for multiple paving sections 320.

[0038] Pavement dumping location 310 can be identified by determining when one of the towing machines 300 has entered the unloading geofence 160 and when the towing machine 300 has exited the unloading geofence 160. According to one or more embodiments, all locations of the towing machine 300 can be identified from the entry point to the exit point of the unloading geofence 160, and the midpoint of these locations can be identified and set as a prediction of the location where the towing machine 300 dumps pavement into the paving machine 200 (i.e., the pavement dumping location). Optionally, this identification of pavement dumping location 310 can be performed only when the towing machine 300 has been within the unloading geofence 160 for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 2 minutes). The back-end system 600 can perform the identification of pavement dumping location 310 based on information from the towing machine 300 and the paving machine 200, particularly their location information. The identified pavement dumping location 310 can be automatically associated or linked to a specific electronic work order 305 for a particular towing machine 300.

[0039] Alternatively, the paving material unloading location 310 can be identified based on determining that the towing machine 300 is within the unloading geofence 160, optionally for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 2 minutes), and then determining the closest distance between the towing machine 300 and the paving machine 200 while the towing machine 300 is within the unloading geofence 160. Such a closest distance can be determined by comparing the respective positions of the towing machine 300 and the paving machine 200 by the back-end system 600. Figure 17 This is a diagram illustrating the identification of paving material unloading locations or sites 310 according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. Notably, the locations P2-P9 of the traction machine 300 are identified within the unloading geofence 160. Simultaneously, the location information of the paving machine 200 can also be identified. This location information can be transmitted to a back-end system 600, for example, for comparison with each location P2-P9 relative to the location of the paving machine 200. The most recently determined distance (e.g., P5 in this example) can be identified and set as the paving material unloading location 310. The identified paving material unloading location 310 can be automatically associated or linked to a specific electronic work order 305 for a particular traction machine 300.

[0040] According to one or more embodiments, the paving material dumping location 310 may additionally or alternatively be identified by the operator of the paving machine 200. For example, the paving machine 200 may have an electronic device 400 therein, which is part of the paving machine 200 or a portable electronic device of the operator, one of which may run a paving process application, such as as described above. The input of the traction machine 300 can be identified on the graphical user interface of the display of the electronic device 400, and when the traction machine 300 dumps paving material into the paving machine 200, the operator of the paving machine 200 can provide input to the graphical user interface to record the dumping location as the paving material dumping location 310. Because the operator identifies the traction machine 300, simply setting the paving material dumping location 310 associates the paving material dumping location 310 with the electronic work order 305 associated with the traction machine 300.

[0041] On the other hand, it is possible that, due to communication problems, for example, between the tractor 300 and cloud 206, and optionally the back-end system 600, paving machine 200 and back-end system 600, and / or between the tractor 300 and paving machine 200, the tractor 300 is not initially identified on the electronics 400 in the paving machine 200. In this case, the paving material dumping location 310 can still be identified "manually" by the operator of the paving machine 200. Specifically, when the tractor 300 dumps paving material into the paving machine 200, the operator of the paving machine 200 can set the location of the paving material dumping location 310 and manually enter the identifier of the tractor 300 to associate a specific tractor 300 with that specific paving material dumping location 310. Since the tractor 300 is already associated with the electronic work order 305, a specific paving material dumping location 310 can also be associated with the same electronic work order 305.

[0042] Paving material dumping site 310 on the map can be selected via input to the graphical user interface 410. Selecting one of the paving material dumping sites 310 on the map of the graphical user interface 410 generates paving information 411 about the paving material dumping site 310. The paving information 411 can be displayed in a so-called pop-up icon, such as... Figure 11 As shown. Optionally, some or all of the paving information (e.g., the electronic work ticket 305 identifier) ​​411 can be active, meaning that paving information 411 can be selected to obtain more information about a specific electronic work ticket 305. Optionally, as an example, selecting the paving information 411 linked on the map can result in Figure 5 The paving information 411 is shown in the form shown in the figure.

[0043] Paving segments 320 on the map can be selected via input through the graphical user interface 410. Selection of one of the paving segments 320 can cause the graphical user interface 410 to display paving progress information. The paving progress information can be based on data collected from sensors 214 and / or 216 on the paving machine 200, which sense the paving width and paving depth, respectively. That is, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can associate the paving machine mode of the paving machine 200 with specific paving width and / or paving depth settings (e.g., width and / or depth settings of the leveling device) to identify when the paving machine 200 is actually paving. Such data can also be associated with the location information of the paving machine 200 to set specific paving segments 320, and this specific data can be accessed through the graphical user interface 410.

[0044] According to one or more embodiments, paving progress information may show paving information regarding paving width, paving depth, and / or paving distance (e.g., when paving machine 200 is in paving "on" mode). Paving progress data may be in the form of cumulative totals for the entire project and / or each time period, such as daily paving progress. In this respect, paving progress data may show the remaining paving volume for the entire project or each time period. Optionally, paving progress data may reflect the remaining paving volume even after each time period has ended (e.g., paving volume not completed on a particular day).

[0045] Figure 12-16 Images of an exemplary graphical user interface 450 generated according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter are available. The graphical user interface 450 may be similar to the graphical user interface 410, but may be implemented in a non-mobile environment. That is, the graphical user interface 450 may be implemented based on a non-mobile (e.g., web-based computer software program) application running, for example, on a non-mobile computer (e.g., a PC) at a background system 600.

[0046] Industrial applicability

[0047] As described above, the present invention relates to providing road maintenance information electronically, and more specifically to providing paving information electronically for quality and control operations. Therefore, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can share and evaluate paving information without requiring personal, face-to-face interaction between different parties. For example, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can provide paving information associated with an electronic work order 305 to different parties without the need for a physical work order.

[0048] Certain regulations (such as government and DOT regulations) can be used to track the quality of paving operations and provide controls. Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can provide features (e.g., widgets) to applications operating on one or more electronic devices 400 (e.g., mobile and / or non-mobile) to provide paving information to paving quality inspectors. This paving information can be captured in advance during paving operations and can be associated with an electronic work order 305. For example, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can provide paving material dumping locations 310 associated with electronic work orders 305.

[0049] Feedback regarding the provided paving information can be provided. For example, a quality inspection / management entity can provide paving quality and control information to electronic device 400, as described above. This quality and control information can be associated with a specific electronic work order 305 and can be displayed on a map in association with an identified paving material dumping site 310. Alternatively, the quality inspection / management entity can provide the quality and control information to another party (e.g., a contractor) to provide feedback or otherwise resolve issues associated with the quality and control information. Thus, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, this feature can track paving material dumping sites 310, provide feedback for inspection (e.g., annotations on a map), and / or record details (e.g., paving material characteristics) of paving material dumping sites 310 for verification by the inspection entity. Optionally, feedback can be provided for a specific paving material dumping site 310, but may not be associated with an electronic work order 305.

[0050] Turn Figure 18 , Figure 18 This is a flowchart of a method 1000 according to one or more embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. The method 1000 can be performed using a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform the method 1000.

[0051] Method 1000 may include the operation of providing paving data in S1002, for example as described above. For example, such paving data may be collected by sensors of paving machine 200 and sent from paving machine 200 to back-end system 600. Such paving data may also be collected from sensors of traction machine 300.

[0052] Method 1000 may also include the operation of providing paving information in S1004, as described above. The paving information may be based on or derived from paving data and may be provided from the backend system 600 to one or more electronic devices 400. The paving information may be associated with one or more electronic work orders 305. Furthermore, the paving information may be provided on the graphical user interface (GUI) 410 / 450 of the electronic device 400, which can run a paving solution application according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. As described above, each electronic work order 305 may be associated with a paving material dumping site 310. The paving information may be displayed on various display formats of the graphical user interface 410 / 450, including on one or more maps.

[0053] Method 1000 may also include the operation of providing paving quality and control information in S1006. This paving quality and control information may be provided to electronic device 400, for example, by a quality inspection entity, with or without association with a specific electronic work order 305. The paving quality and control information can then be provided from electronic device 400 to another electronic device 400 (e.g., an electronic device not belonging to a quality inspection entity) and / or a back-end system 600, each of which may host an application of a paving solution according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

[0054] While various aspects of the invention have been specifically shown and described with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various additional embodiments can be contemplated through modifications to the disclosed machines, systems, and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. These embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims and any equivalents.

Claims

1. A quality and control system for paving operations, comprising: The first communication circuit (226) of the paving machine (200); Backend system (600); The first mobile device (400) is a hosting application for paving quality and control operations to be performed by an operator of an authorized inspection / management entity; A first communication network, which can be accessed by the back-end system (600) and the first communication circuit (226) and provides a communication link between the back-end system (600) and the first communication circuit (226); as well as A second communication network, accessible to both the first mobile device (400) and the backend system (600), provides a communication link between the first mobile device (400) and the backend system (600). This second communication network is a wireless communication network. The back-end system (600) provides the first mobile device (400) with paving information about an electronic work order (305) associated with a corresponding paving material unloading location (310) at the construction site, the paving material unloading location (310) being the location on the construction site for transferring paving materials from the towing truck (300) to the paving machine (200). The application hosted on the first mobile device (400) provides a graphical user interface (410) on the display (402) of the first mobile device (400) to selectively display portions of the paving information corresponding to the specific electronic work order (305) in response to a request from an operator of the authorized inspection / management entity at the graphical user interface (410) for input of paving information for a specific electronic work order (305), and The first mobile device (400) uses the graphical user interface (410) provided by the application hosted on the first mobile device (400) to provide the back-end system (600) with paving quality and control information (417) input by the operator of the authorized inspection / management entity, the paving quality and control information (417) including requests for additional information and / or requests for actions to be taken at one or more of the paving material dumping sites (310).

2. The quality and control system according to claim 1, wherein the paving information includes: For each of the paving material dumping sites (310), the location of the paving material dumping site (310), the creation date and time of the paving material dumping site (310), the electronic ticket identifier, the trailer truck identifier, the customer identifier associated with the trailer truck (300), the paving material identifier, the paving material plant identifier associated with the paving material, and / or the weight of the paving material provided at the paving material dumping site (310).

3. The quality and control system according to claim 1, wherein, in response to a request from an operator of the authorized inspection / management entity at the graphical user interface (410) for input of paving information for a particular electronic work order (305), the paving information is provided on a map on the display (402).

4. The quality and control system according to claim 1, wherein the paving quality and control information (417) provided from the first mobile device (400) to the background system (600) is a characterization of paving operations at one or more of the paving material unloading locations (310).

5. The quality and control system according to claim 1, wherein the paving quality and control information (417) provided from the first mobile device (400) to the background system (600) includes requirements for additional information and / or actions to be taken at one or more of the paving material unloading sites (310).

6. The quality and control system according to claim 1, wherein the dumping location (310) is associated with the electronic work order (305) in response to the identification of the dumping location (310).

7. The quality and control system of claim 6, wherein each of the dumping sites (310) is identified based on an operator input of an electronic device that also hosts the application, which determines the corresponding tractor truck (300) within the virtual boundary (160) from the tractor truck (300) to the paving machine (200) within the virtual boundary (160) and the most recently determined distance from the tractor truck (300) to the paving machine (200) within the virtual boundary (160) and / or to the paving machine (200) within the paving machine (200), and wherein the operator input identifies the tractor truck (300) and associates the tractor truck (300) with the dumping site (310).

8. The quality and control system according to claim 1, wherein when the paving machine (200) is in the paving mode "on" state, based on data about paving thickness and / or paving width from sensors (214, 216) of the paving machine (200), the paving machine (200) provides paving data to a second mobile device hosting the application via the first communication circuit, the first communication network and the background system (600), and provides paving data and indicates paving progress on a map of the graphical user interface of the second mobile device.

9. An inspection method, comprising: Paving information is received at a first mobile device (400) hosting an application for performing paving quality and control operations. The paving information includes a bundle of electronic work tickets (305) associated with a corresponding paving material unloading location (310) which relates to a location on the site for transferring paving materials from a towing truck (300) to a paving machine (200). The application hosted on the first mobile device (400) provides a graphical user interface (410) on the display (402) of the first mobile device (400) to selectively display multiple portions of the paving information in response to user input at the graphical user interface; as well as In response to user input to the graphical user interface (410), the application hosted on the first mobile device (400) is used to record paving quality and control information (417). The paving quality and control information (417) includes requirements for additional information and / or requirements for actions to be taken at one or more of the paving material dumping sites (310).

10. The inspection method according to claim 9 further includes outputting the paving quality and control information (417) from the first mobile device (400) to the background system (600) via a communication network.

11. The inspection method according to claim 9, The dumping location (310) is associated with the electronic work order (305) in response to the identification of the paving material dumping location (310), and Each of the paving material unloading locations (310) is identified based on the corresponding tractor (300) within a virtual boundary (160) around the paving machine (200) determined from a plurality of determined distances of the tractor (300) relative to the paving machine (200) and the most recently determined distance of the tractor (300) relative to the paving machine (200).

12. The inspection method according to claim 9, The paving material dumping sites (310) are associated with these electronic work orders (305) in response to the identification of the paving material dumping sites (310), and Each of the paving material dumping sites (310) is identified based on operator input to the electronics of the paving machine (200), which also hosts the application, wherein the operator input associates the haul truck (300) with the paving material dumping site (310).

13. The inspection method according to claim 9, further comprising: Using an application hosted on the first mobile device (400), the paving quality and control information (417) is output from the first mobile device (400) to the back-end system (600) via a communication network. The recording of the paving quality and control information (417) includes electronically capturing images of the paving material and / or the temperature of the paving material, and outputting data corresponding to the electronically captured images and / or temperatures as part of the output of the paving quality and control information (417) to the background system (600).

14. The inspection method according to claim 9, When the paving machine (200) is in the paving mode "on" state, the paving information includes paving progress information based on paving data about paving thickness and / or width from sensors (214, 216) of the paving machine (200), and The inspection method further includes providing the paving progress information on a map on the graphical user interface (410) on the display (402) of the first mobile device (400).

Images