Device and method for capturing deliverables and / or consumable material

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for capturing deliverables and / or consumable material during manual activities in mobile use outside a workshop, having a capture device which is arranged in the region of a cargo space of a vehicle and is intended to capture the tool and / or consumable material introduced into the cargo space of the vehicle and / or removed from the cargo space of the vehicle, a positioning device in or on the vehicle for capturing a spatial position of the vehicle or a route of the vehicle, an identification device in or on the vehicle for identifying occupants of the vehicle, and a transfer device for transferring the captured information to an evaluation unit.

Description

[0001] Facility and procedures for recording services and / or consumables

[0002] The invention relates to a device for recording services and / or consumables during manual work in mobile use outside of a workshop. The invention also relates to an arrangement comprising a device according to the invention, a use of the arrangement, and a method for recording services and / or consumables during manual work in mobile use outside of a workshop.

[0003] Skilled trades activities can be carried out on a mobile basis outside of a workshop. For example, tradespeople drive their vehicle to a construction site. Tools and consumables, such as screws, dowels, pipes, cable ducts, and the like are stored in the vehicle's cargo area. Tools and consumables are transported from the vehicle to the construction site. Once work on the construction site has been completed, the tools and leftover consumables are returned to the vehicle's cargo area. In addition to the time the tradesperson needs to travel to the site, carry out the work on the site, and return home, the required consumables and, if applicable, the time used for special tools must also be billed. In addition, the required consumables must be replenished promptly to ensure that sufficient consumables are available at the next construction site or the following day.

[0004] The invention is intended to improve a device for recording services and / or consumables during manual work in mobile use outside a workshop, an arrangement with a device according to the invention, a use of the arrangement according to the invention and a method for recording services and / or consumables during manual work in mobile use outside a workshop.

[0005] According to the invention, a device having the features of claim 1, an arrangement having the features of claim 6, a use of the arrangement having the features of claim 7, and a method having the features of claim 8 are provided for this purpose. Advantageous developments of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

[0006] In a device according to the invention for recording services and / or consumables during manual work in mobile use outside of a workshop, a recording device is provided in the area of ​​a vehicle's cargo space for recording tools and / or consumables that are brought into and / or removed from the vehicle's cargo space. A position determination device is provided in or on the vehicle for recording a spatial position of the vehicle and a route of the vehicle. An identification device is provided in or on the vehicle for identifying occupants of the vehicle, and a transfer device is provided for transferring the recorded information to an evaluation unit.

[0007] Because the recording device can record which tool and / or consumables and which quantities of consumables are removed from or brought into the cargo area, it is already possible to record any billable tool hours and the quantity of consumables required in a very simple manner. With the position determination device in or on the vehicle for recording the spatial position of the vehicle and the vehicle's journey history, not only the route traveled but also the duration of work on the construction site while the vehicle is stationary and / or the total time the vehicle is in use can be recorded and, if necessary, billed. With an identification device in or on the vehicle for identifying vehicle occupants, workers who have gone to the construction site with the vehicle can be identified.The identification device can, for example, also be used to determine how long the vehicle's occupants have been in the vehicle and how long they have actually been working on the construction site. A transfer device for transferring the recorded information to an evaluation unit then enables the billing itself or the preparation of the billing using the evaluation unit. The evaluation unit can also be used, for example, to reorder missing consumables. The evaluation unit can be located on a smartphone, a tablet, or even a workshop computer. When the vehicle returns to the workshop at the end of the working day or at any other time, the recording device, the positioning device, and the identification device can be queried, and the recorded information is transferred via the transfer device.Based on the recorded information, an invoice for the work performed can be created very easily, or simply billing items can be created and saved. Tools can be any type of tool, for example, power tools, cable reels, ladders, or the like. In a further development of the invention, the recording device has a reading unit for reading RFID chips on the tool and / or consumables.

[0008] If, for example, the tool - such as a large hammer drill or other special device or even just a cordless screwdriver - is equipped with an RFID chip, this RFID chip can be very easily identified and read using the recording device. The RFID chip usually contains a unique identifier, usually a number. In the recording device, information about the tool can then be assigned to this unique identifier. However, the assignment of the unique identifier to information can also only take place in the evaluation unit, for example. Consumables can also be equipped with an RFID chip. For larger or more expensive consumables, such as saw blades, drills and milling cutters, the RFID chip can be attached directly to the consumable.For less expensive consumables, such as screws, nails, pipe clamps, or even paint, the RFID chip can be located on the packaging. The RFID chips can be read either by pressing a button on the detection device or automatically when the tool or consumable passes the detection device.

[0009] In a further development of the invention, the detection device has a reading unit for reading codes, in particular barcodes, QR codes and character codes.

[0010] The reading unit is, for example, a scanner, usually a laser scanner, which is used to capture barcodes, QR codes, and character codes. The codes can be read, for example, by holding the tool or consumable in front of the reading unit.

[0011] In a further development of the invention, the detection device has a camera and image evaluation software in order to recognize tools and / or consumables based on an image.

[0012] For example, an image of the tool or a tool case is taken, and the capture device can then recognize the tool case or tool from the image, or a sequence of numbers on the tool or tool case is recognized. Consumables, such as screws, can be identified using an image by comparing the dimensions of the consumable, such as the screw, determined from the image with dimensions stored in a database.

[0013] In a further development of the invention, the device for determining the position is designed as a GPS unit.

[0014] Using a GPS unit, the spatial position of the vehicle and its route as well as the journey duration, start times and end times can be easily recorded.

[0015] The identification device can, for example, be designed to recognize an employee ID card of the vehicle's occupants.

[0016] The object underlying the invention is also achieved by an arrangement with a device according to the invention, wherein a vehicle with a loading space and an evaluation unit are provided.

[0017] The detection device can be arranged, for example, on a cargo compartment door, so that tools and / or consumables that are removed from or introduced into the cargo compartment of the vehicle must automatically be moved past the detection device. The position determination device, the identification device, and the transfer device can also be arranged together with the detection device, for example in a common housing, on a cargo compartment door or in the area of ​​a cargo compartment door of the vehicle. The evaluation unit is advantageously separate from the detection device and can be formed, for example, by a smartphone, a tablet, or a workshop computer.

[0018] The object underlying the invention is also achieved by using the arrangement according to the invention for creating an invoice for craft services and / or for consumables by means of the evaluation unit.

[0019] The invention makes it considerably easier to create an invoice because travel times, working times, the people working, the tools used and the consumables used have already been recorded and made available to the evaluation unit as a data set. The object on which the invention is based is also achieved by a method for recording services and / or consumables during mobile craft activities outside of a workshop, in which method the tools and / or consumables that are brought into and / or taken from the load compartment of a vehicle are recorded by means of an electronic recording device, in which method the spatial position and the route of the vehicle are recorded by means of a device for electronic position determination, in particular the distance traveled, the stopping points and the information provided on the route ortime spent at the stopping points, and in which the identification of occupants of the vehicle by means of an electronic identification device and the transfer of the recorded information to an evaluation unit is provided.

[0020] In a further development of the invention, the creation of an invoice for craft services and / or consumables on the basis of the information provided is provided.

[0021] In a further development of the invention, the reordering or reservation of consumables on the basis of the information provided, in particular in a workshop warehouse of the craftsman or in a distribution warehouse, is provided.

[0022] Consumables can be reordered from a supplier or reserved in the craftsman's workshop warehouse.

[0023] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention in conjunction with the drawings. In the drawings:

[0024] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an arrangement with a device for recording services and / or consumables, with a vehicle with a loading space and with an evaluation unit and

[0025] Fig. 2 shows the detection device and the evaluation unit of the arrangement of Fig. 1 in an enlarged view.

[0026] Fig. 1 schematically shows an arrangement 10 according to the invention with a vehicle 12 having a cargo space 14. A device 16 for recording services and / or consumables is arranged on a rear door of the vehicle. Consumables 18 in the form of nails and screws, as well as pipes and cable ducts, are arranged within the cargo space 14. A tool 20, in the illustrated case a cordless screwdriver, is also arranged in the cargo space 14.

[0027] A first worker 22 sits in the vehicle 12. A second worker 24 stands outside the vehicle. The second worker 24 holds his employee ID card 26 in his hand as well as an evaluation unit in the form of a smartphone 28.

[0028] The device 16 has a detection device for detecting tools 20 and / or consumables 18 that are introduced into and / or removed from the loading space 14 of the vehicle. This detection device can be used, for example, to determine the vehicle's equipment. If the loading space 14 is initially empty and all tools 20 and consumables 18 that are introduced into the loading space 14 are detected, the inventory in the loading space of the vehicle can be compiled using the detection device and transferred, for example, to the smartphone 28. The worker 24 can then check, for example, before starting the journey, whether all the required consumables 18 and all the required tools 20 are in the loading space 14.

[0029] Once the manual work has been completed and the vehicle 12 returns to the workshop, the worker 24 can again use his evaluation unit, the smartphone 28, to determine how much consumable material 18 and which tool 20 is still in the cargo space 14. If necessary, the worker 24 can then use the evaluation unit, i.e., his smartphone 28, to reorder consumable material 18 or load the tools 20 required for the next day or for the next manual work.

[0030] A very important point, however, is that the device 16, and in particular the recording device in the device 16, can be used to determine which tools 20 were used for how long when performing the manual work, and how much consumables 18 were required. This information can be transferred to an evaluation unit. The evaluation unit can again be the smartphone 28 or, for example, a workshop computer, which is then used to create an invoice or to create and save an invoice item.

[0031] The device 16 also has a device for determining the position of the vehicle 12, for example, a GPS unit. The device 16 can thus record the distance traveled by the vehicle 12, the locations, particularly construction sites, visited, how long the vehicle was stationary, and the distance traveled. This data can also be transferred to the evaluation unit, for example, the smartphone 28, via the transfer device in the device 16, and then an invoice or an invoice item can be created using the evaluation unit.

[0032] The device 16 also has an identification device for identifying occupants of the vehicle 12. For example, the employee ID cards 26 of the two workers 22, 24 serve this purpose. For example, the two workers 22, 24 can identify themselves using the identification device in the device 16 before starting the journey. The device 16 then records how long the workers 22, 24 have been driving in the vehicle and / or how long the workers 22, 24 have been on the construction site. This data can then be transferred to an evaluation unit, for example the smartphone 28, via the transfer device in the device 16. The evaluation unit can then be used to create an invoice or create and save an invoice item.

[0033] As explained, the device 16 also has a transfer device. This transfer device can operate wirelessly, for example, via mobile radio or via a wireless network, such as WLAN. It is also possible to query the data from the device 16 only when the evaluation unit is brought into proximity of the device 16. Data can then be transmitted via the transfer device, for example, using the Bluetooth standard.

[0034] Fig. 2 shows the device 16 in a schematic, enlarged view. The device 16, as mentioned, has a detection device 30 for detecting tools and / or consumables that are introduced into and / or removed from the vehicle's cargo space. For this purpose, the detection device 30 can, for example, have a reading device in the form of a scanner or a reading device for reading RFID chips. The consumable 18 and tool 20 are then briefly held in front of the detection device 30 in order to read the RFID chip on the tool 20 or on the consumable, or to read a code on the tool or on the consumable.

[0035] The device 16 is further provided with a position-determining device for detecting a spatial position of the vehicle and a travel path of the vehicle. This device is indicated only schematically in Fig. 2 by reference numeral 32. The device 16 is further provided with an identification device for identifying vehicle occupants or, in general, workers 22, 24. This identification device can also be implemented by the device 30. For example, an employee ID card 26 contains an RFID chip, which is then read by the device 30 in order to supply the identification device 34 with the unique identifier from the RFID chip, from which the worker 22, 24 can then be identified.

[0036] Finally, the device 16 is provided with a transfer device 36 by means of which the information acquired by the device 16 can be transferred to an evaluation unit 38.

[0037] The device 16 further comprises a display 40 and an interface device in the form of a keyboard 42.

Claims

Claims 1. Device (16) for recording services and / or consumables (18) during manual work in mobile use outside a workshop with a device arranged in the area of ​​a cargo space (14) of a vehicle (12) Detection device for detecting tool (20) and / or of Consumables (18) that are placed in and / or removed from the cargo space (14) of the vehicle (12), a positioning device in or on the vehicle (12) for recording the spatial position of the vehicle (12) and the vehicle's (12) journey path, an identification device in or on the vehicle (12) for identifying occupants (22, 24) of the vehicle (12), and a transfer device (36) for transferring the recorded information to an evaluation unit (38).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the recording device comprises a read unit for reading RFID chips on tools (20) and / or on consumables (18).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the detection device comprises a reading unit for reading codes, in particular barcodes, QR codes and character codes on tool (20) and / or on consumables (18). 4.Device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that the detection device comprises a camera and image evaluation software for recognizing tools (20) and / or consumables (18) based on an image.

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the positioning device is configured as a GPS unit.

6. Arrangement (10) comprising a device (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, a vehicle (12) with a cargo space (14), and an evaluation unit (38).

7. Use of the arrangement (10) from claim 6 for generating an invoice for services rendered and / or consumables using the evaluation unit (38).

8. Method for recording services and / or consumables (18) during mobile craft activities outside a workshop, characterized by recording tools (20) and / or consumables (18) that are placed in and / or removed from the cargo space (14) of a vehicle (12) by means of an electronic recording device, recording the spatial position and route of the vehicle (12) by means of an electronic positioning device, in particular the distance traveled, the stopping points and the time spent on the route and at the stopping points, identifying the occupants (22, 24) of the vehicle (12) by means of an electronic identification device and transferring the recorded information to an evaluation unit (38). 9.A method according to claim 8, characterized by generating an invoice for services rendered and / or for consumables (18) based on the information provided. A method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized by reordering or reserving consumables (18) based on the information provided.

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