321 results about "Field service" patented technology

A voice-enabled document system facilitates execution of service delivery operations by eliminating the need for manual or visual interaction during information retrieval by an operator. Access to voice-enabled documents can facilitate operations for mobile vendors, on-site or field-service repairs, medical service providers, food service providers, and the like. Service providers can access the voice-enabled documents by using a client device to retrieve the document, display it on a screen, and, via voice commands initiate playback of selected audio files containing information derived from text data objects selected from the document. Data structures that are components of a voice-enabled document include audio playback files and a logical association that links the audio playback files to user-selectable fields, and to a set of voice commands.

A magnetic stripe card manual swipe reader (MSR) unit capable of attaching to and communicating with a conventional personal digital assistant (PDA) from various manufacturers, using only the electrical power available as supplied by the PDA device, and capable of effective electrical power management and conservation operations. Additionally, this PDA attachable MSR unit is capable of recognizing multiple magnetic encoding formats and data record formats and converting said formats to a standardized output format, includes the capability of updating and adding new formats while in field service, and is readily allows verifying card data and encoding sensitive material prior to transmission to the PDA. These custom formats can then be used to fulfill current needs in age verification, law enforcement, security, and numerous other applications.

A method and system for providing global self-service transaction terminals or automatic teller machines (ATMs) affords worldwide web content to ATM customers, centralized management for ATM operators, and supports local and remote administration for ATM field service personnel. The system includes multiple ATMs coupled over a network to a host, and the ATMs are provided with a touch screen interface and an interface for visually impaired persons. The ATMs enable both local and remote administration of ATM operations by bank personnel and an integrated network control. The ATMs are web-enabled, and ATM communications are performed over a communications network.

Web applications such as email, photo-sharing website, or web widgets work only when the offsite server is available to provide content in real-time. The present invention provides a generic web standards based method of encapsulating the offline web application along with its runtime environment so that web applications can run even when connection to the server is not available. In addition the present invention combines methods for creating, provision, and running multiple offline web applications on a desktop computer or a mobile device such as cellular telephone or personal digital assistant. In addition the present invention also provides the ability to synchronize user data so that multiple devices can be provisioned for offline use with the same set of personalized user information.

A ticket approval system and method of performing quality control in a field service application. The method includes obtaining a ticket, performing at least one task associated with the ticket, collecting data associated with at least one task, and transmitting the data to a work management server including database and approval applications. Also provided is a method of reviewing the data received by the approval application for quality control purposes.

A magnetic stripe card manual swipe reader (MSR) unit capable of attaching to and communicating with a conventional personal digital assistant (PDA) from various manufacturers, using only the electrical power available as supplied by the PDA device, and capable of effective electrical power management and conservation operations. Additionally, this PDA attachable MSR unit is capable of recognizing multiple magnetic encoding formats and data record formats and converting said formats to a standardized output format, includes the capability of updating and adding new formats while in field service, and is readily allows verifying card data and encoding sensitive material prior to transmission to the PDA. These custom formats can then be used to fulfill current needs in age verification, law enforcement, security, and numerous other applications.

Methods and apparatus for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation. Ticket information and a locate manifest are received regarding the operation as performed by a technician. One or more electronic indications of the quality assessment are processed based on the locate manifest, the ticket information, and 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 a dig area in which the operation was performed; 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 technician performed the locate and marking operation.

Monitoring an actionable metric associated with a fleet is disclosed. A first data set is received that includes fleet management data for the fleet. A second data set is received that includes field service data associated with the fleet. A third data set is received that includes vehicle diagnostic data and / or vehicle positioning data. A performance indicator is calculated using data elements associated with at least two of the three data sets. An actionable metric is reported, based upon the performance indicator.

Methods for overseeing and assessing a locate and marking operation. A ticket is received including ticket information regarding the operation, and a first locate technician is dispatched to perform the operation pursuant to the ticket information. A locate manifest is received that includes at least one digital image associated with a dig area in which the locate technician performed the operation. The locate manifest is compared to the ticket information, and a determination is made if the operation is 1) satisfactory, 2) unsatisfactory and requires further quality control assessment and / or at least partial re-performance, or 3) satisfactory but the first locate technician requires coaching. One or more electronic indications of one of 1), 2) and 3) are provided so as to generate an electronic record of a quality assessment of the locate and marking operation.

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.

A system and method for enabling real-time off-site video image storage is disclosed. An off-site storage site is coupled to camera servers at client sites via a private network. Each camera server is further coupled to one or more surveillance cameras. Video images captured by cameras located at the client sites are forwarded to an off-site server via a camera server. Video images received by the off-site server are produced for live viewing and / or archived in an image database. Users can retrieve live or archived video images through a client workstation that communicates with the off-site server over the public Internet. Retrieval of video images is based on a web-browser interface. Live viewing of video images is supplemented by real-time camera control functions that alter the pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) position of the camera producing the live images. Commands for controlling the PTZ camera are encoded by the client workstation and transmitted to the off-site server. The off-site server converts the camera control codes into control strings that are recognizable by the particular camera.

Scheduling of activities for field service technicians may be improved by modifying availability constraints associated with appointment windows for activities. Activities may be scheduled based on a performance deadline and relevant shift times of the resources to whom the activity may be allocated, as well as a variety of parameters relating to activities, resources and / or relevant environmental conditions (e.g., weather, traffic). An activity may be moved from one calendar day to another, a location constraint at the beginning and / or the end of a technician's shift may be removed or modified, and / or information updates may be provided in real time or near real time (e.g., every five minutes or less) throughout a work day to facilitate scheduling. In one example for scheduling dispatch of locate technicians for locate operations, ticket information relating to locate request tickets, as well as resource information relating to available technicians, may be extracted from a ticket database and a resource / technician database to provide appropriate inputs to a scheduling engine, based at least in part on matching available resources to performance deadlines associated with locate requests.

An automated retail facility and system with accompanying methods comprising customer interfacing modules, payment receiving modules, product storage and distribution modules, and computer components in communication with device actors that automate connected components of the facility and system in an Internet of Things configuration. The configuration advantageously allows for remote operation of that facility, while maintaining required levels of customer service and supervisory actions within the facility, as needed. To service the system remotely or on location, a handheld inventory management device and inventory management vehicle are provided. To enhance available services, an automatic package receiver / distributor service module is integrated in some embodiments.

When a blade and / or interconnect device is inserted into the chassis of a powered or live server the procedure is known as hot-plugging. Before power is applied to the hot-plugged blade and / or interconnect device the fabric type of already installed blades and / or interconnect devices is correlated with fabric types of newly hot-plugged blade and / or interconnect device. Depending upon results of the correlation, power to the hot-plugged blade and / or interconnect device is allowed or denied.

The invention discloses a service suspension method, which comprises: when an user equipment stationed in a group field needs to initiate a circuit field service, the core net equipment of the group field reserves the group network resource of the user equipment according to received indication; when the user equipment is performing a service, saves the descending service data and / or stopping sending the up-link data of the user equipment, and converts to circuit field communication network to perform circuit field service; or, when the user equipment is not performing service, then converts to circuit field communication network to perform circuit field service. The invention further discloses a corresponding treatment system for returning the circuit exchange field service to the conventional network, a user equipment, an evolvement base station, a mobility management entity, a service gateway and a group data network. Applying the invention can reduce the time delay before CS service while processing CS fallback, and further avoids resource waste.

When an information memory element such as an RF-ID tag is mounted in an admission ticket as buried therein to perform individual identification (ID) control over the admission ticket, smooth gate passage control of a visitor can be realized. A center server or an in-site server controls to the admission or refusal of entrance in a facility on the basis of a relationship between an admission ticket ID printed on one paper sheet of the admission ticket and an element ID unique to the RF-ID tag as well as the current status of the admission ticket ID. And the facility set as reserved can be confirmed by the user on an in-site reservation terminal.

An apparatus and method provides dynamic schedule mediation by scheduling and monitoring appointments between a service provider and customers. The apparatus and method uses a statistical analysis to determine a best appointment time based on at least one of: historical performance patterns, the type of service requested during the appointment, geographic location of the customer or the service provider, time of day, time of year, weather, skills of the service provider, and automobile traffic conditions. The system and method continuously monitors changes to the appointment initiated by the customer or the service provider and notifies the other. Reminders are also sent to the customer and confirmation prompts may also be sent to the customer. The apparatus and method also provides the ability to select service providers based on their historical performance or other factors. The statistical information of a service provider may also be used to evaluate the rules of the service provider and to evaluate individual field service personnel of the service provider.

A mobile field system comprises a service center that is connected to the office of a field service organization and number of customers of the field service organization via the Internet or another computer network. The service center is also connected to the mobile systems of technicians who work for the field service organization by a mobile communications system such as a wireless Internet service provider. One or more message queues may be used to increase the reliability of communications between the systems. By using such a queue, messages may not be lost and the communications can be made transparent to the user of the remote system.

Techniques and systems for servicing a personal communication structure (PCS) are described. The PCS may include a servicing controller that schedules, initiates, and / or otherwise controls testing of the PCS components. The PCS may transmit the results of the tests to a remote entity. Based on the test results, the remote entity may detect faulty components and / or allocate servicing resources (e.g., technicians, replacement parts, etc.) to the PCS as part of a field service repair process. The tests may be initiated by the servicing controller or by a remote entity.

A two-tier cover assembly for a field service box. The two-tier cover assembly can be retrofitted to an existing field service electrical box to protect the electrical device that is housed therein. The cover assembly provides two configurations for protecting the electrical box, including an expanded and a collapsed configuration. In the expanded configuration, the cover assembly provides two cord openings that are accessible with the cover plate closed. In the collapsed configuration, the cord openings are completely closed to seal all openings and thereby protect the electrical device from rain, dirt, insects and other hazards.

The invention relates to a technology for examining and maintaining wind turbine generators, in particular to a system and a method for the remote real-time state monitoring and the intelligent failure diagnosis of the wind turbine generators. The problems that the existing technology for examining and maintaining the wind turbine generators cannot ensure the examining and maintaining effect, cannot timely find the internal failure, the sudden failure and the hidden failure trouble of the wind turbine generators and requires a high examining and maintaining cost are solved. The system for the remote real-time state monitoring and the intelligent failure diagnosis of the wind turbine generators comprises state monitoring equipment, a site monitoring and failure diagnosis center and a remote monitoring and failure diagnosis center, wherein the state monitoring equipment comprises an accelerated vibration sensor, a rotating speed sensor, a current sensor, a camera and an on-line automatic analysis and diagnosis instrument; the site monitoring and failure diagnosis center comprises a site server and a site PC (Personal Computer). The system and the method are suitable for all types of wind turbine generators.

A method and apparatus are provided for indicating the status of the refrigerant charge in an air conditioning system based upon the degree of subcooling present in the condensed refrigerant system temperature measurements. The status of the refrigerant charge in the system is indicated in real-time on a service panel for access by a field service technician. The status of the refrigerant charge in the system on a time-average basis for a specified period of operation is presented on an indicator panel. The indicator panel includes a first indicator light indicating that the refrigerant charge is low, a second indicator light indicating that the refrigerant charge is high, and a third indicator light indicating that the refrigerant charge is correct.

A system and method for a telematics based programming gateway. A method describes initiating a vehicle field service software update, sending field service software update data to a vehicle telematics device from a telematics service center, receiving the field service software update data at the vehicle telematics device and providing the field software update data to at least one vehicle system from the vehicle telematics device wherein the at least one vehicle system is updated based on the field service software update data.

An assembly for a mobile communications antenna system includes a bracket assembly onto which an antenna array is mounted. The bracket assembly includes a steering arrangement configured to provide angular adjustment of an antenna beam azimuth, and an electromechanical tilting arrangement configured to adjust a tilt position of the antenna array. The steering arrangement and the electromechanical tilting arrangement are controllable in remote and manual operational modes to independently and variably adjust both azimuthal angle and tilt position of the antenna array. These operational modes ensure remote control of signal propagation and network coverage accuracy, and manual adjustment of the azimuth of the antenna beam and tilt position of the antenna array in case of field service or component failure.

The embodiments of herein provide a permission based field service management system and method for field services using a permission slip. A technician allotted to perform a field service is authenticated by a client / server software system and provided with a work list. When the technician accepts a work list, a permission slip corresponding to a specific device is entered in a service key inserted by the technician into a client. Then the service key is removed and inserted into a specific device to execute a field service operation. After the completion of the field service operation, the permission slip is closed and a service log is created and stored on a service database. An auditing system accesses the service data to track and monitor the service operation.

The invention discloses a method and device for realizing circuit domain service paging, which comprise the steps that a position updating request message is received by a mobile switching center / a visitor location register through a global mobile communication system / a general mobile communication system, i.e. GERAN / UTRAN; the existence of SGs association to a mobile management entity is judged,and then the SGs association is kept continuously; paging is carried out by an IU-CS / A interface and an SGs interface respectively when paging is carried out by the mobile switching center / the visitor location register. By the technical proposal, the UE can always be paged by MSC / VLR.

An apparatus and method provides dynamic schedule mediation by scheduling and monitoring appointments between a service provider and customers. The apparatus and method uses a statistical analysis to determine a best appointment time based on at least one of: historical performance patterns, the type of service requested during the appointment, geographic location of the customer or the service provider, time of day, time of year, weather, skills of the service provider, and automobile traffic conditions. The system and method continuously monitors changes to the appointment initiated by the customer or the service provider and notifies the other. The statistical information of a service provider may also be used to evaluate the rules of the service provider and to evaluate individual field service personnel of the service provider.

The invention provides an encryption and decryption functions based field service terminal, which comprises a control processing unit, a main-station communication unit, an equipment communication unit, a power supply unit, an input and output unit, a safety unit and a smart card reading and writing unit. The control processing unit is respectively connected with the control processing unit, the main-station communication unit, the equipment communication unit, the power supply unit, the input and output unit, the safety unit and the smart card reading and writing unit. The safety unit is used for completing identity authentication and encryption and decryption of data information when the field service terminal is in communication with a main station and power energy meters, and the smart card reading and writing unit is used for field card writing and recharging of local charge-control smart power energy meters. The encryption and decryption function based field service terminal has the advantages that field service efficiency and quality are improved; the safety unit is added, so that transmission data of the field service terminal cannot be distorted, data confidentiality and integrity cannot be damaged and identities of users cannot be used falsely; and the requirement of power-utilization information acquiring system construction for power consumers can be met basically.

Systems and methods for replacing modules of a personal communication structure are provided. The modules are configured to be field replaceable, such that field service personnel are able to quickly and easily replace modules in locations with high pedestrian traffic. Embodiments of the personal communication structure include a frame and one or more field replaceable units supported by the frame. The field replaceable units may include an RF bay field replaceable unit, a display field replaceable unit, a user interface field replaceable unit, an environmental sensor field replaceable unit, an electronics bay field replaceable unit, and / or a network bay field replaceable unit.