US 2014/0279571 A1 · CONTRACTOR LOCATOR AND DISPATCH SERVICE

Abstract

A system and method for a contractor locator and dispatch service is provided. A customer device is associated with an HVAC system at a customer location. Contractor devices are each associated with a contractor at a contractor location and stores contractor information including contractor location data corresponding to the contractor location and contractor availability data corresponding to an availability of the associated contractor. A server receives a service request for the HVAC system from the customer device and contractor information from each of the contractor devices. The server applies selection criteria to the received contractor information and determines potential contractors for the service request based on the selection criteria. The customer device receive the contractor information for the potential contractors, displays corresponding contractor information, and receives a selection indicating a designated contractor from the potential contractors to perform the service request for the HVAC system. The server notifies the contractor device for the designated contractor of the selection.

Claims41

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a customer device associated with an HVAC system at a customer location;
a plurality of contractor devices, each contractor device being associated with a contractor at a contractor location, each contractor device storing contractor information including contractor location data corresponding to the contractor location of the associated contractor and contractor availability data corresponding to an availability of the associated contractor;
a server in communication with the customer device and the plurality of contractor devices, the server configured to receive a service request for the HVAC system from the customer device, to receive the contractor information from each of the contractor devices, to apply a selection criteria to the received contractor information, to determine at least one potential contractor for the service request based on the application of the selection criteria, and to communicate the contractor information for the at least one potential contractor to the customer device;
the customer device being configured to receive the contractor information for the at least one potential contractor from the server, to display the contractor information for the at least one potential contractor, to receive a selection indicating a designated contractor from the at least one potential contractor to perform the service request for the HVAC system, and to communicate the selection to the server;
and
the server being configured to notify the contractor device for the designated contractor of the selection.

3 more elements

A method comprising:

storing, in each of a plurality of contractor devices, contractor information for an associated contractor, including contractor location data corresponding to a contractor location of the associated contractor and contractor availability data corresponding to an availability of the associated contractor;
receiving, with a server, a service request for an HVAC system at a customer location associated with a customer device;
receiving, with the server, the contractor information from each of the contractor devices;
applying, with the server, a selection criteria to the received contractor information to determine at least one potential contractor for the service request based on the application of the selection criteria;
communicating the contractor information for the at least one potential contractor to the customer device;
receiving, with the customer device, the contractor information for the at least one potential contractor from the server;
displaying, with the customer device, the contractor information for the at least one potential contractor;
receiving, with the customer device, a selection indicating a designated contractor from the at least one potential contractor to perform the service request for the HVAC system;
communicating the selection from the customer device to the server;
and
notifying, with the server, the contractor device for the designated contractor of the selection.

8 more elements

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor for:

receiving, with a server, a service request for an HVAC system at a customer location associated with a customer device;
receiving, with the server, contractor information from each of a plurality of contractor devices, the contractor information corresponding to an associated contractor for the contractor device and including contractor location data corresponding to a contractor location of the associated contractor and contractor availability data corresponding to an availability of the associated contractor;
applying, with the server, a selection criteria to the received contractor information to determine at least one potential contractor for the service request based on the application of the selection criteria;
communicating the contractor information for the at least one potential contractor from the server to the customer device;
receiving, with the server, a selection received by the customer device indicating a designated contractor from the at least one potential contractor to perform the service request for the HVAC system;
notifying, with the server, the contractor device for the designated contractor of the selection.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Contractor locator and dispatch service

Life of this patent

Contractor locator and dispatch service

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims41