Spatial asset management system and method

An apparatus for automatically processing and managing spatial asset information in a repository, the apparatus comprising:

• defining means for defining instances of primary observation types and associations between each of the specific instances;
• identifying means for identifying reference networks and geographic information system asset layers in the repository;
• configuring means for configuring the repository based on said instances definitions and said associations;
• data collection means for collecting field data;
• converting means for converting said collected field data to specific observations;
• correlating means for correlating said specific observations to the appropriate said reference network and said geographic information system asset layers;
• and
• updating means for updating said appropriate geographic information system asset layers in the repository;
• wherein said data collection means captures free speech stating verbal observations containing voice data and also captures location data contemporaneously With each of said verbal observations, and wherein the apparatus includes time-stamping means for time-stamping each of said captured verbal observations to create a raw verbal observation and for time-stamping said captured location data.

Computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable computer perform a method for automatically processing and managing spatial asset information in repository, the method comprising:

• defining instances of primary observation types and associations between each of the specific instances;
• identifying reference networks and geographic information system asset layers In the repository;
• configuring the repository based on said instances definitions and said associations;
• collecting field data;
• converting said collected field data to specific observations;
• correlating said specific observations to the appropriate said reference network and said geographic information system asset layers;
• updating said appropriate geographic Information system asset layers in the repository;
• wherein said collecting of field data step further comprises:
• capturing free speech stating verbal observations containing voice data;
• capturing location data contemporaneously with each of said verbal observations;
• time-stamping each of said captured verbal create a raw verbal observation;
• and
• time-stamping said captured location data.

A computer programmed to execute process for automatically processing and managing spatial asset information in a repository, the process defining instances comprising:

• defining instances of primary observation types and associations between each of the specific instances;
• identifying reference networks and geographic information system asset layers in the repository;
• configuring the repository based on said instances definitions and said associations;
• collecting field data;
• converting said collected field data to specific observations;
• correlating said specific observations to the appropriate said reference network and said geographic information system asset layers;
• and
• updating said appropriate geographic information system asset layers in the repository;
• capturing free speech stating verbal observations containing voice data;
• capturing location data contemporaneously with each of said verbal observations;
• time-stamping each of said captured verbal observations to create a raw verbal observation;
• and
• time-stamping said captured location data.

An apparatus for automatically processing and managing spatial asset information, the apparatus comprising:

• a processing computer for receiving a plurality of field data that has been collected;
• and
• a data repository connectable to said processing computer for receiving processing results of said processing computer, wherein said data repository further comprises,
• a plurality of reference networks;
• a geographic information system having a plurality asset layers;
• a plurality of pre-defined instances of primary observation types;
• and
• a plurality pre-defined associations between each of said plurality of pre-defined instances of primary observation types, wherein said data repository is configured based upon said plurality of pre-defined instances of primary observation types and said plurality of pre-defined associations;
• wherein said processing computer,
• converts each of said plurality of field data into an appropriate one said primary observation types;
• correlates each of said converted primary observation types of each of said plurality of field data to an appropriate one of said plurality of reference networks and an appropriate one said plurality of asset layers;
• and
• updates said appropriate one of said plurality of asset layers with each of said converted primary observation types of each of said plurality of field data;
• and
• wherein said collecting of field data further comprises:
• capturing free speech stating verbal observations containing voice data;
• capturing location data contemporaneously with each of said verbal observations;
• time-stamping each of said captured verbal create a raw verbal observation;
• and
• time-stamping said captured location data.