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US 9,672,486 B1Granted
Inspection tool
AssigneePK Companies Group, LLC
InventorKevin Turpin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a web-based tool for facilitating the inspection process for evaluating inspection items relating to assets at a site. A website is used to interface with the hand held devices used by inspectors in the field and create consistency in the way questions are posed, and recorded for inspection items. Unique identifiers are associated with each item so that they can be tracked. Also, a wireless camera arrangement is implemented where any photographs taken of a condition of a particular inspection item will automatically be incorporated into the form open regarding that item.
Claims17
A tool for conducting inspections, the tool comprising:
- an inspection-item presenting process operating on a hand held computing device, the inspection-item presentation process causing the display of a map showing a plurality of assets, the selection of an asset bringing up a list of selectable inspection items related to the asset, each inspection item being associated with an identifier, wherein the map is at least one of a plan view, sky view and 3-dimensional rendering of a facility and wherein each of the plurality of assets are represented on the map according to a corresponding physical location of each of the plurality of assets in the facility;
- an information-gathering process also initiated upon the selection of a particular inspection item having a particular identifier, the information-gathering process opening up an inspection form for the particular item selected on the hand held computing device, the form posing standardized questions relating to at least one condition relating to a fire-protection coating existing on the particular asset, the standardized questions made to be unalterable by a user of the handheld device;
- a camera-interfacing process which is turned on by the user by interfacing with the hand held computing device, the camera-interfacing process causing a signal to be transmitted by the handheld computing device, the signal enabling interfacing with, and downloading photos from a camera;
- a photo-association process which, after the camera-interfacing process is turned on, automatically incorporates at least one photo taken using the camera into the inspection form, associates the photo with the particular identifier;
- the photo-association process automatically terminating when the user closes the form on the hand-held device so that a subsequently taken photo will be associated with a subsequent identifier;
- and
- a coating thickness-reading-device-interfacing process enabling the handheld to download thickness readings into the inspection form by directly interfacing with a thickness reading device which determines thickness by sending and receiving waves to determine coating depth.
4 more elements
An inspection process for conducting inspections, the inspection process comprising:
- receiving a work order from a web-based system operated by an inspection facilitator, the work order including a plurality of inspection items in list, the list being retrievable by selecting a related asset from a map, list being selectable by the inspector, wherein the map is at least one of a plan view, sky view and 3-dimensional rendering of a facility and wherein each of the plurality of assets are represented on the map according to a corresponding physical location of each of the plurality of assets in the facility;
- the inspection process further, upon a selection of an item by the inspector, bringing up a form including standardized questions relating to the condition of the inspection item the standardized questions being made to be unalterable by the inspector using a handheld device on which the standardized questions are presented;
- a prepopulation process wherein already-known characteristics regarding the inspection item are automatically included into the form when the form is presented to the inspector, but the included characteristics are made to be alterable by the inspector in the form if they are found to be incorrect;
- the process further requiring the inspector to submit answers to the standardized questions,
- a camera-interfacing process which is turned on by the inspector by interfacing with the handheld computing device, the camera-interfacing process causing a signal to be transmitted by the handheld computing device, the signal enabling interfacing with, and downloading photos from a camera the downloading of photos automatically terminating when the inspector closes the form;
- a coating thickness-reading process enabling the handheld to download thickness readings from a thickness reading device, the thickness-reading device determining thickness by sending and receiving waves to determine coating depth, the thickness-reading process then incorporating the thickness readings into the form;
- and
- means to archive saved questions and answers for the inspection item by the unique identifier for use in future inspections.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.