Touch and Go!!!!
The Telecommunications Network
For transferring data (workorders, sketches, etc. ) from and to the operator and the field engineers,
the software relies on a telecommunications link. In terms of telecommunications coverage,
Mobile data network and Cellular telephone, are becoming cheaper every day. However
communications speed has limitations thus the volume of communications should be limited to
emergency situations only. Nightly replication using ISDN will ensure that full updating of the GIS
master database takes place. The synchronization of data with the master GIS database makes it
possible that the replica of the GIS database is always current.
The Workorder
The Service Manager distributes the work orders per Technician. Instead of driving to the office,
the Technician can, via an ISDN line, make contact every night with the office to download the
next day’s activities (work orders or assignments). Complimentary to this, the Technician sends
updated information about finished assignments and adjusted geographical data and sketches.
Furthermore, if the Technician is on his way to a particular location or already at a location, he can
send messages to the base. This promotes regular contact between the Technician and the office
with continuous reports as to his activities and what the status of his job is. With this information,
the Service Manager always knows how the Technicians are progressing and can adjust the
plans for the rest of that day and affect scheduling thereafter. Also, if a Technician misses a
component required to complete the job, the office can tell him if another Technician in close
vicinity has that component. Of course, in case of an emergency, any Technician could be called
upon to respond to that situation as quickly as possible since the office knows where all the
Technicians are located and the base station can send all necessary information regarding the
emergency to the appropriate resource, quickly.
The Sketch
Drop wire sketches are hosted by any Document imaging System. Wkh an on-line request
mechanism in place, these sketches can be downloaded to the mobile station as a reference
drawing for the technician. Since these sketches are reasonably static and depending on location
or task oriented mobile units, a large number can be stored on the hard drive, on CD-ROM or
even DVD. Simple zoom in / out and panning functions allow the technician to display close in
views of these sketches.
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