Systems and methods for field data collection

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for automated field data collection. A client system may download graphical representations and space hierarchy information associated with the project from a server. A user may open, on the client system, an area where the field data collection is to occur (e.g., a room in a building), whereby the client system automatically navigates to a pre-defined region of the graphical representation (e.g., an architectural floor plan). For each discrepancy identified, the user may touch a corresponding location on the graphical representation and select a discrepancy type from a list. The user may then associate additional data files, such as image files, audio files, video files, and GPS coordinates with the discrepancy. An organization responsible for correcting the discrepancy may be automatically assigned and/or notified based on an association made on the server.

1 . A method for structured field data collection comprising:
 providing a space hierarchy to a user, wherein the space hierarchy comprises one or more spaces and corresponding sub-spaces, wherein the sub-spaces comprise information regarding properties of the one or more spaces and corresponding sub-spaces,   receiving a selection of a space of interest and corresponding sub-spaces selected from the space hierarchy,   receiving a unique identifier of an actual space related to the selection of the space of interest and corresponding sub-spaces,   providing a graphical representation to the user of the actual space corresponding to the selected space of interest and corresponding sub-spaces by using the unique identifier,   associating user collected data with a position on the graphical representation, wherein the position corresponds with an actual position of the actual space, and wherein the user collected data is categorized based upon the selection of the space of interest and corresponding sub-spaces, and   receiving and storing the user collected data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the space selected from the space hierarchy comprises information regarding predetermined, categorized and standardized descriptions of actual sub-spaces. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user collected data is collected on a portable computing device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interactively navigates the space hierarchy to select the space of interest and corresponding sub-spaces that describes the actual space. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation is selected from the group consisting of architectural diagrams, digital images, photographs, schematic diagrams, maps, sketches, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising converting the graphical representation between high resolution and low resolution versions for storage in a database and display on a portable computing device, respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user collected data represents one or more discrepancies capable of being acted on by a third party. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising automatically identifying one or more third parties associated with the one or more discrepancies. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising verifying that the one or more discrepancies have been acted on by a third party and verifying that the action is complete or not complete. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising suggesting a classification of the one or more discrepancies based upon the space and corresponding sub-spaces. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising allowing a user to repeatedly access the graphical representation and add, remove or edit the user collected data. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising pre-associating regions of the graphical representation with spaces and corresponding sub-spaces. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a visual notation is placed at the position on the graphical representation to associate the user collected data with the position on the graphical representation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the visual notation is coordinate mapped to the position on the graphical representation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising retaining the coordinate mapping of the visual notation and the graphical representation when converting between a low-resolution version of the graphical representation and a high-resolution version of the graphical representation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the visual notation remains associated with the position on the graphical representation during conversion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising associating the user collected data with a separate data file. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the separate data file may be selected from the group consisting of image files, audio files, video files, freeform notations, GPS coordinates, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a report of the user collected data. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the report comprises the position of the graphical representation corresponding to the actual position of the actual space. 
     
     
         21 . A system for structured field data collection comprising:
 a server in communication with a database, wherein the database stores graphical representations of spaces and user collected data,   wherein the server is further in communication with a portable computing device,   wherein the user collected data is entered and processed into the database via the portable computing device, the entering and processing comprising the steps of:   providing a graphical representation to the portable computing device of a user-identified space,   categorizing the user collected data based upon a user-selected sub-space within a space hierarchy, wherein the space hierarchy comprises one or more spaces and corresponding sub-spaces, wherein the sub-spaces comprise information regarding properties of the one or more spaces and corresponding sub-spaces,   associating the user collected data with the graphical representation, and   storing the associated user collected data and graphical representation in the database.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the associating comprises coordinate mapping one or more visual notations, representing the user collected data, with the graphical representation on the portable computing device. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the storing further comprises retaining the coordinate mapping of the associated one or more visual notations and graphical representation when converting between a low-resolution version of the graphical representation and a high-resolution version of the graphical representation. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein at least some of the processing occurs at the portable computing device. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the user collected data is received via a browser on the portable computing device. 
     
     
         26 . A method for structured field data collection, the method steps stored in a storage medium and executed by one or more processors comprising:
 providing one or more space types to a user, wherein the one or more space types are selected from a pre-determined source of user-selectable space types, and wherein the one or more space types comprise information regarding properties of actual spaces,   providing a graphical representation to a user of a user-identified space of interest,   associating a user-selected space type, representing the user-identified space of interest, with a position on the graphical representation, and   categorizing user collected data based upon the user-selected space type, wherein the user collected data corresponds to the position on the graphical representation.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising creating one or more visual indications of the user collected data on the position on the graphical representation. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising associating the one or more visual indications with one or more coordinates in the graphical representation. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising converting the graphical representation from low resolution to high resolution while retaining the association of the one or more visual indications with the one or more coordinates of the graphical representation. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising converting the graphical representation between high resolution on the database and low resolution for display on a portable computing device. 
     
     
         31 . A method for structuring information types comprising:
 providing a hierarchy of spaces, wherein the hierarchy represents standardized space types, and wherein the space types comprise information regarding properties of actual spaces,   receiving user collected data corresponding to an actual space and a user-selected space type associated with the actual space,   categorizing the user collected data based upon the user-selected space type, and   generating a report of the user collected data.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein generating the report comprises sorting and filtering the user collected data based upon the user-selected space type to provide statistical analysis of the actual space. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising associating the user collected data with a graphical representation of the actual space.