Methods, systems and computer program products for planning resources based on primary and alternate location relief strategies

Abstract

In a computer-based method of planning resources, a plurality of Location Relief Strategy (LRS) plan data sets are imported into a resource planning application. The LRS plan data sets are associated with a resource need. One of the LRS plan data sets is defined as a primary LRS plan and at least one other one of the LRS plan data sets is defined as an alternate LRS plan. A resource plan is generated within the resource planning application based on the primary LRS plan and/or the alternate LRS plan. The primary LRS plan and the alternate LRS plan may each correspond to a plan for installing and/or retiring resources in a geographic area. The resources may, for example, be resources for carrying telecommunications in a geographic area.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 performing operations as follows on a processor:   importing into a resource planning application that executes on a resource planning system a plurality of location relief strategy plan data sets for installing and retiring apparatus resources in a defined geographic region, wherein one of the location relief strategy plan data sets is defined as a primary location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring apparatus resources in the defined geographic region and one other one of the location relief strategy plan data sets is defined as an alternate location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring apparatus resources in the defined geographic region, and the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plans are maintained in a memory of the resource planning system;   generating within the resource planning application a resource plan based on the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plan; displaying on a display device a graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan overlaid on a geographic map of the defined region without displaying a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan in response to receiving a first user input and displaying on the display device a combination of a graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan overlaid on the geographic map of the defined region in response to receiving a different second user input;   prioritizing the location relief strategy plan data sets;   selecting the highest priority location relief strategy plan data set as the primary location relief strategy plan; and   designating the one other of the location relief strategy plan data sets as the alternate location relief strategy plan;   wherein the apparatus resources comprise part of a network infrastructure that is to provide services for multiple entities; and   wherein the importing, the generating, and the displaying operations are performed by a computer processor of the resource planning system; and   wherein the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plan each correspond to a plan for installing and retiring cable television lines at a geographic location.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 changing the location relief strategy plan data set that is defined as a primary location relief strategy plan to be defined as an alternate location relief strategy plan; and   changing one of the other location relief strategy plan data sets that is defined as an alternate location relief strategy plan to be defined as a primary location relief strategy plan.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein generating a resource plan based on the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plan comprises selectively displaying one of the primary location relief strategy plan Of and the alternate location relief strategy plan based on an input selection from a user. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 importing into the resource planning application a plurality of location relief strategy plan data sets that are associated with a plurality of resource needs, wherein only one of the location relief strategy plan data sets associated with each of the resource needs is defined as the primary location relief strategy plan; and   generating within the resource planning application a resource plan for each of the resource needs based on the associated primary location relief strategy plan and the associated alternate location relief strategy plan.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a plurality of the location relief strategy plan data sets associated with one of the resource needs are defined as alternate location relief strategy plans. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein generating a resource plan for each of the resource needs comprises generating each of the resource plans based only on user selected ones of the associated location relief strategy plan data sets. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein generating a resource plan for each of the resource needs comprises generating each of the resource plans based only on the associated primary location relief strategy plans. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein generating a resource plan for each of the resource needs comprises generating each of the resource plans based on the associated primary location relief strategy plan and user selected ones of the associated alternate location relief strategy plans. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 toggling back and forth between the displaying of the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and the displaying the combination of the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternative location relief strategy plan responsive to alternating first and second user inputs.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 displaying, on the display device as an overlay on the geographic map of the defined region, the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring apparatus resources for carrying telecommunications in the defined geographic region without displaying a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan in response to a first user input;   displaying, on the display device as an overlay on the geographic map of the defined region, a combination of a graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan for installing and the retiring apparatus resources in the defined geographic region and a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring the apparatus resources for carrying telecommunications in the defined geographic region in response to a different second user input; and   toggling back and forth between the displaying of the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and the displaying the combination of the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternative location relief strategy plan responsive to alternating first and second user inputs.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 displaying, on the display device as an overlay on the geographic map of the defined region, the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring a number of fiber optic communication lines and electrical communication lines in the defined geographic region without displaying a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan in response to a first user input;   displaying, on the display device as an overlay on the geographic map of the defined region, a combination of a graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring the number of fiber optic communication lines and electrical communication lines in the defined geographic region and a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring the apparatus resources for carrying telecommunications in the defined geographic region in response to a different second user input; and   toggling back and forth between the displaying of the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and the displaying the combination of the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternative location relief strategy plan responsive to alternating first and second user inputs.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 displaying, on the display device as an overlay on the geographic map of the defined region, the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring a number of gas lines, electrical lines, and water lines in the defined geographic region without displaying a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan in response to a first user input;   displaying, on the display device as an overlay on the geographic map of the defined region, a combination of a graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan for installing the number of gas lines, electrical lines, and water lines in the defined geographic region and a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring apparatus resources for carrying telecommunications in the defined geographic region in response to a different second user input; and   toggling back and forth between the displaying of the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and the displaying the combination of the graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternative location relief strategy plan responsive to alternating first and second user inputs.   
     
     
         33 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor and comprising computer readable program code embodied in the memory that when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising:   importing into a resource planning application that executes on a resource planning system a plurality of location relief strategy plan data sets for installing and retiring apparatus resources in a defined geographic region, wherein one of the location relief strategy plan data sets is defined as a primary location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring apparatus resources in the defined geographic region and one other one of the location relief strategy plan data sets is defined as an alternate location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring apparatus resources in the defined geographic region, and the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plans are maintained in a memory of the resource planning system;   generating within the resource planning application a resource plan based on the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plan; displaying on a display device a graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan overlaid on a geographic map of the defined region without displaying a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan in response to receiving a first user input and displaying on the display device a combination of a graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan overlaid on the geographic map of the defined region in response to receiving a different second user input;   prioritizing the location relief strategy plan data sets;   selecting the highest priority location relief strategy plan data set as the primary location relief strategy plan; and   designating the one other of the location relief strategy plan data sets as the alternate location relief strategy plan;   wherein the apparatus resources comprise part of a network infrastructure that is to provide services for multiple entities; and   wherein the importing, the generating, and the displaying operations are performed by a computer processor of the resource planning system; and   wherein the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plan each correspond to a plan for installing and retiring cable television lines at a geographic location.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 changing the location relief strategy plan data set that is defined as a primary location relief strategy plan to be defined as an alternate location relief strategy plan; and   changing one of the other location relief strategy plan data sets that is defined as an alternate location relief strategy plan to be defined as a primary location relief strategy plan.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein generating a resource plan based on the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plan comprises selectively displaying one of the primary location relief strategy plan Of and the alternate location relief strategy plan based on an input selection from a user. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 importing into the resource planning application a plurality of location relief strategy plan data sets that are associated with a plurality of resource needs, wherein only one of the location relief strategy plan data sets associated with each of the resource needs is defined as the primary location relief strategy plan; and   generating within the resource planning application a resource plan for each of the resource needs based on the associated primary location relief strategy plan and the associated alternate location relief strategy plan.   
     
     
         37 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code embodied in the medium that when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising:   importing into a resource planning application that executes on a resource planning system a plurality of location relief strategy plan data sets for installing and retiring apparatus resources in a defined geographic region, wherein one of the location relief strategy plan data sets is defined as a primary location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring apparatus resources in the defined geographic region and one other one of the location relief strategy plan data sets is defined as an alternate location relief strategy plan for installing and retiring apparatus resources in the defined geographic region, and the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plans are maintained in a memory of the resource planning system;   generating within the resource planning application a resource plan based on the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plan; displaying on a display device a graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan overlaid on a geographic map of the defined region without displaying a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan in response to receiving a first user input and displaying on the display device a combination of a graphical representation of the primary location relief strategy plan and a graphical representation of the alternative location relief strategy plan overlaid on the geographic map of the defined region in response to receiving a different second user input;   prioritizing the location relief strategy plan data sets;   selecting the highest priority location relief strategy plan data set as the primary location relief strategy plan; and   designating the one other of the location relief strategy plan data sets as the alternate location relief strategy plan;   wherein the apparatus resources comprise part of a network infrastructure that is to provide services for multiple entities; and   wherein the importing, the generating, and the displaying operations are performed by a computer processor of the resource planning system; and   wherein the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plan each correspond to a plan for installing and retiring cable television lines at a geographic location.   
     
     
         38 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 changing the location relief strategy plan data set that is defined as a primary location relief strategy plan to be defined as an alternate location relief strategy plan; and   changing one of the other location relief strategy plan data sets that is defined as an alternate location relief strategy plan to be defined as a primary location relief strategy plan.   
     
     
         39 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein generating a resource plan based on the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plan comprises selectively displaying one of the primary location relief strategy plan and the alternate location relief strategy plan based on an input selection from a user. 
     
     
         40 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 importing into the resource planning application a plurality of location relief strategy plan data sets that are associated with a plurality of resource needs, wherein only one of the location relief strategy plan data sets associated with each of the resource needs is defined as the primary location relief strategy plan; and   generating within the resource planning application a resource plan for each of the resource needs based on the associated primary location relief strategy plan and the associated alternate location relief strategy plan.