Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q50/00—Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism
  • G06Q50/08—Construction
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
  • G06Q10/06—Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Definitions

• the field of the invention is automated integration of external data into construction data management for tracking, validation, and/or archiving of various parameters in highly complex construction environments.
• the present inventive subject matter is drawn to systems, configurations, and methods of automated recording and/or associating external activities and/or information with one or more construction records to so allow coordinated and rapid retrieval of multiple construction records that are associated with the information and to allow rapid updating of construction work packages that include activities or items that are associated with the information.
• a method of facilitating information retrieval from a plurality of construction records in which in one step a plurality of construction records is maintained in a construction database on a construction database server.
• information external to the plurality of construction records is automatically acquired, wherein each of the construction records is associated with a plant component, a plant sub-component, and/or a work package.
• the information is associated one or more construction records such as to allow automatic retrieval of multiple construction records using the information.
• a user interface is configured to allow retrieval of the plurality of construction records based on the information.
• the construction database includes one or more (logical or physical) sub-databases, including an engineering database, a component database, a work package database, an archive database, a project document and data management database, and a material manager database.
• the step of automatically comprises a step of receiving a vendor record, receiving a quality control record, receiving a field report record, receiving data from an environmental sensor, receiving an RFID signal, and/or receiving a signal from a bar code reader.
• the information external to the plurality of construction records includes at least one of construction material-associated data, vendor information, tool calibration data, quality control data, weather data, and personnel-associated data.
• each of the construction records is associated with at least two of the plant component, the plant sub-component, and the work package, and/or that one of the multiple construction records belong to one of the plant component, the plant subcomponent, and the work package, that another of the multiple construction records belong to another of the plant component, the plant sub-component, and the work package, and that the one and the another are not the same.
• the step of associating the information with the construction record comprises an automated import in response to an import request and/or an import from a mobile device.
• a method of automatically modifying a work package, a plant component, or a plant sub-component in a construction project is contemplated.
• Preferred methods will include a step of maintaining a plurality of construction records in a construction database on a construction database server, wherein each of the construction records is associated with at least one of a plant component, a plant sub-component, and a work package.
• information external to the plurality of construction records is automatically acquired, and the information is then associated with at least one construction record of the plurality of construction records.
• a work package is modified based on the information, and in a further step, a user interface is provided that is configured to allow retrieval of the modified work package.
• the construction database comprises one or more databases, including an engineering database, a component database, a work package database, an archive database, a project document and data management database, and a material manager database.
• the step of automatically acquiring is selected from the group consisting of receiving a vendor record, receiving a quality control record, receiving a field report record, receiving data from an environmental sensor, receiving an RFID signal, and receiving a signal from a bar code reader, and that the information external to the plurality of construction records is selected from the group consisting of construction material-associated data, vendor information, tool calibration data, quality control data, weather data, and personnel-associated data.
• the step of associating the information with the construction record comprises an automated import in response to an import request, and/or an import from a mobile device.
• Figure 1 is a schematic of an exemplary construction database with integration of external data according to the inventive subject matter.
• Figure 2 is a schematic of an exemplary work package system with integration of external data according to the inventive subject matter.
• Figure 3 is a schematic exemplary illustration of interrelations among various aspects in contemplated construction database and work package systems.
• the present inventive subject matter is drawn to systems, configurations, and methods of automated acquisition and/or integration of external data into a construction database and/or work package system to so allow for rapid (typically post hoc) analysis of construction data and/or rapid modification of work packages based on the acquired external information.
• the information is associated with at least one construction record in real-time or near real-time. Consequently, it should be appreciated that elements and/or status of various plant components and plant sub-components can be readily retrieved and analyzed on the basis of information that may be critical to assembly or operation of the plant but that is ordinarily not associated with a construction database. Similarly, work packages can be readily identified and modified on the basis of information that may be critical to assembly or operation of the plant but that is yet again ordinarily not associated with a construction database.
• computing devices comprise a processor configured to execute software instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium (e.g., hard drive, RAM, flash, ROM, etc.).
• the software instructions preferably configure the computing device to provide the roles, responsibilities, or other functionality as discussed below with respect to the specific apparatus.
• the various servers, systems, databases, or interfaces exchange data using standardized protocols or algorithms, possibly based on HTTP, HTTPS, AES, public -private key exchanges, web service APIs, known financial transaction protocols, or other electronic information exchanging methods.
• Data exchanges preferably are conducted over a packet-switched network, the Internet, LAN, WAN, VPN, or other type of packet switched network.
• contemplated systems and methods are particularly advantageous for relatively complex engineering contracts, and especially for engineering in nuclear facilities where traceability for most of the work performed is required. As such requirements demand a significant amount of time to manage and track such work, heretofore known systems often failed to accurately and cost effectively plan, distribute, and manage construction work. Moreover, prior systems also often produced errors, which are especially undesirable where validation and tracking records are critical to safety. [0021] Among other desirable characteristics, contemplated systems and methods will allow automated acquisition of data external to construction records and further allow (preferably automated) association of the external data with at least some of the construction records. Thus, significant time savings in the review and/or analysis of construction projects as well as modification of work packages are possible at minimal operator input.
• contemplated systems and methods even where the data or records belong to entirely different components or sub-components in a plant.
• the external information is information on a batch number of faulty material
• contemplated systems and methods will readily allow identification of all plant components, sub-components, and work packages that included the material, and will also allow modification of existing work packages to avoid or replace the faulty material.
• exemplary external data or information includes material-associated data, vendor information, tool calibration data, quality control data, weather data, and/or personnel-associated data (infra).
• a method of facilitating information retrieval from a plurality of construction records is contemplated in which construction records are maintained in a construction database on a construction database server.
• information is automatically acquired that is external to the construction records, wherein in further preferred aspects each of the construction records is associated with at least one of a plant component, a plant sub-component, and a work package.
• the external information is then associated with one or more construction records such as to allow automatic retrieval of multiple construction records using the same external information.
• a user interface is provided that is configured to allow retrieval of the plurality of construction records based on the external information.
• association of external information with various construction records in the construction database will also advantageously allow methods of automatically modifying a work package for a plant component or a plant sub-component in a construction project.
• various construction records are maintained in a construction database on a construction database server, wherein each of the construction records is associated with a plant component, a plant sub-component, and/or a work package.
• a work package is then generated using at least some of the construction records, and it is particularly preferred that information external to the plurality of construction records is automatically acquired. Once acquired, the information is then (preferably automatically) associated with at least one construction record of the plurality of construction records, and the work package is modified based on the information.
• a user interface is configured and provided to allow retrieval of the modified work package.
• a construction database 100 for a large scale construction project comprises an engineering database 110 (most typically comprising engineering software and associated functional modules) that is logically coupled to a component database 120 (typically comprising a project document and data management database, a materials manager database, a component database, a database in which tool and craft certification and calibration information is stored, a rules database, a quality control database, and an archive database).
• component database 120 is logically coupled to a work package database 130 (typically comprising a work package system that functionally cooperates with various modules such as quality control modules, weld modules, certification modules, etc).
• External data 140 are automatically acquired (e.g., via sensors, push notification, network data transfer, etc.) and relayed to at least one component of at least one of the engineering database 110, the component database 120, and the work package database 130.
• Figure 2 exemplarily depicts a detail aspect of the system of Figure 1 where the work package system 210 comprises a work package query/planning section, a work package generator, a work package component statusing section, and a work package record section, each of which is logically coupled to various databases (e.g., object attribute database, component status database, archive database, and other functional modules [live tracking modules]).
• external data 240 are preferably automatically acquired and also preferably automatically associated with one or more components of the work package system and/or associated databases.
• construction databases may be physically single units having several logical sub-units.
• the sub-units may be physically separate, but logically connected using communication protocols well known in the art. Further details and aspects of preferred construction databases and work package systems are provided in our co-pending International application with the serial number PCT/US09/59705, which is incorporated by reference herein.
• the construction database comprises a plurality of records, and all known types of construction records are deemed suitable for use herein.
• suitable records include engineering records (e.g., location description, functional information, interrelation of multiple parts within a structure or substructure, etc.), various component records (e.g., material type, weld type, etc.), numerous work package records (e.g., anticipated work to be completed, completed work, etc.), archive records, project document and data records, and procurement records.
• engineering records e.g., location description, functional information, interrelation of multiple parts within a structure or substructure, etc.
• various component records e.g., material type, weld type, etc.
• numerous work package records e.g., anticipated work to be completed, completed work, etc.
• archive records e.g., project document and data records
• procurement records e.g., procurement records.
• External information is then preferably (but not necessarily) automatically acquired via numerous routes. The specific route will at least in part depend on the type of external information and the origin of the external information.
• the external information is a vendor record
• the information may be provided in an electronic format using data structures well known in the art (e.g., XML, HTML, etc.) and may be imported into the construction database via direct vendor access, via request from the database, or via manual entry.
• the external information is a quality control record (e.g., weld record, X-ray image, etc.)
• the record may be produced from a dedicated field input device that is logically connected to the construction database.
• portable devices e.g., smart phones, laptops, etc.
• external information may also be provided from one or more environmental sensors that may be at the construction site or in a remote location (e.g., weather-related data at the site or provided by weather service).
• RFID readers or transponders may be provide by one or more RFID readers or transponders, video capture devices, and/or bar code readers
• the external information may be provided to the construction database in form of a single set of data, multiple sets of data, or as a continuous stream of data.
• the data transfer may be performed using a wireless connection (e.g., cellular network, WiFi network, Bluetooth, etc.), via upload or other transfer using a local or wide area network (preferably with restricted access), via standard interface connections (e.g., USB2, RS323, etc.). Consequently, it is generally preferred that the external data are automatically (i.e., without manual user intervention) acquired, and also automatically transferred to the construction database.
• a wireless connection e.g., cellular network, WiFi network, Bluetooth, etc.
• standard interface connections e.g., USB2, RS323, etc.
• the external information may also be manually acquired and/or manually entered into the construction database.
• the external information is construction material-associated data (e.g., lot numbers, heat numbers, delivery date, delivery location, storage location, etc.), vendor information (e.g., vendor identification, vendor location, etc.), tool calibration data (e.g., pass/fail record, expiration date of calibration, calibration personnel), quality control data (e.g., weld inspection record, ultrasound records, X-ray records, etc.), weather data (e.g., temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, etc.), and personnel-associated data (e.g., identity of worker, qualification record of worker, work packages assigned to specific worker, etc.).
• use of such external data is particularly advantageous where one, more than one, or all of the each of the construction records are associated with at least two of the plant component, the plant sub-component, and the work package.
• the external information may be acquired and/or associated with one or more construction records in an automated fashion and/or in response to a user and/or operator request.
• the request may be provided from a user, a networked computer, and/or a mobile device.
• the association of the external information is performed via logical association of the information with one or more fields in the construction database, and more preferably with one or more fields of at least one construction record.
• external information may also be stored in a physically and/or logically separate database and then be logically connected to one or more
• Figure 3 exemplarily depicts multiple associations in contemplated systems and methods.

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• 2010
  • 2010-05-20 AU AU2010303893A patent/AU2010303893A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-05-20 EP EP10822373.6A patent/EP2486484A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-05-20 CN CN201080055281.0A patent/CN102763084A/zh active Pending
  • 2010-05-20 WO PCT/US2010/035624 patent/WO2011043848A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2010-05-20 CA CA2777168A patent/CA2777168A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-05-20 IN IN3010DEN2012 patent/IN2012DN03010A/en unknown
  • 2010-05-20 JP JP2012533146A patent/JP2013506933A/ja active Pending
• 2012
  • 2012-04-19 ZA ZA2012/02897A patent/ZA201202897B/en unknown

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