KR20050084215A - Engineering data interface and electrical specification tracking and ordering system - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable electronic engineering data interface and tracker that includes a host system which receives written or electronic engineering data from an engineering company for a construction project or subproject, transfers the information to a software program that re-formats the information to provide device or product level data for use in determining specific products, marking requirements, and making project management calculations, manages the data in a standard format and in one software package, manages revision levels and changes to engineering data from a field system shared among several entities, analyzes data and reports any changes to said data, tracks progress of the project by work completion, distributes information by means of the software using email for portability, sorts termination data by specific location, device, or system, and generates orders for products to be delivered.

Description

ENGINEERING DATA INTERFACE AND ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATION TRACKING AND ORDERING SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to a hardware support system and business method for integrating work processes and design data for the customization and delivery of products and services, management of project tasks and timelines, and material management within architectural projects. will be.

In the building industry, it is common for a plurality of engineering drawings, blueprints, and spreadsheets to contain all the subprojects, such as projects, electrical and mechanical projects, and information essential for the accurate and timely construction of its components. The industry typically delivers this written information to a database and builds and manages projects, including subcontractors, vendors and suppliers, and site managers. To other stakeholders involved in the business. The number of components was ordered after being estimated or manually counted, which resulted in larger time consumption, one of under or overestimated orders, or both. Underestimated orders eventually required reconciliation, that is, lost work time while waiting for new parts, and overestimated orders eventually resulted in additional paperwork, refund requests, inventory restocking costs, and remaining material.

Changes during construction, variations in "as-built" to plans, and transcription errors associated with such changes exacerbate these problems. Current methods of communicating the timing and amount of required portions include electronic changes, handwriting, transfer to a printer in a space location, and manually loaded hand-held printers. All of these systems are inconsistent, slow, and error prone.

These problems are particularly difficult in material-intensive building subprojects such as electrical projects. Hundreds of thousands of wires and cables need to be consistently labeled or labeled. For use in the maintenance of installed systems, marking and identification are important, such as equipment status, system startup, and "finished status" variations. Current work processes include using handheld devices and printing marks as needed in the field. In many cases, some tags are sent out to be printed (eg at a print shop). These processes cause additional steps to delay and manage.

Within the industry there are processes for project management and identification of electrical cables, wires and systems. Current systems utilize varying degrees of integrated databases, computer assisted design (CAD) type drawing systems, paper drafting, and internal documentation systems. The problem is that these systems tend to be specific to the project manager associated with the individual project. Therefore, a plurality of projects and subprojects can be managed using different systems. The systems and work processes are not easily deliverable and exist in particular individuals. This can prevent consistent products and hinder the timeliness and cost of the project itself.

It would be desirable to have a system that provides a solid link between contractors, subcontractors, designers, vendors, owners, and other stakeholders in the building industry. Automation systems and methods of conducting business using them are still being developed, which eliminates many paper shuffling, counting and recounting, and return caused by older systems. .

1 is a digital image of an interactive computer screen illustrating aspects of the present invention in which various categories of information may be entered.

2 is a digital image of an interactive computer screen illustrating aspects of the present invention in which labels may be selected for an order.

3 is a digital image of an interactive computer screen illustrating aspects of the present invention in which a preview of a label to be printed may be reviewed.

4 is a digital image of an interactive computer screen illustrating aspects of the present invention in which estimation of cable length requirements may be performed.

5 is a digital image of an interactive computer screen showing aspects of the present invention in which a "pull card" for cable installation may be created.

6 is a digital image of an interactive computer screen illustrating aspects of the present invention in which reports of installed cables may be generated.

7 is a schematic representation of the amount of data input required based on a user's request from the portable system of the present invention.

8 is a schematic representation of a communication flow of one aspect of the portable system of the present invention.

9 is a schematic representation of work process and material staging advantages provided by the use of the portable system and business method of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a digital image of an interactive computer screen showing aspects of the present invention in which reels in which cables are pulled for a particular circuit may be recorded.

11 is a digital image of an interactive computer screen illustrating aspects of the present invention in which reports of cables installed by type / area may be generated.

12 is a digital image of an interactive computer screen illustrating aspects of the present invention in which reports of man hour by type / area may be generated.

13 is a digital image of an interactive computer screen illustrating aspects of the present invention in which reports of cable inventory and usage may be generated.

One aspect of the invention is a portable system comprising a host system and a field system capable of communicating with the host system, the portable system receiving engineering information related to at least a portion of an architectural project, such as an electrical subproject, from a database or spreadsheet. Receive, print identification products, prepare work packages, track materials used, and format information in the appropriate format used for one or more of reporting materials used in building projects.

One embodiment of a portable system may generate an order for an identification product and manage the fulfillment of the order, which may include generating a termination report and / or generating a pull card. can do.

Another embodiment of a portable system may provide remote tracking capability to verify and quantify project progress as measured by one or more of the materials used and the man-hours used.

Another embodiment of a portable system includes a printing system capable of communicating with either or both the host and field systems. The host and / or field system may communicate information regarding label content, formatting, and printing sequence to the printing system.

In another embodiment of a portable system, the one or more labels or markers ordered are for an electrical device, cable, or electrical termination. The label may be delivered with a termination report and / or a cable accessory kit.

Another embodiment of a portable system may generate a report covering one or more of cable length requirements, field installation logs, actual length of cable used, and estimates of the pulled reel.

In another embodiment of the portable system, an order is created for one or more master cartons containing a plurality of identification products for the same building area, and the level criteria for the contents of the master carton are pre-selected.

Another aspect of the invention includes receiving recorded or electronic engineering data for an architectural project or subproject; And delivering the data to a software program that organizes the data in an appropriate format for use in one or more of printing identification products, preparing work packages, tracking materials used, and reporting materials used in construction projects.

In another embodiment of the business method, the formatted information can be used for one or more of creating identification products, establishing marking requirements, and performing project management calculations according to one or more other levels.

Another embodiment of a business method includes generating an order for an identification product. Identification products are generated and / or communicated according to project milestones.

Another embodiment of the business method includes generating a report covering one or more of cable length requirements, field installation logs, actual length of cable used, and estimates of the pulled reel.

Yet another embodiment of a business method includes receiving recorded or electronic engineering data for an electrical subproject of a building project,

Creating a unique template that converts the data received in the software program into a format that the user understands,

Passing data to the software program to determine specific identification product requirements, determine marking requirements, and provide endpoint data for use in performing electrical project management calculations,

Managing endpoint data for cabling, routing, and marking in a common format in the software program,

Managing changes to engineering data, analyzing the impact of changes to data on the required identification products, generating reports on any changes to data,

Track the progress of the project by completion of work,

Distributing the information by the software using the Internet,

Sorting termination data by a specific area, device, system, cable or wire,

Creating an order for the electrical identification product, and

Integrating supply chain process flow information into the process as an automated step for ordering, processing and fulfillment.

In another embodiment of the business method, tracking the progress of the project by task completion can be accomplished by tracking the time taken and calculating the percentage of completion.

Another embodiment of a business method includes using radio frequency identification for one or more of product ordering, product re-ordering, material management, and project tracking.

Another embodiment of the business method includes the software electronically generating an invoice for the ordered product and delivering the invoice over the Internet. Invoices can be sent by email.

According to another aspect of the present invention, identification products of various forms and combinations may be ordered using a portable system. For example, a kit may be ordered that includes a set of wire markers that meet specific requirements for an electrical subproject. The marker can be printed apart and delivered in a label package specifying the intended location of the marker. The ordered identification product may be organized into one or more master cartons. The master carton contains an identification product for a single device or area of a building project that is organized by a portable system.

As used herein, these terms have the following meanings:

1. The term "area" means a three-dimensional geographic area within an architectural project.

2. The terms "masterpak" and "master carton" refer to a carton containing a plurality of products associated with one device in a particular system (s) or area (s) within a project. Products may be similar, identical or completely different.

3. The term "end point" refers to data associated with the point at which an electrical connection is made.

4. The term "raceway" refers to a holder for a wire or cable, such as a conduit or cable tray.

5. The term "fulfillment" means providing the ordered products, packaging them as required, and delivering them to the required location in a timely manner. The term “portable system” means that the system is available at other locations, including mobile locations. Although the field system may include portable hardware, the term does not mean or require that all hardware for both the host system and the field system be portable.

6. The term "mirror dataset" means a copy of the original dataset.

7. The terms "identification product", "tag", "marker", "mark", and "label" are used interchangeably.

8. The term "level" refers to other categories of specificity in an architectural project, for example, ie areas, systems, devices, cables / circuits, and wires are increasing levels of specificity.

Advantages of one or more embodiments of the present invention are due to errors in providing information about the marker, determining how to print the marker, formatting information to be present on the marker, and performing tasks such as printing the marker. Elimination or minimization of inefficiency and slowdown.

An advantage of one or more embodiments of the present invention is to reduce the amount of labor required to print and organize the identification product.

An advantage of one or more embodiments of the present invention is to provide the contractor with a more cost effective method of labeling electrical terminations, cables, conduits, wiring conduits, cable-trays, equipment and appliances.

Advantages of one or more embodiments of the present invention are to improve wire management and risk management, reduce rework, and make a complete project archive available for maintenance of buildings.

One aspect of the invention provides a portable system comprising a host system, a field system and optionally a printer system. The host system typically includes hardware components and one or more software programs. Field systems, and optional printer systems, can be used to share software with host systems, receive engineering information related to architectural projects from a database or spreadsheet, format the information, and generate a full specification. It includes hardware components, such as computers or personal digital assistants, that can provide products and services to its specifications for architectural projects. Portable systems can create custom orders for products, manage order fulfillment, and provide remote tracking capabilities through the use of a computer via a PDA to verify and quantify project progress.

Another aspect of the invention provides information to provide data at the component level used to receive recorded or electronic information from an engineering company for an architectural project, determine a specific product, mark a requirement, and perform electrical project management calculations. It provides a business execution method of creating customized orders for architectural projects by the use of a host system to convey information to a reformatting software program.

In one embodiment, a method of doing business is a "termination" for the electrical characteristics of a project used to determine a particular product, mark a requirement, and perform electrical project management calculations for the required electrical components and subcomponents. point) "to provide automated information at the level. Automated systems manage "end point" data for cabling, routing, markers, etc. in a standard format and one software package, manage changes and revision levels for engineering data between several entities, and Analyze and report only "changes", track project progress in terms of task completion and productivity, and distribute information reformatted by software using email to support portability in the field Sort the termination data by a specific location, device or system and create an order for the electrical identification product to be delivered.

Another embodiment of a business conducting method selects an area, enclosure or device, groups the required labels according to that area, enclosure or device, and prints all labels of the group. No additional data entry is required.

Another aspect of the invention is a device or product for use in receiving recorded or electronic engineering data from an engineering company, determining a specific product, marking requirements, and performing project management calculations for an architectural project or subproject. Delivers information to software programs that reformat information to provide level data, manages data in a standard format and in one software package, and changes and revision levels to engineering data from field systems shared among several entities. Manage data, analyze data and report any changes to the data, track project progress by task completion, distribute information by software using email for portability, , Or by system It is a portable electronic engineering data interface and tracker that includes a host system that sorts the data and generates orders for the products being delivered.

Another aspect of the invention is an electronic data interface system based on input of mapped engineering data and end-to-end work processes including end point information. In one aspect, the present invention collects, filters and organizes data; Generate a sequence of data for the identification product; Engineering revision communication, material and workflow customization; Detailed project management tracking and analysis; And a standard format for material management and trending related to the architectural aspects of a particular project. This is possible through the use of product level or through the use of "end point" data, which is essential for material estimation and specification, progress reporting, trending analysis and electrical identification in the case of electrical projects.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a collection of information describing electrical design data, for example, from both the power and machinery parts of an architectural project, from an engineering design company. This type of information relates to, for example, the generation of records and reports and the installation of conduits, devices, identification materials and electrical terminations based on the reception and / or input of design information. Another aspect of the invention provides a method for collecting installation dates, actual lengths of installed conduits and cables, project notes, field design changes. Another aspect of the invention provides marker formatting, ordering and printing. Another aspect of the invention facilitates organizing work packages and cable management. Another aspect of the present invention provides these functions, along with performing engineering calculations and executing data queries for tracking and task productivity.

Other aspects of the present invention combine two or more of the previous aspects. In particular, one aspect provides a combination of all the previous aspects in one integrated system. Combining these aspects can provide increased productivity, accurate tracking and reporting of the materials used, efficient preparation of work packages and printed labels, and improved cable management.

By more efficiently collecting data including end data and managing the marking process, aspects of the present invention will allow a project manager to focus on the project rather than the task of printing and organizing markers.

Physical systems / software

The physical system has two or more interfacing components, a host system, a field system, and optionally a printing system. The system is based on software to create a portable system including a host, a field, and a printer system. The software can be licensed to users, label printers, and anyone who needs to complete a project using them.

The host system may comprise a master database and may be a central hub for data transfer. This will typically include one or more software programs and one or more hardware components. The host system may have an interface to a processor, a database, an administrator, a user, a manufacturer, a printer, or the like. The host system may include a record of all projects entered into the system. The field system may be a distributed database at a remote location. This typically includes hardware components such as computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs). Field systems will be designed for use by contractors and engineers. The printer system receives print jobs, the information including information that needs to be printed; Print information including formatting, font size; An interface database for printing labels and providing print project status.

Host system

Engineering data is entered into the host system either directly or through a field system. Data can be entered into the field system using a keyboard, point-and-click, or both, by means of a database entry (text) or barcode entry. The data is entered manually, but is preferably transmitted electronically, for example via disk or e-mail, preferably in the form of a spreadsheet.

The host database may allow for the design, implementation and maintenance of customer-specific templates. For example, various data categories can be established. Each category may have a different alpha-numeric identifier and sequence. Categories of information may be provided in a controlled and consistent manner using drop down menus, checkboxes, and the like. This is illustrated in FIG. 1, which is a data entry screen of a field system. As such, the user must enter data from a controlled vocabulary or a controlled set of choices. However, the template can be customized to use the user's own terminology.

Information from other identification categories will occupy a label screen, as shown in FIG. This information may be printed on a label to convey specific information about the location of the end. For example, FIG. 3 shows a screen with a preview of a formatted label. In the first label, "CC391AB" refers to a circuit number, "1-C (+)" refers to an end point, and "CCR" may refer to a device.

The host system can generate a template based on the unique language / configuration of the user's data and format the data for each architectural project workflow process. For example, the host system may set up templates for a series of pulltags, wiremarkers, cable markers, tray tags, equipment tags, and any other type of identification tag needed for a particular building task. Information required from the customer may include product specifications for the identification product, such as cable specifications, circuit and duration schedules, and tag type, field and identification series number, print font and size, and the like.

Examples of categories of information that can be loaded and tracked in the system include:

Circuit identification number, circuit identification suffix (if used), multiple cables, estimated design length, cable design information, associated electrical device, physical location of the circuit, system or service with which the circuit is associated, turnover system information, drawing number circuit (Drawing Number Circuit) is shown, and circuit information such as user defined information;

Conduit such as conduit identification number, conduit type or makeup, physical location of circuit, system or service with which the circuit is associated, turnover system information, drawing number conduit is shown, and user defined information Information;

Circuit routing information, such as conduit routing for each circuit, sequentially ordered from a point-to-point basis;

Electrical equipment such as equipment identification number, equipment type or configuration, physical location of the equipment, the system or service with which the equipment is associated, turnover system information, and drawing number equipment;

User defined information such as a custom identifier required, and a turnover system;

Wire management such as wire reels based on cable type, reels tagged by unique identifiers, inventory systems, anticipation of wire usage based on historical data (real), and pre or post assignment of wire reels to circuits; And

Installation tracking, such as circuit tracing, conduit installation tracing, equipment installation tracing, any actual length or quantity installed, providing updates of wire inventory, and reporting customer needs.

The host system maintains all archived data and manages any revisions or changes made to the data by any one of a number of involved parts, such as owners, engineers or contractors. The added or modified data can be entered directly into the host system or submitted through the field system. At any time that data is entered or changed, a report can be sent to the user confirming that the data loaded into the system is complete and accurate. Approval from the user (document or verbal) may be required before the database is completed.

Records generated based on the collected information may be stored in a database, where records are retrieved and used to generate a report. The information can also be useful to the project manager to track the progress of termination work orders. The system may provide a report indicating how changes such as design changes affect what has already been installed, including providing information about what additional material is required to accommodate the change or modification. Reports can be delivered to the project manager or others via a computer network for exportable schedule status and tracking. In one embodiment, a report can be generated and automatically delivered to the project manager. The report can be delivered via email as an attachment or as a link to a web page. The report may be in the form of a word processing document, a spreadsheet or an HTML or XML document. Queries and reports can be generated, for example, using a business intelligence software program available from CA, Palo Alto, Crystal Decisions under the trade name CRYSTAL REPORTS, so that the architectural firm's logo is displayed on a report sent to the customer. May exist. In addition to the reports, the system can generate invoices for the products ordered. Invoices can be generated electronically and delivered via the Internet, including via email.

Field system

Field systems are specifically designed and portable for the building process. The system may operate on a 32-bit operating system such as available under the trade name WINDOWS from WA, Redmond, and Microsoft Corporation, and the software available under the trade name WINDOWS is owned and developed by Miocrosoft Corporation. Useful versions of operating software available under the trademark WINDOWS of Microsoft Corporation include WINDOWS 95, WINDOWS 98, WINDOWS ME, WINDOWS NT, WINDOWS 2000, and WINDOWS XP Professional or WINDOWS XP Home. These are, if desired, Apple Computer Inc. Operating system Compatible with the system to be migrated to Mac Native. More than 20 megabytes of hard drive space is ideal for system use. Other suitable operating systems include PDAs based on Unix and Linux, Palm, Windows CE or similar operating systems, interactive kiosks that can have touch screen displays, internet-built wireless phones, and other Internet devices. can do.

Field systems may be used to generate pull cards, termination cards (to and from), termination sheets by devices and installation logs. This is in addition to the queries and reports that can be executed. These documents can be used to assist in the work process, and the electrical mill or supervisor will forward these documents to the electrician or installer.

The system also allows users to manage and track installation, material usage, and work completion rates on a daily basis. For example, an estimate of the cable length requirement can be recorded on the system, as shown in FIG. If the cable is being pooled, a field installation log may be created listing all the cables to be pooled through the particular conduit. A sample field installation log is shown in FIG. This information can be printed in the form of a "pull card", which will inform the installer of all the cables that need to be pulled to the conduit. If a cable is installed, the actual length of the cable used, and the reel that was pooled can also be recorded, and information can be generated in a report format, as shown in FIG. This cable / wire tracking and management capability helps prevent wire and cable overruns, emergency runs and rework.

The field database may provide the user with a list of acceptable category selections of data entry based on the database of the design engineering company. Such preloaded information may include destinations for regions, systems (eg, AC), cables and conduits, and the like. The string of destinations indicates the location of the item to be labeled.

The field database can be activated on a project basis via a time sensitive password. In other words, the field system will stop accepting specified passwords or (or all) changes or information after a particular period of time has expired. This allows the customer to maintain an archival copy of the information, but prevents reuse of the software for other projects.

The field system may include the following features:

User setup;

Assign system destinations to circuits;

Assigning a turnover system destination to a circuit; Product orders (all types of labeling); Data input for project tracking including circuit installation-pooled cables, circuit installation-terminated wires, conduit installation, electrical equipment installation, and received and pooled cable reels;

Circuit Report, Conduit Report, Circuit Routing Report, Electrical Equipment Report, Wire Management Report, and Misc. Report operations, including support reports; And

Data synchronization to and from the host, including label request and label status.

Printing system

Printing and label assembling services may also be provided. Printing may be performed using a host or field system or a separate printing system may be included in the portable system. If a printing system is used, printing and label assembly may be performed by a third party, for example a label production company. The label producing company may be in contract with the entity controlling the host system or the entity controlling the field system. The order for the label may be placed by the entity controlling the host system or the entity controlling the field system.

The printing system will include software that formats the data in the database and prints it on the marker label. The software will typically print tags according to systems, devices or cables that all require tags of the same size and type. The tags can then be sorted and grouped as required for the customized work package. Alternatively, the printing system can sort and print the data according to the area. However, this printing method may require changing the tag type on which the information is being printed frequently. When this method is used, the software preferably provides an indication that a new type of tag needs to be placed in the printer, and preferably stops printing so that changes can be made.

Hosts, fields, and printing systems are linked to be synchronized. This allows program revision and information transfer from one system to another. Modifications and improvements to the software can be transmitted electronically to the field and printing system.

Customer Input Pyramid

The individual customer determines the level of input for each project and thus the level of return that can be achieved from the system. As shown in FIG. 7, the customer merely transfers to the work process format by selecting, for example, by clicking on a box in the software, representing the system mark and label being printed (“label” at the top of the FIG. 7 pyramid). Can be ordered customized electrical identification products. As shown in the figure, no input is required for this return level. If the customer wants to enter information, he can enter (or "check") that the specific work task has been completed; The entire electrical project will have progress and status reporting available (progress project status in FIG. 7). If the customer enters a “real” installed length and amount, ie deviations, as opposed to previous engineering estimates, project specificity and general material trending will be available (trending in FIG. 7). This type of information will also provide manufacturers and sellers with predictive and material preparation capabilities (material preparation in FIG. 7). If numbers are assigned to the cables and wire reels and the customer enters the information into the software, the material and wire control system will be in place (wiring in FIG. 7). By implementing three easy steps, a project can be better managed through the use of accurate marking, project progress and status, material trending and control.

Communication flow

8 is a schematic representation of the communication flow of the system. The communication of the revision between the "field" data and the previous "engineering" data will be managed via the host system. Communication can occur via the SMTP / POP3 server platform via email synchronization. A mirror copy of each dataset exists in the database, and all updates uploaded in the field are downloaded to the server (“upload” as indicated in the field system of FIG. 8), and then downloaded to the host server and coded for change. The details and receipt of the update are verified and confirmed before the mirror dataset is updated. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the host will download these updates back to the field. Delivery impacts and report logs will provide information on non-significant or anticipated changes, significant changes, or inventory or identification impacts. All changes are date and time stamped. The host system may communicate the change to the printing system.

Access to hosts, fields, and printer systems can be controlled by security means such as user identification and passwords. In addition, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to control the level of access a user has. This may be accomplished with security measures such as user identification and password.

Material and Workflow Customization

9 is a schematic representation of work process and material staging advantages provided by the use of the portable system and business method of the present invention.

Users can order identification materials, input actuals, and installation data for project tracking and trending, and synchronize with host systems for revision updates and data delivery. The "identification" part of the process defines the product specifications used for conduits, wiring conduits, equipment, appliances, wires, cables, safety markings, etc. Determine how it is distributed. The engineer creates the design (engineering data in FIG. 9), and then the engineering data is transformed from the format into a usable template that can be based on the user's unique method of performing the building work. As shown in the figure, updates are emailed between the host system and the field system. For electrical projects, the data and tools in the system provide specifications for the specific product type required for electrical identification and termination requirements. These methods include ordering and printing samples for approval, calculating material quantities, examining ranges, and evaluating projects through the system. The time and effort required to sort through the data to determine the information to be printed, the staging in the organization and logistics and devices that order and print the materials will be drastically reduced.

Project data is converted to field versions via native templates. This version is provided to the customer, which includes engineering data and software tools used to manage the building process and its assets. The system is portable, can be operated remotely and can be updated through the synchronization process described above.

One aspect of the present invention provides a method of performing a business that sorts product information against various project systems, devices, areas, or other input criteria for a particular workflow process of the project. For example, the information can be sorted to show all identification products, as well as the cable lengths and accessories needed to install a particular cable tray and all the wires connecting to it. For electrical projects, this product information (cable ID, wire ID, equipment ID, conduit and tray ID) is sorted by system, device, area, cable, and so on. Products are ordered, printed, delivered and staged at the building site through selection from customers. For electrical projects, customers will select marker sorting requirements (area, system, device) and order parts and services.

The information may be included in a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that may be attached to the marker. The tag contains identification information, which can be scanned. The scanned information can be used to determine when the tag is located and whether it is installed. The use of RFID tags can assist in product ordering, product reordering, shelf management, and project tracking. This information is sent, for example, by a scanner to the field system to update the status of the installation progress. The information may be further sent to the host system.

The unique organization of the data provides the foundation for detailed project management, material trending, and reporting. Information management on occupied time, cross sectional analysis, etc. can all be achieved through detailed database information based on industry standards and specifications for cables and equipment. One aspect of the present invention allows cable management by recording the reels used to provide the cable for a particular circuit, as shown in FIG. The information may be reported in other forms. For example, FIG. 11 shows a report of cable length summary by type / area. 12 shows a report of time summaries by type / region. 13 shows a report of cable inventory and usage. Work completion, as-built changes, and the like can be communicated through a synchronization process from the PDA to the field system and from the field system to the host system. The field system becomes a copy of the "real state" configuration of the project itself and can be used for maintenance functions. Complete state configuration copies can help identify future changes that may affect the design, material, or identification product. The ability to rebuild parts of a site system after a fire or damage, troubleshooting performance, and routine maintenance tracking are all key attributes with completed project data. The system can be used to provide customized work packages. A customized work package is a kit or collection of various types of items needed to complete the scope of the project. For example, for a connection being made in the power system between the motor and the motor control, the customized work package may include custom labels for the motor connection kit, lugs, hardware, and specific system parts thereof. have. For the connection between the instrument and the control panel, the customized work package can include termination reports / logs, full cards, termination cards, cable accessory kits, cable tags, and wire marks, all of which are devices, for example It can be organized by a device such as an air conditioner, a boiler, or the like. Full cards, end cards and the like can be printed on paper that is water resistant and not tearing so that they cannot be damaged by field conditions.

This description should not be construed as limiting, as variations can be readily made by those skilled in the art, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims.

This patent application is a continuation-in-part and claims the benefit of priority on December 13, 2002, US patent application 10 / 319,035.

Claims (27)

A portable system comprising a host system and a field system capable of communicating with the host system, Receive engineering information related to more than one part of a building project from a database or spreadsheet, print the information, identify products, prepare work packages, track materials used, and report materials used in the building project A portable system capable of formatting into a suitable format for use in one or more of the above. The portable system of claim 1, wherein it is further possible to create an order for the identification product and to manage the fulfillment of the order. The portable system of claim 2, wherein managing the fulfillment of the order includes generating an end report. The portable system of claim 2, wherein the fulfillment management of the order includes generating a full card. The portable system of claim 1, which can further provide remote tracking capability to verify and quantify project progress as measured by one or more of the materials used and the man-hours used. The portable system of claim 1, further comprising a printing system capable of communicating with one or both of the host and field systems. The portable system of claim 1, wherein the host or field system communicates information about label content, formatting, and print sequence to the printing system. The portable system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the building project is an electrical subproject. The portable system of claim 2, wherein the at least one ordered label or marker is for an electrical device, cable, or electrical termination. 10. The portable system of claim 9 wherein the one or more labels are delivered with an end report. The portable system of claim 9, wherein the one or more cable labels are delivered with a cable accessory kit. The portable system of claim 2, wherein an order is generated for one or more master cartons comprising a plurality of products for the same building area, and the level criteria for the content of the master carton is pre-selected. The portable system of claim 1, wherein it is further possible to generate a report covering one or more of cable length requirements, field installation logs, actual length of cable used, and estimates of pooled reels. As a business method, a) receiving recorded or electronic engineering data for an architectural project or subproject, and b) delivering the data to a software program that organizes the data in an appropriate format for use in one or more of identification product printing, work package preparation, material tracking used, and material reporting used in building projects. Business method that includes. The method of claim 14, wherein the formatted information can be used for one or more of creating an identification product according to one or more different levels, establishing marking requirements, and performing project management calculations. The business method of claim 14 further comprising generating an order for the identification product. The method of claim 14, wherein the identification product is one or both delivered or generated in accordance with a project milestone. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating a report covering one or more of cable length requirements, field installation logs, actual length of cable used, and estimates of pooled reels. The method of claim 14, a) receiving recorded or electronic engineering data for the electrical subproject of the building project, b) generating a unique template in the software program that converts the received data into a format understood by the user, c) sending the data to the software program to determine specific identification product requirements, determine marking requirements, and provide endpoint data for use in performing electrical project management calculations; d) managing the endpoint data for cabling, routing, and marking in a common format within the software program, e) managing changes to engineering data, analyzing the impact on the identified products requiring changes to the data, and generating reports of any changes to the data, f) tracking the progress of the project by completion of work, g) distributing information by the software using the Internet, h) sorting termination data by a specific area, device, system, cable, or wire, i) generating an order for the electrical identification product, and j) Integrating supply chain process flow information into the process as an automated step for ordering, processing and fulfillment Business method that includes. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the tracking of the progress of the project by task completion is achieved by tracking the time occupied and calculating the percentage of completion. 20. The method of claim 19 further comprising using radio frequency identification for one or more of product ordering, product reordering, material management, and project tracking. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the software further comprises electronically generating an invoice for the ordered product and delivering the invoice over the Internet. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said invoicing is sent by email. A kit comprising a set of wire markers meeting certain requirements for electrical subprojects ordered by the system of claim 2, wherein the markers are printed apart and delivered in a labeled package specifying the intended location of the markers. subject. An item comprising a group of identification products selected and ordered by the system of claim 2. The item of claim 24, wherein the product is organized into one or more master cartons. A product comprising a master carton comprising a product for a single device or area of an architectural project constructed by the system of claim 1.