Patent ID: 7624024
Filing Date: 2009-11-24
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method for servicing a sequence of service stops using a service vehicle, the sequence of the service stops indicated by a logical sequence of records in a dispatch plan stored in a memory of a portable computing device, the method comprising executing a microprocessor located in the portable computing device to perform the steps of: receiving update data wirelessly transmitted to the portable computing device, the update data comprising a first record associated with a service; identifying address data in the first record and providing an indication that the address data is to be added to the dispatch plan; retrieving at least a second record of the dispatch plan from the memory, wherein the second record comprises an address field associated with one of the sequence of the service stops; comparing the address data in the first record with the address field associated with the second record; determining a relative order of the first record with respect to the second record; adding the first record to the dispatch plan based on the relative order; identifying a subset of the records in the dispatch plan, wherein each record in the subset comprises a service completion flag indicating a respective service stop has not been performed; identifying a service commitment in a record in the subset of records that is expected not to be performed by a required time based on a current time and at least a ratio of completed service stops relative to a total number of service stops; reordering a logical sequence of the subset of the records, wherein the logical sequence of the subset of the records represents an order for performing the service stops of the subset of the records; storing the logical sequence of the subset of the records in the memory to produce an updated dispatch plan; notifying a driver of the service vehicle via the portable computing device of the production of the updated dispatch plan; and initiating viewing by the driver on a display controlled by the portable computing device of at least a portion of the updated dispatch plan, the portion of the updated dispatch plan including at least one address associated with one of the sequence of the service stops that has not yet been serviced.