Patent ID: 7944345

Claim:
A method for providing a record that a location was visited during an inspection, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a portable device for use in recording data related to the inspection, said portable device including a sensor that detects when the portable device is disposed proximate the location, producing a signal indicative thereof; (b) enabling an operator to move the portable device proximate the location; (c) in response to the sensor detecting that the portable device is disposed proximate the location, displaying to the operator a plurality of different possible conditions associated with the location; (d) enabling the operator to select one of the plurality of different possible conditions, to indicate a condition associated with the location as determined by the operator; and (e) storing in the portable device a record of said one of the plurality of different possible conditions selected by the operator, the record further including an indication that the sensor detected the portable device as being disposed proximate to the location, said record providing evidence that the operator was sufficiently close to the location to make an inspection of the location.