Professional Land Surveyor News: Trimble Introduces DPS Mobile Data Transfer for Digital Pen Solutions

Trimble Introduces DPS Mobile Data Transfer for Digital Pen Solutions

Trimble DPS Mobile Software for the BlackBerry Smartphone Streamlines the Transfer of Field Report Data to the Office;
Accelerates Projects for the Construction Contractor

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 26, 2010 — Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) today announced remote data transfer capabilities for its family of Trimble Digital Pen Solutions. Designed specifically for the construction contractor, the Trimble portfolio of Digital Pen Solutions and supporting software capabilities provide the simplicity of working with pen and paper with easy conversion to digital data by using a digital pen. Using Trimble DPS Mobile software, contractors can streamline the transfer of field data captured with the Trimble Digital Pen Solutions to the office for faster, more accurate data transfer and communications.

The announcement was made today at the AHR Expo 2010, the world’s largest show targeting air conditioning, heating and refrigeration contractors.

Designed for use with the BlackBerry smartphone, Trimble’s new DPS Mobile data transfer application enables workers to easily transfer data from the Trimble Digital Pen to the office. Mobile workers can use Trimble DP20 digital pens to write on printed Microsoft Excel forms and PDF files. The written information can then be transferred to a BlackBerry smartphone via a Bluetooth connection and emailed to the office for integration into the original Excel and PDF files using Trimble DPS software.

Trimble DPS Mobile further improves productivity of field workers by enabling them to deliver field reports directly from the field without having to return to the office. This results in the faster transfer of critical information to minimize downtime, report progress for payment, and address quality issues.

Once digitized, the documents can be shared with project teams and designers to improve change documentation, track construction progress and reduce project risk. With immediate access to job site data, teams can keep projects on-track and minimize errors from poor documentation without the costs and delays of scanning and transcribing data from paper.

Ideal for superintendents, supervisors, engineers, foremen, safety inspectors, crew chiefs, detailers, construction managers and project managers, the Trimble Digital Pen Solutions allow project teams members to simultaneously collect form and markup data using individual pens and print outs. Digital notes, sketches, form data, and markups can be aggregated into the original file, tracking data by user, pen, and time. The digitized data can be added to emails or stored on centralized networks to consolidate and share information among teams.

The Trimble family of Digital Pen Solutions for the contractor includes:

• Trimble DPS200 Forms for Microsoft Office Excel – users can create forms in Microsoft Excel, such as site inspection punch lists or percentage-of-completion reports, and print them on ordinary paper. The handwritten data is immediately digitized and formatted back into the original Microsoft Excel fields for automated reporting and issue tracking.
• Trimble DPS200 Markup for PDF – Users can print digitally-enabled designs, such as CAD documents and blueprints, on normal paper in small or large formats. Printed designs and as-builts can be marked-up and redlined in the field with a digital pen, which digitizes and uploads the data into the original Adobe PDF files. Teams can immediately track and share changes digitally without waiting or paying for data on paper to be sent or transcribed.
• Trimble DPS100 for Microsoft Office OneNote – automatically digitizes handwritten notes and sketches captured in the all-weather notebook for easy sharing, storing, and searching through Microsoft Office OneNote.

“The Trimble DPS Mobile applications reflect our commitment to provide innovative solutions that increase construction productivity,” said Pat Bohle, general manager of Trimble’s Building Construction Division. “These simple solutions work the way our customers work, improve communication, and reduce lost time driving between the project site and office. They also seamlessly integrate changes and ensure more efficient collaboration so that design and building project teams can reach decisions faster.”

The Trimble Digital Pen Solutions leverage the Capturx™ technology—a jobsite proven technology used by hundreds of organizations to automate paper-based data collection. A broad range of industries and agencies use Capturx products as natural interfaces into Microsoft Office, GIS, and CAD systems through digital pens.

Trimble DPS Mobile software for the BlackBerry smartphone is expected to be available during the first quarter of 2010 through select dealers in Trimble’s North American Building Construction distribution network.

About Trimble’s Building Construction Business

Trimble’s Building Construction Division is a leading innovator of productivity solutions for the building construction contractor. Trimble’s solutions target site prep, general, concrete, mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors on large and small commercial, industrial and residential jobsites. Trimble is focused on delivering solutions that tightly link office based process and information with the field crew—including taking Building Information Models (BIM) and other design data to the field for highly accurate positioning and layout of foundations and mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Trimble solutions provide a high-level of process and workflow integration from the design phase through to the finished project—delivering significant improvements in productivity throughout the building construction lifecycle.

About Trimble

Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or location—including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety, and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies, such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the back office. Founded in 1978, Trimble is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.

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