Geocue Corporate Overview

8/6/2019 Geocue Corporate Overview

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GeoCue is a next generation production management system developed by GeoCueCorp. GeoCue is designed as an extensible framework for large volume, multipleproduction seat data production shops. GeoCue will support technology growththrough tools supplied by GeoCue Corp, other production tool companies or byincorporation of your own in-house tools. The major areas we are addressing withGeoCue include:Combining disparate input data into a managed project data setProviding Quick Look tools for data coverage and qualityManaging production data in a multi-user environmentProviding an integration framework for commercial and custom toolsProviding workflow management tools for production operators and managersProviding visualization tools for project-wide status monitoringAutomatically collecting detailed step by step production history

Providing product generation toolsProviding web tools for keeping the delivery customer in the loop

GeoCue Executive Overview - Copyright 2010


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GeoCue Corporation is a privately held company based in Huntsville, Alabama.Most of its technical staff were previously members of the technical staff of Z/IImaging Corporation, a joint venture company owned by Intergraph of Huntsville,Alabama and Carl Zeiss of Oberkochen, Germany. When Intergraph acquired Z/IImaging in 2002, the core development group elected to form a new company sincethey preferred the environment engendered by a small, entrepreneurial startup.

The technical staff of GeoCue Corporation have deep expertise not only inengineering software development but in the technical aspects of geospatialimaging and precision positioning. Our team has produced a wide variety ofcommercial mapping and photogrammetry hardware and software products over thepast 25 years.

In late 2009, GeoCue Corporation acquired QCoherent Software LLC of Colorado

Springs, Colorado. QCoherent is a software development company dedicated tobuilding tools for LIDAR data distribution and exploitation, particularly in theArcGIS environment. Their premiere tools, LP360 for exploitation and LIDARServer for data distribution, are used by companies and agencies throughout theworld.



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Our Geospatial Process Business Unit is focused on building GeoCue, our coresoftware technology for geospatial workflow management. In addition to the coretechnology, we have created a variety of specific workflow solutions for verticalapplication areas such as digital image acquisition and LIDAR data production.

We offer integration and consulting services for designing and deploying customerworkflow solutions.

Finally, we offer solutions through third parties where GeoCue software is used toprovide workflow management and cloud computing to specific applications. Anexample is the Intergraph DMC Post-Processing System workflow.



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GeoCue maintains its LIDAR focus as a vertical business unit. As such, we offer acomprehensive suite of software and services oriented around Terrasolid as theprimary editing and batch processing tool and QCoherent tools for LIDAR QC , light-weight editing operations and LIDAR data distribution.

We offer complete services including:Consulting services for new LIDAR business developmentTerrasolid software sales/ installation, training and maintenance support for NorthAmericaHardware systems acceptance supportComprehensive workflow trainingConsulting services for workflow enhancement


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GeoCue has engaged with many major geospatial production companies andagencies in the United States. We have now begun expanding into the internationalmarket. We have provided companies and agencies:Out-of-the-box workflow tools and training for standard flows such as LIDARand Ortho productionCustomized GeoCue solutions for proprietary workflowsConsulting services for best practices productionConsulting services for workflow optimization and conversion



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Our intent is to provide the framework into which the user can plug tools formanaging large production projects. Our initial release focuses primarily onproduction management tools. The production process is managed by parcelingdata into manageable working segments that can be parceled out to productionoperators for processing. We do not place any restrictions on what the processingsteps are we simply manage the segments of data as they flow through thesystem.

GeoCue is designed from the ground up to support heterogeneous collections ofprocessing products from multiple vendors. In addition, we will supply aprogrammers Software Development Kit (SDK) that will allow users to easily addcustom tools to the system.



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The typical production workflow comprises a number of different tools from differentvendors, forming best-of-breed solutions. The problem with this approach is thatthese tools typically have low to no level of integration. The result is a verydisconnected workflow with the knowledge of how to make the overall system workcarried around in the heads of a few production experts.

Production management, particularly status reporting, is a very manual process.Operators use file directory disciplines to prevent data collisions and organizework. Home grown tools and procedures are used to interface the output of step Awith the input of step B. Production operators are relied upon to update papertracking charts or make entries into Excel or Access tracking systems.

These systems are very inefficient and error prone. The true production status isnever known, operators make errors and work on one anothers files, if someone

calls in sick, that area of production stops and so forth.

Using tools from disparate vendors is necessary since no one vendor offers anoptimal solution. Thus the appropriate solution a framework technology to integratethese disparate tools.



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The fundamental problems with workstation-centric processes is that there is nocohesive central management of the process. Thus while it is obviously possible todo production this way, it is inefficient and error prone.



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GeoCue is a framework system that integrates disparate software from multiplevendors into an integrated workflow environment. This approach allows you topreserve your investments in existing software and training while bringing order to achaotic workflow environment.

The general scheme of GeoCue is to wrap standard software applications in aGeoCue interface. This interface is used to drive the software application fromGeoCues graphical user interface and to monitor the status of the application. ThisGeoCue control wrapper allows us to manage the data that are fed to theapplication, control access, log who, what, where, when and report errors in astandard way.

The overall result is that your existing workflows are encapsulated in a processcontrol system that allows you to focus on production activities rather than

data/people/application management problems.

In a nutshell, GeoCue moves workstation-centric production to a managedEnterprise system while preserving your investments in your current workflows.



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Moving to an Enterprise solution is the best approach to bring your productionprocesses under control.However, an approach of retooling your company with a new set of enterpriseproduction tools is a cost prohibitive solution. Thus our approach with GeoCue is tosurround your existing tools and training with an Enterprise wrapper, thuspreserving your infrastructure investments.



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Our experience has shown that most companies approach the management ofprojects via these standard rolesProduction Worker these are the technicians who are doing the individual workprocesses such as editing a tile of LIDAR data or quality checking an ortho.

Production Manager these are the supervisors and subject matter experts whoguide specific areas of an overall project. Examples include the LIDAR and Orthodiscipline area managersProject Manager These are the folks who interact with the customer and serve topull together the entire project. They typically coordinate the activities of theProduction Managers with respect to the projects for which they are responsible.They generally have Profit and Loss (P&L) responsibility for the project.Executive Managers These managers need visibility into all of the projects thatare being processed by the company (or agency)



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Production user interact with GeoCue via a thick client interface. These clientscommunicate with the GeoCue Server via .NET remoting (binary or SOAP). TheClient view provides: Project View This is the primary interface to a project. The user can visualizeproduction entities (e.g. survey points, images, DEM boundaries and so forth) as agraphical element. Object Layers Production and reference entities in the Project View aresegregated by layers, much as in a GIS. This segregation is used to support eitherheterogeneous coordinate systems, logic data separation or both. Files, Properties Entity metadata can be stored in the GeoCue Database.Elements of these metadata can be exposed for viewing by a user. Clicking on anentity populates these fields. GeoCue can track multiple external files per entitywith file metadata also displayed in the Property Pane Actions Checklists can be associated with entities. Steps in the list can be

manual (just a reminder to do something) or application linked. Linked steps eitherdirectly execute programs or indirectly via the Command Dispatch System. History Each time a checklist action is performed, that action is recorded in theproduction tracking database Object Viewer An optional plug-in viewer can be specified to display views of aselected object.



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Through the optional package, Project Administrator, production managers canobtain very detailed information regarding the status of individual project objects(e.g. individual orthos, LIDAR tiles, control points or whatever is being managed).GeoCue provides a facility to automatically assign earned value management(EVM) data to processing objects. Examples include Budgeted Effort, PlannedStart Date and so forth. GeoCue automatically updates EVM values such asEstimate to Complete and Variance as the project progresses.Project Administrator can also be used to assign tasks to individual productiontechnicians. Via one of the GeoCue Symbology views, technicians are guidedthrough the tasks to which they have been assigned.



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Project Managers need insight at the aggregated level. Rather than knowing thestatus of individual objects (such as the classification status of an individual LIDARtile), the Project Manager needs information about project phases.GeoCue Project Dashboard (an optional web-based management component)provides automated roll-ups of the Earned Value Management statistics that areautomatically collected during processing within GeoCue. This means that theProject Manager can view a summary of the status of the edit state of thousands ofobjects, automatically (e.g. what is the ETC for the 5,000 ortho tiles for the QCstep?).

GeoCue tracks person time independently from machine time.



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In addition to detailed Phase EVM data, GeoCue Project Dashboard provides agraphical Key Performance Indicators (KPI) view of multiple projects. Using ProjectDashboard, executive management can very quickly pinpoint areas of trouble andtake corrective action. Since Dashboard is web based, executives can monitorproject status from any location.



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GeoCue contains the essential elements that address the major facets of geospatialproduction, independent of a particular set of software.



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GeoCue contains a programmable State Engine that allows a user to launch anexecutable program (or integrated DLL) against GeoCue managed data by simplyselecting the desired data into the Working Set (which manages multiuse locking),selecting the desired checklist processing step (the State) and pressing an action button (State Transition).

Checklists, steps, entities and so forth are easily defined and modified via Environment Builder, an included interactive workflow element creation tool



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Full history tracking of every action on every entity is maintained automatically bythe GeoCue system. Using the optional Project Manager CuePac, you can developvery detailed production status and processing history reports. These reports canbe directly exported to Excel for more detailed analysis or charting.



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GeoCue (Departmental Server version) includes an integral Command DispatchSystem. This system provides services for:Scheduling a task for remote execution (e.g. run a task at a later time on a local orremote machine)

Distributed Processing spread the processing of n entities across m machinesCluster Mode processing rather than sending tasks to specific machines, sendthem instead to a processing Cluster as defined by a GeoCue SystemAdministrator. This is very powerful in that it allows the IT group to dynamicallydefine clusters without impacting how users perceive the systemGraphically display progress The GeoCue Client Map Views can symbolicallyindicate the status of entities that are in dispatch processing queues.

This collection of services form an Intranet Cloud Computing facility.



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The GeoCue CuePacs include a number of production-related tools. Our initialfocus is to ensure that we include all of the tools that are necessary to integrateyour current production process into a managed environment. Thus our focus inour initial releases is not to change the way you process data (filter, editors, productgenerators) but to provide a framework into which you can integrate these tools.

This philosophy will allow you to move toward a more managed and controlledproduction environment without the need to retrain operators. While a productionmanager will need to be trained in setting up GeoCue and managing projects, aproduction operator can learn the GeoCue environment in a few hours.

As time goes on, we will continue to release tools for GeoCue to enhance allaspects of elevation processing, primarily based on your feedback.



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Environment Builder was released in Version 2.0 of GeoCue. We have replaced therather onerous previously required process of editing database tables with a fullyinteractive tool for creating new environments and maintaining/modifying existingones. Any user can now add new checklist steps or modify checklists for aproduction flow in minutes, directly from their GeoCue Client seat.

Of course, Environment Builder allows advanced operations as well such as:Creating new entitiesCreating new layersCreating entity metadataCreating or modifying commandsCreating customized menu systemsModifying graphical symbology



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GeoCue is unique in that it is the first tool set that has be specifically designed as aProject Management tool for use with general production tools whether fromGeoCue Corp. (NIIRS10), another software vendor or of your own design.

GeoCue is a general environment that can be tailored to meet your specific needs.While we deliver GeoCue with several pre-defined production environments, it wasspecifically designed to allow you to develop your own workflow definitions andencode them as your own environments. Once designed (and we can provideconsulting services to assist you in this task if desired), your own environments areindistinguishable from those supplied by GeoCue Corp. (NIIRS10).

GeoCue is a general purpose process manager that you can employ to managenearly any conceivable spatially organized process. This means that all of theproduction processes within your shop can be controlled under one uniform system.

The overall goal of GeoCue is to bring order and control to your productionprocesses. Through this control you will achieve higher levels of quality, moreeffective use of your personnel and ultimately, a higher profit margin per job.




CuePacs customize GeoCue, our core geospatial process managementframework, to realize specific workflows (Environments). The LIDAR 1 CuePac asdelivered, is oriented around a Terrasolid LIDAR production flow with QCoherent asthe QC tool. However, GeoCue is a flexible system that allows end-users tocustomize the workflow. Thus integrating editors other than TerraScan orQCoherent is straightforward.

GeoCue provides the core functions of:Extensive project layout tools for corridors, tiling structures, buffer zoneconstruction and so forth. GeoCue also includes a large collection of tools forgenerating output product definitions and assigning delivery names such as Easting,Northing conventions.Distributed Data ManagementMultiuser access and control, including security levelsAutomatic production tracking history (who, when, where, what, how long)Helper functions (Coordinate systems, data import, export, )

The LIDAR 1 CuePac tailors the general capabilities of GeoCue to implement astructured LIDAR processing environment.


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LIDAR data typically have very good relative accuracy (especially within a lift) andreasonable absolute accuracy. These characteristics offer the opportunity to correctLIDAR data to a set of control features for improvements in horizontal accuracy.We have developed a system to do this adjustment and offer it as a CuePac add-on to our LIDAR processing system. If you are working engineering scale projectswhere controlled horizontal accuracy is paramount, consider the FMAS CuePac.



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GeoCue offers a set of solutions for extending the management capabilities ofGeoCue to Contractor multiple subcontractor production scenarios. If youcontemplate involving multiple subcontractors in your production flows, pleasecontact us for detailed information on the Distributed Project Management System.



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GeoCue with the LIDAR 1 CuePac has become the standard for serious LIDAR production.The leading LIDAR production companies have adopted our software for day-to-dayproduction as a strategic advantage in todays highly competitive environment.

In addition to the use of GeoCue by the majority of LIDAR processing companies in NorthAmerica, a number of companies ( a few are listed on this slide) have engaged with us totake them from a state of never having performed LIDAR processing to fully competent toengage in profitable production. These LIDAR bootstrap programs are very effective forgetting your company into this rapidly expanding business area.

GeoCue scales from a single user to a large, multi-user enterprise system. Thus no projector company is too small or too large for GeoCue-based LIDAR processing. For a smallshop, GeoCue allows a small, multitasking production team (and indeed, we have someinstallation where this is a team of one!) to track multiple projects while switching back andforth between them multiple times per day. Large teams, of course, benefit from themultiuse core of GeoCue. For example, multiple LIDAR data editors can process tileswithin the same project without coordination of who is working on which data.

Our customers report typical productivity gains on the order of 25% based only on the dataand personnel management aspects of a GeoCue managed processing environment.


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Documents

Geocue Corporate Overview