Wireless asset monitoring and security system
First Claim
1. An asset monitoring and security system, comprising:
- at least one asset assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link;
a data store for maintaining a list of the assets and privileges associated with the assets for authorized users of the assets; and
a control unit adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and monitor positions of the assets within a defined area based on the identification signals, wherein the control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given asset for authorized users of the asset are exceeded.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An asset monitoring and security system includes at least one asset assigned a unique identifier and operable wirelessly transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier. A data store maintains a list of the assets and privileges associated with the assets for authorized users of the assets. A control unit is adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and monitor positions of the assets within a defined area. The control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given asset for authorized users of the asset are exceeded. Each of the assets includes a lock-out mechanism that impedes use of the asset when the lock-out mechanism is activated. The control unit activates the lock-out mechanism of a given asset when the privileges associated with the asset for authorized users of the asset are exceeded.
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Citations
132 Claims
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1. An asset monitoring and security system, comprising:
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at least one asset assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link;
a data store for maintaining a list of the assets and privileges associated with the assets for authorized users of the assets; and
a control unit adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and monitor positions of the assets within a defined area based on the identification signals, wherein the control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given asset for authorized users of the asset are exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 118)
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32. An asset monitoring and security system, comprising:
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an asset assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link, wherein the asset includes a lock-out mechanism that impedes use of the asset when the lock-out mechanism is activated;
a data store for maintaining privileges associated with the asset for authorized users of the asset; and
a control unit adapted to receive the identification signal from the asset and monitor a position of the asset within a defined area based on the identification signal, wherein the control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to activate the lock-out mechanism when privileges associated with the asset for authorized users of the asset are exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An asset monitoring and security system, comprising:
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at least one asset assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link;
a data store for maintaining a list of the assets and privileges associated with the assets for authorized users of the assets;
a data input device adapted to receive a personal identifier input by a user that uniquely identifies the user and a list of desired assets input by the user that the user desires to possess during an asset check-out process;
a control unit adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and monitor positions of the assets within a defined area based on the identification signals; and
a camera that communicates with the control unit and that captures an image of a user at least one of during and/or after the asset check-out process. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An asset monitoring and security system, comprising:
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at least one asset assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link;
a data store for maintaining a list of the assets and privileges associated with the assets for authorized users of the assets; and
a control unit adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and monitor positions of the assets within a defined area based on the identification signals, wherein the control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to activate a site lighting system that illuminates the defined area when privileges associated with a given asset for authorized users of the asset are exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. An asset monitoring and security system, comprising:
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at least one asset assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link;
a data store for maintaining a list of the assets and privileges associated with the assets for authorized users of the assets; and
a control unit adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and monitor positions of the assets within a defined area based on the identification signals, wherein the defined area includes first and second zones, the first and second zones are not equal in size, and the first zone is a subset of the second zone. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. An asset monitoring and security system, comprising:
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at least one asset assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link; and
a hand-held device that includes;
a data store for maintaining a list of the assets; and
a control unit adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and monitor positions of the assets within a defined area based on the identification signals, wherein the control unit communicates with the data store and a user utilizes the hand-held device to locate an asset that is outside of the defined area. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. An asset monitoring and security system, comprising:
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at least one asset assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link;
a data store for maintaining a list of the assets and privileges associated with the assets for authorized users of the assets;
a control unit adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and monitor positions of the assets within a defined area based on the identification signals; and
a display module, wherein the display module communicates with the control unit and the data store and is further operable to display an illustration of a given asset when privileges associated with the asset for authorized users of the asset are exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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90. A power tool monitoring and security system, comprising:
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at least one power tool assigned a unique identifier stored in an embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless radio frequency (RF) communications link;
a data store for maintaining a list of the power tools and privileges associated with the power tools for authorized users of the power tools; and
a control unit adapted to receive identification signals from the power tools and monitor positions of the power tools within a job site location based on the identification signals, wherein the control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given power tool for authorized users of the power tool are exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 119)
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120. A power tool monitoring and security system, comprising:
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a power tool assigned a unique identifier stored in an embedded RFID tag and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless RF communications link, wherein the power tool includes a lock-out circuit that disables functional circuitry of the power tool when the lock-out circuit is activated;
a data store for maintaining privileges associated with the power tool for authorized users of the power tool; and
a control unit adapted to receive the identification signal from the power tool and monitor a position of the power tool within a job site location based on the identification signal, wherein the control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to activate the lock-out circuit when privileges associated with the power tool for authorized users of the power tool are exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132)
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Specification