Asset management methods and apparatus
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a plurality of electronic devices, wherein selected ones of the electronic devices include a physical-tag and a logical-tag, wherein the physical-tag includes a physical-tag identifier, and wherein the logical-tag includes logical attribute information;
at least one physical-tag reading device, which is operable to read the physical-tag identifier from the physical-tag over an air interface;
at least one logical-tag reading device, which is operable to cause a software agent to read the logical attribute information from the logical-tag; and
a processing element, which is operable to associate the physical-tag identifier with the logical attribute information.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for correlating physical and logical attributes of devices include associating logical-tags (L-tags) and physical-tags (P-tags) with target devices. A P-tag includes a P-tag identifier, which can be read by a P-tag reading device, regardless of whether power is applied to the target device. The P-tag identifier and other information can be sent to an asset manager, which can determine a location of the device. An L-tag includes an L-tag identifier and may include other L-tag information describing logical attributes of the device. The L-tag information also can be sent to an asset manager. The asset manager maintains a tracking record for the device, which may include the P-tag identifier, the L-tag identifier, information regarding the asset'"'"'s logical attributes, and information regarding the asset'"'"'s physical attributes. By maintaining similar tracking records for a plurality of devices, the asset manager can track and manage the plurality of devices.
170 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a plurality of electronic devices, wherein selected ones of the electronic devices include a physical-tag and a logical-tag, wherein the physical-tag includes a physical-tag identifier, and wherein the logical-tag includes logical attribute information;
at least one physical-tag reading device, which is operable to read the physical-tag identifier from the physical-tag over an air interface;
at least one logical-tag reading device, which is operable to cause a software agent to read the logical attribute information from the logical-tag; and
a processing element, which is operable to associate the physical-tag identifier with the logical attribute information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An apparatus comprising:
a logical-tag, which includes an information storage medium, which is operable to store logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for an electronic device, and a software agent, which is operable to retrieve the logical attribute information from the information storage medium in response to an information request from a requester, and to send the logical attribute information to the requester. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor, which is operable to create an information request to request logical attribute information that is stored by a logical-tag of a remote electronic device, wherein the logical attribute information includes a configuration description for the remote electronic device; and
an interface, operably coupled to the processor, which is operable to send the information request to the remote electronic device and to receive the logical attribute information from the remote electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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an information storage medium, which is operable to store logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for an electronic device with which the apparatus is associated; and
a software agent, which is operable to retrieve the logical attribute information from the information storage medium in response to an information request from a requester, and to send the logical attribute information to the requester. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a physical-tag reading device, which is operable to read, over an air interface, a physical-tag identifier indicated by a physical-tag associated with an electronic device; and
a processor, operably coupled to the physical-tag reading device, which is operable to associate the physical-tag identifier with logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus comprising:
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a physical-tag reading device, which is operable to read, over an air interface, a physical-tag identifier indicated by a physical-tag associated with an electronic device; and
a communication interface that is operable to provide the physical-tag identifier to a remote processing element, which associates the physical-tag identifier with logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor, operable to receive logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for a remote electronic device, and to receive a physical-tag identifier indicated by a physical-tag associated with the remote electronic device, and to store, within a database, the logical attribute information and the physical-tag identifier in association with each other; and
the database, operably connected to the processor, and which is capable of storing a plurality of tracking records, wherein a first tracking record includes the logical attribute information and the physical-tag identifier for the remote electronic device, and wherein other tracking records include logical attribute information and physical-tag identifiers for other remote electronic devices. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A method comprising:
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creating a tracking record for a remote electronic device, wherein the tracking record includes a physical-tag identifier and tracking information, wherein the physical-tag identifier includes a value indicated by a physical-tag associated with the device, and wherein the tracking information includes logical attribute information stored by a logical-tag associated with the device; and
updating the tracking record when updated tracking information is received. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method comprising:
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associating a physical-tag with an electronic device, wherein the physical-tag includes a physical-tag identifier that is readable over an air interface;
associating a logical-tag with the electronic device, wherein the logical-tag includes logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device;
updating the logical attribute information by the logical-tag;
receiving a request for at least part of the logical attribute information from a remote requester having information regarding the physical-tag; and
sending the logical attribute information to the remote requester in response to the request. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A method comprising:
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a physical-tag reading device reading, over an air interface, a physical-tag identifier indicated by a physical-tag associated with an electronic device; and
retrieving logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device based on the physical-tag identifier. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method comprising:
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a physical-tag reading device reading, over an air interface, a physical-tag identifier indicated by a physical-tag associated with an electronic device; and
providing the physical-tag identifier to a remote processing element, which associates the physical-tag identifier with logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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52. A method comprising:
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creating an information request to request logical attribute information that is stored by a logical-tag of a remote electronic device, wherein the logical attribute information includes a configuration description for the remote electronic device;
sending the information request to the remote electronic device; and
receiving the logical attribute information from the remote electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55)
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56. A method comprising:
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a logical-tag of an electronic device storing logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device;
retrieving the logical attribute information in response to an information request from a requester; and
sending the logical attribute information to the requester. - View Dependent Claims (57)
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58. A computer-readable medium having program instructions stored thereon to perform a method, which when executed, results in:
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creating a tracking record for a remote electronic device, wherein the tracking record includes a physical-tag identifier and tracking information, wherein the physical-tag identifier includes a value indicated by a physical-tag associated with the device, and wherein the tracking information includes logical attribute information stored by a logical-tag associated with the device; and
updating the tracking record when updated tracking information is received. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60)
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Specification