Tracking system and method for electrically powered equipment

• US 20060103504A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SiCore Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Afco Systems Development, Inc. (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Vassallo, Godfrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,333,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.920
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A novel system and method for simplifying the management of electronic equipment such as computers, networks, and equipment and communications systems. The system tracks equipment that has been registered in an inventory database without any user involvement. Once registered and connected into the system'"'"'s power source device, the equipment'"'"'s location will be easily tracked without human intervention. This information may be used to locate systems in need of up grade, repair or relocation, and further can verify that the correct equipment was moved and that it was moved to the correct location.

Claims

1. A system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices to a power source device, said power source device including a plurality of receptacle means for receiving and disseminating AC power to one or more an electrically-powered devices connected thereto, said system comprising:

a plurality of identification devices, each identification device physically attached to a respective power receptacle provided with said electrically-powered device, and each further connected to a single receptacle means, each identification device adapted for receiving and providing AC power to its respective electrically-powered device, and each identification device further and having a unique identifier associated therewith for identifying its corresponding attached piece of equipment;

a communications system for enabling transfer of message signals between said power source device and each attached identification device via its respective connected receptacle means, said communication system further adapted to receive message signals from a tracking control device for generating a query message signal requesting identification of each electrically-powered device attached to said power source device,

wherein each attached identification device receives a query message signal from said power source via its respective connected receptacle means and communicates a response signal including its unique identifier for receipt by said control device for tracking the device connected with said receptacle means of said power source device.

2. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tracking control device comprises:

means providing a mapping of each unique identifier associated with identification devices with a predetermined connected receptacle means at said power source device and,

means for comparing each unique identifier communicated in said response message signal against said mapped predetermined connected receptacle means, said means further verifying whether the unique identifier is associated with a device predetermined as being connected to that receptacle.

3. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tracking control device generates an alarm message when a unique identifier is received from an identification device connected with an identified receptacle means other than said predetermined connected receptacle means.

4. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 2, wherein said communication system includes means for communicating signals over a network connection, said power source device comprising a network interface for receiving signals from said tracking control device according to a network communications protocol.

5. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 2, wherein said network communications protocol is a wired communications protocol.

6. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 2, wherein said network communications protocol is a wireless communications protocol.

7. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 4, wherein said communications system comprises a first communications sub-system means provided in said power source device for receiving network communications signals from said tracking control device and generating said query message signal for transmission to an identification device via its respective connected receptacle means.

8. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first communications sub-system means comprises:

means for generating said query message signal according to a modulation scheme for transmission with alternating current power signals provided by said power source for receipt by said attached identification device.

9. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 8, wherein said modulation scheme is an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation scheme.

10. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first communications sub-system means comprises a

analog multiplexor means responsive to a control signal for enabling said query message signal to be transmitted to a specific one of said plurality of receptacle means provided with said power source device for transmission to a targeted identification device and, enabling a response signal including its unique identifier to be communicated from a specific one of said plurality of receptacle means for transmission back to said control device.

11. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 10, further comprising means for coupling a generated query message signal from said analog multiplexor means to a specific receptacle means provided with said power source device.

12. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 7, wherein said communications system comprises a second communications sub-system means provided in said identification device for receiving said query message signal from said first communication sub-system and generating said response signal including said unique identifier for transmission back to said first communication sub-system.

13. The system for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for fixedly securing an identification device with a respective power receptacle provided with an electrically-powered device.

14. A method for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices to a power source device, said power source device including a plurality of receptacle means for receiving and providing AC power to one or more an electrically-powered devices connected thereto, said method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a plurality of identification devices, each identification device physically attached to a respective power receptacle provided with said electrically-powered device, and each further connected to a single receptacle means for receiving and providing AC power to its respective electrically-powered device, each identification device further and having a unique identifier associated therewith for identifying its corresponding attached piece of equipment;

b. generating a query message signal requesting identification of each electrically-powered device attached to said power source device, said power source device receiving said query message signal;

c. communicating said query message signal via a receptacle means to an attached identification device for receipt thereof; and

,

d. communicating a response message signal including a unique identifier for said identification device back to a tracking control device via the attached said receptacle means of the power source device; and

,

e. said tracking control device verifying whether the unique identifier is associated with an equipment predetermined as being connected with said receptacle means of said power source device.

15. The method for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 14, wherein, prior to step a), the step of mapping unique identifiers associated with identification devices connected to corresponding electrically-powered devices connected with predetermined receptacle means at said power source device, said verifying step e) comprising the step of:

comparing each unique identifier communicated in said response message signal via a respective connected identified receptacle means against said mapped predetermined receptacle means.

16. The method for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of generating an alarm message when a unique identifier is received from an identification device connected with an identified receptacle means other than said predetermined connected receptacle means.

17. The method for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 15, wherein said query message signal is generated for communication over a network connection, said power source device comprising a network interface for receiving signals from said tracking control device according to a network communications protocol.

18. The method for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 17, wherein said power source device receives network communications signals from said tracking control device and generates said query message signal for transmission to an identification device via its respective connected receptacle means.

19. The method for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 18, wherein prior to said step c) of communicating said query message signal via a receptacle means to an attached identification device, the step of:

generating said query message signal according to a modulation scheme for transmission with alternating current power signals provided by said power source for receipt by said attached identification device.

20. The method for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 19, wherein said modulation scheme is an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation scheme.

21. The method for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 19, wherein said step c) comprises the steps of:

coupling said query message signal to a specific one of said plurality of receptacle means provided with said power source device for transmission to a targeted identification device and,

coupling a received response message signal including its unique identifier from a specific one of said plurality of receptacle means for transmission back to said control device.

22. The method for automatically tracking connectivity of one or more electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 21, wherein said coupling steps further includes the step of implementing analog multiplexing for transmitting said query message signal a specific one of said plurality of receptacle means and receiving response message signals from a targeted identification device.

23. A system for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices serviced by an electrical power source, the system comprising:

a power source device having a plurality of power line receptacles adapted for distributing power from said electrical power source to each of electrically-powered devices;

a plurality of identification devices each for attachment to an electrically-powered device and connected to a power line receptacle for providing electrical power to a respective device via said receptacle, each said identification device including a unique identifier associated therewith indicating its connected electrically-powered device;

an inventory management control device that communicatively couples to each of the plurality of identification devices via a respective power line receptacle over a communications link,

wherein the inventory management control device communicates with each of the identification devices to determine the unique identifier of the connected identification device, thereby tracking the electrically-powered device connected to the receptacle of the power source device.

24. The system for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 23, wherein said inventory management control device comprises:

means for polling each power source device with a query message signal for determining unique identifiers of all identification devices connected to its power line receptacles, each said connected identification device generating a response message signal providing its unique identifier to said control device.

25. The system for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 24, wherein said inventory management control device comprises:

means providing a mapping of each unique identifier associated with identification devices predetermined as being connected to a power line receptacle at said power source device; and

,

means for comparing each unique identifier communicated in said response message signal against said mapped predetermined connected receptacle for verifying whether the unique identifier is associated with a device predetermined as being connected that power line receptacle.

26. The system for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 25, wherein said inventory management control device comprises means for generating an alarm message when a unique identifier received from an identification device does not correspond to an electrically-powered device predetermined as being connected to that receptacle.

27. The system for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 24, wherein said communications link includes a networked communications connection for communicating signals between said inventory management control device and said power source device, said power source device further comprising:

means responsive to received query message signals for generating signals adapted for communication to an attached identification device via a power line receptacle over a power line connection providing power to said electrically-powered device.

28. The system for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 27, wherein said network communications link for communicating signals between said inventory management control device and said power source device is adapted to communicate signals according to a wired network communications protocol.

29. The system for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 27, wherein said network communications link for communicating signals between said inventory management control device and said power source device is adapted to communicate signals according to a wireless network communications protocol.

30. A method for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices serviced by an electrical power source comprising the step of:

a) providing a power source device having a plurality of power line receptacles adapted for distributing power from said electrical power source to each of electrically-powered devices;

b) providing a plurality of identification devices each for attachment to an electrically-powered device and connected to a power line receptacle for providing electrical power to a respective device via said receptacle, each said identification device including a unique identifier associated therewith indicating its connected electrically-powered device; and

,

c) communicatively coupling an inventory management control device to each of the plurality of identification devices via a respective power line receptacle over a communications link, said inventory management control device communicating with each of the identification devices to determine the unique identifier of the connected identification device, thereby tracking the electrically-powered device connected to the receptacle of the power source device.

31. The method for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 30, further including the step of:

polling each power source device with a query message signal for determining unique identifiers of all identification devices connected to its power line receptacles, each said connected identification device, in response,

generating a response message signal providing its unique identifier to said control device.

32. The method for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 31, wherein prior to step b), the step of:

providing a mapping of each unique identifier associated with identification devices predetermined as being connected to a power line receptacle at said power source device, said method further comprising the step of;

comparing each unique identifier communicated in said response message signal against said mapped predetermined connected power-line receptacle for verifying whether the unique identifier is associated with a device predetermined as being connected that power line receptacle.

33. The method for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 30, further comprising the step of:

generating an alarm message when a unique identifier received from an identification device does not correspond to an electrically-powered device predetermined as being connected to that receptacle.

34. The system for managing inventory of electrically-powered devices as claimed in claim 31, wherein said communications link includes a network communications connection for communicating signals between said inventory management control device and said power source device, said method further comprising the step of:

generating signals adapted for communication to an attached identification device via a power line receptacle over a power line connection providing power to said electrically-powered device in response to a received query message signal.