Equipment configuration visualization tools, systems and methods

• US 20060164245A1
• Filed: 01/15/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aerospace Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aerospace Corporation
• Inventors: Kibalo, Thomas Henry
• Application Number:
  US11/036,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20060164245A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

An equipment configuration visualization apparatus includes a visualization tool configured to integrate a network of electronic tagging devices that are directly and/or remotely interfaced with the visualization tool. The electronic tagging devices store information associated with equipment. The visualization tool is configured to poll the electronic tagging devices to obtain the information and to generate visual representations from the information.

Claims

1. An equipment configuration visualization apparatus comprising:

a visualization tool configured to integrate a network of electronic tagging devices that are directly and/or remotely interfaced with the visualization tool, the electronic tagging devices storing information associated with equipment, the visualization tool being configured to poll the electronic tagging devices to obtain the information and to generate visual representations from the information.

2. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information includes an equipment location.

3. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information identifies an equipment rack.

4. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information includes an equipment rack position.

5. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information includes an equipment rack size.

6. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information includes an equipment identification number.

7. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information includes an equipment model number.

8. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information includes an equipment serial number.

9. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information includes an equipment description.

10. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visual representations include one or more equipment configuration views.

11. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 10, wherein the equipment configuration views include a network view of equipment discovered from polling the electronic tagging devices.

12. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 10, wherein the equipment configuration views include a database view of equipment generated from a database of known equipment configuration information.

13. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visual representations include one or more rack drawings.

14. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visualization tool is configured to compare network equipment configurations discovered from polling the electronic tagging devices with database equipment configurations.

15. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visualization tool is configured to allow a user to program the electronic tagging devices with the information.

16. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visualization tool is configured to allow a user to activate a graphical user interface from one or more of the visual representations.

17. An equipment configuration visualization method comprising:

securing electronic tagging devices to equipment;

remotely networking the electronic tagging devices;

polling the electronic tagging devices to retrieve equipment configuration information stored in the electronic tagging devices; and

generating visual representations from the equipment configuration information.

18. The equipment configuration visualization method of claim 17, wherein the visual representations include one or more equipment configuration views.

19. The equipment configuration visualization method of claim 18, wherein the equipment configuration views include a network view of equipment discovered from polling the electronic tagging devices.

20. The equipment configuration visualization method of claim 18, wherein the equipment configuration views include a database view of equipment generated from a database of known equipment configuration information.

21. The equipment configuration visualization method of claim 17, wherein the visual representations include one or more rack drawings.

22. The equipment configuration visualization method of claim 17, further including:

comparing network equipment configurations discovered from polling the electronic tagging devices with database equipment configurations.

23. The equipment configuration visualization method of claim 17, further including:

programming the electronic tagging devices with the equipment configuration information.

24. The equipment configuration visualization method of claim 17, further including:

activating a graphical user interface from one or more of the visual representations.

25. An equipment configuration visualization system comprising:

an interactive user interface that is networked to multiple storage devices secured to equipment, the interactive user interface being configured to allow a user to retrieve information from the storage devices and to automatically generate visual representations from the information.

26. The equipment configuration visualization system of claim 25, wherein the interactive user interface is implemented with Java Class components.

27. The equipment configuration visualization system of claim 25, wherein the interactive user interface is configured to allow the user to program the storage devices with the information.

28. The equipment configuration visualization system of claim 25, wherein the interactive user interface is configured to allow the user to provide inputs that cause the interactive user interface to generate one or more of the visual representations.

29. The equipment configuration visualization system of claim 25, wherein the visual representations include one or more graphical user interfaces.

30. The equipment configuration visualization system of claim 25, wherein the visual representations include one or more equipment configuration views.

31. The equipment configuration visualization system of claim 30, wherein the equipment configuration views include a network view of equipment discovered from polling the storage devices.

32. The equipment configuration visualization system of claim 30, wherein the equipment configuration views include a database view of equipment generated from a database of known equipment configuration information.

33. The equipment configuration visualization system of claim 25, wherein the visual representations include one or more rack drawings.

34. The equipment configuration visualization system of claim 25, wherein the visual representations include a comparison of network equipment configurations discovered from polling the storage devices with database equipment configurations.

35. An equipment configuration visualization apparatus comprising:

a fixture including an interface for an electronic tagging device, connectors for operatively interconnecting the fixture with external devices, and an electrical interface between the interface and the connectors.

36. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 35, further including:

a mechanism for securing the fixture to host equipment.

37. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 35, wherein the interface includes a coin cell battery holder.

38. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 35, wherein the connectors are configured for connecting the fixture to a network.

39. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 35, wherein the connectors are modular.

40. An equipment configuration visualization apparatus comprising:

a multi-function fixture including interfaces for sub-modules at least two of which are functionally different from each other, connectors for operatively interconnecting the multi-function fixture with external devices, and an electrical interface between the interfaces and the connectors.

41. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 40, wherein the sub-modules include a memory device for storing equipment configuration information.

42. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 40, wherein the sub-modules include a thermometer for environmental temperature monitoring.

43. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 40, wherein the sub-modules include an addressable switch for remote monitoring of a tamper or sense line.

44. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 40, further including:

a mechanism for securing the fixture to host equipment.

45. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 40, wherein the connectors are configured for connecting the multi-function fixture to a network.

46. The equipment configuration visualization apparatus of claim 40, wherein the connectors are modular.