Systems, methods, and media for managing electronic asset tags for asset devices

• US 20060261948A1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Krack, James Anthony, Lewis, Harry Reese Jr., Czyszczewski, Joseph Stanley
• Granted Patent: US 7,400,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Systems, methods, and media for managing electronic asset tags for asset devices are disclosed. Embodiments include a system having one or more asset devices in communication with a network where each asset device has an electronic asset tag, where the electronic asset tag has contents including an asset number associated with the asset device having the electronic asset tag. The system may also include an asset tag manager in communication with the network to access the contents of the electronic asset tags of the one or more asset devices. In a further embodiment, the asset tag manager may be adapted to modify the contents of the electronic asset tags of the one or more asset devices. In another further embodiment, the asset tag manager may be adapted to reload to an asset device the contents of the electronic asset tag of the asset device.

Claims

1. A method for managing one or more asset devices, the method comprising:

accessing an electronic asset tag of an asset device, the electronic asset tag having contents comprising an asset number;

providing electronic asset tag authorization to the asset device; and

after providing electronic asset tag authorization, modifying the contents of the electronic asset tag of the asset device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising initializing a network connection with the asset device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising after modifying the electronic asset tag, recording an indication of a status for the electronic asset tag.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the contents of the electronic asset tag to a backup device; and

reloading the contents of the electronic asset tag from the backup device to the electronic asset tag of the asset device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic asset tag comprises one or more of an indication of an owner associated with the asset device, and an indication of a customer associated with the asset device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing electronic asset tag authorization comprises providing one or more of a password, a digital signature, a digital authentication, and an indication of identification.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the contents of the electronic asset tag of the asset device comprises updating the asset number of the asset device.

8. A machine-accessible medium containing instructions effective, when executing in a data processing system, to cause said data processing system to perform operations comprising:

accessing an electronic asset tag of an asset device, the electronic asset tag having contents comprising an asset number;

providing electronic asset tag authorization to the asset device; and

after providing electronic asset tag authorization, modifying the contents of the electronic asset tag of the asset device.

9. The machine-accessible medium of claim 8, further comprising initializing a network connection with the asset device.

10. The machine-accessible medium of claim 8, further comprising after modifying the electronic asset tag, recording an indication of a status for the electronic asset tag.

11. The machine-accessible medium of claim 8, further comprising:

recording the contents of the electronic asset tag to a backup device; and

reloading the contents of the electronic asset tag from the backup device to the electronic asset tag of the asset device.

12. The machine-accessible medium of claim 8, wherein the electronic asset tag comprises one or more of an indication of an owner associated with the asset device, and an indication of a customer associated with the asset device.

13. The machine-accessible medium of claim 8, wherein providing electronic asset tag authorization comprises providing one or more of a password, a digital signature, a digital authentication, and an indication of identification.

14. The machine-accessible medium of claim 8, wherein modifying the contents of the electronic asset tag of the asset device comprises updating the asset number of the asset device.

15. A system for managing asset numbers, the system comprising:

one or more asset devices in communication with a network, the asset devices each having an electronic asset tag, the electronic asset tags having contents comprising an asset number associated with the asset device having the electronic asset tag; and

an asset tag manager in communication with the network, the asset tag manager being adapted to access the contents of the electronic asset tags of the one or more asset devices.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a database in communication with the asset tag manager, the database being adapted to store contents of the electronic asset tags.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein one or more of the asset devices are adapted to store the contents of their electronic asset tags in multiple locations within the asset device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein one or more of the asset devices are adapted to transmit the contents of their electronic asset tags to a backup device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the asset tag manager is further adapted to modify the contents of the electronic asset tags of the one or more asset devices.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the asset tag manager is further adapted to reload to an asset device the contents of the electronic asset tag of the asset device.