SYSTEM CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT APPARATUS

• US 20070262877A1
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Misawa, Tomohisa, Hiraiwa, Kenzo, Onoshita, Sachio, Sano, Ken, Okubo, Manabu, Kimura, Makiko, Kunii, Yoshinori
• Granted Patent: US 7,692,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/679
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

In configuration management for a system constituted by a plurality of components, each of which has a radio frequency identification tag attached, the operating condition of each component is checked and component information of each component recorded in the radio frequency identification tag is read out by a tag reader at a predetermined opportune time. Then, the check result of the operating condition and the readout component information are recorded for each component.

Claims

1. A management apparatus for managing a configuration of a system constituted by a plurality of components each of which has a radio frequency identification tag attached, comprising:

a check unit for checking an operating condition of each component at a predetermined opportune time;

a tag reader for reading component information of each component recorded in the radio frequency identification tag at the predetermined opportune time; and

a storage unit for storing a check result of the operating condition and the component information for each component.

2. A computer-readable storage medium in which a program for a computer for managing a configuration of a system that is constituted by a plurality of components, each of which has a radio frequency identification tag attached, and comprises a tag reader, is recorded, wherein the program makes the computer perform

checking an operating condition of each component at a predetermined opportune time,

controlling the tag reader to read component information of each component recorded in the radio frequency identification tag at the predetermined opportune time, and

storing a check result of the operating condition and the component information for each component.

3. The storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the program makes said computer perform:

storing operation abnormality information as the check result of the operating condition in said storage unit if an operation of a component cannot be verified;

comparing immediately previous component information stored in the storage unit with current component information read out of said radio frequency identification tag; and

storing component abnormality information in the storage unit if the immediately previous component information and the current component information are not identical.

4. The storage medium according to claim 3, wherein the program makes said computer report a component failure if an operation of a component cannot be verified and if the immediately previous component information and the current component information are identical.

5. The storage medium according to claim 3, wherein the program makes said computer report a component replacement if an operation of a component is verified and if the immediately previous component information and the current component information are not identical.

6. The storage medium according to claim 3, wherein the program makes said computer report a fact of a component not existing if an operation of a component cannot be verified and if the immediately previous component information and the current component information are not identical.

7. The storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the program makes said computer perform:

if a first component is included in said system, comparing component information of a second component required for the first component, that is stored in a consistency database, with component information stored in said storage unit;

checking whether or not the second component is included in the system; and

outputting a check result.

8. The storage medium according to claim 2, wherein:

said system comprises a tag writer; and

the program makes said computer control the tag writer to write error information to a radio frequency identification tag attached to a component if an operation of the component cannot be verified.

9. The storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the program makes said computer print a transmittal letter for repair of a component based on component information read out of said radio frequency identification tag if an operation of the component cannot be verified.

10. A management method for managing a configuration of a system that is constituted by a plurality of components, each of which has a radio frequency identification tag attached, and comprises a tag reader, said management method comprising:

checking an operating condition of each component at a predetermined opportune time;

controlling the tag reader to read component information of each component recorded in the radio frequency identification tag at the predetermined opportune time; and

storing a check result of the operating condition and the component information for each component in a storage unit.