RFID-BASED RACK INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

• US 20190332833A1
• Filed: 07/08/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mox Networks, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mox Networks, LLC
• Inventors: Hochhalter, David, Bigelow, David, Witchey, Nicholas J, Milam, Chad
• Granted Patent: US 10,891,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

An asset management system comprises a memory storing software instructions enabling control of a set of network devices having a corresponding allocated rack space, the set being sparsely distributed over multiple cabinets, wherein an aggregate rack space occupied by the set of network devices does not exceed the allocated rack space. A processor coupled with the memory and that executes, based on the software instructions stored in the memory, operations comprising generating a virtual representation representing the set of network devices residing in at least one virtual cabinet corresponding to the allocated rack space. The virtual representation is used to enable configuration of a functionality of at least one network device in the set of network devices residing in the virtual cabinet based on asset data of the at least one network device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory storing software instructions enabling control of a set of network devices having a corresponding allocated rack space, the set being sparsely distributed over multiple cabinets, wherein an aggregate rack space occupied by the set of network devices does not exceed the allocated rack space; and

a processor coupled with the memory and that executes, based on the software instructions stored in the memory, operations comprising;

generating a virtual representation representing the set of network devices residing in at least one virtual cabinet corresponding to the allocated rack space; and

using the virtual representation to enable configuration of a functionality of at least one network device in the set of network devices residing in the virtual cabinet based on asset data of the at least one network device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the asset data includes information for at least one network device in the set, the information comprising at least one of geographical location information, network topology information, an indication that a particular rack-mounted instrument exists, and an indication that a particular rack-mounted instrument is available for use.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the information is based on sensor data.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the information is received from an asset location system.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the asset location system comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) system comprising at least one of a plurality of passive RFID tags and a plurality of active RFID tags.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one of the plurality of passive RFID tags and the plurality of active RFID tags comprises at least one of a predetermined relationship with a plurality of rack-mounted instruments, the predetermined relationship comprising a one-to-one relationship, a many-to-one relationship, and a one-to-many relationship.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the asset location system comprises an asset filter configured to search devices according to at least one filter parameter and designate the set as devices that meet the at least one filter parameter.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one filter parameter comprises at least one of a customer identifier, an instrument manufacturer, an instrument type, an instrument model number, an instrument operating status, a serial number, a geographical location, and a network topological location.

9. A computer-implemented method using at least one processor coupled with a memory storing software instructions, the method comprising:

controlling a set of network devices having a corresponding allocated rack space, the set of network devices being sparsely distributed over multiple cabinets, wherein an aggregate rack space occupied by the set of network devices does not exceed the allocated rack space;

generating a virtual representation representing the set of network devices residing in at least one virtual cabinet corresponding to the allocated rack space; and

using the virtual representation to enable configuration of a functionality of at least one network device in the set residing in the virtual cabinet based on asset data of the at least one network device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the asset data includes information for at least one network device, the information comprising at least one of geographical location information, network topology information, an indication that a particular rack-mounted instrument exists, and an indication that a particular rack-mounted instrument is available for use.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the information is based on sensor data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information is received from an asset location system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the asset location system comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) system comprising at least one of a plurality of passive RFID tags and a plurality of active RFID tags.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one of the plurality of passive RFID tags and the plurality of active RFID tags comprises at least one of a predetermined relationship with a plurality of rack-mounted instruments, the predetermined relationship comprising a one-to-one relationship, a many-to-one relationship, and a one-to-many relationship.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising searching devices according to at least one filter parameter and selecting devices for the set that meet the at least one filter parameter.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one filter parameter comprises at least one of a customer identifier, an instrument manufacturer, an instrument type, an instrument model number, an instrument operating status, a serial number, a geographical location, and a network topological location.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of allocable hardware components residing in a plurality of distributed network machines;

a communication network communicatively coupling together the plurality of hardware components; and

at least one processor that determines asset data of at least one of the allocable hardware components, that represents the plurality of hardware components as a single network machine, and that enables operation of the network machine based on the asset data of the allocable hardware components.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the asset data includes information for at least one of the allocable hardware components, the information comprising at least one of geographical location information, network topology information, an indication that a particular rack-mounted instrument exists, and an indication that a particular rack-mounted instrument is available for use.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the information is based on sensor data.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the information is received from an asset location system.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of allocable hardware components comprises at least one of a computer processing unit, a memory, a network interface, and a special purpose processor.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to provide interoperability between a plurality of components in the set operating according to different protocols.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to select the set based on at least one filter parameter, the at least one filter parameter comprising a customer identifier, a component type, a machine type, a manufacturer identifier, a model number, a serial number, latency, bandwidth, congestion, and load balancing associated with the communication network.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to adapt selection of the set based on at least one of inputs provided by the user, processing capabilities required by a software program to run on the apparatus, memory required by the software program running on the apparatus, and network interface criteria determined by a server program running on the apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the user interface comprises a common interface for a plurality of different sets of the allocable hardware components.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the hardware abstraction layer provides a plurality of layers of abstraction based on at least one of user type and at least one software program type.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, the user interface comprises a filter input whereby a user can input at least one filter type to the controller.

28. A computer-implemented method using at least one processor coupled with a memory storing software instructions, the method comprising:

determining asset data of at least one of a plurality of distributed network machines, each network machine comprising at least one of a plurality of allocable hardware components;

from the asset data, determining a plurality of selected distributed network machines, the plurality of selected distributed network machines comprising a sufficient plurality of allocable hardware components to function as a single computer server;

communicatively coupling together the sufficient plurality of allocable hardware components;

representing the sufficient plurality of allocable hardware components as a single network machine; and

enabling operation of the single network machine based on the asset data of the allocable hardware components.