Equipment information system and method
First Claim
1. An equipment information system comprising:
- an equipment database;
a database manager operable to access and interrogate the equipment database;
an inquiry module operable to query the equipment database through an interface;
an inventory module operable to store and change data in the equipment database through an interface, and to allocate an order;
a transportation module operable to record a transportation information related to the transport of equipment from central inventory location to one of a plurality of service centers using the equipment database and through an interface; and
an installations/removals module operable to record installation/removal information regarding the installation and removal of equipment within an area serviced by one of the plurality of service centers using the equipment database through an interface.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An exemplary equipment information system and method are provided that allow equipment inventory to be efficiently and effectively tracked, monitored, and evaluated. A method for managing equipment information is provided that includes storing attributes of a piece of equipment in an equipment information database when the equipment is received at a central inventory location, adding an indication in the equipment information database that the equipment is available inventory, receiving an order for equipment needed at a service center that is of the same type as the equipment, and allocating inventory to the order based on available inventory in the equipment information database. The method may further provide shipping the equipment for the order to the service center, installing the equipment, updating the equipment information database to indicate that the equipment has been installed, removing the equipment, updating the equipment information database that the equipment has been removed, and shipping the equipment to the central inventory location.
49 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An equipment information system comprising:
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an equipment database;
a database manager operable to access and interrogate the equipment database;
an inquiry module operable to query the equipment database through an interface;
an inventory module operable to store and change data in the equipment database through an interface, and to allocate an order;
a transportation module operable to record a transportation information related to the transport of equipment from central inventory location to one of a plurality of service centers using the equipment database and through an interface; and
an installations/removals module operable to record installation/removal information regarding the installation and removal of equipment within an area serviced by one of the plurality of service centers using the equipment database through an interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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13. A method for managing equipment information comprising:
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storing attributes of a piece of equipment in an equipment information database that indicates the type of the equipment when the equipment is received at a central inventory location;
adding an indication in the equipment information database that the equipment is available inventory;
receiving an order for equipment needed at one of a plurality of service centers that is of the same type as the equipment;
allocating inventory to the order based on available inventory in the equipment information database;
shipping the equipment for the order to one of the plurality of service centers;
storing shipment attributes in the equipment information database related to shipment of the piece of equipment from the central inventory location to one of the plurality of service centers;
installing the equipment in an area serviced by the one of plurality of service centers where the equipment was shipped;
updating the equipment information database with installation information to indicate that the equipment has been installed and further to indicate the area where the equipment was installed and the one of the plurality of service centers associated with the area;
removing the equipment;
updating the equipment information database that the equipment has been removed and updating a removal information related to reasons for the removal; and
shipping the equipment to the central inventory location. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification