Asset management and status system

• US 7,277,889 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A2B Tracking Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: George Smagala, Louis Salvatore Addonisio
• Inventors: Addonisio, Louis Salvatore, Smagala, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US10/680,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-205, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

An asset management and status system includes a number of data communication terminals and one or more interconnected remote computing systems, which may be utilized for managing and tracking a large number of varied and distributed assets. Each data communication terminal is arranged to interrogate a proximate electronic device of an asset to determine an identifying code, and further activate an included position determining module to determine a current location. Subsequently, the identifying code and current location information are transmitted to the remote computing system for use in updating a database established and maintained on the remote computing system.

Claims

1. An asset management and status system comprising:

a) a remote computing system configured with a wireless communication capability enabling, at minimum, an exchanging of information with any of a plurality of wireless data communication terminals, each data communication terminal available for use by an individual for identifying assets, by receiving directly from a proximate asset of interest, a unique identifying code in order to aid in asset management and status determining activities;

b) a database established and maintained on the remote computing system, and available for storing and retrieving information associated with any of a plurality of the assets being managed by the asset management and status system; and

c) the plurality of wireless data communication terminals, with each data communication terminal structured having an equivalent of at least three communication modules supporting;

i) establishing a local, short distance, wireless communication link with a proximate wireless electronic device fixed to a proximate asset of interest, such that the communication link enables a receiving by the data communication terminal of information transmitted directly from the electronic device of the asset, with the information including the unique identifying code assigned to the asset;

ii) receiving and processing position related information for determining a current location at which the data communication terminal, and thereby the proximate asset, are located;

iii) exchanging information with the remote computing system, including transmitting to the remote computing system the received identifying code and the current location of the data communication terminal and the asset, for use in accessing and updating the database established on the remote computing system.

2. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data communication terminal is a hand-holdable device, comprising:

a) a user interface structured with an information display and a plurality of keyswitches, with the display viewable by a user and keyswitches available to the user for entering command and data information;

b) a controller for controlling the operation of the wireless data communication terminal, with the user interface and keyswitches operatively coupled to the controller;

c) a plurality of communication modules including a position determining module, a local wireless transceiver module, and a wireless communication module;

d) with each communication module operatively coupled to the controller such that;

i) the position determining module is available to the controller for receiving position related information and determining current location information indicating a current location of the data communication terminal and proximate items;

ii) the local wireless transceiver module responsive to the controller such that when activated thereby, in the presence of the electronic device, an identifying code at minimum is received directly from the electronic device of a proximate asset, and available to the controller; and

iii) the wireless communication module structured for exchanging information, including asset related information, with the remote computing system.

3. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 2, wherein upon receiving information including the identifying code from the electronic device, the controller is configured for activating the position determining module, determining a current location, and transmitting the identifying code and the current location information by way of the wireless communication module to the remote computing system.

4. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 3, with the data communication terminal configured so that the user is prompted to authorize the transmitting of the identifying code and the current location information to the remote computing system.

5. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 3, wherein upon receiving the information from the data communication terminal, including the identifying code and the current location information, the remote computing system accesses the database and updates information stored in at least one record associated with the asset identified by the received identifying code.

6. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 5, wherein subsequently to accessing at least a portion of a record associated with the asset identified by the identifying code, asset related information is transmitted back to the data communication terminal from which the identifying code originated.

7. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 6, wherein asset related information that is transmitted back to the data communication terminal is, at least in part, displayed for user viewing upon the display.

8. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 2, wherein the data communication terminal is structured such that each of the following is supported:

a) the user interface is employable by a user for inputting information related to the proximate asset whose identifying code has been directly received from the electronic device via the local wireless transceiver module; and

b) at least a portion of the information entered in step-a is transmitted to the remote computing system for storing in the database.

9. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device that is fixed to the proximate asset is provided by at least one of:

a) a passive RFID tag;

b) an active RFID transponder; and

c) a portable computing and communication device.

10. A distributed asset management and status system enabling a plurality of distributed assets to be inventoried, managed, and tracked such that a database, containing at least one record for each asset, can be established, maintained and updated, with records being available for remote accessing each time an asset is identified, the asset management and status system comprising:

a) a plurality of data communication terminals structured with a user interface and a multi-function communications capability, the data communication terminal configured for;

i) directly establishing a communication link with at least one proximate electronic device of an asset for exchanging information directly therewith, including a receiving by the data communication terminal of information including a unique identifying code transmitted by a respective proximate electronic device of the asset;

ii) receiving and processing position information enabling a determining of a current location at which the data communication terminal, and thereby the proximate asset, are located; and

iii) transmitting information, including at least the identifying code and the associated current location information to a remote computing system;

b) the remote computing system, providing access to the database housing the asset related information in the form of at least one record for each asset, with the database established, maintained and updated, for accessing by a user utilizing one of the wireless data communication terminals for gaining access to information related to one or more assets of interest;

c) a plurality of the electronic devices, with each electronic device associated with an asset by being fixed thereto by way of a selected means, each electronic device configured having a unique and readable identifying code; and

d) means for enabling the exchanging of information between the data communication terminal and each of;

i) the electronic device;

ii) a position determining system; and

iii) the remote computing system.

11. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 10, wherein each electronic device is provided by at least one of:

a) a passive RFID tag;

b) an active RFID transponder; and

c) a portable computing and communication device.

12. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 10, wherein information is also transmitted from the data communication terminal to the electronic device for storage thereby.

13. The asset management and status system as recited in claim 12, wherein the information transmitted to the electronic device, at least in part, originated from the remote computing system, and passes through the data communication terminal.

14. A method of monitoring a plurality of distributed assets and maintaining a database of information associated with the assets, with each asset equipped with an electronic identification device having a unique identifying code contained therein, the method comprising the steps of:

a) radiating an RF signal from a wireless data communication terminal, for detection by a proximate wireless electronic identification device of an asset in order to determine a unique identifying code of the asset;

b) receiving information by way of the wireless data communication terminal directly from the electronic identification device of the asset that was radiated by the RF signal originating from the data communication terminal, with the information including at minimum the unique identifying code of the asset;

c) receiving position related information by way of the data communication terminal from an external source;

d) processing the received position related information for determining a current location; and

e) transmitting information from the data communication terminal, with the information including the unique identifying code of the asset and the determined current location at which the data communication terminal, and thereby the proximate asset of interest are each located, with the information transmitted to a remote computing system for use in accessing and updating at least one record of the database containing information, including asset related information.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein after the transmitting step, additional steps include:

a) using the information received by the remote computing system, including the identifying code, and accessing at least one record of the database associated with the asset identified by the identifying code; and

b) updating location information thereby updating the current location of the asset that is stored within the record accessed.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein an additional step is included of transmitting at least a portion of the accessed record back to a data communication terminal from which the identifying code was originally transmitted.