Object monitoring and management system
First Claim
1. An object monitoring and management system for managing objects possessed by each one of a plurality of operating entities, the system comprising:
- a central database for storing information about each object, the central database enabling each operating entity to retrieve, write and modify the information about objects that the operating entity possesses;
an interface for permitting each operating entity to;
create data access groups;
register selected ones of a plurality of portable units with each data access group; and
associate each data access group with a selected subset of the information about objects owned by the operating entity, such that each portable unit that is registered with a given data access group is enabled to access only the respective subset of the information associated with that data access group;
wherein each portable unit;
maintains a respective portable database for storing a local copy of the respective subset of the information associated with the data access group to which the portable unit is registered;
permits a user to at least create new records in the respective portable database for storing information about new objects; and
issues a respective new object identifier for each new object, the new object identifier being assigned to the corresponding new record and including a first character string uniquely associated with the portable unit and a second character string generated by the portable unit, the second character string being unique across at least the new object identifiers issued by the portable unit, such that each new object identifier is unique across the central database; and
connection means for synchronizing the respective portable database of each portable unit with the central database.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object management system permits companies/organizations to grant access to third parties to partitioned subsets of a central database to enable completely paperless asset or process management. The central database can be used simultaneously by a plurality of companies/organizations, third party service providers and/or regulatory authorities, without compromise of data security. Data is partitioned on an Issuing Unit basis. Each Issuing Unit is enabled to autonomously generate primary keys. The relationship of Issuing Unit Group to managed objects is a may-to-many relationship to enable ultimate flexibility in data partitioning.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An object monitoring and management system for managing objects possessed by each one of a plurality of operating entities, the system comprising:
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a central database for storing information about each object, the central database enabling each operating entity to retrieve, write and modify the information about objects that the operating entity possesses; an interface for permitting each operating entity to; create data access groups; register selected ones of a plurality of portable units with each data access group; and associate each data access group with a selected subset of the information about objects owned by the operating entity, such that each portable unit that is registered with a given data access group is enabled to access only the respective subset of the information associated with that data access group; wherein each portable unit; maintains a respective portable database for storing a local copy of the respective subset of the information associated with the data access group to which the portable unit is registered; permits a user to at least create new records in the respective portable database for storing information about new objects; and issues a respective new object identifier for each new object, the new object identifier being assigned to the corresponding new record and including a first character string uniquely associated with the portable unit and a second character string generated by the portable unit, the second character string being unique across at least the new object identifiers issued by the portable unit, such that each new object identifier is unique across the central database; and connection means for synchronizing the respective portable database of each portable unit with the central database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer implemented method for enabling paperless management and tracking of physical assets or other objects in the possession of a plurality of operating entities, the method comprising:
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providing a central database for storing information about each object, the central database enabling each operating entity to retrieve, write and modify the information about objects that the operating entity possesses; providing a user interface that permits each operating entity to; define data access groups; register selected ones of a plurality of portable units with each data access group; and associate each data access group with a selected subset of the information about objects owned by the operating entity, such that each portable unit that is registered with a given data access group is enabled to access only the respective subset of the information associated with that data access group; wherein each portable unit; maintains a respective portable database for storing a local copy of the respective subset of the information associated with the data access group to which the portable unit is registered; permits a user to view, modify and at least create new records in the respective portable database for storing information about new objects; and issues a respective new object identifier for each new object, the new object identifier being assigned to the corresponding new record and including a first character string uniquely associated with the portable unit and a second character string generated by the portable unit, the second character string being unique across at least the new object identifiers issued by the portable unit, such that each new object identifier is unique across the central database; and providing connection means for synchronizing the respective portable database of each portable unit with the central database. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification