Enterprise asset management system and method

• US 7,496,532 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verisae (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Verisae (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Daniel T., McConnell, Robert S., Peterson, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil; Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US09/883,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,808 Days
• Field of Search: 705 10- 44
• US Class Current: 705/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method for managing enterprise assets located at geographically distributed sites. The method includes storing in a database information relating to each asset, wherein the stored information includes cost of each asset and cost of service for each asset. The method further includes tracking and storing information relating to servicing of the assets, including the cost of servicing. Information relating to the assets is then displayed to a user of the system.

Claims

1. A system for managing a plurality of assets of at least one distributed enterprise and allowing a user to access asset information, the system comprising:

a central processor accessible on a computer network;

a database for storing asset information for the plurality of assets of the plurality of enterprises, the database being in communication with the central processor, wherein each of the plurality of assets is a piece of equipment, and further wherein the asset information comprises information relating to ownership, maintenance and repair of the pieces of equipment;

a client processor in communication with the central processor through the computer network, wherein the client processor inputs, queries, and downloads asset information from the central processor; and

defined limited access levels programmed into the central processor, wherein limited access of the user to a predetermined type of asset information is determined based on the defined limited access levels and a configurable user profile of the user,

wherein the central processor tracks information relevant to managing each of the plurality of assets,

wherein the limited access of the user to the predetermined type of asset information is chosen from at least one of the groups consisting of;

access solely to asset information relating to assets at a particular site,

access solely to asset information relating to assets of a particular type,

access solely to asset information relating to assets for which the user has a service or maintenance contract,

access solely to asset information relating to assets which are by a warranty,

access solely to asset information relating to assets for which the user has a work order,

access solely to asset information relating to asset costs, and

access solely to asset information relating to asset usage.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the configurable user profile further comprises predetermined user roles and rights.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the configurable user profile comprises configurable user attributes, the configurable user attributes configured to be chosen from at least one of the group consisting of company of the user, position of the user in the company, and type of user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the configurable user attributes further comprise sites at which the user may access asset information.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database for storing service provider information, the database being in communication with the central processor,

wherein the central processor is configured to automatically identify an appropriate service provider for a particular asset based on the particular asset and the service provider information, and

wherein the central processor is configured to automatically alert the appropriate service provider of a service request.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the client processor is configured to automatically alert the appropriate service provider via an e-mail.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the client processor is configured to automatically alert the appropriate service provide via an automated phone call.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the client processor is configured to automatically alert the appropriate service provide via a text message.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the client processor is further configured to automatically transmit a second alert to the appropriate service provider after a predetermined period of time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the client processor is further configured to automatically transmit a third alert to the appropriate service provider after a second predetermined period of time.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the client process is further configured to automatically transmit a second alert to another service provider after a predetermined period of time.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the appropriate service provider is a third party service provider.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the client processor is configured to receive input relating to a service need and thereby generate the service request and transmit the service request to the central processor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the input relating to a service need is provided by a user or an asset interface.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the central processor is programmed with code for calculating a total cost of ownership.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the central processor is programmed with code for selectively filtering asset information available to a user based on the defined limited access levels and the configurable user profile.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the user is an agent of the enterprise.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the user is a service provider.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the user is an equipment manufacturer.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the limited access of the user to the predetermined type of asset information further comprises access solely to asset information relating to a specific one or more of the at least one distributed enterprises.

21. A system for managing a plurality of assets of at least one distributed enterprise at a plurality of sites and allowing a user to access asset information, the system comprising:

a central processor accessible on a computer network;

a database for storing service provider information and asset information for the plurality of assets of the plurality of enterprises, the database being in communication with the central processor, wherein each of the plurality of assets is a piece of equipment, and further wherein the asset information comprises information relating to ownership, maintenance and repair of the pieces of equipment;

a client processor in communication with the central processor through the computer network, wherein the client processor inputs, queries, and downloads asset information from the central processor;

a first limited access level programmed into the central processor, the first limited access level comprising access to a first predetermined subset of information, the first predetermined subset of information comprising the service provider and asset information, wherein a first user type has access to the first limited access level;

a second limited access level programmed into the central processor, the second limited access level comprising access to a second predetermined subset of information, the second predetermined subset of information comprising the service provider information and the asset information for predetermined sites, wherein a second user type has access to the second limited access level;

identification software associated with the central processor, the identification software configured to automatically identify an appropriate service provider for a particular asset based on the particular asset and the service provider information; and

notification software associated with the central processor, the notification software configured to automatically alert the appropriate service provider of a service request.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a third limited access level programmed into the central processor, the third limited access level comprising access to a third predetermined subset of information, the third predetermined subset of information comprising the asset information for predetermined assets, wherein a third user type has access to the third limited access level.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the appropriate service provider is a third user type.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the third user type has rights to add or modify any asset information relating to the predetermined assets.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the third user type is a manufacturer and further wherein the predetermined assets are all assets manufactured by the manufacturer.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein a user is determined to be one of the first user type, the second user type, or the third user type based on the hierarchical enterprise status of the user.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the first user type has full rights to operate the system.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the second user type has rights to add or modify any asset information relating to the assets at the predetermined sites and further has rights to submit work orders relating to the assets at the predetermined sites.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein a user is determined to be one of the first user type or the second user type based on the hierarchical enterprise status of the user.

30. The system of claim 21, further comprising a fourth limited access level programmed into the central processor, the fourth limited access level comprising access to a fourth predetermined subset of information, the fourth predetermined subset of information comprising the asset information for a predetermined one or more of the at least one distributed enterprise, wherein a fourth user type has access to the fourth limited access level.

31. A system for managing a plurality of assets of a plurality of distributed sites of an enterprise and allowing a user to access asset information, the system comprising:

(a) a central processor accessible on a computer network;

(b) a database for storing service provider information and asset information for the plurality of assets of the plurality of distributed sites, the database being in communication with the central processor, wherein each of the plurality of assets is a piece of equipment, and further wherein the asset information comprises information relating to ownership, maintenance and repair of the pieces of equipment;

(c) a client processor in communication with the central processor through the computer network, wherein the client processor inputs, queries, and downloads asset information from the central processor;

(d) at least one predetermined limited user access level programmed into the central processor, wherein the at least one predetermined limited user access level is configured to restrict access of the user to a predetermined subset of asset information based on a configurable user profile of the user;

(e) identification software associated with the central processor, the identification software configured to automatically identify an appropriate service provider for a particular asset; and

(f) notification software associated with the central processor, the notification software configured to automatically alert the appropriate service provider of a service request.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the predetermined subset of asset information comprises asset information relating to assets at a single particular site of the plurality of distributed sites.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the predetermined subset of asset information comprises asset information relating to assets of a particular type among several asset types.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the predetermined subset of asset information comprises asset information relating to assets for which the user has a service or maintenance contract, wherein the user is a service provider.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the predetermined subset of asset information comprises asset information relating to assets for which the user has a work order, wherein the user is a service provider.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the configurable user profile comprises configurable attributes.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the configurable attributes comprise at least one of company of the user, position of the user in the company, type of user, and sites at which the user may access asset information.

38. The system of claim 31, further comprising at least one asset interface associated with one of the assets, wherein the at least one asset interface is in communication with the central processor, wherein the central processor is configured to monitor and control at least a portion of the asset via the at least one asset interface.

39. The system of claim 31, wherein the identification software is configured to automatically identify the appropriate service provider for the particular asset based on at least one of:

(a) which service provider is linked to the particular asset; and

(b) a geographic location of the service provider and the particular asset.