Dynamic asset monitoring using electronic markers

• US 8,600,840 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fjellanger, John L., Hurtis, George M., Thavasi, Manivannan
• Primary Examiner(s): Danneman, Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/951,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,190 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• 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

Abstract

A novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for controlling movement of assets is provided. A method for controlling movement of assets can include reading a first information from a first electronic marker coupled to an asset and reading a second information from a second electronic marker of a transport mechanism in possession of the asset. The method can further include storing in a record the first and second information and a third information comprising a location of the asset. The method can further include retrieving at least one rule comprising at least one value and an action and comparing information in the record to the at least one value. The method can further include executing the action of the at least one rule if the information in the record matches the at least one value.

Claims

1. A method for controlling movement of an asset, comprising:

reading asset information comprising a part number from a first electronic marker coupled to the asset;

reading transport information from a second electronic marker coupled to a transport mechanism for the asset;

obtaining a location information of the asset;

creating event data from the asset information, the transportation information, and the location information;

retrieving by a processor, from a data store, a rule including a value and an action;

evaluating by the processor the rule by comparing the event data with the value of the rule; and

executing the action indicated by the rule based upon a matching of the event data and the value of the rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset information further includes at least one of a unique identifier and an asset type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport information includes at least one of a unique identifier, a type of employee, a shift indicator, and an area indicator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is obtained from the second electronic marker.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the action includes signaling an alarm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic marker and the second electronic marker are either an RFID tag or a magneto acoustic marker.

7. A computer hardware system for controlling movement of an asset, comprising:

at least one scanner, the at least one scanner configured to;

read asset information comprising a part number from a first electronic marker coupled to the asset;

read transport information from a second electronic marker coupled to a transport mechanism for the asset;

a processor configured to

obtain a location information of the asset;

create event data from the asset information, the transportation information, and the location information;

retrieve, from a data store, a rule including a value and an action;

evaluate the rule by comparing the event data with the value of the rule; and

execute the action indicated by the rule based upon a matching of the event data and the value of the rule.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the asset information further includes at least one of a unique identifier and an asset type.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the transport information includes at least one of a unique identifier, a type of employee, a shift indicator, and an area indicator.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the location information is obtained from the second electronic marker.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the action includes signaling an alarm.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the first electronic marker and the second electronic marker are either an RFID tag or a magneto acoustic marker.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein computer usable program code for controlling movement of an asset, the computer usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware system, causes the computer hardware system to perform

reading asset information comprising a part number from a first electronic marker coupled to the asset;

reading transport information from a second electronic marker coupled to a transport mechanism for the asset;

obtaining a location information of the asset;

creating event data from the asset information, the transportation information, and the location information;

retrieving, from a data store, a rule including a value and an action;

evaluating the rule by comparing the event data with the value of the rule; and

executing the action indicated by the rule based upon a matching of the event data and the value of the rule.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the asset information includes at least one of a unique identifier and an asset type.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the transport information includes at least one of a unique identifier, a type of employee, a shift indicator, and an area indicator.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the location information is obtained from the second electronic marker.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the action includes signaling an alarm.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the first electronic marker and the second electronic marker are either an RFID tag or a magneto acoustic marker.