Hardware equipment hire cabinet

• US 8,810,395 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ashtead Plant Hire Company Limited (Ashtead Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Ashtead Plant Hire Company Limited (Ashtead Group PLC)
• Inventors: Pudney, Mark, Hatherell, Peter John
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees, Edny
• Application Number:
  US12/969,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20110140887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 3405721-5729, 705/1, 705/1.1, 705/5
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Hardware equipment hire cabinet. An automated hardware equipment hire cabinet is provided in which the hiring of pieces of hardware equipment is monitored by the use of individual tags being read by tag readers such that their removal and replacement can be monitored and hire times and service intervals monitored. In at least one exemplary embodiment of a hardware equipment hire cabinet of the present disclosure, the cabinet comprises a hardware equipment storage area comprising a plurality of equipment bays, a hire tracking system comprising a first equipment sensor configured to detect removal of a piece of equipment from an equipment bay and to electronically store hire data concerning such removal, and a quarantine system comprising a dedicated quarantine area and a second equipment sensor configured to detect the presence of a quarantined piece of equipment in the quarantine area and to electronically store quarantine data.

Claims

1. A hardware equipment hire cabinet, comprising:

a hardware equipment storage area comprising a plurality of equipment bays for the removal and return of pieces of equipment;

a hire tracking system comprising a first equipment sensor configured to detect removal of a piece of equipment from an equipment bay and to electronically store hire data concerning such removal; and

a quarantine system comprising a dedicated quarantine area distinct from the hardware equipment storage area, and a second equipment sensor configured to detect the presence of a quarantined piece of equipment in the quarantine area, to electronically store quarantine data distinct from the hire data, to produce a specific quarantine alert automatically upon detection of the piece of equipment in the quarantine area, and to produce an automatic alert if a quarantined piece of equipment is removed from the dedicated quarantine area.

2. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 1, wherein the second equipment sensor is configured to recognize multiple pieces of equipment.

3. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 1, wherein the quarantine system is configured to prevent egress from the cabinet by controlling a door lock if a quarantined piece of equipment is removed from the dedicated quarantine area.

4. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 1, wherein the quarantine system is configured to wirelessly control a switch in the piece of equipment when placed in the dedicated quarantine area.

5. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 1, wherein the quarantine system is configured to cut power to the equipment bay if an associated piece of equipment is quarantined to prevent further electrical charging.

6. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 1, wherein the first equipment sensor is configured to detect replacement of the piece of equipment and to electronically store hire data concerning such replacement.

7. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 1, wherein the first equipment sensor comprises a scanner arranged to determine the identity of a piece of equipment.

8. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 7, wherein the scanner is a RFID tag reader.

9. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 1, wherein the hardware equipment storage area is a room.

10. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 9, wherein the room comprises a controlled access system, the controlled access system requiring identification of a user to grant access to the room, wherein the controlled access system is configured to transfer electronic identity data concerning the identity of the user to the hire tracking system, and wherein the hire tracking system is configured to store the electronic identity data in a database with the hire data to enable subsequent identification of the user.

11. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 10, wherein the hire tracking system is configured to store access data comprising an exit time of the user from the controlled access system and to store the access data in a database with the hire data to determine the time at which the piece of equipment left the cabinet.

12. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 11, wherein the exit time of the user is determined by activation of the controlled access system from inside the cabinet.

13. A hardware equipment hire cabinet, comprising:

a hardware equipment storage area comprising a plurality of equipment bays for the removal and return of pieces of equipment;

a hire tracking system comprising a first equipment sensor configured to detect removal of a piece of equipment from an equipment bay and to electronically store hire data concerning such removal; and

a quarantine system comprising;

a dedicated quarantine area distinct from the hardware equipment storage area, and

a second equipment sensor configured to detect the presence of a quarantined piece of equipment in the quarantine area and to electronically store quarantine data distinct from the hire data, the second equipment sensor further configured to recognize multiple pieces of equipment,

the quarantine system is configured to produce an automatic alert upon detection of a quarantined piece of equipment, and to produce an automatic alert if a quarantined piece of equipment is removed from the dedicated quarantine area.

14. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 13, wherein the first equipment sensor is configured to detect replacement of the piece of equipment and to electronically store hire data concerning such replacement.

15. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 13, wherein the hardware equipment storage area is a room comprising a controlled access system, the controlled access system requiring identification of a user to grant access to the room, wherein the controlled access system is configured to transfer electronic identity data concerning the identity of the user to the hire tracking system, and wherein the hire tracking system is configured to store the electronic identity data in a database with the hire data to enable subsequent identification of the user.

16. A hardware equipment hire cabinet, comprising:

a hardware equipment storage area comprising a plurality of equipment bays for the removal and return of pieces of equipment;

a hire tracking system comprising a first equipment sensor configured to detect removal of a piece of equipment from an equipment bay and to electronically store hire data concerning such removal; and

a quarantine system comprising;

a dedicated quarantine area distinct from the hardware equipment storage area, and

a second equipment sensor configured to detect the presence of a quarantined piece of equipment in the quarantine area and to electronically store quarantine data distinct from the hire data, the second equipment sensor further configured to recognize multiple pieces of equipment,

the quarantine system configured to produce an automatic alert upon detection of a quarantined piece of equipment, to produce an automatic alert if a quarantined piece of equipment is removed from the dedicated area, and to cut power to the equipment bay if an associated piece of equipment is quarantined to prevent further electrical charging.

17. The hardware equipment hire cabinet of claim 16, wherein the hardware equipment storage area is a room comprising a controlled access system, the controlled access system requiring identification of a user to grant access to the room, wherein the controlled access system is configured to transfer electronic identity data concerning the identity of the user to the hire tracking system, wherein the hire tracking system is configured to store the electronic identity data in a database with the hire data to enable subsequent identification of the user and further configured to store access data comprising an exit time of the user from the controlled access system and to store the access data in a database with the hire data to determine the time at which the piece of equipment left the cabinet.