System and method for remote equipment data management

• US 9,082,102 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geoforce Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Geoforce Incorporated
• Inventors: Taylor, Brandon C., Wible, Jason A., MacLean, James S. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Savusdiphol, Paultep
• Application Number:
  US13/443,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20130264382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385, 235/487, 235/494
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A global tracking device includes a hardened case configured to be removably coupled to an object. The hardened case includes a barcode associated with information regarding the object. The data access element is configured to cause an external device to populate an interactive display application containing at least a portion of the information regarding to the object. The global tracking device can communicate with a central facility via a satellite communication.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a hardened case configured to be removably coupled to an object, the hardened case comprising a data access element associated with status, instruction, and history information regarding the object, the data access element comprising one of;

a one-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode,

wherein the data access element is configured to cause an external device to populate an interactive display of the external device, the interactive display containing at least a portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object,

wherein the interactive display is configured to permit manipulation of at least the portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object, and

wherein manipulation of at least the portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object comprises at least one of adding new information, deleting existing information, changing existing information, running a query to access selected portions of information, or running a search to access selected portions of information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object comprises information related to year-to-date information, lifetime operation metrics, and instant operation metrics.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interactive display is associated with a website configured to enable an operator to display specified portions of the information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interactive display is associated with a website configured to enable the operator to edit the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object is stored at a remote location.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data access element comprises a linear portion associated with information regarding the apparatus and a two-dimensional portion associated with the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object.

7. A system comprising:

a global tracking device configured to couple to an object of a plurality of objects, the global tracking device comprising;

a hardened case configured to protect a circuit board and configured to be removably coupled to the object, the hardened case comprising a data access element associated with status, instruction, and history information regarding the object, the data access element comprising one of;

a one-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode, and

a memory configured to store a first portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object, wherein the data access element is configured to cause an external device to populate an interactive display of the external device, the interactive display containing at least a portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object, wherein the interactive display is configured to permit manipulation of at least the portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object, and wherein manipulation of at least the portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object comprises at least one of adding new information, deleting existing information, changing existing information, running a query to access selected portions of information, or running a search to access selected portions of information; and

a central facility configured to communicate with the global tracking device via a satellite communication.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object comprises information related to year-to-date information, lifetime operation metrics, and instant operation metrics.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the interactive display is associated with a website configured to enable an operator to display specified portions of the status, instruction, and history information.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the interactive display is associated with a website configured to enable the operator to edit the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object is stored at the central facility.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the data access element comprises a linear portion associated with information regarding the apparatus and a two-dimensional portion associated with the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the external device comprises one of:

a smart-phone, a portable laptop computer, and a barcode reader.

14. A method comprising:

associating a tracking device with status, instruction, and history information regarding an object to which the tracking device is coupled;

scanning, by an external device, a data access element disposed on a face of the tracking device, the data access element comprising one of;

a one-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode;

generating, in response to scanning the data access element, an interactive display of the external device, the interactive display containing the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object, wherein the interactive display is configured to permit manipulation of at least the portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object, and wherein manipulation of at least the portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object comprises at least one of adding new information, deleting existing information, changing existing information, running a query to access selected portions of information, or running a search to access selected portions of information.

15. The method system of claim 14, wherein the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object comprises information related to year-to-date information, lifetime operation metrics, and instant operation metrics.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the interactive display is associated with a website configured to enable an operator to at least one of:

edit the status, instruction, and history information; and

display specified portions of the status, instruction, and history information.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein generating further comprises retrieving at least a portion of the status, instruction, and history information regarding the object from a remote location.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the external device comprises one of:

a smart-phone, a portable laptop computer, and a barcode reader.