Method and system for tracking equipment
First Claim
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1. A system for tracking items comprising:
- a plurality of position sensing devices each associated with a corresponding item to detect a geographic location of the corresponding item;
a computer system including at least one processor configured to;
provide a user interface to interact with a user;
periodically communicate with a position sensing device of an item to obtain the detected geographic location for the item and generate an alert in response to an absence of a communication to the periodic communicating from the position sensing device for a predetermined time interval indicating an unknown location for the item, wherein the position sensing device communicates over a wireless network to utilize a network service to periodically communicate with the computer system;
receive information concerning the item from the user interface and position sensing device including the detected geographic location;
maintain one or more agreements associated with the item, wherein the agreements include one or more of an equipment agreement, a rental agreement, a warranty agreement, and a service agreement;
analyze an agreement to determine a quantity of permitted items for each location covered by the agreement;
compare the determined quantity of permitted items to a quantity of items at each corresponding location covered by the agreement;
color-code on the user interface a location identifier indicating a corresponding location covered by the agreement to specify compliance of that location with respect to the determined quantity of permitted items indicated by the agreement; and
process the received information and track placement of the item for a duration of an item operational life, wherein the tracking of item placement includes tracking of item locations and times of placement and removal of the item from those locations.
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Abstract
Present invention embodiments include a tool to track manufactured and other products from cradle to grave. This includes tracking the history of locations where equipment has been placed, loaned, evaluated, stored, and sold. The system includes Return Authorization (RA) and Complaints for equipment and parts.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A system for tracking items comprising:
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a plurality of position sensing devices each associated with a corresponding item to detect a geographic location of the corresponding item; a computer system including at least one processor configured to; provide a user interface to interact with a user; periodically communicate with a position sensing device of an item to obtain the detected geographic location for the item and generate an alert in response to an absence of a communication to the periodic communicating from the position sensing device for a predetermined time interval indicating an unknown location for the item, wherein the position sensing device communicates over a wireless network to utilize a network service to periodically communicate with the computer system; receive information concerning the item from the user interface and position sensing device including the detected geographic location; maintain one or more agreements associated with the item, wherein the agreements include one or more of an equipment agreement, a rental agreement, a warranty agreement, and a service agreement; analyze an agreement to determine a quantity of permitted items for each location covered by the agreement; compare the determined quantity of permitted items to a quantity of items at each corresponding location covered by the agreement; color-code on the user interface a location identifier indicating a corresponding location covered by the agreement to specify compliance of that location with respect to the determined quantity of permitted items indicated by the agreement; and process the received information and track placement of the item for a duration of an item operational life, wherein the tracking of item placement includes tracking of item locations and times of placement and removal of the item from those locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of tracking items, wherein a plurality of position sensing devices are each associated with a corresponding item to detect a geographic location of the corresponding item, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a user interface, via a processor, to interact with a user and periodically communicating with a position sensing device of an item, via the processor, to obtain the detected geographic location for the item and generating an alert in response to an absence of a communication to the periodic communicating from the position sensing device for a predetermined time interval indicating an unknown location for the item, wherein the position sensing device communicates over a wireless network to utilize a network service to periodically communicate with the processor; (b) receiving information concerning the item from the user interface and position sensing device including the detected geographic location and processing the received information, via the processor, to track placement of the item for a duration of an item operational life, wherein the tracking of item placement includes; (b.1) tracking item locations and times of placement and removal of the item from those locations; (b.2) maintaining one or more agreements associated with the item, wherein the agreements include one or more of an equipment agreement, a rental agreement, a warranty agreement, and a service agreement; (b.3) analyzing an agreement to determine a quantity of permitted items for each location covered by the agreement; (b.4) comparing the determined quantity of permitted items to a quantity of items at each corresponding location covered by the agreement; and (b.5) color-coding on the user interface a location identifier indicating a corresponding location covered by the agreement to specify compliance of that location with respect to the determined quantity of permitted items indicated by the agreement. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A device for tracking items, wherein a plurality of position sensing devices are each associated with a corresponding item to detect a geographic location of the corresponding item, the device comprising:
a non-transitory computer useable medium having computer readable program code recorded thereon, the computer readable program code comprising computer readable program code that when executed by a processor is configured to; provide a user interface to interact with a user; periodically communicate with a position sensing device of an item to obtain the detected geographic location for the item and generate an alert in response to an absence of a communication to the periodic communicating from the position sensing device for a predetermined time interval indicating an unknown location for the item, wherein the position sensing device communicates over a wireless network to utilize a network service to periodically communicate with the processor; receive information concerning the item from the user interface and position sensing device including the detected geographic location; maintain one or more agreements associated with the item, wherein the agreements include one or more of an equipment agreement, a rental agreement, a warranty agreement, and a service agreement; analyze an agreement to determine a quantity of permitted items for each location covered by the agreement; compare the determined quantity of permitted items to a quantity of items at each corresponding location covered by the agreement; color-code on the user interface a location identifier indicating a corresponding location covered by the agreement to specify compliance of that location with respect to the determined quantity of permitted items indicated by the agreement; and process the received information to track placement of the item for a duration of an item operational life, wherein the tracking of item placement includes tracking of item locations and times of placement and removal of the item from those locations. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
Specification