Integrated asset management

• US 20080086320A1
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Inventors: Walton, Paul, Wallace, Daniel John, Ballew, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,747,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

Methods and systems for integrated asset management are disclosed. According to one embodiment, information from a first reporting source about an asset is received. In addition, information is received about the asset from a second reporting source. Inspection information about the asset is received from a first enabled device. A database is then populated with the information from the first reporting source, the information from the second reporting source, and the inspection information from the first enabled device, such that the information from the first reporting source, the information from the second reporting source, and the inspection information from the first enabled device can be collected or accessed in an integrated manner from the database for use by a client information system.

Claims

1. A method for integrating asset management information, said method comprising:

receiving information from a first reporting source about an asset;

receiving information from a second reporting source about said asset;

receiving inspection information from a first enabled device about said asset; and

populating a database with said information from said first reporting source, said information from said second reporting source, and said inspection information from said first enabled device, such that said information from said first reporting source, said information from said second reporting source, and said inspection information from said first enabled device can be collected in an integrated manner from said database for use by a client information system.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing said information from said first reporting source, said information from said second reporting source and said inspection information from said first enabled device in such a manner that an asset information report regarding said asset can be generated.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

generating said asset information report comprising at least a portion of said information from said first reporting source, at least a portion of said information from said second reporting source and at least a portion said inspection information from said first enabled device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first enabled device comprises a WiFi enabled device configured to couple with a client information system for reporting inspection information about said asset to said client information system.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from n reporting sources about an asset, wherein said n is an integer number greater than or equal to three.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving information from a first reporting source further comprises:

receiving asset location information.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving information from a second reporting source further comprises:

receiving asset location information.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving information from a first reporting source further comprises:

receiving asset operation information.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein a source of said asset operation information is selected from one of the group of operation information sources consisting of:

J-bus, asset processor, diagnostic evaluator, engine microprocessor, mileage indicator, speedometer, tachometer, oil pressure indicator, wheel pressure indicator, hydraulic indicator, engine time, and ignition switched power source.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving information from a said second reporting source further comprises:

receiving asset operation information.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein a source of said asset operation information is selected from one of the group of operation information sources consisting of:

J-bus, asset processor, diagnostic evaluator, engine microprocessor, mileage indicator, speedometer, tachometer, oil pressure indicator, wheel pressure indicator, hydraulic indicator, engine time, and ignition switched power source.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first reporting source and said second reporting source are selected from one of the group of sources consisting of:

TrimTrac™

device, CrossCheck®

device, mobile phone, video device, personal digital assistant, portable computing device, radio frequency identifier, global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and human intelligence (HumInt).

13. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of inspection information about said asset from n enabled devices, wherein said n is an integer number greater than or equal to two.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving inspection information from a first enabled device further comprises:

receiving a digital photograph.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving inspection information from a first enabled device further comprises:

receiving results of a walk-around condition inspection of said asset.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving inspection information from a first enabled device further comprises:

receiving results of a maintenance inspection of said asset.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving inspection information from a first enabled device further comprises:

receiving a work order for said asset.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving inspection information from a first enabled device further comprises:

receiving a work order completion for said asset.

19. A method for providing integrated asset management information, said method comprising:

accessing a database populated with information about an asset received from a first reporting source, information about said asset received from a second reporting source, and inspection information about said asset received from a first enabled device; and

updating a client information system with data from said database.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said accessing a database populated with information about an asset received from a first reporting source, information about said asset received from a second reporting source, and inspection information about said asset received from a first enabled device comprises:

accessing a digital photograph of said asset.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said wherein said accessing a database populated with information about an asset received from a first reporting source, information about said asset received from a second reporting source, and inspection information about said asset received from a first enabled device comprises:

accessing results of a walk-around inspection of said asset.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said accessing a database populated with information about an asset received from a first reporting source, information about said asset received from a second reporting source, and inspection information about said asset received from a first enabled device comprises:

accessing a work order request for said asset.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said accessing a database populated with information about an asset received from a first reporting source, information about said asset received from a second reporting source, and inspection information about said asset received from a first enabled device comprises:

accessing a work order completion report for said asset.

24. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said accessing a database populated with information about an asset received from a first reporting source, information about said asset received from a second reporting source, and inspection information about said asset received from a first enabled device comprises:

accessing location information for said asset.

25. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said accessing a database populated with information about an asset received from a first reporting source, information about said asset received from a second reporting source, and inspection information about said asset received from a first enabled device comprises:

accessing operation information for said asset.

26. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said updating a client information system with data from said database comprises:

providing a customized extraction of data about said asset in a format usable by said first enabled device.

27. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said updating a client information system with data from said database comprises:

providing a customized extraction of data about said asset in a format useable by a second enabled device.

28. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said updating a client information system with data from said database comprises:

providing rental contract information regarding said asset.

29. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said updating a client information system with data from said database comprises:

providing a comprehensive work order of scheduled and unscheduled maintenance for said asset.

30. An asset management system, said system comprising:

a database populated with information about an asset received from a first reporting source and information about said asset received from a second reporting source;

a data transceiver configured to communicatively couple with said database for populating said database with inspection information received from a first enabled device, wherein said first enabled device is configured to couple with a client application; and

an asset information report generator configured to communicatively couple with said database for providing integrated data about said asset from said database to said client information system.

31. The of claim 30, wherein said information about an asset received from a first reporting source and information about said asset received from a second reporting source comprise:

operation information about said asset gathered from an operation information source selected from one of the group of operation information sources consisting of;

J-bus, asset processor, diagnostic evaluator, engine microprocessor, mileage indicator, speedometer, tachometer, oil pressure indicator, wheel pressure indicator, hydraulic indicator, engine time, and ignition switched power source.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein said information about an asset received from a first reporting source and information about said asset received from a second reporting source comprise:

location information associated with said asset.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein said first enabled device comprises a WiFi enabled device configured to coupled with said client information system for reporting inspection information about said asset to said client information system.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein said inspection information comprises:

a digital photograph of said asset.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein said inspection information comprises:

visually observed information regarding said asset.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein said inspection information comprises:

an unscheduled work order request for said asset.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein said integrated data about said asset comprises:

a comprehensive work order of scheduled and unscheduled maintenance due for said asset.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein said integrated data about said asset comprises:

rental contract information for said asset.

39. The system of claim 30, wherein said integrated data about said asset is formatted for said first enabled device to use.

40. The system of claim 30, wherein said integrated data about said asset is formatted for a second enabled device to use.