EXTERNALLY AUGMENTED ASSET MANAGEMENT

• US 20130204753A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Wallace, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,928,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A system for externally augmented asset management is disclosed. According to one embodiment, information from a first reporting source about an asset is received. In addition, information from a second reporting source about the asset is also received. Information from a third reporting source about at least one environmental condition is also received. A database is then populated with the information from the first reporting source, the information from the second reporting source and the third reporting source such that information from the first reporting source, the information from the second reporting source and the third reporting source can be collected or accessed from the database.

Claims

1. An asset management system comprising:

a database populated with a first portion of information about an asset from a first reporting source, a second portion of information about said asset from a second reporting source and a third portion of information about an environmental conditions from a third reporting source; and

an asset information report generator configured to communicatively couple with said database for generating an asset information report from asset information data provided from said database, wherein said asset information report comprises asset information for at least one asset.

2. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein said asset information report generator comprises:

a first custom report module configured for automatically issuing a first customized asset information query to said database.

3. The asset management system of claim 2, wherein said first custom report module comprises a file accessed by an asset information report generator.

4. The asset management system of claim 2, wherein said first custom report module comprises a dynamic link library (DLL) file.

5. The asset management system of claim 2, wherein said first custom report module comprises instructions created with a .NET compatible computer programming language.

6. The asset management system of claim 2, wherein said asset information report generator comprises:

a second custom report module for automatically issuing a second customized asset information query to said database.

7. The asset management system of claim 6, wherein said asset information report generator comprises:

n custom report modules for automatically issuing n customized asset information queries to said database, wherein said n is an integer number greater than or equal to three.

8. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein said asset information report generator is further configured for communicatively coupling with a customer application for supplying an asset information report from said database to said customer application.

9. The asset management system of claim 8, wherein said customer application is selected from the group of customer applications consisting of:

a spreadsheet application, a word processing application, a database application, an accounting application, a project management application, a payroll application, a billing application, a rental asset management application, and an inventory application.

10. The asset management system of claim 8, wherein said asset information report generator is configured for formatting said asset information report into an electronic file type readable by said customer application.

11. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein said asset comprises a piece of rental equipment.

12. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein said asset comprises a piece of construction equipment.

13. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first portion of information and said second portion of information comprises asset location information.

14. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first portion of information and said second portion of information comprises asset operation information.

15. The asset management system of claim 14, 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.

16. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first source and said second source is selected from 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).

17. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein said database receives information from n reporting sources about said environmental conditions, wherein said n is an integer number greater than or equal to three.

18. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein said receiving information from said third reporting source is selected from the environmental information consisting of:

weather information, traffic information and imagery information.

19. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein said third reporting source is selected from one of the group of environmental information sources consisting of:

a weather reporting station, a traffic reporting station, an imagery provider, and Human Intelligence (HumInt).

20. The asset management system of claim 1, wherein said environmental condition information is received for a plurality of locations.