TRACKING OF BUILT COMPONENTS BY USING ID TAGS

• US 20160189089A1
• Filed: 12/27/2014
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: IYER, Prakash
• Granted Patent: US 9,875,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/381 using identifiers, e.g. barcodes, RFIDs for URLs G06F16/9554
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction

Abstract

An apparatus for tracking a plurality of built components is provided. The apparatus comprises a reading gate configured to identify at least one fabricated building component arrived at the point of entry of the building site by reading an ID tag of each fabricated building component arrived at the point of entry of the building site and by associating the ID tag with a number imprinted on each fabricated building component. The reading gate is configured to record the timing of arrival of the identified fabricated building component at the point of entry of the building site.

Claims

1. A method of tracking a plurality of built components of a building comprising:

(A) selecting a building component from a structural Building Information Model to be fabricated;

selecting a number from a range of numbers;

associating said selected number with said selected building component; and

sending said selected number and a fabrication recipe associated with said selected building component for each building component to a fabrication facility to initiate a fabrication process;

and

(B) fabricating each said building component based on said structural Building Information Model of said building by using said fabrication recipe for each said building component;

imprinting each said selected number on one said associated building component;

attaching an ID tag to each said building component having said imprinted selected number;

wherein said selected number imprinted on said associated building component and said attached ID tag comprises a pairing data for each said building component; and

time stamping a timing of completion of fabrication of each said fabricated component.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(C) identifying arrival of at least one said fabricated component at a building site of said building by reading an ID tag attached to said fabricated component and by using said pairing data configured to identify each said arrived fabricated component by using said ID tag.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(D) populating a local Building Management Tracking Database comprising a set of tracking data for each said fabricated component;

said tracking data comprising said imprinted number configured to identify arrival of each said fabricated component at a building site.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(E) transmitting said into a cloud database.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(F) scheduling erection of said building by using said Building Management Tracking Database.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(G) populating a local Building Management Erection Database of said building;

said local Building Management Erection Database comprising a set of erection data;

each said set of erection data comprising an erection event;

said erection event including at least one said identified fabricated component being utilized in an erection process of said building and including a timing of said erection event.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(H) building a local Building Management Final Database of said building;

said local Building Management Final Database comprising a completely populated local Building Management Erection Database;

wherein said Building Management Erection Database is completely populated upon completion of said erection process of said building at a building site.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(I) performing the maintenance of said building by identifying a faulty building component that needs replacement or repair by reading an ID tag and associated with said ID tag imprinted number and by consulting said local Building Management Final Database of said building.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (A) further comprises:

(A1) creating a fabrication recipe for each building component of said structural Building Information Model of the building by using a computer program;

said computer program is configured to allocate a range of numbers for said structural Building Information Model of said building.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (B) further comprises:

(B1) selecting said ID tag from the group consisting of;

a read-only RFID;

a read/write RFID tag; and

a field programmable RFID tag.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (B) further comprises:

(B2) selecting said ID tag from the group consisting of;

an ID radio tag;

an infrared ID tag; and

an ultrasound ID tag.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein said step (C) further comprises:

(C1) identifying arrival of at least one fabricated component at said building site by using a reading gate;

said reading gate configured to read an ID tag attached to each said fabricated component;

said reading gate being set up at an entry point of said building site;

said reading gate configured to record a timing of arrival of said at least one fabricated component at said building site.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said step (C1) further comprises:

(C1,1) selecting said reading gate set up at said entry point of said building site from the group consisting of;

a Passive Reader Active Tag (PRAT) system;

an Active Reader Passive Tag (ARPT) system; and

an Active Reader Active Tag (ARAT) system.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein said step (D) further comprises:

(D1) visually updating in said structural Building Information Model of said building change in status of each said fabricated component arrived at the building site by using said Building Management Tracking Database.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein said step (G) further comprises:

(G1) visually updating in said structural Building Information Model of said building change in status of each said fabricated component being used in the erection process of said building by using said Building Management Erection Database.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein said step (G) further comprises:

(G2) providing access to said Building Management Erection Database to authorized parties.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (H) further comprises:

(H1) visually updating in said structural Building Information Model of said building change in status of each said fabricated component upon completion of the erection process of said building by using said Building Management Final Database.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (H) further comprises:

(H2) transmitting said local Building Management Final Database of said building to a cloud database.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein said step (I) further comprises:

(I1) updating said local Building Management Final Database of said building by updating the pairing data for said at least one replaced building component of said building.

20. An apparatus for tracking a plurality of built components comprising:

(A) a reading gate configured to identify at least one fabricated building component arrived at a point of entry of a building site of a building by reading an ID tag of each fabricated building component arrived at said point of entry of said building site and by associating said ID tag with an imprinted number on each said fabricated building component;

said imprinted number configured to identify each said fabricated component;

said reading gate configured to record the timing of arrival of said identified fabricated building component at said point of entry of said building site;

and

(B) a real time local Building Management Tracking Database comprising a set of real time tracking data for each said fabricated component;

said real time tracking data comprising said imprinted number configured to identify each said fabricated component arrived at said building site and the timing of its arrival.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

(C) a local Building Management Erection Database comprising a set of erection data;

each said set of erection data comprising an erection event whereas at least one said identified fabricated component has been utilized in the erection process of said building and a timing of said erection event.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

(D) a local Building Management Final Database comprising a completely populated Building Management Erection Database;

said Building Management Erection Database being completely populated upon completion of said erection process of said building at said building site.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

(E) an updated local Building Management Final Database of said building comprising an updated pairing data for at least one replaced building component of said building.