Method and system for tracking computer hardware and software assets by allocating and tagging the asset with an asset tag barcode having a software distribution system (SDS) number and verifying the asset tag barcode upon entry of the asset at a destination site

• US 7,062,455 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2000
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tobey, Christopher Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOSOWSKI, CAROLYN M
• Application Number:
  US09/657,039
• Time in Patent Office: 2,105 Days
• Field of Search: 705 7- 9, 705/22, 705/28, 705/36, 705 2- 3, 700/214, 700/213, 700/115, 235/385
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A method and apparatus for tracking physical assets between a central site and other sites is disclosed. Assets are received at the central site and receive a unique identification number. Their location, at the central site, is recorded in a database. On each movement of an asset, exit of the asset is recorded in the database, as is the intended destination. When the asset arrives at the intended destination, its entry thereto is verified and its current location updated accordingly. In addition to the location information, configuration information (e.g. software build), specific to each asset, is recorded in the database.

Claims

1. A method for tracking computer-related assets, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting each asset of said assets independently from the group consisting of a computer hardware asset and a computer software asset;

allocating a Software Distribution System (SDS) number associated with a tag;

tagging a first asset of said assets with the tag, said first asset being a computer software asset, said tag comprising an asset tag barcode, a part number or serial number barcode, and the SDS number, said SDS number comprising first, second, and third contiguously sequenced fields, said first field consisting of a venue code identifying a first destination site of the plurality of sites for the first asset, said second field consisting of a software type of the first asset, said third field consisting of a consecutive number index of the software type that makes the first asset unique for the software type at the first destination site;

moving said assets from a first site to a second site of the plurality of sites only by being routed through a central site, said assets are not to be moved directly from the first site to the second site;

recording the location of each said asset with respect to said central site in an electronic database;

recording exit of each asset from a current site in said database;

recording an intended destination site in said database;

receiving the tagged first asset at the destination site, said receiving comprising capturing the asset tag barcode and the SDS number from the tag of the tagged first asset; and

verifying, based on the tag, entry of the first asset at the destination site, being a new current location, in said database.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the further steps or:

for each asset, recording configuration information relevant to that asset on said database; and

on each configuration of a said asset at said central site, updating said configuration information on said database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said configuration information of said assets comprises an IP (Internet Protocol) address.

4. The method of claim 1, including the further step, occurring upon return of an asset to said central site, of determining whether said asset should be retained, and thus stored for further use, or withdrawn from use.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one asset of said assets consists of computer software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one asset of said assets consists of computer hardware.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein on each movement of said asset the method further comprises faxing a delivery summary from the central site to the intended destination for said asset prior to said exit of said asset from the central site, said delivery summary comprising advance notification that said asset is to be delivered to said intended destination.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein after arrival of said asset at said intended destination the method further comprises installing and testing said asset at said intended destination.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first field consists of 3 alphabetical characters, wherein the second field consists of 2 hexidecimal characters, and wherein the third field consists of 2 characters representing an integer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the central site comprises a warehouse facility and a build facility, said method further comprising:

storing, by the warehouse facility, individual assets until the individual assets are required to be assembled into computer systems for use at sites of the plurality of sites; and

assembling, by the build facility, the individual assets into the computer systems.

11. The method of claim 10, said method further comprising providing the warehouse facility and the build facility in a same building complex.

12. The method of claim 10, said method further comprising providing the warehouse facility and the build facility in different locations not in a same building complex.

13. The method of claim 10, said method further comprising determining by execution of software whether a given asset of said assets is located at a site or the plurality of sites, in the build facility, in the warehouse, or in transit.

14. A tracking system for computer-related assets, comprising:

an electronic database for storage or current and intended location information relating to said assets, said assets being moveable between a plurality of sites only by being routed through a central site and are not to be moved directly from a first site to a second site of the plurality of sites, each asset of said assets being independently selected from the group consisting of a computer hardware asset and a computer software asset; and

a central receiving and storage site where new assets are received and stored, and where assets returning from other sites are stored, said central site having data entry means, linked to said database and, upon a movement of a said asset, by which exit or entry of the asset is recorded such that both the respective current and intended location information is updated in said database,

wherein a Software Distribution System (SDS) number is associated with a tag,

wherein a first asset of said assets is a computer software asset that is tagged with the tag, said tag comprising an asset tag barcode, a part number or serial number barcode, and a the SDS number, said SDS number comprising first, second, and third contiguously sequenced fields, said first field consisting of a venue code identifying a first destination site for the first asset, said second field consisting of a software type of the first asset, said third field consisting of a consecutive number index of the software type that makes the first asset unique for the software type at the first destination site, and

wherein the tracking system further comprises means for verifying, based on the tap, entry of the first asset at the first destination site, being a new current location, in said database.

15. The tracking system of claim 14, wherein said database stores, for each asset, configuration information relevant to that asset, and said data entry means further updates said database records upon each configuration of an asset.

16. The tracking system of claim 15, wherein said configuration information includes hardware configuration, software configuration and IP address.

17. The tracking system of claim 14, wherein at least one asset of said assets consists of computer software.

18. The tracking system of claim 14, wherein at least one asset of said assets consists of computer hardware.

19. The tracking system of claim 14, wherein the first field consists or 3 alphabetical characters, wherein the second field consists of 2 hexidecimal characters, and wherein the third field consists of 2 characters representing an integer.

20. The tracking system of claim 14, wherein the central site comprises a warehouse facility and a build facility, wherein the warehouse facility stores individual assets until the individual assets are required to be assembled into computer systems for use at sites of the plurality of sites, and wherein the build facility assembles the individual assets into the computer systems.

21. The tracking system of claim 20, wherein the warehouse facility and the build facility are in a same building complex.

22. The tracking system of claim 20, wherein the warehouse facility and the build facility are in different locations not in a same building complex.

23. The tracking system of claim 20, said tracking system further comprises software which, when executed, determines whether a given asset or said assets is located at a site of the plurality of sites, in the build facility, in the warehouse, or in transit.

24. A computer program product, carried on a storage medium, for the tracking of computer-related assets, between a central site and a plurality of sites, comprising:

first program means to record data for each said asset, said assets being moveable between said plurality or sites only by being routed through said central site and are not to be moved directly from a first site to a second site of the plurality of sites, each asset of said assets being independently selected from the group consisting of a computer hardware asset and a computer software asset;

second program means to record the location of an asset;

third program means to record exit from a current site;

fourth program means to record an intended destination; and

fifth program means to verify entry of an asset being moved at the destination site, whereupon said second program means updates the current location of the asset,

wherein a Software Distribution System (SDS) number is associated with a tag,

wherein a first asset of said assets is a computer software asset that is tagged with the tag, said tag comprising an asset tag barcode, a part number or serial number barcode, and the SDS number, said SDS number comprising first, second, and third contiguously sequenced fields, said first field consisting of a venue code identifying a first destination site for the first asset, said second field consisting of a software type of the first asset, said third field consisting of a consecutive number index of the software type that makes the first asset unique for the software type at the first destination site,

wherein the fifth program means comprises means for capturing the asset tag barcode and the SDS number from the tag of the tagged first asset to verify, based on the tag, entry of the first asset at the destination site, being a new current location, in an electronic database when the first asset is received at the destination site.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising:

sixth program means to record and update configuration information for each asset being tracked.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said configuration information of said assets comprises a software configuration.

27. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said configuration information of said assets comprises an IP (Internet Protocol) address.

28. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein at least one asset of said assets consists or computer software.

29. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein at least one asset of said assets consists of computer hardware.

30. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the first field consists of 3 alphabetical characters, wherein the second field consists of 2 hexidecimal characters, and wherein the third field consists of 2 characters representing an integer.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the central site comprises a warehouse facility and a build facility, wherein the warehouse facility stores individual assets until the individual assets are required to be assembled into computer systems for use at sites of the plurality of sites, wherein the build facility assembles the individual assets into the computer systems, said computer program product further comprising sixth program means to determine whether a given asset of said assets is located at a site of the plurality of sites, into the build facility, in the warehouse, or in transit.