Asset management methods and apparatus

• US 7,180,422 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Tewari, Vijay, Milenkovic, Milan
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/750,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20050145688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/825.49, 340/539.13, 340/572.4, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 713/2, 235/375
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for correlating physical and logical attributes of devices include associating logical-tags (L-tags) and physical-tags (P-tags) with target devices. A P-tag includes a P-tag identifier, which can be read by a P-tag reading device, regardless of whether power is applied to the target device. The P-tag identifier and other information can be sent to an asset manager, which can determine a location of the device. An L-tag includes an L-tag identifier and may include other L-tag information describing logical attributes of the device. The L-tag information also can be sent to an asset manager. The asset manager maintains a tracking record for the device, which may include the P-tag identifier, the L-tag identifier, information regarding the asset'"'"'s logical attributes, and information regarding the asset'"'"'s physical attributes. By maintaining similar tracking records for a plurality of devices, the asset manager can track and manage the plurality of devices.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of electronic devices, wherein selected ones of the electronic devices include a physical-tag and a logical-tag, wherein the physical-tag includes a physical-tag identifier, and wherein the logical-tag includes logical attribute information;

at least one physical-tag reading device, which is operable to read the physical-tag identifier from the physical-tag over an air interface;

at least one logical-tag reading device, which is operable to cause a software agent to read the logical attribute information from the logical-tag; and

a processing element, which is operable to associate the physical-tag identifier with the logical attribute information.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an asset manager, which is operable to store a plurality of tracking records, wherein a tracking record for a selected electronic device includes the physical-tag identifier and at least a portion of the logical attribute information.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the tracking record includes information selected from a group of information types that includes a logical-tag identifier, the physical-tag identifier, a device type, a device owner identifier, a hardware configuration description, a software configuration description, an Internet protocol address, a user identifier, and device location information.

4. An apparatus comprising:

a logical-tag, which includes

an information storage medium, which is operable to store logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for an electronic device;

a physical-tag, which includes a physical-tag identifier that can be used to access the logical attribute information; and

a software agent, which is operable to retrieve the logical attribute information from the information storage medium in response to an information request from a requester, and to send the logical attribute information to the requester.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the physical-tag includes a radio-frequency identification tag, which is operable to store the physical-tag identifier using a storage medium that is readable by a physical-tag reading device using a radio-frequency signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the physical-tag includes an identification tag, which visually indicates the physical-tag identifier using a medium that is readable using a physical-tag reading device that includes an optical scanner.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the information storage medium is operable to store logical attribute information selected from a group of information types that includes a logical-tag identifier, the physical-tag identifier, a device type, a device owner identifier, a hardware configuration description, a software configuration description, an Internet protocol address, a user identifier, and device location information.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a processor, which is operable to create an information request to request logical attribute information that is stored by a logical-tag of a remote electronic device, wherein the logical attribute information includes a configuration description for the remote electronic device, wherein the processor is further operable to associate the logical attribute information with a physical-tag identifier, wherein the physical-tag identifier is retrieved from a physical-tag associated with the remote electronic device; and

an interface, operably coupled to the processor, which is operable to send the information request to the remote electronic device and to receive the logical attribute information from the remote electronic device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

an asset manager, which is operable to store a tracking record for the remote electronic device, which includes the physical-tag identifier and at least a portion of the logical attribute information.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a display device, which is operable to display at least a portion of the logical attribute information, wherein the logical attribute information includes information selected from a group of information types that includes a logical-tag identifier, the physical-tag identifier, a device type, a device owner identifier, a hardware configuration description, a software configuration description, an internet protocol address, a user identifier, and device location information.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a physical-tag reading device, which is operable to read, over an air interface, a physical-tag identifier indicated by a physical-tag associated with an electronic device; and

a processor, operably coupled to the physical-tag reading device, which is operable to associate the physical-tag identifier with logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a display device, which is operable to display at least a portion of the logical attribute information, wherein the logical attribute information includes information selected from a group of information types that includes a logical-tag identifier, the physical-tag identifier, a device type, a device owner identifier, a hardware configuration description, a software configuration description, an internet protocol address, a user identifier, and device location information.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a logical information retrieval device, which is operable to obtain the logical attribute information.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the logical information retrieval device includes a logical-tag reading device that is operable to obtain the logical attribute information from the electronic device over a wireless link.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the logical information retrieval device includes a logical-tag reading device that is operable to obtain the logical attribute information from the electronic device over a network connection.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the logical information retrieval device includes an interface that is operable to obtain the logical attribute information from a database.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the physical-tag reading device is further operable to obtain the logical attribute information from the physical-tag.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the physical-tag reading device is further operable to write the logical attribute information to the physical-tag.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a physical-tag reading device, which is operable to read, over an air interface, a physical-tag identifier indicated by a physical-tag associated with an electronic device; and

a communication interface that is operable to provide the physical-tag identifier to a remote processing element, which associates the physical-tag identifier with logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the communication interface is further operable to provide information that enables the remote processing element to identify a location of the device.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the apparatus further comprises a storage medium operable to store the physical-tag identifier.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the communication interface is a wireless interface.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the communication interface is a network interface.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a processor, operable to receive logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for a remote electronic device, and to receive a physical-tag identifier indicated by a physical-tag associated with the remote electronic device, and to store, within a database, the logical attribute information and the physical-tag identifier in association with each other; and

the database, operably connected to the processor, and which is capable of storing a plurality of tracking records, wherein a first tracking record includes the logical attribute information and the physical-tag identifier for the remote electronic device, and wherein other tracking records include logical attribute information and physical-tag identifiers for other remote electronic devices.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

an interface, operably coupled to the processor, which receives the physical-tag identifier from a physical-tag reading device.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

an interface, operably coupled to the processor, which receives the logical attribute information from the remote electronic device.

27. A method comprising:

creating a tracking record for a remote electronic device, wherein the tracking record includes a physical-tag identifier and tracking information, wherein the physical-tag identifier includes a value indicated by a physical-tag associated with the device, and wherein the tracking information includes logical attribute information stored by a logical-tag associated with the device; and

updating the tracking record when updated tracking information is received.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

updating device location information within the tracking record, wherein the device location information is determined from information received from one or more physical-tag reading devices.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

sending a request to the remote electronic device for current logical attribute information;

receiving a response from the remote electronic device with the current logical attribute information; and

updating the tracking record with the current logical attribute information.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving, from a physical-tag reading device, a request for at least a portion of the tracking information; and

returning the at least a portion of the tracking information to the physical-tag reading device.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

verifying that the tag reading device has permission to access the at least a portion of the tracking information before sending the at least a portion of the tracking information.

32. A method comprising:

associating a physical-tag with an electronic device, wherein the physical-tag includes a physical-tag identifier that is readable over an air interface;

associating a logical-tag with the electronic device, wherein the logical-tag includes logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device;

updating the logical attribute information by the logical-tag;

receiving a request for at least part of the logical attribute information from a remote requester having information regarding the physical-tag; and

sending the logical attribute information to the remote requester in response to the request.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein updating the logical attribute information comprises:

identifying system hardware and software configurations;

updating corresponding fields within the logical attribute information; and

updating a timestamp, which indicates when the corresponding fields were updated.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein updating the logical attribute information comprises:

receiving new logical attribute information from a remote source;

updating corresponding fields within the logical attribute information; and

updating a timestamp, which indicates when the corresponding fields were updated.

35. A method comprising:

a physical-tag reading device reading, over an air interface, a physical-tag identifier indicated by a physical-tag associated with an electronic device; and

retrieving logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device based on the physical-tag identifier.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein reading the physical-tag identifier comprises reading the physical-tag identifier using a radio-frequency signal.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein reading the physical-tag identifier comprises reading the physical-tag identifier using an optical scanner.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein retrieving the logical attribute information comprises requesting the logical attribute information from a remote database, using the physical-tag identifier.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein retrieving the logical attribute information comprises requesting the logical attribute information from a logical-tag associated with the electronic device.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein retrieving the logical attribute information comprises retrieving the logical attribute information from a storage medium, using the physical-tag identifier.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein retrieving the logical attribute information comprises retrieving the logical attribute information from the physical-tag.

42. The method of claim 35, further comprising the physical-tag reading device writing at least a portion of the logical attribute information to the physical-tag.

43. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

displaying at least a portion of the logical attribute information, wherein the logical attribute information includes information selected from a group of information types that includes a logical-tag identifier, the physical-tag identifier, a device type, a device owner identifier, a hardware configuration description, a software configuration description, an Internet protocol address, a user identifier, and device location information.

44. A method comprising:

a physical-tag reading device reading, over an air interface, a physical-tag identifier indicated by a physical-tag associated with an electronic device; and

providing the physical-tag identifier to a remote processing element, which associates the physical-tag identifier with logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

providing information that enables the remote processing element to determine a location of the physical-tag reading device.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

storing the physical-tag identifier; and

sending the physical-tag identifier to the remote processing element.

47. A method comprising:

creating an information request to request logical attribute information that is stored by a logical-tag of a remote electronic device, wherein the logical attribute information includes a configuration description for the remote electronic device;

sending the information request to the remote electronic device;

receiving the logical attribute information from the remote electronic device; and

associating the logical attribute information with a physical-tag identifier, wherein the physical-tag identifier is retrieved from a physical-tag associated with the remote electronic device.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

storing a tracking record for the remote electronic device, which includes the physical-tag identifier and at least a portion of the logical attribute information.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

displaying at least a portion of the logical attribute information, wherein the logical attribute information includes information selected from a group of information types that includes a logical-tag identifier, the physical-tag identifier, a device type, a device owner identifier, a hardware configuration description, a software configuration description, an Internet protocol address, a user identifier, and device location information.

50. A method comprising:

a logical-tag of an electronic device storing logical attribute information that includes a configuration description for the electronic device;

retrieving a physical-tag identifier from a physical-tag associated with the electronic device;

retrieving the logical attribute information in response to an information request from a requester, the information request including the physical-tag identifier; and

sending the logical attribute information to the requester.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

determining the logical attribute information in response to a trigger event.

52. A computer-readable medium having program instructions stored thereon to perform a method, which when executed, results in:

creating a tracking record for a remote electronic device, wherein the tracking record includes a physical-tag identifier and tracking information, wherein the physical-tag identifier includes a value indicated by a physical-tag associated with the device, and wherein the tracking information includes logical attribute information stored by a logical-tag associated with the device; and

updating the tracking record when updated tracking information is received.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein executing the method further results in:

updating device location information within the tracking record, wherein the device location information is determined from information received from one or more physical-tag reading devices.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein executing the method further results in:

sending a request to the remote electronic device for current logical attribute information;

receiving a response from the remote electronic device with the current logical attribute information; and

updating the tracking record with the current logical attribute information.