Equipment management system

• US 7,840,453 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prova Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Prova Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Doset, David Earl Jr., Davis, Tommy Lee Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin; Evens J
• Application Number:
  US11/086,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 705/22, 705/23, 705/24, 705/25, 705/26, 705/27, 705/28, 705/29, 705/1, 382/100
• US Class Current: 705/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083

Abstract

The invention is a system and method of managing equipment. The system incorporates a tagging device to attach identification tags to each piece of equipment. A scanning device is used to read the identification tags and relay this information to an equipment server. An input device is used to input information to the equipment server. The equipment server runs the equipment management program. The system flags a potential asset assigned to an asset creating individual. Equipment is designated an asset after use in an asset creating event.

Claims

1. A method for database query formulation and access comprising the steps of:

reading identification data from an identification tag that uniquely identifies the identification tag;

querying a computer database to determine whether the identification data is stored in the database;

electronically storing classification data in a data memory that identifies an item associated with the identification tag with the identification data if the identification data is not stored in the database;

receiving a state identifier indicating a state of the item associated with the identification tag if the identification data is stored in the database;

determining whether a state of the state identifier is an allowed state based on whether the item has been checked out to a predetermined individual prior to the use of the authenticated item by the predetermined individual in a public performance, wherein the use of the item by the predetermined individual in the public performance transforms the item into a unique authenticated item;

modifying the state of the state identifier if the state of the state identifier is not an allowed state; and

storing the state of the state identifier with the identification data if the state of the state identifier is the allowed state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the state of the state identifier is the allowed state based on whether the authenticated item has been checked out to the predetermined individual prior to the use of the authenticated item by the predetermined individual in a public performance, wherein the use of the item by the predetermined individual in the public performance transforms the item into a unique authenticated item comprises:

querying the database to receive data associated with the identification data that indicates whether the item is in a class of items that could be used by the predetermined individual during the public performance; and

modifying the state of the state identifier if the item was used by the predetermined individual during the public performance.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the state of the state identifier is the allowed state based on whether the authenticated item has been checked out to the predetermined individual prior to the use of the authenticated item by the individual in the public performance, wherein the use of the item by the predetermined individual in the public performance transforms the item into a unique authenticated item comprises:

querying the database to receive state data associated with the identification data; and

determining whether the state data of the state identifier is in a predetermined set of allowable state data for the state identifier based on the state data associated with the identification data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the state of the state identifier with the identification data if the state of the state identifier is an allowed state comprises setting a flag in the database associated with the state identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the state identifier indicating the state of the item associated with the identification tag if the identification data is stored in the database comprises the state identifier identifying the physical state of the item or a current state of the item relative to a prior state of the item.

6. A method for database query formulation and access comprising the steps of:

reading identification data from an identification tag that uniquely identifies the identification tag;

affixing the identification tag to an item;

storing in the database the identification data and classification data that identifies the item;

receiving a first state identifier indicating a state of the item associated with the identification data as being checked out to a predetermined individual prior to the use of the item by the individual, wherein the use of the item by the predetermined individual results in the item becoming an authenticated unique item;

storing in the database the first state identifier with the identification data;

receiving a second state identifier and the identification data;

querying the database to determine the first state identifier associated with the identification data;

determining whether the second state identifier is an allowed state identifier based on the first state identifier;

rejecting the second state identifier if the second state identifier is not an allowed state identifier based on the first state identifier; and

storing in the database the second state identifier with the first state identifier and the identification data if the second state identifier is an allowed state identifier.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein storing the second state identifier further comprises recording the usage of the item.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a third state identifier and the identification data;

querying the database to determine the first state identifier and the second state identifier associated with the identification data;

determining whether the third state identifier is an allowed state identifier based on the first state identifier and the second state identifier;

rejecting the third state identifier if the third state identifier is not an allowed state identifier based on the first state identifier and the second state identifier;

storing the third state identifier with the first state identifier, the second state identifier and the identification data if the third state identifier is an allowed state identifier; and

querying the database to retrieve the recorded usage of the item if the third state identifier is an allowed state identifier.

9. A system for database query formulation and access comprising;

an identification tag reader reading identification data from an identification tag that uniquely identifies the identification tag;

a database query system querying a database to determine whether the identification data is stored in the database;

a database input system storing classification data that identifies an item associated with the identification tag with the identification data if the identification data is not stored in a database;

a state system receiving a state identifier indicating a state of the item associated with the identification tag if the identification data is stored in the database;

an asset creation system determining whether the state identifier is an allowed state identifier by determining whether a state of the state identifier indicates that the item has been uniquely authenticated so as to be different from all other items that might otherwise be considered identical to the item; and

the asset creation system storing the state identifier with the identification data if the state identifier is an allowed state identifier so as to allow the authenticated item to be tracked.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the asset creation system queries an individual profile database to determine whether an individual is an asset creating individual, and the state identifier indicates that the item has been uniquely authenticated by virtue of having been used by the asset creating individual in a public performance.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the asset creation system determines whether the item is being used in a professional sporting event.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the asset creation system records a use of the item with the state identifier and the identification data if the state identifier is an allowed state identifier.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising an equipment reorder system generating an order for a replacement of the item if the state identifier is an allowed state identifier.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the asset creation system comprises asset creation means for determining whether the state identifier is an allowed state identifier.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the state system comprises state means for receiving the state identifier indicating the state of the item associated with the identification tag.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the identification tag reader comprises identification tag reader means for reading the identification data from the identification tag.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein the state system comprises issue equipment means for identifying an individual, identifying an equipment group, and identifying an equipment type and determining whether to create personalized transactions.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein the state system comprises issue equipment means for identifying an individual, identifying an equipment group, and identifying an equipment type and determining whether to create assets.