System and method for providing asset management information to a customer

• US 8,255,358 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Ballew, Paul, Maynard, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THU NGUYET T
• Application Number:
  US11/801,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/102, 707/104.1, 707/10, 707/899, 707919-920, 707/922, 707/999.001, 707/609, 707/999.2, 701/50, 340/425.5, 340/679
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for providing asset management information to a customer is disclosed. The method receives information from a first reporting source about an asset. In addition, information from a second reporting source about an asset is also received. A database is then populated with the information from the first reporting source and the information from the second reporting source such that information from the first reporting source and information from the second reporting source can be collected from the database. An asset information report is then provided to a customer application from the database.

Claims

1. A method for providing asset management information to a customer application, said method comprising:

receiving information from a first reporting source about an asset, wherein said first reporting source is a first device and wherein said information comprises operation and status of said asset;

receiving information from a second reporting source about said asset wherein said second reporting source is a second device disparate from said first device and wherein said information comprises operation and status of said asset;

receiving information from a third reporting source about a second asset wherein said third reporting source is disparate from said first reporting source and said second reporting source;

wherein at least one of said first reporting source, said second reporting source and said third reporting source is not coupled with said asset;

populating a database with said information from said first reporting source and said information from said second reporting source, such that said information from said first reporting source and said information from said second reporting source can be collected from said database;

receiving at a database a customized asset information report query automatically generated by a custom report module of an asset information report generator;

configuring an asset information report in a customized arrangement of asset information specified by said custom report module; and

providing said asset information report from said database to a customer application wherein said asset information report comprises customized information about said asset and wherein said asset information report is formatted into an electronic file type readable by said customer application which is specified in said custom report module.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing said information from said first reporting source and said information from said second reporting source in such a manner that an asset information report regarding said asset can be generated.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

generating said asset information report comprising at least a portion of information from said first reporting source and at least a portion of information from said second reporting source.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said storing said information from said first reporting source and said information from said second reporting source in such a manner that an asset information report regarding said asset can be generated comprises:

selectively parsing information from said first reporting source and said second reporting source into said asset information report.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from n reporting sources about an asset, wherein said n is an integer number greater than or equal to three.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving information from a first reporting source further comprises:

receiving asset location information.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving information from a second reporting source further comprises:

receiving asset location information.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving information from a first reporting source further comprises:

receiving asset operation information.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, 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.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving information from a said second reporting source further comprises:

receiving asset operation information.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, 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.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said providing an asset information report from said database to a customer application comprises:

supplying said asset information report to said information report generator; and

forwarding said asset information report from said information report generator to said customer application.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said supplying said asset information report to said information report generator comprises:

supplying said asset information report in said electronic file type readable by said customer application.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said forwarding said asset information report from said information report generator to said customer application comprises:

forwarding said asset information report from said information report generator to said customer application in a format specified by a custom report module.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an asset information query at said database from an information report generator.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said customer application is selected from one of 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.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information for a plurality of assets.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said providing an asset information report from said database to a customer application comprises:

receiving an asset information query about a grouping of said plurality of assets, wherein said grouping is selected from one of the asset groupings consisting of;

time period of operation of said asset;

location of operation of said asset;

type of said asset;

area assigned to said asset;

user assigned to said asset;

company providing said asset; and

company utilizing said asset; and

providing said asset information report to said customer application in response to said query.

19. A method for providing customized asset management information, said method comprising:

receiving information from a first reporting source about an asset wherein said first reporting source is a first device and wherein said information comprises operation and status of said asset;

receiving information from a second reporting source about said asset wherein said second reporting source is a second device disparate from said first device and wherein said information comprises operation and status of said asset;

receiving information from a third reporting source about a second asset wherein said third reporting source is disparate from said first reporting source and said second reporting source;

wherein at least one of said first reporting source, said second reporting source and said third reporting source is not coupled with said asset;

populating a database with said information from said first reporting source and said information from said second reporting source, such that said information from said first reporting source and said information from said second reporting source can be collected from said database;

receiving a first customized asset information database query automatically generated by a first custom report module comprising a dynamic link library (DLL) file; and

providing an asset information report wherein a reporting source is configured in a customized arrangement of asset information specified by said custom report module in a first format readable by a customer application specified by said first custom report module.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a second customized asset information database query from a second custom report module; and

providing a second asset information report in a second format specified by said second custom report module.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said providing an asset information report in a first format specified by said first custom report module comprises:

providing said asset information report with a report title specified by said first custom report module.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said providing an asset information report in a first format specified by said first custom report module comprises:

providing said asset information report in an electronic file type usable by a customer application, wherein said customer application is selected from one of 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.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said first custom report module comprises a file accessed by an asset information report generator.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein said first custom report module comprises instructions created with a .NET compatible computer programming language.

25. An asset management system comprising:

a central processing unit;

a database configured to be populated with a first portion of information about an asset from a first reporting source, wherein said first reporting source is a first device and wherein said information comprises operation and status of said asset, and a second portion of information about said asset from a second reporting source, wherein said second reporting source is a second device disparate from said first device and wherein said information comprises operation and status of said asset, and third portion of information about a second asset from a third reporting source that is disparate from said first reporting source and said second reporting source, wherein at least one of said first reporting source, said second reporting source and said third reporting source is not coupled with said asset; and

an asset information report generator, comprising a first custom report module configured for automatically issuing a first customized asset information query to said database, and wherein said first custom report module specifies a customized arrangement of specified asset information from said database and an electronic file format readable by a customer application, said 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.

26. The asset management system of claim 25, wherein said first custom report module comprises a file accessed by an asset information report generator.

27. The asset management system of claim 25, wherein said first custom report module comprises a dynamic link library (DLL) file.

28. The asset management system of claim 25, wherein said first custom report module comprises instructions created with a .NET compatible computer programming language.

29. The asset management system of claim 25, wherein said asset information report generator comprises:

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

30. The asset management system of claim 29, wherein said asset information report generator comprises:

a 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.

31. The asset management system of claim 25, 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.

32. The asset management system of claim 31, 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.

33. The asset management system of claim 25, wherein said asset comprises a piece of rental equipment.

34. The asset management system of claim 25, wherein said asset comprises a piece of construction equipment.

35. The asset management system of claim 25, wherein at least one of said first portion of information and said second portion of information comprises asset location information.

36. The asset management system of claim 25, wherein at least one of said first portion of information and said second portion of information comprises asset operation information.

37. The asset management system of claim 36, 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.