Asset tracking

Abstract

An asset tracking system 100 comprises a scanner device 102 comprising an RFID scanner 110, an optical scanner 112, asset identification tags 104, and a database 106. The asset identification tags are

Description

Technical Field This invention relates to methods and systems for tracking assets. Particularly, though not exclusively, the present invention is concerned with tracking unique assets including artwork, furniture, and ornaments. Background Art During transportation shipping, it is often important to be able to track the goods being shipped. For example, it is desirable for suppliers and customers - together with the transport company - are able to monitor the location and status of goods being shipped, for example by road, sea, or air. Such shipments may, for example, contain large numbers of goods such as consumer electronics, automotive vehicles, clothing, foodstuffs, and much more. In addition to the larger scale commercial aspects, the need for tracking in shipping and logistics is also applicable to smaller scale shipments. For example, when moving house, a person or family's assets may be handled and moved by a transport company. In some specific cases, assets may be of high-value or unique in nature. Unlike commercial shipments (where the goods being transported are many typically identical objects) or the vast majority of 'standard' house moves, there are specific considerations that apply to high-value, typically unique, objects such as fine art, antiques, and high-end furniture. These items may be of significant historic value, and it may be impossible to replace these items in the event they were damaged or lost. Misplacing items happens rarely, but when it does, it is usually because of human error. In addition, assets may be of greater value owing to their provenance, i.e. the point of origin or history of the asset. For example, a chair owned by a famous individual is likely worth more than the exact same chair owned by a non-famous member of the public. There are a number of asset tracking systems known in the art perse, however the Applicant has appreciated that these are not particularly well-suited to the tracking of such bespoke items. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags have been used for monitoring assets, for example. For example, articles of clothing may contain an RFID tag which carries data corresponding to certain parameters of the item. RFID tags may also be used in anti-theft systems, e.g. in shops. If such an RFID tag is carried through a detector positioned at the entrance / exit of the shop, this may cause an alarm to be sounded, indicating to security personnel that the item may be being stolen. However, in such contexts, the articles to which the RFID tags are applied are non-unique and are typically one of a great number. For example, the same RFID tag may be applied to every identical item a shop sells. For example, one tag may be provided in each 'medium sized blue shirt', and another tag may be provided in each 'large yellow sweatshirt', but within a given category the tags are identical. This is not true of high value 'singular' assets such as an oil painting or an antique chair, which may be one-of-a-kind. Furthermore, it is fairly straightforward for entities to incorporate RFID tags into the shipments for shipments of 'mass goods' at their point of origin. For example, a clothing manufacturer can incorporate the RFID tags into a label in their clothing products, or a television manufacturer can incorporate an RFID tag either into a television or into the box for the television - before the manufacturer then ships the relevant items to market retailers and distributors. Transport companies could, similarly, incorporate RFID tags into their shipping containers and / or vehicles. Thus the 'trackability' provisions can be built into the items or surrounding packaging readily easily. This is not the case for the types of high-value assets discussed above - such assets are already out in the world and are not already equipped with tracking hardware such as RFID tags. The Applicant has also appreciated the need for precision. It is important to ensure that assets are identified correctly. Where approaches such as RFID tags are used, it is possible to inadvertently write data to the incorrect tag if multiple tags are proximate to the device writing to those tags. This may lead to errors that ultimately result in the loss of a valuable asset. Other approaches to the tracking of high-value assets include physically marking the asset, for example with a unique identifier that can be input into a system (e.g. a software platform). For example, one approach suggested before includes the marking of the asset with 'invisible ink', for example using a pen having ink that is invisible under natural light but that becomes visible under ultraviolet light (i.e. a 'blacklight'). This, however, is not a desirable solution because it requires physically marking - potentially permanently - the asset. This may be particularly undesirable for delicate assets such as fine art. For example even if the canvas of a fine art painting itself is not marked, the frame is often also valuable and marking it is undesirable. Thus the Applicant has appreciated a need for a system suited to tracking individual assets such as high-value, unique, and / or bespoke items already 'in the field', i.e. in the hands of owners rather than in the control of manufacturers, distributors, or such like. Summary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an asset tracking system comprising: a computer-implemented database configured to store asset data for each of a plurality of assets, the asset data for each asset respectively comprising an asset identifier, an associated RFID tag identifier, and asset information; a scanner device comprising an RFID scanner and an optical scanner; and a plurality of asset identification tags associable with a respective an asset to be tracked, wherein each asset identification tag respectively comprises an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier. Thus it will be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention provide a system in which assets can be provided with unique RFID tags that can be associated with that asset by making use of the corresponding optical marker. The asset identification tags can be retrofitted onto each asset to be tracked. The combination of the RFID tag and the optical marker is particularly advantageous for both the registration of new tags being retrofitted onto an asset and for the scanning and verification of tags (once deployed) for the purposes of tracking that asset, e.g. while in storage or during transportation. The optical marker provides a secondary mechanism for confirming the RFID tag intended for interaction. The Applicant has appreciated that even passive RFID tags may have an operational range of several meters, which may be problematic where the scanner device is used in an environment where multiple tags are present. This is particularly relevant where RFID tags are being taken from a roll so there are potentially a great number of new tags nearby, or where the scanner is being used in a storage facility (e.g. warehouse) or transport vehicle (e.g. a lorry, truck, or van) so there may be many assets that have tags on them nearby. The optical marker may comprise any suitable marker that can be read optically by a machine. An example of such an optical marker is a barcode. In some embodiments, the optical marker comprises a quick-response (QR) code. A QR code is a two-dimensional matrix barcode that provides for faster reading speeds and greater data storage capacity than 'traditional' barcodes. QR codes may also be resilient to damage as some standards incorporate error correction, such that the data encoded within the QR code can often still be read even if the QR code is incomplete or damaged. As outlined above, the optical marker comprises information that is indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier. In some embodiments, the optical marker comprises an encoding of at least a portion of the RFID tag identifier. In a particular set of embodiments, the optical marker comprises an encoding of the RFID tag identifier, i.e. an encoding of the whole of the RFID tag identifier. The RFID tag identifier may, in some embodiments, comprise an Electronic Product Code (EPC) identifier of the RFID tag. The EPC identifier of an RFID tag is a universal identifier that provides a unique identity to each RFID tag. This EPC identifier may be encoded within the optical marker, e.g. within a QR code, such that the scanner device can verify interactions are being carried out with the correct RFID tag. At least a portion of the EPC identifier may, in some embodiments, be printed (typically in human-readable characters) together with the optical marker, for example the last N characters. Thus, in some embodiments, the last N characters of the EPC identifier are printed underneath the QR code which incorporates the entire EPC identifier, optionally wherein N is 5. These characters may be hexadecimal symbols or 'digits'. As set out above, the optical marker can be used in conjunction with the RFID tag for the purposes of registering a new asset. In some embodiments, the system is configured such that, when registering a new asset identification tag for a new asset to be tracked, the optical scanner is used to scan the optical marker of the new asset identification to determine the respective RFID tag identifier, and the database is updated to store asset data for the new asset, the asset data comprising a new asset identifier and the RFID tag identifier associated with the new asset identification tag. Thus, in practice, a user tasked with registering a new asset and associated identification tag onto the system can source a new tag (e.g. by removing a tag from a roll), affix it to an asset, start a registration process in which they input to the system what the new asset is and any relevant asset information, and scan the optical marker on the new tag to confirm the precise RFID tag that is to be used. In some such embodiments, the new asset data comprising new asset information received via a user interface. The user interface may be provided via the scanner device, e.g. through use of a physical keyboard or an on-screen keyboard (e.g. on a touchscreen display), or any other suitable input means. In some potentially overlapping embodiments, the new asset data may be prepopulated. For example, another user may have already entered details regarding the asset(s) that are to be added to the system, and these details may be provided to the user of the scanner device to select. As one example, a transport company may have been informed that it is to transport: i) an oil painting in a gold frame, size 80 cm by 100 cm; and ii) a green leather sofa with dark oak wooden frame. These details of expected assets may be entered into the database (or into a separate manifest to be added to the database later), so that when the driver arrives to collect those items, the driver affixes a new asset identification tag to one of the asset, selects which asset is being registered (e.g. the oil painting), scans the optical marker to confirm the RFID tag, and then registers that RFID tag to that selected asset in the database (and then repeats this process for the remaining asset(s), e.g. the sofa). Once an asset identification tag has been assigned to an asset, the corresponding RFID tag may be set to a locked state. This typically involves a write operation being used to switch the RFID tag from an 'unlocked' read / write mode in which data may be written to it, to a 'locked' read-only mode in which data may no longer be written to the RFID tag. In some embodiments, the scanner device is configured to set the RFID tag of the new asset identification tag to a locked state. The combination of the RFID tag and optical markers is also advantageous when scanning for existing tags, e.g. when performing an audit or when logging a movement or update in relation to the asset being tracked by that tag. In some embodiments, the system is configured such that, when scanning for an existing asset identification tag on a tracked asset, the RFID scanner is used to detect a presence of any RFID tags proximate to the scanner device. It will be appreciated that the 'asset' tracking system may be used for tracking both 'whole' assets as well as individual components of 'multi-component' assets, however the term 'asset tracking system' is used herein for ease of reference. For example, 'groups' of components may together form an asset, if that asset has more than one component. These components can be temporarily split away from the group (asset) to be handled separately in the event, for example, that red wine is spilt on a sofa cushion. In such an event (or similar), the cushion can be disassociated from the main asset, and the cushion can be issued with a temporary asset identifier, then after the cushion is restored or repaired, it can be re-associated with the original asset identifier. During a scanning operation, the user may be prompted to verify the presence of a particular asset by scanning the optical marker on the corresponding asset identification tag. The prompting of the user may be carried out via the scanner device. Thus, in some embodiments, the scanner device is configured to prompt a user to scan the optical marker of an asset identification tag associated with an asset to be verified. Any suitable cue may be used for the user prompt, for example the user prompt may be displayed on a display of the scanner device and / or an audio alert may be made using a speaker of the scanner device. The computer on which the database is hosted may form part of 'the system' or it may be an external component, as appropriate. However, in at least some embodiments the system comprises a computer that hosts the database. It will be appreciated that the term 'computer' in this context includes all suitable computational devices including but not limited to: desktop computers, laptops, servers, networked computers, workstations, thin clients, cloud computing systems, supercomputers, mainframe computers, mobile computers, tablets, smartphones, system on chips (SoCs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), reduced instruction set computers (RISCs), and other such types of computer known in the art perse. The database may be a centralised database, i.e. housed in a relatively centralised manner such as on a single computer or network. The database may be implemented via any suitable database architecture, known in the art perse. The database may be implemented using microservices architecture. A relational database management system (RDMS or RDBMS) may be used as the main database, potentially with further smaller 'helper' databases. In some embodiments, however, the database is hosted using a blockchain. By using blockchain, the database may be distributed as a 'distributed ledger' over a potentially large number of nodes, each of which may have a local copy of the database. Blockchain may provide enhanced trust between entities, which is particularly beneficial for the purposes to which embodiments the present invention may be directed, i.e. the tracking of high-value assets. Blockchain techniques may also provide enhanced security and privacy, as altering the distributed ledger on every node (which may use end-to-end encryption) to falsify a record is extremely difficult. In some embodiments the scanner device comprises a portable electronic device. In a particular set of embodiments, the scanner device is a handheld device. In order to assist with portability, the scanner device may, in some embodiments, be battery operated. The scanner device may, in some such embodiments, be rechargeable. The system may further comprise a fixed scanner device comprising a respective RFID scanner. It will be appreciated that the term 'fixed' here means 'not portable'. Such a fixed scanner device may be installed in a residence, a personal vehicle, a warehouse, a yacht, or such like in order to map the movements of assets more accurately, particularly when those movements are not specifically being conducted by a transporter. In general, a portable scanner device may have read and write functions, while a fixed scanner device may only have a read function. Such a fixed scanner device may, in some embodiments, be configured to generate an alarm if a movement of an asset is detected that is outside of an allowed parameter range. The allowed parameter range may, for example, comprise a time range. Thus the system may be set up to provide 'authorised' times in which assets are allowed to be moved, i.e. if a particular painting moves at 3am, i.e. outside an authorised time corridor, the system may inform a security company. The alarm may be a visual or audible alarm at the place of installation and / or may be a 'silent' alarm in which a relevant party (e.g. asset owner, warehouse operator, security company, etc.) is informed via an alert, call, message, email, or similar. The term 'associable with' should be understood to mean that the asset identification tag can be associated with a particular asset in the database and physically positioned in such a way that it typically moves when the asset does. In practice, this may - as set out below -be achieved by affixing the asset identification tag to the asset (or component) or by using a standalone token such as a card which could, if appropriate, be associated with the asset (for example such a token may be placed within the lining of a cushion, or under the seat of a sofa). In some embodiments, at least one of the asset identification tags is affixable to an asset to be tracked. Any suitable means could be used to affix an asset identification tag to the appropriate asset. However, in some embodiments, each asset identification tag respectively comprises an adhesive label. The Applicant has appreciated that adhesive labels (or 'stickers') are particularly advantageous for use with the types of assets the system is intended for due to their non-destructive nature (i.e. they do not require any 'permanent' fixing to the asset like a screw or bolt). In some such embodiments, the RFID tag may be embedded within the adhesive label. Thus, in some embodiments, the adhesive label may comprise a cover layer and an adhesive backing layer, wherein the RFID tag is embedded between the cover layer and the adhesive layer. In such embodiments, it will be appreciated that the term 'adhesive backing layer' means a layer having at least of a portion of, and potentially all of, its functional surface (the surface which would be applied to an asset) carrying an adhesive. In some such embodiments, the optical marker is printed on a surface of the adhesive label. It will be appreciated that the optical marker may be printed on the opposite side to the side of the sticker that carries the adhesive for sticking the sticker to the asset. Thus the cover layer may comprise the optical marker. A protective film layer may, in some embodiments, be provided on top of the printed surface to prevent inadvertent smudging of the printed optical marker (and any other printed characteristics). In such embodiments, the film layer may be partially transparent (e.g. translucent) and is preferably substantially transparent. It will be appreciated that 'substantially transparent' means the film layer is functionally transparent such that it does not impede the scanning of the optical marker by the scanner device. Thus as set out above, the asset identification tags may be affixed to the corresponding asset. Additionally, or alternatively, in some potentially overlapping embodiments at least one of the asset identification tags comprises a standalone token. In some such embodiments, the standalone token comprises a card. The RFID tag for such standalone token-based tags may be embedded withing the token (e.g. within the card, as appropriate). Thus for assets for which it is impractical or impossible to affix a tag to the asset, an RFID-based token such as a card may be used, acting as an 'RFID passport' for that asset (or component, as appropriate). This token (e.g. card) will also have an optical marker (e.g. a QR code printed on to it), but may also have relevant pertinent details of the asset printed on the other side of the token, including, artist name, photograph, HS code etc. This token may be used in lieu of an affixed RFID tag and will travel with the asset (or component) when it needs to be moved. Such a token may be referred to as an 'RFID passport'. There are, broadly, two types of RFID tags available - passive tags and active tags. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a passive RFID tag has no power source of its own and does not transmit its own RFID signal. Passive tags are only active when they 'hear' a reader, which is also used to power the passive tag. One or more of the asset identification tags may each comprise a passive RFID tag. In other words, one or more of the RFID tags of the asset identification tags may comprise a respective passive RFID tag. For example, each asset identification tag may comprise an adhesive label (as set out above) in which a passive RFID tag is embedded between the cover layer and the adhesive layer - this embedded passive RFID tag may be referred to as an 'insert'. Conversely, active RFID tags have their own power source and continually transmit an RFID signal, which can be tracked by multiple readers. The Applicant has appreciated that the use of active RFID tags may be particularly advantageous as active trackers for high value assets in transit. The system may, at least in some embodiments, comprise one or more active RFID tags. These active RFID tags may, at least in some embodiments, comprise standalone devices separate to the asset identification tags. These active RFID tags may, for example, be placed inside boxes or crates in transit. The frequency of transmissions by the active RFID tag(s) may be set as appropriate, e.g. based on user-defined intervals such as every 5 minutes, once a month, etc. where the frequency will typically impact the battery life if the active RFID tag is battery powered. In some embodiments, one or more of the asset identification tags may further comprise a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) device. It will be appreciated that examples of GNSS systems include the United States's Global Positioning System (GPS), Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, and the European Space Agency's Galileo system. The provision of GNSS functionality may advantageously allow authorised people to actively track the position and / or movements of the tag and the associated asset anywhere in the world. The system may comprise one or more ancillary sensors. In a particular set of embodiments, one or more ancillary sensors may be collocated within a device comprising an active RFID tag and / or a GNSS device, as set out above. The ancillary sensor(s) may be used to measure environmental data, such as temperature, humidity, vibration, shock, and other relevant environmental parameters. The data stored in the database may be accessible by a plurality of different users. For example, the data may be accessed by different asset owners, each of which has an asset or assets being tracked using the asset tracking system. Additionally, or alternatively, the data may be accessed by different transporters, each of which is set up to transport and / or store the asset(s) being tracked using the asset tracking system. Each user may, in some embodiments, only be able to access a subset of the asset data stored in the database, wherein the subset is dependent on a user access setting. The user access settings for each user can be set as desired, however typically each asset owner will only be granted access to the data for assets they own, while each transporter will only be granted access to the data for assets they have been given responsibility for (for purposes of transport, storage, or so on). Third parties (i.e. parties other than owners or transporters) may also be granted access to a subset of the data in the database - this may be useful for granting limited access to authorised entities such as insurers, auctioneers, or similar. Asset information in respect of each asset may be collected over time, which may serve as a time log of events for that asset. Thus, in some embodiments, the asset information stored in the database comprises an event log. Over the course of time, a particular asset may be moved between different locations, for example between two different houses belonging to the same asset owner and / or may spend some time in a storage facility like a warehouse. The time log can track where the asset is (or was) at any particular time, with an event being added to the log each time the corresponding asset identification tag is scanned. Consider the example given previously - each time a transporter collects the asset from a location, the driver may scan the corresponding tag (using RFID), and this is communicated to the database. The database is then updated such that the time log includes information related to the latest scan. This information may include the date and time of the scan, the identity of the user that performed the scan, information relating to the reason for scan (which may be a manual text entry and / or selected from a prepopulated list). The time log may, in some such embodiments, be used to generate a timeline for displaying to a user, wherein the timeline provides a visual representation of a time-ordered series of events relating to the asset. Such a timeline may be useful to both asset owners and transporters, as well as any relevant authorised third parties (such as insurers, auctioneers, etc.). In order to provide enhanced security, a MAC address of the scanner device may be compared to a predetermined list of approved MAC addresses, such that the scanner device is only able to communicate with the computer-implemented database when the MAC address of the scanner device matches an entry in said predetermined list of approved MAC addresses. This advantageously prevents non-authorised scanner devices from potentially gaining access to sensitive data. It will be appreciated that a 'MAC' address is a 'medium access control' (MAC) address - a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces which can be used as a network address for communications purposes. These MAC addresses are sometimes referred to as referred as an Ethernet hardware address, a hardware address, a physical address, and / or a burned-in address. The method of registering assets using the optical marker to register the corresponding RFID tag to the asset is novel and inventive in its own right. Thus, when viewed from a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a method of registering an asset in an asset tracking system, the method comprising: affixing an asset identification tag to the asset, said asset identification tag comprising an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier; scanning the optical marker to determine the information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier; registering, in a computer-implemented database, asset data for the asset, said asset data comprising an asset identifier, the RFID tag identifier associated with the RFID tag, and asset information. The second aspect of the invention extends to a scanner device for use with an asset tracking system, the scanner device comprising: an RFID scanner configured to read RFID tags; an optical scanner configured to read optical markers; and a communication module configured to provide communication between the scanner device and an external computer-implemented database; said scanner device being operable in a tag registration mode in which the optical scanner is used to determine RFID tag identifier associated with a new RFID tag, and wherein said RFID tag identifier is transmitted for storage in the database. The second aspect of the invention also extends to a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out a method of registering an asset in an asset tracking system, the method comprising: affixing an asset identification tag to the asset, said asset identification tag comprising an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier; scanning the optical marker to determine the information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier; registering, in a computer-implemented database, asset data for the asset, said asset data comprising an asset identifier, the RFID tag identifier associated with the RFID tag, and asset information. The second aspect of the invention further extends to a computer software product comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out a method of registering an asset in an asset tracking system, the method comprising: affixing an asset identification tag to the asset, said asset identification tag comprising an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier; scanning the optical marker to determine the information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier; registering, in a computer-implemented database, asset data for the asset, said asset data comprising an asset identifier, the RFID tag identifier associated with the RFID tag, and asset information. The scanner device may be further operable in a tag verification mode in which the RFID scanner is operable to scan for any of said RFID tags and, responsive to detecting an RFID tag of the asset tracking system, the scanner device prompts a user to scan the optical marker on the asset identification tag corresponding to the detected RFID tag. The scanning operation which prompts users to verify the presence of a particular asset by scanning the optical marker on the corresponding asset identification tag, as outlined previously, is also novel and inventive in its own right. Thus, when viewed from a third aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a method of verifying an asset is present using an asset tracking system comprising one or more asset identification tags, wherein each asset identification tag respectively comprises an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier, the method comprising: performing an RFID scan to scan for any of said RFID tags of the asset tracking system; responsive to detecting an RFID tag of the asset tracking system, prompting a user to scan the optical marker on the asset identification tag corresponding to the detected RFID tag. The third aspect of the invention extends to a scanner device for use with an asset tracking system, the scanner device comprising: an RFID scanner configured to read RFID tags; and an optical scanner configured to read optical markers; said scanner device being operable in a tag verification mode in which the RFID scanner is operable to scan for any of said RFID tags and, responsive to detecting an RFID tag of the asset tracking system, the scanner device prompts a user to scan the optical marker on the asset identification tag corresponding to the detected RFID tag. The third aspect of the invention also extends to a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out a method of verifying an asset is present using an asset tracking system comprising one or more asset identification tags, wherein each asset identification tag respectively comprises an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier, the method comprising: performing an RFID scan to scan for any of said RFID tags of the asset tracking system; responsive to detecting an RFID tag of the asset tracking system, prompting a user to scan the optical marker on the asset identification tag corresponding to the detected RFID tag. The third aspect of the invention further extends to a computer software product comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out a method of verifying an asset is present using an asset tracking system comprising one or more asset identification tags, wherein each asset identification tag respectively comprises an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier, the method comprising: performing an RFID scan to scan for any of said RFID tags of the asset tracking system; responsive to detecting an RFID tag of the asset tracking system, prompting a user to scan the optical marker on the asset identification tag corresponding to the detected RFID tag. In some embodiments, the method further comprises updating stored asset data associated with the asset identification tag. For example, when a verified scan occurs, the asset data may be updated to reflect the completion of this process. The asset information may be updated to include a logged event of the verified scan. This logged event may include a date and time of the scan, identifying information corresponding to the person who performed the verified scan, and / or a location where the verified scan took place. Additionally, or alternatively, the asset information may be updated to include one or more user inputs, for example corresponding to a status or condition of the associated asset. A user may, for example, confirm that the asset is in good condition, has not been damaged, is being loaded into a vehicle, etc. The prompting of the user may be carried out via the scanner device. Thus, in some embodiments, the scanner device is configured to prompt a user to scan the optical marker of an asset identification tag associated with an asset to be verified. Any suitable cue may be used for the user prompt, for example the user prompt may be displayed on a display of the scanner device and / or an audio alert may be made using a speaker of the scanner device. The asset tracking system referred to in respect of embodiments of the second and third aspects of the invention may be an asset tracking system in accordance with one or more of any of the aforementioned embodiments of the first aspect of the invention. When viewed from a fourth aspect, embodiments of the invention provide an asset identification tag associable with an asset to be tracked, wherein the asset identification tag comprises an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the RFID tag identifier. The asset identification tag of the fourth aspect of the invention may incorporate any one or more of the features described previously in relation to asset identification tags with respect to embodiments of any foregoing aspect of the invention. For example, the asset identification tag of the fourth aspect of the invention may be affixable to an asset, for example using an adhesive as described previously herein. Alternatively, the asset identification tag of the fourth aspect of the invention may comprise a standalone token, e.g. a card. The Applicant has appreciated that embodiments of the present invention may also be useful for detecting assets reported as stolen. For example, consider a scenario in which a transporter is performing a scan to look for a specific asset. The transporter may input the asset being looked for, and the scan begins. As a result, the RFID scanner will typically pick up all RFID tags in range, which may be displayed on a screen of the scanner device in a manner in which those detected tags are not selectable, with only the item that the transporter is looking for being interactable. In some embodiments, an identifier associated with the detected RFID tags detected by the scanner device is compared to a register, wherein a flag is raised if the identifier is on said register. The register may be a register of lost and / or stolen assets. The flag may be raised by transmitting data indicative of the match to a third party, without alerting the user of the scanner device. The identifier that is checked against the register may be the asset identifier and / or the RFID tag identifier. It will be appreciated that the optional features described hereinabove in respect of embodiments of the any aspect of the invention apply equally, where technically appropriate, to the other aspects of the invention outlined herein. Where technically appropriate, embodiments of the invention may be combined. Embodiments are described herein as comprising certain features / elements. The disclosure also extends to separate embodiments consisting or consisting essentially of said features / elements. Technical references such as patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference. Any embodiments specifically and explicitly recited herein may form the basis of a disclaimer either alone or in combination with one or more further embodiments. In the context of this specification "comprising" is to be interpreted as "including". Aspects of the invention comprising certain elements are also intended to extend to alternative embodiments "consisting" or "consisting essentially" of the relevant elements. Brief Description of the Drawings Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an asset tracking system; Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an asset identification tag in the form of an adhesive label; Fig. 3 is an illustration of a scanner device; Fig. 4 is a flowchart of an asset registration process; Fig. 5 is an illustration showing an asset identification tag being affixed to an asset; Fig. 6 is an illustration of the optical scanner of the scanner device being used to determine an RFID tag identifier; Fig. 7 is an illustration of the RFID scanner of the scanner device being used to write to the RFID tag; Fig. 8 is a flowchart of an asset verification process; Fig. 9 is an illustration of the RFID scanner of the scanner device scanning for nearby assets; Fig. 10 is an illustration of the RFID scanner receiving responses from nearby assets; Fig. 11 is an illustration of the scanner device prompting a user to scan a QR code to verify presence of an asset; Fig. 12 is an illustration of the scanner device being used to scan a QR code to verify presence of an asset; Fig. 13 is a flowchart of an asset scanning process; Fig. 14 is an illustration of an asset scanning process being used during transportation of an asset; Fig. 15 is a flowchart of a high-level overview of a process carried out using the asset tracking system; Fig. 16 is a data flow diagram showing how data is provided to different asset owners and transporters; Fig. 17 is a flowchart of a security check carried out by the system; and Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating an asset identification tag in the form of an RFID passport. Detailed Description Certain exemplary embodiments are described herein which relate to an asset tracking system and components thereof. It will be appreciated that the asset tracking system and its various components - as well as systems and components it interacts with - are complex technical systems, and so the illustrations and descriptions provided herein are simplified for ease of reference. It will be appreciated that this description provides examples for reference purposes, and the scope of the invention is defined by the claims. Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an asset tracking system 100. The asset tracking system 100 includes a scanner device 102, asset identification tags 104, and a computer-implemented database 106. For ease of reference, the computer 108 which hosts the database 106 is also part of the system in this embodiment, however in other embodiments of the invention the computer is a separate, external entity. It will be appreciated that the term 'computer' here is meant broadly to include any suitable computing system, as outlined previously. This 'asset tracking system' 100 may be used for tracking both 'whole' assets as well as individual components of 'multi-component' assets. For example, 'groups' of components may together form an asset, if that asset has more than one component. These components can be temporarily split away from the group (asset) to be handled separately in the event, for example, that red wine is spilt on a sofa cushion. In such an event (or similar), the cushion can be disassociated from the main asset, and the cushion can be issued with a temporary asset identifier, then after the cushion is restored or repaired, it can be re-associated with the original asset identifier. The scanner device 102 comprises an RFID scanner 110, an optical scanner 112, and a communications module 114. Each of the asset identification tags 104 is affixable to an asset to be tracked, as will be explained in more detail later. Each asset identification tag 104 respectively comprises an RFID tag 116 having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker 118 comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier. The RFID tag 116 is a passive tag - it requires no power source of its own. In this embodiment, the optical marker 118 is a QR code, and for ease of reference hereafter the optical marker 118 is interchangeably referred to as the "QR code 118". The computer-implemented database 106 is configured to store asset data for each of a number of assets. The asset data for each asset respectively comprising an asset identifier (a unique identifier for each asset), an associated RFID tag identifier, and asset information. The data in the database 106 may be accessible (at least in part) by asset owners 120 and transporters 122, as well as potentially being accessible (again, at least in part) by certain authorised third parties, such as an insurer or an auctioneer. The data may be accessed by different asset owners 120, each of which has an asset or assets being tracked using the asset tracking system 100. The data may be accessed by different transporters 122, each of which is set up to transport and / or store the asset(s) being tracked using the asset tracking system 100. Each asset owner 120, transport company 122, or other user is only able to access the subset of the asset data that is necessary for them. Each asset owner 120 is only be granted access to the data for assets they own, while each transporter is only granted access to the data for assets that they have been given responsibility for (for purposes of transport, storage, or so on). Third parties (i.e. parties other than owners or transporters) may also be granted access to a subset of the data in the database. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an asset identification tag 104. The asset identification tag 104 has the form of an adhesive label (or 'sticker'), which has a layered construction. The RFID tag 116 is sandwiched between a front layer 124 and an adhesive back layer 126. The RFID tag 116 is a substantially planar device and comprises a flat, spiral shaped antenna 128 and a microchip 130, carried on a substrate (not shown for ease of illustration). The RFID tag 116 is provided with a non-volatile memory (NVM) which stores information. The RFID tag identifier is the EPC identifier of the RFID tag 116 within the asset identification tag 104. The EPC identifier is a universal identifier used by manufacturers of RFID tags. The EPC identifier is a 96-bit identifier constructed according to a particular format, where the identifier comprises: a header, an EPC manager number, an object class, and a serial number. The header and EPC manager number are set by EPCglobal®, a division of GS1 who are responsible for international barcode standards. The object class and serial number are assigned by the EPC manager owner. The QR code 118 is printed on the front surface of the front layer 124, so that when the tag 104 is attached to an asset, the optical marker 118 faces outward and so is scannable by the optical scanner 112 of the scanner device 102. The Q.R code 118 is an encoding of the EPC identifier of the RFID tag 116 of that tag 104. It should be noted that the QR code shown in Fig. 2 is simply an exemplary QR code for visual reference and does not contain an encoding of an EPC identifier. The final 5 hexadecimal characters of the EPC code is also printed below the QR code 118, with the example '05B16' being shown in Fig. 2, which may be useful for human visual inspection. When stored, for example on a roll of sticker-based tags (as shown later in Fig. 5), the adhesive back layer 126 will typically be adhered to a backing paper. When ready for use, a user can peel the tag 104 from the backing paper of the roll, revealing the adhesive back layer 126 which can then be applied to a suitable surface of the asset to be tracked. Fig. 3 is an illustration of a scanner device 102. As outlined above, the scanner device 102 comprises an RFID scanner 110 and an optical scanner 112. The scanner device 102 is of a handheld, battery-powered construction, with a handle 132 (which the user grips during use) and a main unit 134 mounted on top of the handle 132. The main unit 134 houses processing circuitry and the communications module 114 (not shown in Fig. 3) and is also provided with a display 136 (which may be a touchscreen display). The communications module 114 provides for communication with the database 106 over a suitable network, e.g. over the Internet, using appropriate wireless technology such as Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, ZigBee®, or similar. The RFID scanner 110 extends 'forwards' (away from the user, in use) out of the handle 132 and is configured to transmit RFID interrogation signals, and to receive replies from the RFID tags 116 within the asset identification tags 104. The main unit 134 houses the optical scanner 112, which acts as a camera to visually scan the QR codes 118. The optical scanner 112 also points 'forwards', away from the user, to enable easy scanning of a QR code 118 in front of the user. The main unit 134 also houses a camera 113 which can be used like a 'standard' digital camera for taking photographs of an asset. It will be appreciated that the optical scanner 112 and camera 113 could be the same device (with a 'standard' camera being used to scan QR codes), or these could be separate devices as shown in the drawings. A button 138 (or buttons) may be provided on the handle 132 and can be pressed by a user to initiate scanning operations. Additionally, or alternatively, virtual buttons (e.g. 'Start Scan' and 'Stop Scan' buttons) may be presented on the display 136 for the user to press. Fig. 4 is a flowchart of an asset registration process 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The process 200 of Fig. 4 may be readily understood by way of further reference to Figs. 5 to 7. Consider a scenario in which an asset owner who possesses a number of valuable assets (such as fine artworks, antique furniture, and so on) wishes to have these assets transferred from one house to the another. At this point in time, the assets have not yet been added to the asset tracking system 100. When the transporter is hired to perform the move, they will send a driver to the asset owner's house to prepare items for onward transport to the other house. As a first step prior to assigning an asset identification tag 104, details of the asset may need to be put added to the database. This may be achieved either by adding the details to the database via a computer (e.g. based in an office), or the driver has the option to add a new asset that wasn't previously in the database. The driver may add the details via the scanner device or via a separate device using a suitable application. Drivers can only assign RFID tags to items that are in the database 106. When the driver arrives, the assets need to be tagged and the tag details need to be added to the database 106 of the asset tracking system 100 (as above, the other details relating to the asset may be added to the database 106 in advance or may be added by the driver when assigning the tag 104). For the ease of description, this process is set out for a single asset 140 - an oil painting - but this process could be repeated as many times as necessary for each asset. The front and back of the oil painting asset 140 are shown side by side in Fig. 5 for ease of reference, it should be understood that these are not two separate objects. If an asset comprises multiple components (e.g. a paired armchair and footstool), these may either be registered as separate assets or may be registered as component parts of a single asset, but in each case every component would typically get its own tag. As a first step 202, a user (in this case, the driver) acquires a new asset identification tag 104 from a roll of tags 105 and affixes it to the asset 140 using the adhesive back layer. In the particular example shown in Fig. 5, the tag 104 is affixed to the back of the asset 140 such that it will be out of view when the asset 140 is in ordinary use, i.e. when hanging on a wall. It will of course be appreciated that the scanning and registration process outlined below could be carried out prior to adhering the tag 104 to the asset 140. To register this new tag 104 to the asset 140, at step 204 the user scans the QR code 118 using the optical scanner 112 on the scanner device 102, as shown in Fig. 6. As shown at step 206, this provides the scanner device 102 with confirmation of the EPC code corresponding to the RFID tag 116 within the asset identification tag 104. Optionally, at step 207, asset information may be acquired from the user. For example, the user may type in (using a suitable interface such as an on-screen keyboard on the display 136 of the scanner device 102) information regarding the asset. This asset information may, however, already have been supplied for use in the database, for example as a result of information being provided by the asset owner in advance. These may be entered using a separate computer, e.g. an office-based computer, with the details being provided by a suitable application. This application may be a standalone application, a browser based application, a mobile application, or any other suitable type of application known in the art per se. The asset information for the asset 140 may include: a name, a classification (e.g. furniture, painting, accessory, etc.), a condition, a size, a weight, a location, and / or any other relevant information. Other relevant asset information that may be included is one or more of the following: purchase price and currency; vendor details if applicable; harmonized shipping (HS) code; and any asset owner assigned inventory numbers (if they exist, for ease of cross referencing). At step 208, and as illustrated in Fig. 7, the RFID scanner 110 of the scanner device 102 is used to write to the RFID tag 116 in order to set the RFID tag 116 to a read-only, 'locked' state to prevent inadvertent or malicious overwriting of the RFID tag 116 in the future. At step 210, the EPC of the RFID tag 116 that has been assigned to the asset 140 - together with any captured asset information if appropriate - is transmitted to the database 106 for storage at step 212. The steps of locking the RFID tag 116 and transmitting information to the database 106 could be reversed. During step 212, the database 106 is updated include the new asset. The asset 140 is assigned a unique asset identifier (which acts as the primary key for the database 106), and the EPC of the newly assigned RFID tag 116 is stored against that unique asset identifier. The asset information (however so provided) is also stored in the database 106 against that same asset identifier. The QR code 118 may, in some embodiments, only be used to select and identify the RFID tag 116 that should be written to when assigning the asset identification tag 104 to the appropriate asset. Once an asset has been tagged, RFID scans can be used to verify the presence of the respective asset. The intensity and / or power settings of the RFID scan range can be adjusted depending on which operation the transporter is performing to avoid 'seeing' all surrounding tags. Thus once the tag 104 is in place, 'line of sight' may not longer be needed to perform tasks. However, the QR code 118 can be used to verify an RFID actuation, or for asset detail lookup, and / or other tasks, where such a procedure is described below with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart of an asset verification process 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The process 300 of Fig. 8 may be readily understood by way of further reference to Figs. 9 to 12. This process can be carried out to verify that an asset is present using the asset tracking system 100 described previously. Figs. 9 to 12 show the oil painting asset 140 described previously, as well as three further assets - an antique sofa 150, a famous guitar 152, and a rare ornamental lamp 154. Each of the sofa 150, guitar 152, and lamp 154 - like the oil painting 140 - have already been equipped with a respective asset identification tag 104 having the same properties and functions as described before and are registered in the database 106 with information corresponding to the respective asset. Initially, at step 302 and as shown in Fig. 9, the RFID scanner 110 of the scanner device 102 is used to perform an RFID scan to detect any of the RFID tags 116 nearby that belong to the asset tracking system 100. The RFID scanner 110 transmits RFID interrogation signals 400 into the surrounding environment to seek responses from any nearby RFID tags 116. As shown in Fig. 10, if these interrogation signals are received by any RFID tags 116, those signals cause the RFID tags 116 to respond with a respective RFID response signal 402, which are received by the RFID scanner 110. Thus, referring back to Fig. 8, at step 304 a check is made to determine whether any RFID tags 116 were found. If no tags are found, the process may either end or may be repeated to perform an additional scan if desired. If, on the other hand, at least one RFID tag 116 is found, the process 300 continues. At step 306, the user is prompted to scan the QR code 118 on one or more of the assets discovered in the RFID scan. As shown in Fig. 11, this prompt 404 is provided on the display 136 as a text message reading "Please scan QR code for Antique sofa (green leather)". This prompts the user to scan the QR code 118 present on the asset identification tag 104 affixed to the sofa 150 as confirmation that they physically have seen the sofa 150 during this process. As can be seen in Fig. 12, the next step 308 is for the user to do as instructed and use the optical scanner 112 to scan the QR code 118 on the asset identification tag 104. This acts as a confirmation that the user has seen the sofa 150. A check is performed at step 310 to check that the EPC encoded within the scanned QR code 118 matches the EPC stored in the database 106 for that asset. If the scanned EPC matches the stored EPC, the scan is successfully verified 312. Conversely, if these do not match, then the scan is not verified 314. Fig. 13 is a flowchart of an asset scanning process 500 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 14 illustrates this process 500 being used during transportation of an asset 140. Referring back to the earlier scenario, consider the situation in which the oil painting asset 140 is to be moved between locations. In this case, the asset 140 already has an asset identification tag 104 affixed to it, and the asset 140 is already registered in the database 106. At an initial step 502, a user (the driver) uses the RFID scanner 110 of the scanner device 102 to scan the RFID tag 116 associated with the asset 104. This enables the RFID scanner 110 to read the EPC of the RFID tag 116. This EPC is transmitted to the database 106 at step 504. Subsequently, at step 506, a comparison is run to check that read EPC against the EPC values stored in the database 106 to determine the asset identifier, which in turn tells the system 100 that the asset that has been scanned is the oil painting 140. The act of scanning the asset 140 alone provides additional information to update the database 106 with - the date and time of the scan, potentially together with information regarding who performed the scan, may be added to the database as part of a time-based log of events pertaining to that asset 140. However, optionally, at step 507, updated information regarding the asset 140 may be acquired. For example, the user may input notes regarding the asset 140, e.g. a note stating that the asset is in good condition, or that the driver noticed a scratch in the frame prior to loading it on to the vehicle 156. Additionally, or alternatively, the user may take a photograph of the item using the scanner device 102 using the camera 113 on that device 102 and the photograph (or data derived from the photograph) may be stored as asset information within the database 106. At step 508, the database 106 is updated to reflect the updated asset information. An update regarding the asset may be communicated to related parties, such as the asset owner 120, the transporter 122, a vendor (if the asset is being collected from a gallery or similar), and / or third parties (insurers, restorers, upholsters, auctioneers, and such like). This may be achieved by means of a message (e.g. in the form of an email) being pushed to the asset owner 120 and / or the transporter 122 (as appropriate), or the updated information may simply be visible to them should they log in to the system to check the status themselves. Fig. 15 is a flowchart of a high-level overview of a process 600 outlining an exemplary use case of an asset tracking system of the present invention. At an initial step 602, an asset owner 120 purchases an asset (e.g. one of the assets 140,150,152, 154 described previously). At step 604, a transporter 122 inputs details regarding the asset into the system and plans a collection of the asset. At step 606, the driver accesses the database 106 to assign an RFID tag 116 to the asset using the scanner device 102. At step 608, the driver determines how many components the asset has. If the asset has more than one component, each component will get its own asset identification (and thus RFID) tag. At step 610, the scanner device 102 is used to scan the QR code 118, which provides the scanner device 102 with the EPC of the RFID tag 116 within the asset identification tag 104 onto which that QR code 118 is printed, as noted in step 612. The last five characters of the EPC are also printed underneath the QR code 118 as outlined previously. Once the desired RFID tag 116 has been correctly identified, the tag is written to at step 614. The use of the QR code 118 to identify the RFID tag 116 ensures precision when writing to the tag. It will be appreciated that this step of 'writing' to the tag means setting the RFID tag 116 to the locked state to prevent later editing of that tag. At step 616, the above steps are then repeated for each component of the asset, if needed (i.e. for multi-component assets). From step 618, the asset (and its component parts) can now be scanned by authorised scanner devices only - the process for ensuring this is described later with reference to Fig. 17. From step 620, each time the asset (or a component of the asset) is scanned, details are written to its TimeLine, i.e. the time-based log for that asset (or component, as appropriate). At step 622, authorised transporters 122 can create operational documentation using the RFID tags 116. This operational documentation may include, for example: collection notes, delivery notes, warehouse handling or receiving notes, etc. In order to maintain a chain of responsibility, various operational documentation may be required for any given movement of an asset. At step 624, asset owners 120 have access to their asset information and the planning involving their assets over multiple transporters 122. At step 626, transporters 122 have access to multiple asset owners' 120 information which concerns those transporters 122. Fig. 16 is a data flow diagram showing how data is provided to different asset owners and transporters. In this diagram, there are three asset owners 120a-c and two transporters 122a-b. The diagram shows the access and flow of data relating to four different assets 600, 602, 604, 606. The first asset owner 120a owns the first asset 600. The second asset owner 120b owners the second asset 602 and the third asset 604. Finally, the third asset owner 120c owns the fourth asset 606. The two transporters 122a, 122b are involved in the transportation of these assets 600, 602, 604, 606. In particular, the first transporter 122a has been tasked with transporting the first asset 600 (belonging to the first asset owner 120a) and the second asset 602 (belonging to the second asset owner 120b). The second transporter 122b has been tasked with transporting the third asset 604 (belonging to the second asset owner 120b) and the fourth asset 606 (belonging to the third asset owner 120c). As can be seen in Fig. 16, each asset owner 120a-c and transporter 122a-b is provided with the data only in respect of the assets 600, 602, 604, 606 that concern them. Fig. 17 is a flowchart of a security check process 700 carried out by the system 100. At a first step 702, a scanner device attempts to connect to the database 106. At step 704, the MAC address of the scanner device that is attempting to connect is compared to a predetermined list of approved MAC addresses, i.e. a register of MAC addresses associated with authorised scanner devices. If the MAC address of this scanner device is on that list, then at step 706 the connection is approved. If, however, the MAC address of this scanner device is not on that list, then at step 708 the connection is refused. This process helps to ensure that only authorised scanner devices can access the system and the data within the database 106. This enhances security not only in respect of the data, but also the physical assets being tracked within the system, as this may help to prevent malicious or erroneous manipulation of the asset records. An alternative embodiment of an asset identification tag in accordance with the present invention (which may be used instead of, or in combination with adhesive label-based asset identification tags) is shown in Fig. 18, which is a schematic diagram illustrating an asset identification tag 104' in the form of an RFID passport. Elements in Fig. 18 having a reference numeral ending in the prime symbol (') are alike in form and function to those elements having the corresponding reference numeral without the prime symbol described elsewhere herein. The RFID passport-based tag 104' acts as a standalone token that is not affixed to the asset it is associated with. In practice, the RFID passport-based tag 104' may travel with the associated asset by being physically placed within the asset, or placed in some dedicated documentation that is transported alongside that asset. For example, if the asset is a vase (as shown in Fig. 18), the tag 104' could be placed within the vase itself or may otherwise be kept in documentation that is to travel with that asset. The RFID passport-based tag 104' shown in Fig. 18 takes the form of a laminated card, in which a passive RFID tag 116' is embedded. A QR code 118' is printed on the front of the card, together with the last five characters of the EPC for the RFID tag 116'. Also printed on the front of the RFID passport-based tag 104' is a photograph 800 of the asset and information 802 relating to the asset including an identification number, country of origin, HS code, artist name, supplier name, and approximate year of manufacture. It will be appreciated that the information 802 printed on the tag 104' may be different according to the type of asset the tag 104' is for. The Applicant therefore provides a platform for tracking the movement of high value, typically unique or 'one off' objects, in particular artwork and furniture. The Applicant's system may ensure the flow of correct information to both asset owner and transport company, maintains historical data, and a chain of responsibility for the asset. While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in detail are not limiting on the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. An asset tracking system comprising:a computer-implemented database configured to store asset data for each of a plurality of assets, the asset data for each asset respectively comprising an asset identifier, an associated RFID tag identifier, and asset information;a scanner device comprising an RFID scanner and an optical scanner; anda plurality of asset identification tags associable with a respective an asset to be tracked, wherein each asset identification tag respectively comprises an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier.

2. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical marker comprises a quick-response (QR) code.

3. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the optical marker comprises an encoding of at least a portion of the RFID tag identifier or an encoding of the whole of the RFID tag identifier.

4. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the RFID tag identifier comprises an EPC identifier of the RFID tag.

5. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, configured such that when registering a new asset identification tag for a new asset to be tracked, the optical scanner is used to scan the optical marker of the new asset identification to determine the respective RFID tag identifier, and the database is updated to store asset data for the new asset, the asset data comprising a new asset identifier and the RFID tag identifier associated with the new asset identification tag.

6. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the new asset datacomprising new asset information received via a user interface.

7. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the new asset data is prepopulated.

8. The asset tracking system as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the scanner device is configured to set the RFID tag of the new asset identification tag to a locked state.

9. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the scanner device is configured to prompt a user to scan the optical marker of an asset identification tag associated with an asset to be verified.

10. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the database is hosted using a blockchain.

11. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the scanner device comprises a portable electronic device, optionally wherein the scanner device is one or more of: a handheld device, battery operated, and / or rechargeable.

12. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one or more of the asset identification tags are affixable to an asset to be tracked.

13. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 12, wherein each asset identification tag respectively comprises an adhesive label, optionally wherein the RFID tag is embedded within the adhesive label, optionally wherein the optical marker is printed on a surface of the adhesive label, further optionally wherein a protective film layer is provided on top of said surface.

14. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the adhesive label comprises a cover layer and an adhesive backing layer, wherein the RFID tag is embedded between the cover layer and the adhesive layer, optionally wherein the cover layer comprises the optical marker.

15. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the asset identification tags comprises a standalone token, optionally wherein the standalone token comprises a card.

16. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one or more of the RFID tags of the asset identification tags may comprise a respective passive RFID tag.

17. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising one or more active RFID tags and / or one or more ancillary sensors.

18. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one asset identification tag further comprises a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) device.

19. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the data stored in the database may be accessible by a plurality of different users, wherein each user is only able to access a subset of the asset data stored in the database, wherein the subset is dependent on a user access setting.

20. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the asset information stored in the database comprises an event log, optionally wherein the event log is used to generate a timeline for displaying to a user, wherein the timeline provides a visual representation of a time-ordered series of events relating to the asset.

21. The asset tracking system as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a fixed scanner device comprising a respective RFID scanner, optionally wherein said fixed scanner device is configured to generate an alarm if a movement of an asset is detected that is outside of an allowed parameter range.

22. A scanner device for use with an asset tracking system, the scanner device comprising:an RFID scanner configured to read RFID tags;an optical scanner configured to read optical markers; anda communication module configured to provide communication between the scanner device and an external computer-implemented database;said scanner device being operable in a tag registration mode in which the optical scanner is used to determine RFID tag identifier associated with a new RFID tag, and wherein said RFID tag identifier is transmitted for storage in the database.

23. A method of registering an asset in an asset tracking system, the method comprising:affixing an asset identification tag to the asset, said asset identification tag comprising an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier;scanning the optical marker to determine the information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier;registering, in a computer-implemented database, asset data for the asset, said asset data comprising an asset identifier, the RFID tag identifier associated with the RFID tag, and asset information.

24. A scanner device for use with an asset tracking system, the scanner device comprising:an RFID scanner configured to read RFID tags; andan optical scanner configured to read optical markers;said scanner device being operable in a tag verification mode in which the RFID scanner is operable to scan for any of said RFID tags and, responsive to detecting an RFID tag of the asset tracking system, the scanner device prompts a user to scan the optical marker on the asset identification tag corresponding to the detected RFID tag.

25. A method of verifying an asset is present using an asset tracking system comprising one or more asset identification tags, wherein each asset identification tag respectively comprises an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the respective RFID tag identifier, the method comprising:performing an RFID scan to scan for any of said RFID tags of the asset trackingsystem;responsive to detecting an RFID tag of the asset tracking system, prompting a user to scan the optical marker on the asset identification tag corresponding to the detected RFID tag.5 26. A computer software product or a non-transitory computer-readable mediumcomprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out the method of claim 23 or 25.

27. The scanner device, method, computer software product, or non-transitory10 computer-readable medium as claimed in any of claims 22 to 26, wherein the asset tracking system comprises the asset tracking system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21.

28. An asset identification tag that is associable with an asset to be tracked, wherein the asset identification tag comprises an RFID tag having an RFID tag identifier associated 15 therewith, and an optical marker comprising information indicative of the RFID tag identifier.

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