Electronic Device Status Tracking for Real-Time Inventory Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Companies face challenges in efficiently tracking and determining the status of thousands of electronic devices, including which employee has each device, whether it is in use, its physical location, and its lifecycle stage, which is time-consuming and often inaccurate, impacting procurement decisions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for tracking multiple electronic devices by assigning statuses like In Stock Available, In Use Active, or Retired Sold, using external information to automatically update device tracking databases, preventing prohibited status changes, and providing real-time status information to clients via electronic communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual tracking methods are used to determine device status and location, then employees can provide information about their devices, but productivity is reduced and tracking accuracy is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables devices to automatically report their own status, location, and connection information without requiring employee intervention. The device status determination system autonomously collects data from multiple sources including device connection states, inventory systems, and repair systems to track device status, thereby eliminating the need for employees to manually report device information while maintaining high tracking accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking processes with an automated electronic system that uses computer processors to access and analyze data from inventory systems, repair systems, and device connection states. This substitution of manual processes with automated electronic data collection and analysis significantly improves both productivity and tracking precision
2Loss of information
If comprehensive device tracking is implemented across thousands of devices, then complete device status information is obtained, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking system is divided into multiple independent modules including an inventory system that tracks device location and status, a repair system that manages device maintenance, and a device status determination system that synthesizes information from these sources. Each module operates independently but contributes to the overall comprehensive tracking, making the complex system manageable through functional segmentation
Solution Approach 2:
The device status determination system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it tracks device location, monitors connection states, manages repair status, and determines overall device status. By creating a universal system that handles diverse tracking requirements through a single integrated approach, the patent reduces the complexity that would arise from maintaining separate specialized systems
3Loss of time
If real-time device status updates are provided to clients, then informed procurement decisions are enabled, but data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors and pre-processes device status information from inventory systems, repair systems, and connection states, maintaining an up-to-date device status database before client requests are made. This preliminary data preparation ensures that real-time status updates can be provided to clients without requiring intensive processing at the moment of query, thus reducing decision-making time while managing processing power efficiently
Solution Approach 2:
The device status determination system operates continuously to collect, analyze, and update device status information from multiple sources. This continuous operation maintains current status data without interruption, enabling real-time reporting to clients while distributing processing load over time rather than concentrating it during client interactions
Data Source
AI summary
An example method of tracking multiple electronic devices is described herein that can include accessing first information regarding the multiple electronic devices with the first information including a connection state for a first plurality of electronic devices of the multiple electronic devices representative of a most recent timestamp that each of the first plurality of electronic devices was active and concurrently determining a first status for each applicable electronic device of the multiple electronic devices dependent upon the first information. The method can further include assigning the first status as a current status for each of the multiple devices in a device tracking database, accessing second information regarding the multiple electronic devices with the second information including the connection state for a second plurality of electronic devices of the multiple electronic devices, and concurrently determining a second status for each of the multiple electronic devices dependent upon the second information.