Mobile Reader for Automated Equipment Location Documentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of distributed antenna systems and other communication equipment in buildings is time and labor intensive, requiring accurate documentation of equipment locations for maintenance and troubleshooting, which is often inefficient and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a mobile reader with optical or RFID capabilities to accurately identify and document the location of equipment units, using methods such as GPS, Wi-Fi, or digitized floor plans, allowing for efficient creation of 'as built' documentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual documentation methods are used to record equipment locations, then the process is simple to implement, but the time and labor required are excessive and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical documentation processes with automated electronic systems. Mobile devices with cameras and GPS automatically capture equipment locations and create digital documentation, eliminating the need for manual recording and significantly reducing the time and labor required for installation and maintenance documentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces mobile devices as intermediaries between the equipment and the documentation system. These devices capture images, store location data, and transmit information to centralized databases, serving as a bridge that automates the documentation process while maintaining accuracy and reducing human intervention.
2Reliability
If equipment locations are not accurately documented, then the installation process is faster, but maintenance and troubleshooting become inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where captured images and location data are immediately stored in databases and can be retrieved for verification. This feedback loop ensures documentation accuracy by allowing reviewers to check captured data and make corrections if needed, while the automated system maintains ease of operation through streamlined processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates accurate digital copies of equipment locations through automated image capture and data recording. These digital copies serve as reliable references for maintenance and troubleshooting, eliminating the need for physical inspection while maintaining high accuracy through automated capture systems.
3Loss of information
If detailed documentation of all equipment units is created, then complete information is available for maintenance, but the documentation process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs mobile devices that perform multiple functions: capturing images, storing location data, tracking equipment identifiers, and transmitting information. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain complete documentation without increasing complexity, as a single device handles all documentation tasks that would otherwise require multiple separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the documentation process with the installation process itself. As equipment is installed, the mobile device automatically captures and stores location information in real-time, combining these previously separate activities into one integrated workflow that maintains information completeness while simplifying the overall process.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, and related methods and devices, is disclosed for documenting a location of installed equipment. The system includes a mobile reader and a memory. The mobile reader is configured to read a unique identification of an equipment unit and to determine a location of the equipment unit while proximate the equipment unit. The location and the unique identification of the equipment unit is associated and stored in the memory. The memory may be located in the mobile reader or in a remotely located database. The mobile reader may be an optical reader configured to read the unique identification from an optical barcode associated with the equipment unit, or the mobile reader may be an RFID reader configured to read the unique identification from an RFID tag associated with the equipment unit.