RFID Drone Mechanism for Automated IT Asset Inventory
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for inventorying IT assets and data bearing devices are inefficient, incomplete, and unsuitable for secure locations, especially when assets are mobile or subject to cybersecurity framework changes, often relying on battery power, wire connections, and lacking automated verification and secure data storage.
Innovation Solution
A RFID sender and reader drone mechanism that uses unique RFID tags, schedules inventory readings, and stores data in a secure database, allowing for automated review and verification, operating wirelessly and adaptable to changes in asset types and cybersecurity regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual inventory methods are used, then people can complete the inventory, but the process is time consuming and incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inventory processes with an automated RFID-based system. The drone mechanism equipped with RFID readers automatically detects and records tagged assets, eliminating the need for manual scanning and data entry, thereby dramatically improving inventory speed and completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service inventory management where the RFID-tagged assets automatically broadcast their identification information to the drone readers. The assets essentially inventory themselves by passively or actively transmitting their RFID signals, which the drone system captures and records without human intervention
2Productivity
If traditional inventory systems are used, then inventory can be performed, but they interfere with business operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic inventory operations where the drone system conducts automated inventory scans at scheduled intervals rather than requiring continuous or frequent manual interruptions. This periodic approach allows business operations to proceed normally between inventory cycles, minimizing disruption while maintaining up-to-date asset records
Solution Approach 2:
The drone mechanism serves as an intermediary device that performs inventory functions independently of business operations. By positioning the drone as a separate autonomous entity that can operate in designated areas without interfering with personnel or equipment, the system enables inventory collection without disrupting normal business activities
3Productivity
If traditional inventory systems are used, then inventory can be performed, but they are not suitable for use in secure locations due to threat of loss of assets
Solution Approach 1:
The drone mechanism acts as a remote intermediary that collects inventory data from secure locations without requiring physical access to sensitive areas by personnel. The drone can be controlled remotely or autonomously, minimizing the risk of asset theft or tampering while still enabling comprehensive inventory collection in highly secure environments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual inventory collection methods with an automated drone-based system in secure locations. This substitution eliminates the need for personnel to physically access or handle assets in secure areas, reducing security risks associated with human presence while maintaining reliable inventory capabilities
4Ease of operation
If battery-powered RFID tags are used, then tags can broadcast identification, but the system relies on battery power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces active battery-powered RFID tags with passive RFID tags that harvest energy from the electromagnetic field generated by the drone's RFID readers. This substitution eliminates batteries entirely, as the passive tags draw sufficient power from the reader's electromagnetic signal to broadcast their identification information, removing all battery-related maintenance and replacement requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient, accurate, and secure inventory management without disrupting business operations, ensuring compliance with cybersecurity regulations and reducing insider threats by providing a reliable and adaptable method for tracking IT assets and data bearing devices.
Implementation Method 1
The present invention is a Radio-frequency identification ('RFID') sender and reader drone mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a RFID Sender and Reader Drone Mechanism to Complete Inventory of RFID Tagged IT Assets and Data Bearing Devices. This RFID sender and reader drone mechanism provides for controlled and scheduled inventory of IT assets and data bearing devices by tagging them with a unique RFID identification tag, enrolling the identification tag information into a secure and proprietary database, scheduling the RFID sender and reader drone mechanism to read all RFID identification tags within a specified area at a specified time, saving the inventory readings information into the secure and proprietary database based on date, time, and area of inventory, and allowing for review automatically by the software and review and verification of results by assigned IT personnel.