Information technology asset location using visual detectors

US8867819B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Robert J. Calio · Red Hook, US
• Jonathan H. Connell, II · Somers, US
• Michael J. Frissora · Wappingers Falls, US
• Canturk Isci · New York, US
• Jeffrey O. Kephart · Somers, US
• Jonathan Lenchner · North Salem, US
• Suzanne K. McIntosh · Clifton, US
• Iqbal I. Mohomed · Stamford, US
• John C. Nelson · Healdsburg, US
• James W. Thoensen · Danbury, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 28, 2013
• Grant date: Oct 21, 2014
• Expiry date: Jan 28, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/087
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Mechanisms are provided for determining the physical location of a physical asset in a physical area. A plurality of physical assets are controlled to cause each physical asset to output a visual output pattern on visual output elements of the physical asset. An image of a target physical asset is captured that has the current state of the visual output elements. An identification of the target physical asset is determined based on the current state of the visual output elements. A physical location of the target physical asset is determined based on a physical location of the image capture device when the image was captured. Location data identifying the determined physical location of the target physical asset is stored in an asset database in association with configuration information for the physical asset.