# US 2013/0278392 A1 · Method and system for determining asset disposition using rfid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0278392 A1 - Document ID: US20130278392A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/925,348 - Filed: 2013-06-24 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-29 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P. - Applicants: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P. - Inventors: CHRISTOPHER P. GILBOY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130278392A1 ## CPC - G06K 7/10009: {sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves} - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting} - G08B 13/2402: {Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting (mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03)} - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract A system and method of determining a disposition of an electronic device as installed, in-need-of-repair, or in-storage are provided, using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices on the electronic devices and a sensor which detects disposition. Diagnostic test results and locations of installed devices may also be communicated to the RFID associated with the device and provided in a response to an interrogation. Shared memory on the device is integrated with the RFID device to store utilization and health history on the device for later retrieval. The disposition data is provided in a response to an interrogation of each device. Optionally, a communications device on a chassis housing electronic devices provides the disposition and location of all installed devices in response to an interrogation. The device disposition and location information is communicated to the communications device upon installation via a processing unit integral to the chassis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of determining a disposition of an item, comprising: transmitting, by an interrogating device, an interrogation signal; receiving, by the interrogating device, a response from a radio frequency identification device in response to the interrogation signal, the response comprising disposition information associated with the item, wherein the item is an electronic device comprising a circuit pack of a node in a telecommunication network, the disposition information being obtained by the radio frequency identification device from a sensor that is operatively monitoring a signal path of the circuit pack for detecting a presence of a magnetic field, wherein the disposition information being associated with an operational state of the electronic device, wherein the operational state indicates whether the electronic device is in an installed state; and wherein, when the operational state indicates that the electronic device is in the installed state, the operational state further indicates whether the electronic device is in one of two states comprising: an in-use state and in a need-of-repair state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a diagnostic test is initiated in response to the transmitting the interrogation signal when the operational state indicates the electronic device is in the installed state to distinguish whether the electronic device is in one of the two states. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing the disposition information and a date when the response is received. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: providing details of a failed completion of the diagnostic test in the response. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: reporting the details of the failed completion of the diagnostic test to a technician. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operational state further includes an in-storage state to indicate that the electronic device has not been installed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a location of the electronic device is retrieved, when the operational state of the electronic device is in the installed state, in response to the transmitting the interrogation signal, wherein the location includes at least one of: a chassis, a bay, a shelf, and a slot in which the electronic device is located. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein information comprising the location and an identification number of the item is stored in a memory provided on the electronic device, if the operational state of the electronic device is in the installed state, and wherein the information that is stored further comprises at least one of: a date as to when the electronic device was installed, a time as to when the electronic device was installed, a current version of a software loaded on the electronic device, a current version of a firmware loaded on the electronic device, a number of ports used on the electronic device, a record of service history on the electronic device, a measure of utilization of the electronic device, and the operational state of the electronic device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the item resides in a chassis, the chassis comprising a processing unit and a communications device, the method further comprising: relaying the identification number, disposition information including the operational state of the electronic device, and the location of the electronic device to the processing unit in response to installing the electronic device in the chassis, the operational state being determined from the sensor, wherein the location includes at least one of: a chassis, a bay, a shelf, and a slot in which the electronic device is located; transmitting a second interrogation signal to the communications device; and receiving a second response from the communications device comprising the identification number, the disposition information, and the location of the electronic device, wherein the second response is obtained from the processing unit in response to the transmitting the second interrogation signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the communications device comprises a radio frequency identification device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the relaying is implemented using a shared memory to communicate between the communications device and the processing unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: manually setting the electronic device to the in-need-of-repair state in response to determining that the electronic device needs repair. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the communications device comprises a wired communications device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the communications device comprises a wireless communications device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the communications device comprises an operations support systems device. ### Claim 16 A system for determining a disposition of an electronic device, comprising: a radio frequency identification device for communicating the disposition associated with the electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises a circuit pack of a node in a telecommunication network; a sensor operatively monitoring a signal path of the circuit pack for detecting a presence of a magnetic field, the sensor for recognizing an operational state of the electronic device associated with the disposition of the electronic device, the operational state of the electronic device including an installed state, the recognizing of the operational state further distinguishing whether the electronic device in the installed state is in one of two states comprising: an in-use state and an in-need-of-repair state; and a base station comprising an interrogator for collecting from the radio frequency identification device the disposition associated with the electronic device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, further comprising a computer operatively connected to the base station for storing information including at least one of: a location of the electronic device, an identification number of the electronic device, a date as to when the electronic device was installed, a time as to when the electronic device was installed, a current version of software loaded on the electronic device, a current version of firmware loaded on the electronic device, a number of ports used on the electronic device, a record of service history on the electronic device, a measure of utilization of the electronic device, and the disposition, and wherein the location of the electronic device includes at least one of: a chassis, a bay, a shelf, and a slot of the electronic device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the radio frequency identification device and the sensor are integrated into the electronic device, the electronic device comprising a processing unit, a shared memory, and a component memory, wherein asset information is shared between the sensor and the processing unit using the shared memory, and wherein the component memory comprises asset information that is stored and historical data for future retrieval. ### Claim 19 An apparatus for determining a disposition of an item, comprising: a processor; and a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor, storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising: transmitting an interrogation signal; receiving a response from a radio frequency identification device in response to the interrogation signal, the response comprising disposition information associated with the item, wherein the item is an electronic device comprising a circuit pack of a node in a telecommunication network, the disposition information being obtained by the radio frequency identification device from a sensor that is operatively monitoring a signal path of the circuit pack for detecting a presence of a magnetic field, wherein the disposition information being associated with an operational state of the electronic device, wherein the operational state indicates whether the electronic device is in an installed state; and wherein, when the operational state indicates that the electronic device is in the installed state, the operational state further indicates whether the electronic device is in one of two states comprising: an in-use state and in a need-of-repair state. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a location of the electronic device is retrieved, when the operational state of the electronic device is in the installed state, in response to the transmitting the interrogation signal, wherein the location includes at least one of: a chassis, a bay, a shelf, and a slot in which the electronic device is located.