Apparatus, method and system for distributed and automatic inventory, status and database creation and control for remote communication sites

An apparatus for distributed inventory processing for remote communication sites, the apparatus comprising:

• an input output interface, the input output interface coupleable through a communication channel to a plurality of field replaceable units;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the input output interface and to the memory, wherein the processor includes instructions for obtaining an address and status from the memory of a first field replaceable unit of the plurality of field replaceable units;
• when the status is out of service, the processor having further instructions for obtaining recent physical location information for the first field replaceable unit, wherein the recent physical location information comprises a recently stored frame, shelf and slot location;
• and when the status is not out of service, the processor having further instructions for querying the first field replaceable unit through its address to obtain its current vintage information and its current physical location information, wherein the current vintage information comprises a hardware version and a firmware version. and wherein the current physical location information comprises a current frame, shelf and slot location.

A system for distributed inventory processing for remote communication sites, the system comprising:

• a plurality of remote communication sites, each remote communication site of the plurality of remote communication sites having a plurality of field replaceable units;
• a central site coupled through a communication channel to the plurality of remote communication sites, the central site having a processor and a memory, wherein the processor includes instructions for obtaining an address and status from the memory of each field replaceable unit of the plurality of field replaceable units;
• the processor having further instructions for obtaining, from the memory, recent physical location information for each field replaceable unit having an out of service status, wherein the recent physical location information comprises a recently stored frame, shelf and slot location;
• and the processor having further instructions for querying each field replaceable unit having a status not out of service, through each corresponding address, to obtain its current vintage information and its current physical location information, wherein the current vintage information comprises a hardware version and a firmware version, and wherein the current physical location information comprises a current frame, shelf and slot location.

A system for distributed inventory processing for remote communication sites, the system comprising:

• a central site having a central processor;
• and
• a plurality of remote communication sites coupled to the central site through a communication channels, each remote communication site of the plurality of remote communication sites having a plurality of field replaceable units;
• each remote communication site having a remote processor and a remote memory, wherein the remote processor includes instructions for obtaining an address and status from the memory of each field replaceable unit of the plurality of field replaceable units within each remote communication site;
• the remote processor having further instructions for obtaining, from the remote memory, recent physical location information for each field replaceable unit having an out of service status, wherein the recent physical location information comprises a recently stored frame, shelf and slot location;
• and the remote processor having further instructions for querying each field replaceable unit having a status not out of service, through each corresponding address, to obtain its current vintage information and its current physical location information, wherein the current vintage information comprises a hardware version and a firmware version, and wherein the current physical location information comprises a current frame, shelf and slot location.