Information technology asset location using visual detectors

A computer program, product comprising a computer readable storage device having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

• control a plurality of physical assets to cause each physical asset to output a visual output pattern on one or more visual output elements of the physical asset;
• capture at least one image of a target physical asset using an image capture device, wherein the at least one image comprises a current state of the one or more visual output elements of the target physical asset;
• determine an identification of the target physical asset based on the current state of the one or more visual output elements of the target physical asset at least by executing a binary search operation in which, in each iteration of the binary search operation, a first subset of the plurality of physical assets are controlled to have their one or more visual output elements turned on and a second subset of the plurality of physical assets are controlled to have their one or more visual output elements turned off, and wherein during each iteration, one of the first subset or the second subset is selected to be the plurality of physical assets for a next iteration of the binary search operation;
• determine a physical location of the target physical asset based on a physical location of the image capture device when the at least one image of the target physical asset was captured;
• and
• store location data identifying the determined physical location of the target physical asset in an asset database in association with configuration information for the physical asset.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• control a plurality of physical assets to cause each physical asset to output a visual output pattern on one or more visual output elements of the physical asset;
• capture at least one image of a target physical asset using an image capture device, wherein the at least one image comprises a current state of the one or more visual output elements of the target physical asset;
• determine an identification of the target physical asset based on the current state of the one or more visual output elements of the target physical asset;
• determine a physical location of the target physical asset based on a physical location of the image capture device when the at least one image of the target physical asset was captured;
• and
• store location data identifying the determined physical location of the target physical asset in an asset database in association with configuration information for the physical asset.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• control a plurality of physical assets to cause each physical asset to output a visual output pattern on one or more visual output elements of the physical asset;
• capture at least one image of a target physical asset using an image capture device, wherein the at least one image comprises a current state of the one or more visual output elements of the target physical asset;
• determine an identification of the target physical asset based on the current state of the one or more visual output elements of the target physical asset at least by executing a binary search operation in which, in each iteration of the binary search operation, a first subset of the plurality of physical assets are controlled to have their one or more visual output elements turned on and a second subset of the plurality of physical assets are controlled to have their one or more visual output elements turned off, and wherein during each iteration, one of the first subset or the second subset is selected to be the plurality of physical assets for a next iteration of the binary search operation;
• determine a physical location of the target physical asset based on a physical location of the image capture device when the at least one image of the target physical asset was captured;
• and
• store location data identifying the determined physical location of the target physical asset in an asset database in association with configuration information for the physical asset.