Equipment management system

Abstract

The invention is a system and method of managing equipment. The system incorporates a tagging device to attach identification tags to each piece of equipment. A scanning device is used to read the identification tags and relay this information to an equipment server. An input device is used to input information to the equipment server. The equipment server runs the equipment management program. The system flags a potential asset assigned to an asset creating individual. Equipment is designated an asset after use in an asset creating event.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of equipment management and identifying assets for a sports team comprising the steps of: 
 a) receiving equipment;    d) affixing a barcode to said equipment;    c) identifying said equipment by scanning said barcode with a scanning device;    d) classifying said equipment by equipment group;    e) turning a group flag on for a potential asset group;    f) issuing said equipment;    g) assigning said equipment to an individual profile;    h) turning an individual flag on for an asset-creating individual profile    i) recording the return of said equipment after an asset-creating event;    j) recording the usage, in said asset-creating event, of said equipment;    k) turning an event flag on for equipment used in said asset-creating event;    l) determining if said equipment is now an asset by checking for a group flag, an individual flag and an event flag;    m) deactivating said asset.    
     
     
         2 . A method of equipment management and identifying assets for a sports team comprising the steps of: 
 a) receiving equipment;    b) affixing a barcode to said equipment;    c) identifying said equipment by scanning said barcode with the scanning device;    d) classifying said equipment into a plurality of equipment groups wherein at least one of said equipment groups is a potential asset group;    e) turning the asset flag on for said potential asset group;    f) issuing said equipment;    g) assigning said equipment to an individual profile;    h) turning the flag off for equipment assigned to a non-asset-creating individual profile;    i) recording the return of said equipment after an asset-creating event;    j) recording the usage of said equipment in said asset-creating event;    k) determining if said equipment is now an asset by checking for an asset flag turned on and use in an asset-creating event; and    l) deactivating said asset.    
     
     
         3 . An improved method of managing equipment using an equipment management system capable of detecting a portable unique identifier attached to a piece of equipment and maintaining a database of individuals and the equipment issued to the individuals, the system further capable of classifying equipment into equipment groups and individuals into asset creating individuals and non-asset creating individuals the improved method comprising the steps of:  
       in the equipment management system, 
 a) flagging a piece of equipment assigned to an asset-creating individual;  
 b) documenting the occurrence of an asset-creating event; and  
 c) designating said piece of equipment an asset.  
 
     
     
         4 . An improved method of managing equipment using an equipment management system, according to  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 d) making information on the occurrence of the asset-creating event as set forth in step b) retrievable through the Internet.    
     
     
         5 . An improved method of managing equipment using an equipment management system, according to  claim 4 , wherein the step of making information on the occurrence of the asset-creating event retrievable through the Internet comprises: 
 e) obtaining the unique identification of the equipment; and    f) matching the unique identification of the equipment with provenance information associated with the unique identification through the Internet.