System and method for automatic tool tracking, monitoring, and inventory management

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically tracking tools and managing tool inventory. Tools may be assigned to a work group or crew. Tools are tracked and monitored to determine whether the tools are with their assigned group, relocated to a different group, missing, or left behind at a job site. For relocated tools, the tool tracking system may identify and output the time and the group to which the tool has been relocated. For tools that are missing, the system may compute and output the group or crew, time, and location in the form of a street address, latitude, longitude, and/or map where the missing tool was last seen. The system may also send out real-time notifications (e.g., SMS text messages, emails, phone calls) to designated personnel so that an appropriate action can be taken. The tool tracking system also acts as an inventory management system for tools.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tool tracking system for tracking a tool, comprising:
 a tool tag attachable to a tool and comprising a wireless transceiver configured for short range wireless communication, the tool tag configured to send a tool tag message comprising a tool tag identification (ID);   a location and acquisition/communication unit (LAU) comprising a processor, a data storage device, a network interface, and a location determination device, the LAU being positionable at a location within range of the wireless transceiver of the tool tag, the LAU being configured to receive the tool tag message from the tool tag wireless transceiver, and further configured to obtain location data from the location determination device and to associate the obtained location data with the received tool tag message comprising the tool tag ID, the LAU being further configured to send the tool tag message and the associated location data over a network using the network interface; and   a server computing device comprising a processor, a data storage device, and a server network interface, the server computing device being operative to receive the tool tag message and the associated location data from the LAU using the server network interface to track the location of the tool to which the tool tag is attached.   
     
     
         2 . The tool tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the LAU is associated with a vehicle operative to transport the tool, and the network interface of the LAU comprises a wireless wide area network (WWAN) modem. 
     
     
         3 . The tool tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the server computing device comprises an association module configured to assign the tool with the tool tag attached thereto to a first group. 
     
     
         4 . The tool tracking system of  claim 3 , wherein the association module is further configured to reassign the tool with the tool tag attached thereto to a second group different than the first group. 
     
     
         5 . The tool tracking system of  claim 4 , wherein the association module is configured to, prior to reassigning the tool from the first group to the second group, transmit to a user computing device associated with a user via the network interface of the server a request for permission to reassign the tool, and to receive a response from the computer granting permission to reassign the tool. 
     
     
         6 . The tool tracking system of  claim 3 , wherein the server computing device further comprises a tracking and monitoring module operative to receive a plurality of messages from the LAU and, based on the received messages, to determine a status of the tool indicative of whether the tool is located with the first group, whether the tool has been relocated to a second group different than the first group, or whether the tool has been lost. 
     
     
         7 . The tool tracking system of  claim 1 , further comprising an alert and reporting module operative to send a timely notification, indicative of the location of the tool, to a user computing device associated with a user. 
     
     
         8 . The tool tracking system of  claim 7 , wherein the alert and reporting module is operative to establish a restricted period for the tool wherein the tool is not to be used, to monitor use of the tool, and to send a timely notification to a user computing device associated with a user when the alert and reporting module detects the tool being used during the restricted period. 
     
     
         9 . The tool tracking system of  claim 8 , wherein the alert and reporting module is operative to automatically establish the restricted period based upon a work schedule of a user of the tool. 
     
     
         10 . The tool tracking system of  claim 1 , further comprising a location and mapping module operative to utilize the received location data to determine location information for the tool and to transmit the location information to a user computing device associated with a user via the network interface of the server computing device. 
     
     
         11 . The tool tracking system of  claim 10 , wherein the location information comprises a physical address that is displayable on a display of the user computing device. 
     
     
         12 . The tool tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the server computing device comprises a finder and routing module operative to receive a request for the tool from a user computing device associated with a user via the network interface of the server computing device, and to transmit instructions that cause the tool to be routed according to the request. 
     
     
         13 . The tool tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the location determination device of the LAU comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. 
     
     
         14 . The tool tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the tool tag further comprises a sensor operative to sense an environmental condition associated with the tool. 
     
     
         15 . The tool tracking system of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor comprises a motion sensor, temperature sensor, pressure sensor, optical sensor, sonic sensor, ultrasonic sensor, magnetometer, accelerometer, or gyroscope. 
     
     
         16 . The tool tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless transceiver of the tool tag and the network interface of the LAU are configured for communication using at least one of Bluetooth®, ZigBee®, LE Bluetooth® or a Wi-Fi® protocol. 
     
     
         17 . A tool tracking system for tracking a plurality of tools, comprising:
 a plurality of tool tags each attachable to one of the plurality of tools and comprising a wireless transceiver configured for short range wireless communication, each of the tool tags being configured to send a tool tag message comprising a tool tag identification (ID);   a plurality of location and acquisition/communication units (LAUs) each comprising a processor, a data storage device, a network interface, and a location determination device, each of the plurality of LAUs being positionable at a location within range of at least a subset of the wireless transceivers of the plurality of tool tags, each of the plurality of LAUs being configured to receive tool tag messages from the wireless transceivers of the plurality of tool tags, and further configured to obtain location data from the location determination device and to associate the obtained location data with the received tool tag messages comprising the tool tag IDs, each of the plurality of LAUs being further configured to periodically send the received tool tag messages and the associated location data over a network using the network interface; and   a server computing device comprising a processor, a data storage device, a server network interface, and a tracking and monitoring module configured to receive the tool tag messages and the associated location data from the plurality of LAUs using the server network interface to track the location of the tools to which the plurality of tool tags are attached, the server computing device further comprising an association module configured to assign each of the plurality of tool tags to one or more groups, and to determine a status of each of the tools associated with the tool tags indicative of, for each tool, whether the tool is located with its assigned group, whether the tool has been relocated to a group different than the group to which it is assigned, or whether the location of the tool is unknown.   
     
     
         18 . The tool tracking system of  claim 17 , wherein the association module is further configured to reassign the group to which each of the tool tags and its respective tools is assigned. 
     
     
         19 . The tool tracking system of  claim 17 , wherein the association module is further configured to reassign the group to which each of the tool tags is assigned dependent on the location data received from the LAUs. 
     
     
         20 . The tool tracking system of  claim 17 , further comprising a data collection unit comprising a processor, a data storage device, a network interface, and a short range transceiver, the data collection unit operative to receive data from one or more LAUs using the short range transceiver, and to transmit data to the server computing device using the network interface. 
     
     
         21 . The tool tracking system of  claim 17 , wherein the location determination device of the plurality of LAUs comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. 
     
     
         22 . The tool tracking system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more groups comprise a work crew or a vehicle. 
     
     
         23 . The tool tracking system of  claim 17 , wherein the server computing device further comprises an alert and reporting module operative to send a timely notification, indicative of the location of at least one of the tools, to a user computing device associated with a user. 
     
     
         24 . The tool tracking system of  claim 23 , wherein the alert and reporting module is operative to establish a restricted period for the tool wherein the tool is not to be used, to monitor use of the tool, and to send a timely notification to a user computing device associated with a user when the alert and reporting module detects the tool being used during the restricted period. 
     
     
         25 . The tool tracking system of  claim 24 , wherein the alert and reporting module is operative to automatically establish the restricted period based upon a work schedule of a user of the tool. 
     
     
         26 . A computer-implemented method for tracking and monitoring tools, comprising:
 under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,
 receiving tool tag messages at a location and acquisition/communication unit (LAU) using short range wireless communication from a plurality of tool tags each associated with one of the tools, the tool tag messages each including a tool tag identification (ID); 
 obtaining location information indicative of a present location of the LAU; 
 associating the received tool tag IDs with the location information; and 
 sending the tool tag IDs and the associated location information from the LAU to a server computing device over a network. 
   
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 assigning each of the tool tag IDs to a group;   storing the tool tag IDs and the associated location information in a data storage device of the server computing device; and   determining whether each of the tool tags is located with its assigned group using the received tool tag IDs and location information.   
     
     
         28 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 27 , further comprising sending a timely notification to a user computing device comprising a status of one of the tools associated with one of the tool tags, the status being indicative of whether the tool is located with its assigned group, whether the tool has been relocated to a group different than its assigned group, or whether the location of the tool is unknown. 
     
     
         29 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein at least a subset of the tool tags comprises one or more sensors, and the tool tag messages further include sensor data obtained from the one or more sensors. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a motion sensor, temperature sensor, pressure sensor, optical sensor, sonic sensor, ultrasonic sensor, magnetometer, accelerometer, or gyroscope. 
     
     
         31 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , further comprising determining a status of at least one of the tools using the sensor data. 
     
     
         32 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , further comprising establishing a restricted period for the tool wherein the tool is not to be used, monitoring use of the tool, and sending a timely notification to a user computing device associated with a user when the tool is being used during the restricted period. 
     
     
         33 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 32 , wherein monitoring use of the tool comprises evaluating the sensor data. 
     
     
         34 . A computer-implemented method for tracking and monitoring tools, comprising:
 under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,
 assigning a tool to a first group, the tool having a tool tag attached thereto that is operative to send tool tag messages wirelessly using a short range transceiver; 
 receiving tool tag messages from the tool tag at a location and acquisition/communication unit (LAU) via a short range transceiver; 
 obtaining location information indicative of a present location of the LAU; 
 associating the received tool tag messages with the location information; 
 sending the tool tag messages and the associated location information from the LAU to a server computing device over a network; and 
 determining a status of the tool using the tool tag messages and the associated location information, the status being indicative of whether the tool is located with the first group, whether the tool has been relocated to a group different than the first group, or whether the location of the tool is unknown. 
   
     
     
         35 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 34 , further comprising sending a timely notification to a user computing device comprising the status of the tool. 
     
     
         36 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 35 , wherein the notification comprises location data indicative of the location of the tool. 
     
     
         37 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 34 , wherein the tool tag comprises a sensor and the tool tag messages comprise sensor data, and determining the status of the tool comprises evaluating the sensor data. 
     
     
         38 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 34 , further comprising providing a user interface accessible by a user computing device associated with a user over a network, the user interface being operative to present the status of the tool to the user. 
     
     
         39 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 38 , wherein the user interface allows a user to reassign the tool from the first group to a second group different from the first group. 
     
     
         40 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 34 , further comprising reassigning the tool to a second group different from the first group dependent on the determined status of the tool.