Asset management for physical assets

Abstract

A technology is discussed for a wireless transfer station that is operable to communicate management information. Measurement information can be received from one or more other wireless transfer stations. The measurement information can be aggregated from the one or more other wireless transfer stations. The measurement information can be analyzed to determine a status of the one or more wireless transfer stations using the aggregated energy measurement information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An asset management module operable to communicate energy management information for a wireless transfer station, the asset management module having computer circuitry configured to:
 monitor the wireless transfer station during operation of the wireless transfer station;   measure one or more parameters of the wireless transfer station during the operation; or   receive operation parameters of another wireless transfer station; and   wirelessly communicate the measured parameters or the operation parameters to a data collection device.   
     
     
         2 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , wherein the data collection device is coupled to a wireless transfer station. 
     
     
         3 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , further configured to associate the measured parameters with a wireless transfer station identification (ID) of the wireless transfer station. 
     
     
         4 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , further configured to associate the measured parameters with a device identification (ID) of the wireless transfer station. 
     
     
         5 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , wherein the measured parameters or the operation parameters includes:
 a operational temperature or internal temperature of the wireless transfer station or a device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   a cell balance of one or more battery cells of the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   a cell charge status of one or more battery cells of the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   a cell capacity status of one or more battery cells of the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   a current draw or voltage draw of the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   a location of the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   a charge state of the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   an estimated amount of time remaining to charge the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   an amount of time taken to previously charge the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   a wireless power transfer efficiency of the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   communications parameters for the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   a usage level of the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   software management information of the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   an operational status of the wireless transfer station or the device coupled to the wireless transfer station;   communication coordination information; or   patient data measured using device coupled to the wireless transfer station; and so forth.   
     
     
         6 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , further configured to:
 receive operation parameters from the other wireless transfer station;   aggregate the operation parameters of the other wireless transfer station with the measured parameters of the wireless transfer station; and   communicate the aggregated parameters to the data collection device.   
     
     
         7 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , wherein the measured parameters information includes:
 a charge level of the wireless transfer station;   an amount of energy provided by the wireless transfer station to the other wireless transfer station;   a number of times the wireless transfer station has received energy from the other wireless transfer station; or   a type of device coupled to the wireless transfer station.   
     
     
         8 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , wherein the operation parameters information includes:
 a charge level of the other wireless transfer station;   an amount of energy received by the other wireless transfer station from the wireless transfer station;   a number of times the other wireless transfer station has received energy from the other wireless transfer station; or   a type of device coupled to the other wireless transfer station.   
     
     
         9 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , further configured to:
 analyze the measured parameters or operation parameters;   determine a system status of the wireless transfer station or the other wireless transfer station; and   communicate the system status to the data collection device.   
     
     
         10 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , wherein the system status includes:
 an operational status of the wireless transfer station or the other wireless transfer station; or   an approximated usage life of the wireless transfer station or the other wireless transfer station.   
     
     
         11 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , further configured to store the measured parameters or the operation parameters on a non-tangible computer readable medium coupled to the asset management module or the wireless transfer station. 
     
     
         12 . The asset management module of  claim 11 , further configured to communicate the stored measured parameters or operation parameters to the other wireless transfer station when the wireless transfer station receives wireless energy. 
     
     
         13 . The asset management module of  claim 1 , further configured to send control parameters to the wireless transfer station or the other wireless transfer station based on the measured parameters or the operation parameters. 
     
     
         14 . A wireless transfer station operable to communicate management information, the wireless transfer station configured to:
 receive measurement information from one or more other wireless transfer stations;   aggregate the measurement information from the one or more other wireless transfer stations; and   analyze the measurement information to determine a status of the one or more wireless transfer stations using the aggregated energy measurement information.   
     
     
         15 . The wireless transfer station of  claim 14 , further configured to:
 provide energy to at least one of the one or more other wireless transfer stations; and   receive the measurement information from at least one of the one or more other wireless transfer stations when the wireless transfer station provides energy to the at least one of the one or more other wireless transfer stations.   
     
     
         16 . The wireless transfer station of  claim 14 , further configured to:
 send an measurement information request to at least one of the one or more other wireless transfer stations to request selected data of the measurement information of the other wireless transfer station; and   receive the selected data of the measurement information of the other wireless transfer station.   
     
     
         17 . The wireless transfer station of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more other wireless transfer stations is attached to a device or a wireless transfer station. 
     
     
         18 . The wireless transfer station of  claim 14 , wherein the status includes:
 an operational status of one of the one or more other wireless transfer stations, wherein the operational status of the one or more other wireless transfer stations includes: a functioning status, a malfunctioning status, a partially operational status, a non-operational status, an out of commission status, a needs repair status, a non-critical error status, a critical error status, a send a technician status, a needs replacement status, or an operating system version status;   an operational status of all of the one or more other wireless transfer stations, wherein the operational status all of the one or more other wireless transfer stations includes: an all wireless transfer stations are working properly status, an all wireless transfer stations for selected uses are functioning status, a system wide error status, a communications network working properly status, a communications network not working properly status, or a status of which of the one or more other wireless transfer stations are operating on an outdated operating system or software version; and   an operational status of a network of wireless transfer stations, wherein the operational status of a network of wireless transfer stations includes: a status of a bandwidth of the communications network or a status of a number of wireless transfer stations using the network.   
     
     
         19 . The wireless transfer station of  claim 14 , further configured to communicate to a server the measurement information of the one or more wireless transfer stations, the aggregate energy measurement information, or the system status information of the one or more wireless transfer stations. 
     
     
         20 . The wireless transfer station of  claim 14 , further configured to communicate with the one or more wireless transfer stations to determine when at least one of the one or more wireless transfer stations is available to provide energy to an other of the one or more wireless transfer stations. 
     
     
         21 . The wireless transfer station of  claim 14 , further configured to:
 receive a wireless transfer station location request for a selected wireless transfer station;   identify when the selected wireless transfer station is coupled to the wireless transfer station; and   report a location of the selected wireless transfer station when the selected wireless transfer station is coupled to the wireless transfer station.   
     
     
         22 . The wireless transfer station of  claim 14 , further configured to enter an energy saving mode when the wireless transfer station is not providing energy to at least one of the other wireless transfer stations or communicating with one at least one of the other wireless transfer stations or a server. 
     
     
         23 . A wireless transfer station operable to communicate management information, the wireless transfer station having computer circuitry configured to:
 monitor an operation of the wireless transfer station;   measure one or more parameters of the wireless transfer station during the operation; or   receive operation parameters of another wireless transfer station; and   wirelessly communicate the measured parameters or the operation parameters to a data collection device.   
     
     
         24 . The wireless transfer station of  claim 23 , further configured to:
 provide wireless energy to a plurality of selected wireless transfer stations at different selected times;   receive wireless transfer stations measurement information from the plurality of selected wireless transfer stations;   associate a wireless transfer station identification (ID) with the wireless transfer station measurement information of each of the plurality of selected wireless transfer stations;   aggregate the wireless transfer station measurement information of each of the plurality of selected wireless transfer stations; and   communicate the aggregated wireless transfer station measurement information to the data collection device.