Overlay-based asset location and identification system

1. An asset location system comprising:

a mobile application component executable on a mobile device including a camera and a display, the mobile application component configured to receive image data from the camera and display an image on the display based on the image data and overlay information identifying one or more network assets identifiable in the image data, the one or more network assets associated with a plurality of identifiers, the plurality of identifiers uniquely identifying the one or more network assets and positioned at predetermined locations relative to the one or more network assets; and

an asset management tracking engine configured to receive the image data and generate the overlay information, the overlay information including an identification of a location of at least one of the one or more assets within the image;

wherein the location is determined at least in part based on a predetermined relative position of the asset and the plurality of identifiers.

2. The asset location system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of identifiers include light emitting diodes configured to emit a code corresponding to an identification of the one or more assets.

3. The asset location system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one or more assets comprise network assets.

4. The asset location system of claim 3 , wherein the identifiers uniquely identify a telecommunications rack holding the one or more network assets.

5. The asset location system of claim 4 , wherein the one of more assets are selected from the group consisting of:

a network connectivity element;

a patch panel

a network switch;

a subrack;

a network blade; and

a rack system.

6. The asset location system of claim 1 , wherein the overlay information further includes an identification of the at least one of the one or more assets.

7. The asset location system of claim 6 , wherein the overlay information further includes information describing a state of the at least one of the one or more assets.

8. The asset location system of claim 7 , wherein the information describing a state of the at least one of the one or more assets includes information selected from the group consisting of:

traffic load;

power consumption;

internal temperature;

memory usage;

available services at a particular port or device;

number of ports actively in use;

asset type;

error information;

warranty information;

connection information; and

system utilitzation.

9. The asset location system of claim 1 , wherein the asset management tracking engine resides in a memory of the mobile device.

10. The asset location system of claim 1 , wherein the asset management tracking engine resides at a network asset management location remote from the mobile device.

11. A network asset location system comprising:

a mobile application component executable on a mobile device including a camera and a display, the mobile application component configured to receive image data from the camera and display an image on the display identifying one or more network assets identifiable in the image data;

a plurality of identifiers associated with the one or more network assets, the one or more network assets each positioned at a known location relative each of the plurality of identifiers; and

an asset management tracking engine configured to receive the image data and generate the overlay information, the overlay information including an identification of a location of at least one of the one or more network assets within the image and instructions for configuring the at least one of the one or more network assets.

12. The network asset location system of claim 11 , wherein the image on the display includes overlay information including an identification of the one or more network assets.

13. A method of determining information about an asset using an application executing on a mobile device having a camera and a display, the method comprising:

capturing image data of a network asset using the camera of the mobile device, the image data including information regarding a plurality of identifiers associated with the network asset and positioned at a predetermined location relative to the network asset; and

displaying an image including overlay information identifying the network asset and a location of the network asset within the image;

wherein the overlay information includes instructions for configuring the network asset.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein displaying the image occurs concurrently with capturing image data of the network asset.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the image data comprises video data.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

transmitting the image data to a network asset management engine remote from the mobile device; and

receiving the overlay information from the network asset management engine.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving feedback from a user of the mobile device indicating a modification to a configuration of the network asset.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, upon receiving selection of the asset by a user, displaying information describing the asset on the display, the information including asset identification information.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving at the display instructions defining a work order associated with the asset.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the overlay information includes error information associated with the asset.

21. A method of determining an asset location using a network asset management engine, the method comprising:

receiving image data including image data relating to a network asset, the image data also including information regarding a plurality of identifiers associated with the network asset and positioned at a predetermined location relative to the network asset;

determining an identity of the network asset based at least in part on recognition of the plurality of identifiers and a relative position of the network asset relative to the plurality of identifiers in the image data; and

generating overlay information identifying a location and an identity of the network asset in the image data

wherein the overlay information includes instructions for configuring the network asset.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising transmitting the overlay information for display to a user.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of identifiers are selected from a group of identifiers consisting of:

light emitting diodes strobing at a predetermined rate to communicate an identification code;

bar codes;

liquid crystal displays;

QR codes; and

unique images.