Durable Asset Management Tag
A tracking system for durable assets such as personal weapons is provided. The tracking system includes a durable asset tag including an RFID transponder physically mounted within an externally exposed cavity of the durable asset, and an identification card with a machine-readable third unique identifier associated with a person. Different embodiments are disclosed for the durable asset tag, with one embodiment including a helical antenna connected to the RFID transponder for facilitating communication with an RFID reader. The system also includes first and second databases, each storing information associated with the durable asset, and an AIM interface terminal for receiving the first unique identifier from the durable asset tag and the third unique identifier from the identification card, and which communicates with the databases for checking-in or checking-out the durable asset to the person having the identification card. The durable asset tag may be original to the durable asset or retrofitted thereto after manufacture. Methods are also provided for associating unique identifiers with a durable asset, tagging the durable asset, checking-in and checking-out the durable asset.
1. A durable asset tag provided as a structural component of a durable asset and comprising:
a body made of metal defining a cavity;
an RFID transponder having a unique identifier being machine readable by radio frequency;
said RFID transponder being disposed within a plug of electrically insulating material; and
said RFID transponder and said plug together disposed within said cavity of said body, wherein
said durable asset tag includes a helical antenna including a first layer of electrically conductive adhesive disposed about a side wall of said plug within an external thread of said plug and covered by a second layer of electrically insulating resin; and
said first layer is in electrical communication with said RFID transponder said second layer encases said first layer to prevent electrical contact with said body, thereby allowing said first layer to function as said helical antenna.
2. A durable asset tag as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said body further includes a head as a wider portion at one end thereof, and wherein said head defines said cavity for holding said RFID transponder and said plug.
3. A durable asset tag as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said cavity is generally cylindrical, and wherein said body defines an internal thread in said cavity.
4. A durable asset tag as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said plug defines at least one indentation for receiving a tool for screwing said plug into said durable asset tag.
5. A method for tracking a durable asset comprising:
generating a first unique identifier for uniquely identifying a durable asset;
storing the first unique identifier in association with background data about the durable asset as a first entry in a database;
providing an RFID transponder having a second unique identifier;
storing the second unique identifier in association with the first unique identifier as a second entry in a database;
installing a durable asset tag including the RFID transponder within the durable asset; and
providing an AIM interface terminal capable of securely communicating with a database and capable of electronically receiving the second unique identifier from the RFID transponder, and capable of electronically reading a third unique identifier from an identification card associated with an individual person, and further including checking out the durable asset by the steps of:
reading by an RFID reader the second unique identifier from the RFID transponder of a durable asset to be checked out;
receiving by the AIM interface terminal from the RFID reader the second unique identifier of the durable asset to be checked out;
providing an identification card associated with an individual person and having a machine readable third unique identifier and receiving by the AIM interface terminal the third unique identifier from the identification card to whom the durable asset is to be checked out;
querying the database by the AIM interface terminal using the second unique identifier and receiving from the database the background data about the durable asset;
associating by the AIM interface terminal the durable asset to be checked out with the individual person to whom the durable asset is to be checked out; and
sending by the AIM interface terminal to the database a signal indicating the checked-out status of the durable asset and including the third unique identifier from the identification card to whom the durable asset is checked out.
6. A method for tracking a durable asset as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the durable asset includes an externally exposed cavity; and
wherein the step of installing the durable asset tag including the RFID transponder within the durable asset further includes installing the durable asset tag within the externally exposed cavity of the durable asset in a single-step operation.
7. A method for tracking a durable asset as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the durable asset comprises a personal weapon.
8. A method for tracking a durable asset as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the background data about the durable asset includes a serial number.
9. A method for tracking a durable asset, comprising:
generating a first unique identifier for uniquely identifying a durable asset;
storing the first unique identifier in association with background data about the durable asset as a first entry in a database;
providing an RFID transponder having a second unique identifier;
storing the second unique identifier in association with the first unique identifier as a second entry in a database;
installing a durable asset tag including the RFID transponder within the durable asset; and
providing an AIM interface terminal capable of securely communicating with a database and capable of electronically receiving the second unique identifier from the RFID transponder, and further including checking in the durable asset by the steps of:
reading by an RFID reader the second unique identifier from the RFID transponder of a durable asset to be checked in;
receiving by the AIM interface terminal from the RFID reader the second unique identifier of the durable asset to be checked in;
querying the database by the AIM interface terminal using the second unique identifier and receiving from the database the background data about the durable asset; and
sending by the AIM interface terminal to the database a signal indicating the checked-in status of the durable asset.
10. A method for tracking a durable asset as set forth in claim 9 , further including the steps of:
providing an identification card associated with an individual person and having a machine readable third unique identifier and receiving by the AIM interface terminal the third unique identifier from the identification card to whom the durable asset is to be checked-in; and
associating by the AIM interface terminal the durable asset to be checked-in with the individual person from whom the durable asset is to be checked-in;
wherein the step of sending by the AIM interface terminal to the database a signal indicating the checked-in status of the durable asset further includes sending the third unique identifier from the identification card of the individual person from whom the durable asset is checked in.