System and method for remote asset tagging and management
A system and method for asset registration and tagging includes determining candidate devices on a network or subnet. Device information is pulled from discovered devices. Device records are stored with device information including device serial number, model number, asset ID and service record information. A QR code is generated and displayed or printed at each discovered device. A device user scans the QR code to supply location information, as well as other user input, which is added to the device information. A device is then registered and an asset tag is printed at the device with instructions to affix it on an exterior for future reference.
1. A system comprising:
one or more processors and associated memory;
a network interface configured to receive an electronic document comprising an asset tag from a remote device service provider into the memory, the electronic document including device specific information for an associated multifunction peripheral encoded in printable optical code data;
a printer configured to generate a printout of the asset tag, the printout including an optical code image corresponding to the optical code data;
a scanner configured to capture a digital image of the optical code image;
the one or more processors configured to decode the captured the optical code image to generate the device specific information; and
the one or more processors configured register the multifunction peripheral with the remote device service provider in accordance with the decoded device specific information.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the asset tag printout is configured to be affixed to a surface of the multifunction peripheral.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the scanner is comprised of a portable data device or a scan engine of the multifunction peripheral.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the portable data device is comprised of a smartphone or tablet computer configured for geolocation, and wherein registration of the multifunction peripheral includes registration of a location of the portable data device when the digital image is captured.
5. The system of claim 3 wherein the optical code is comprised of a barcode or a QR code.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein all or some of the device specific information is retrieved from the memory.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the device specific information includes one or more of a device model number, a device serial number, a device asset ID or contact information associated with the remote device service provider.
8. A method comprising:
receiving an electronic document comprising an asset tag from a remote device service provider into a memory via a network interface, the electronic document including device specific information for an associated multifunction peripheral encoded in printable optical code data;
generating a printout of the asset tag, the printout including an optical code image corresponding to the optical code data;
scanning the printout to capture a digital image of the optical code image;
decoding the captured image to generate the device specific information, and
registering the multifunction peripheral with a remote device service provider in accordance with the decoded device specific information in a captured digital image.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the printout is configured to be affixed to a surface of the multifunction peripheral.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising scanning the printout via a portable data device or a scan engine of the multifunction peripheral.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the portable data device is comprised of a smartphone or tablet computer configured for geolocation, and wherein registering the multifunction peripheral includes registering a location of the portable data device when the digital image is captured.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the optical code is comprised of a barcode or a QR code.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising retrieving all or some of the device specific information is from the memory.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the device specific information includes one or more of a device model number, a device serial number, a device asset ID or contact information associated with the remote device service provider.
15. A method comprising:
receiving an electronic document comprising an asset tag from a remote device service provider into a memory of a multifunction peripheral via a network interface, the electronic document including device specific information for the multifunction peripheral encoded in printable optical code data;
retrieving asset tag from the memory;
printing the asset tag from the electronic document, the printed asset tag comprising a printout of an optical code image corresponding to the optical code data;
affixing at least a portion of the printed asset tag on a surface of the multifunction peripheral;
capturing an image of the optical code image with a camera associated with a smartphone or tablet computer;
decoding the captured optical code image to generate the device specific information;
determining a location of the smartphone or tablet; and
registering the multifunction peripheral with the remote device service provider in accordance with the decoded device specific information and the location of the smartphone or tablet.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the device specific information includes one or more of a model number, asset identifier, serial number or service number.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the printout includes a printout of remote device service provider contact information.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein registering the multifunction peripheral includes communicating the device specific information and the location to the remote device service provider via a data connection with the smartphone or tablet.
19. The method of claim 15 further comprising encoding the device specific information into the barcode and decoding encoded device specific information in accordance with a captured barcode image.
20. The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving contact information for an administrator of the multifunction peripheral and wherein registering the multifunction peripheral includes communicating contact information to the remote device service provider.