摘要 |
<p>A remote inventory system employs unique serial numbers (15) 'burned' into each board/software routine (13) desired to be tracked. These boards/routines find their way into machines at various remote sites (40,50,60) each connected to a base (20) by a remote link (100). A monitor program is run by a microprocessor (51) resident at each remote site. It periodically collects the serial numbers and other information regarding the boards/routines, and transmits the information to a base running (31) a base program. The base program interacting with a database (33), determines the hardware/software configuration, performance history, tracks the lifecycle of a board/routine. It may also be possible to determine remote sites running unauthorized 'protected property'. <IMAGE></p> |