US-12628211-B2 - Systems and methods for tracking telecommunications equipment in a blockchain

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for accurately tracking physical objects such as telecommunications equipment. In example embodiments, a blockchain is provided for accurately tracking physical objects such as telecommunications equipment.

Inventors

• Subramanian S. Meiyappan

Assignees

• ECSite, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20221024

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A computing device to track a lifecycle of a telecommunications device, the computing device comprising: one or more processors; one or more sensors for wirelessly detecting communications from the telecommunications device and a computer-readable memory, wherein the computer-readable memory stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations, the operations comprising: identifying, by the one or more sensors, a unique identifier associated with the telecommunication device; receiving lifecycle event data based on input from a user, wherein the lifecycle event data describes a currently occurring event in the lifecycle of a telecommunications device; automatically generating a log entry including the unique identifier and the lifecycle event data; and adding the log entry to a blockchain ledger.
2. 2 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein telecommunication device has an associated RFID tag.
3. 3 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the lifecycle event data includes an event code associated with the currently occurring event.
4. 4 . The computing device of claim 3 , wherein the lifecycle event data includes user submitted context data associated with the currently occurring event.
5. 5 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein each log entry includes a lifecycle event type.
6. 6 . The computing device of claim 5 , the operations further comprising: accessing a plurality of log entries for the telecommunication device based on the identified unique identifier.
7. 7 . The computing device of claim 6 , the operations further comprising: determining, based on user input, a selected lifecycle event type; and displaying one or more previous log entries, wherein the one or more previous log entries are selected from the plurality of log entries based on the selected lifecycle event type.
8. 8 . A computer-implemented method of accurately tracking a lifecycle of a telecommunications device, the method comprises: identifying, by a computing device with one or more processors, a unique identifier associated with a telecommunication device; receiving, by the computing device, lifecycle event data based on input from a user, wherein the lifecycle event data describes a currently occurring event in the lifecycle of a telecommunications device; automatically generating, by the computing device, a log entry including the unique identifier and the lifecycle event data; and adding, by the computing device, the log entry to a blockchain ledger.
9. 9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein telecommunication device has an associated RFID tag.
10. 10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the lifecycle event data includes an event code associated with the currently occurring event.
11. 11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the lifecycle event data includes user submitted context data associated with the currently occurring event.
12. 12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein each log entry includes a lifecycle event type.
13. 13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , the method further comprising: accessing, by the computing device, a plurality of log entries for the telecommunication device based on the identified unique identifier.
14. 14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , the method further comprising: determining, by the computing device and based on user input, a selected lifecycle event type; and displaying, by the computing device, one or more previous log entries, wherein the one or more previous log entries are selected from the plurality of log entries based on the selected lifecycle event type.
15. 15 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media that collectively store instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising: identifying a unique identifier associated with a telecommunication device; receiving lifecycle event data based on input from a user, wherein the lifecycle event data describes a currently occurring event in the lifecycle of a telecommunications device; automatically generating a log entry including the unique identifier and the lifecycle event data; and adding the log entry to a blockchain ledger.
16. 16 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15 , wherein telecommunication device has an associated RFID tag.
17. 17 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15 , wherein the lifecycle event data includes an event code associated with the currently occurring event.
18. 18 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17 , wherein the lifecycle event data includes user submitted context data associated with the currently occurring event.
19. 19 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15 , wherein each log entry includes a lifecycle event type.
20. 20 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 19 , the operations further comprising: accessing a plurality of log entries for the telecommunication device based on the identified unique identifier.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates to retaining equipment information for lifecycle tracking of physical objects including telecommunications equipment such as cables, connectors, fibers, amplifiers, attenuators, antennas, and the like. BACKGROUND Modern advanced telecommunications systems involve a vast range of equipment and devices that each have their own respective lifecycles. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES Detailed discussion of embodiments directed to one of ordinary skill in the art are set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an example of a computing system in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting an example blockchain architecture in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a block diagram depicting an example of tracking a lifecycle of a piece of equipment in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting an update to a blockchain as equipment status changes in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a block diagram depicting an example structure of a blockchain in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 6 is a block diagram depicting a blockchain and tracking of an object lifecycle in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an example of a computing system in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; and FIG. 8 depicts an example flow diagram for a method of tracking a lifecycle of a telecommunications device according to example embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the embodiments, not limitation of the present disclosure. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that aspects of the present disclosure cover such modifications and variations. As used herein, the terms “first”, “second”, and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The terms “coupled,” “fixed,” “attached to,” and the like refer to both direct coupling, fixing, or attaching, as well as indirect coupling, fixing, or attaching through one or more intermediate components or features, unless otherwise specified herein. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of features is not necessarily limited only to those features but may include other features not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive-or and not to an exclusive-or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present). Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, is applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about,” “generally,” “approximately,” and “substantially,” are not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value, or the precision of the methods or machines for constructing or manufacturing the components or systems. For example, the approximating language may refer to being within a ±10 percent margin. When used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction. For example, “generally vertical” includes directions within ten degrees of vertical in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise. Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems are described below with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any feature(s)