Patent ID: 7493276

Claim:
A tool for use by a service technician to find and service an asset that is geographically dispersed from other assets, the tool comprising: a single hand-held portable computing device; a database located on the portable computing device; a wireless interface adapted for connecting the portable computing device to a network via a wireless access protocol; software installed on the portable computing device, wherein the software includes at least one of a first module adapted to conduct diagnostic tests on the asset, a second module adapted to record information, and a third module adapted to scan a barcode on the asset, wherein the software includes a fourth module adapted to track user time, a fifth module adapted to manage work orders, and a sixth module adapted to generate billing information, wherein the software includes a seventh module adapted to receive electronic signatures on the portable computing device, and wherein the software includes messaging software; a global positioning system (GPS) device attached to the portable computing device; and asset tracking software, installed on the portable computing device, for receiving an asset GPS location from the asset via the wireless interface, for directing the service technician to the asset, and for updating asset data, including the asset GPS location, via the wireless interface, wherein the asset tracking software includes an eighth module adapted to calculate travel time from a first location to a second location, and wherein the asset tracking software includes a ninth module adapted to provide a real-time map based on a GPS location of the tool.