Patent ID: 7573382

Claim:
A system to manage movement of at least one asset, the system comprising: at least one tracking element operable to generate a signal representative of a location of the at least one asset; and a controller in communication with the at least one tracking element, the controller including a processor in communication with a memory, the processor operable to execute a plurality of program instructions stored in the memory, the plurality of program instructions representative of the steps of: receiving the signal representative of the location of the at least one asset having a unique identifier; identifying a status indicator for the at least one asset having the unique identifier; comparing a change in the location of the at least one asset in view of the status indicator relative to a predetermined location change rule stored in a memory; generating a signal representative of one of a valid and an invalid change in the location in response to an output of the comparing step for illustration on a display; the plurality of program instructions further including: assigning or identifying plurality of status indicators to track and regulate valid movement of the at least one asset, the plurality of status indicators including a USE state, a DIRTY state, a CLEANING state, an INVENTORY state, and a SERVICE state; and wherein the USE state represents the at least one asset being utilized by a patient, wherein the DIRTY state represents the at least one asset being stored temporarily before being taken to one of a location of the CLEANING state or the SERVICE state, wherein the CLEANING state represents the at least one asset either waiting to be or in the process of being cleaned, wherein the INVENTORY state represents the at least one asset previously moved from the CLEANING state is now in storage until deployed for use in accordance with the USE state, and wherein the SERVICE state represents the at least one asset requiring repair or to be discarded in the trash.