Patent ID: 7870252

Claim:
A system for monitoring availability of end user devices needed for performing a task, said system comprising: a memory; a processor in communication with said memory, wherein the system is configured for performing a method comprising: providing, in a first network comprising one or more active and passive devices associated with an end user, each said one or more active and passive end user devices associated with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, at least one end user active device adapted for communicating with a service provider via a second network and said passive end user device not having computing capability, said service provider providing network-based services in said system; maintaining information of tasks associated with an end user, said information including recommended passive end-user devices adapted to perform said tasks, said tasks information provided to at least one end-user device by said service provider, said maintained information including recommended performance criteria associated with each passive device sufficient for performing end-user tasks, said comparing further comparing a configuration of a passive end-user device associated with a task with said recommended performance criteria; and, detecting, by at least one end-user device, non-availability or performance deficiencies of said one or more active and passive end-user devices required in performing end-user tasks by scanning said RFID tags, wherein said communicating with a service provider comprises generating signals for invoking network-based services via said second network to facilitate correcting non-availability of any end-user passive device, said detecting comprising: comparing a current inventory of devices associated with a particular end user with said recommended end user passive devices adapted for performing said tasks for said end user; and, generating, by said at least one active end user device, signals for receipt by a service provider for invoking network-based services via said second network to facilitate correcting non-availability of or correcting deficiencies of any end user passive device detected by scanning said RFID tags, said service provider further communicating with said at least one user active device over said second network to provide notification to an-end user about a required passive device for task assignments to be performed and, to provide notification to an end user about correct settings for a passive device having an adjustable component to enable completion of a task assignment, wherein said at least one end user active device is responsive to said signals for initiating adjustment of said at least one adjustable component.