FORM - 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
(See section 10; rule 13)


ASSET ASSESSMENT SYSTEM

TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LTD.,
an Indian Company
of Nirmal Building, 9th floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021,
Maharashtra, India;
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION DESCRIBES THE INVENTION


FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of asset assessment.
Particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for asset assessment for the organizations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Asset management is a decision making process that considers a broad range of assets. Assets are mainly related to utilities like gas, electricity and water, accessibility to public facilities like airports and rail stations, infrastructure, human resources and the like. The asset, management approach also incorporates the economic assessment of trade-offs among alternative investment options on various assets and uses this information to help make cost-effective investment decisions.
A typical set of asset management guidelines are defined by the Water Services Regulation Authority (OFWAT), which is an economic regulator of the water and sewerage industry in England and Wales. It makes its decisions independent of the Government.
OFWAT promotes an asset management planning assessment process (AMPAP) benchmarking framework. This benchmarking framework particularly focuses upon base maintenance planning. This framework employs a self assessment process which is intended to assist companies in improving asset management planning capability, and to help OFWAT in assessing companies for price review PR09.


Utility companies all over the world are increasingly adopting a publicly available specification 'PAS-55'. This publicly available specification PAS-55 is adopted by asset intensive companies, to improve their asset management function of which planning is a part. The PAS-55 gives guidance and best practice on asset management, typically related to infrastructure, gas, electric and water utilities, roaci works, public facilities like airports and rail stations and to transport organizations. Companies in all sectors are rapidly picking up on the potential for achieving benefits through improving asset management and delivering highly reliable, stable and cost-effective asset performance in terms of improved customer service, and also in enhanced relationships with the regulators.
Asset management system is a powerful system used generally by managers to determine whether their organization achieves the same level of satisfactory work as other organizations; whether their expenditure on rent, advertising and wages is too much (or too little); and whether their performance is as well as it should be.
Also, performance data of various assets can help to calculate financial ratios; analyze the performance; compare the results achieved by one's organization with other similar organization; and conduct a "what if analysis.
Therefore, there is felt a need for an asset assessment system to:
• find out how well an organization is performing;
• measure and improve the performance of the organization in key areas; and


• identify the strengths and weaknesses of the organization.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a system and method for asset assessment.
Another object of the present invention is to proving a system and method to improve the asset management planning capability of the organizations.
Still one more object of the present invention is to provide a system and method to promote asset management planning assessment process with a
Yet another object of the present invention is to, provide a system and method for self-assessment process to assist organizations in improving their performance in key areas.
Yet another object on the present invention is to provide a system and method which can assist the asset intensive organizations to improve their asset management functions according to Publicly Available Specification (PAS-55).
Yet another object on the present invention is tq provide a system and method to find out how well an organization is performing.
Yet another object on the present invention is to provide a system and method to identify the strengths and weakness of an organization.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The system and method for asset assessment, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which,
FIGURE 1 illustrates the schematic block diagram of the system for asset assessment in accordance with the present invention; and
FIGURE 2 illustrates the schematic block diagram of the process for asset assessment in accordance with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which do not limit the scope and ambit of the invention. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a system and method for asset assessment is envisaged. Particularly, this system and method can be used for improving the asset management capability of the organizations.
The schematic block diagram of the system for asset assessment is generally referenced by numeral 100 as shown in Figure 1. The block diagram consists of blocks namely, policy unit (2), strategy unit (4), legal unit (6), risk assessment unit (8), performance management unit (10), trouble shooting unit (12), planning unit (14), decision support system (DSS) (16), information data base unit (18), graphical user interface (GUI) unit (20), e-


mailer unit (22), operation and maintenance interface unit (24), delivery interface unit (26) and training unit (28). These are interconnected with each other in accordance with the figure. The different units are explained as given below.
The policy unit (2) creates and manages the asset management policy used to achieve the goals of the performance for the organization. These policies are typically, set by the organization's top rank holders. The strategy unit (4) indicates the asset management strategies which are made to achieve the goals set for the betterment of the organization. The legal unit (6) indicates the required system compliance with the legal norms to implement the strategies in the organization and to achieve the required target. The risk assessment unit (8) indicates the identification and assessment of the risks to detect the performance deviation and the faults in the assets of the organization.
The performance management unit (10) is an important part of the asset management system, which is related to the management of steps to be taken to achieve the objectives of the performance of the assets of the organization. This unit measures various parameters including productivity, applicability, turn over time, right first time and the like. The trouble shooting unit (12) indicates the repair and correction of the faults in the assets of the organization and to take preventive measures. The planning unit (14) indicates the process of planning for asset management by analyzing the inputs from the strategy block for the goals to be achieved and setting specific time period for different tasks of risk management and performance management to improve the performance of the assets of the


organization. The decision support system (DSS) (16) is a processor which assigns different levels to the organization depending on the data obtained from the performance management and the risk management. Hence, the grade of the organization based on the asset performance is rated on the
The information database unit (18) is the storage medium for the system. The graphical user interface (GUI) unit (20) indicates the unit which is responsible for providing the access of the asset management system to the user. It also provides the operational controls of the system to the user. The GUI is (20) connected to the e-mailer unit (22) by which a user notifies other users about the assessment process. The operation and maintenance interface unit (24) and the delivery interface unit (26) indicate the additional features provided by the system where interfaces are provided for the operation, maintenance and delivery systems in the organization. The training unit (28) provides the training to the persons under the assessment process as per the requirement.
The process of asset assessment system is represented by a schematic block aYagram generany referenced' by numeral 200 as snown in Figure 2. There are about four stages which are interconnected to each other in the cycle. These four stages are superuser, organization superuser, self assessor and auditor. The cycle starts with stage 1 (superuser) where the system is configured to create a superuser with the help of the Graphical user interface (GUI) unit (20) and further sends notifications to the other users through emails by using the e-mailer unit (22).


In stage 2 (organization superuser), interface to the assessment is provided and further, id's for self assessors and auditors are provided for the system to be accessed by the GUI unit (20). These assessors and auditors are notified through email using the e-mailers unit (22).
In stage 3 (self assessor), self assessment is carried out using the performance management unit (10), the risk assessment unit (8) and the trouble shooting unit (12). The complete self assessment data goes to the information database (18) and a report is generated for an external auditor for review.
In stage 4 (auditor), the assessment is carried out by an external auditor. The auditor contacts the self assessing manager or the superuser if any clarification is required. The assessment is submitted after the required clarification. The report of the asset assessment is generated after the analysis and processing of the assessment data done by the decision support system (DSS) (16). Then the organization is ranked in the range of 1 to 5 by the DSS and is displayed in the GUI unit (20).
TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS
The system and method for asset assessment for the organizations of this invention has much technical advancement as described below:
• The complete asset assessment of an organization is achieved using the system and method of the present invention.


• The asset management planning capability of the organizations has improved using the system and method of the present invention.
• Asset management planning assessment process with particular focus on base maintenance planning has been promoted by implementing the system and method of the present invention.
• Improvement in the performance of the key areas in the organization is done by the self-assessment, which is carried out by the system and method of the present invention.
• Improvement of the asset management functions according to Publicly Available Specification (PAS-55) is achieved using the system and method of the present invention.
• The performance of an organization is found out by using the system and method of the present invention.
• The strengths and weakness of an organization is found out by implementing the system and method of the present invention.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the particular features of this invention, it will be appreciated that various modifications can be made, and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiment without departing from the principle of the invention. These and other modifications in the nature of the invention or the preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing


descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.

MOHAN DEWAN OfR.K.DEWAN&CO.
APPLICANTS' PATENT ATTORNEY