Network awareness of device location

• US 10,448,312 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Sanderson, Phillip Andrew, Lynn, Jr., Thomas William
• Primary Examiner(s): Chung, Hoon J
• Application Number:
  US15/811,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20180295559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing a network are disclosed. One method can comprise detecting a triggering event at a node. Location information of the node can be transmitted to a routing device in response to the triggering event. Location information of the node can be transmitted to a management device. The management device can be configured to control an operation of one or more of the node and the routing device in response to the location information.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an access point, configured to;

detect a triggering event, wherein the triggering event comprises a communication between the access point and a user device,

encapsulate, based on the triggering event and using generic routing encapsulation, a layer 2 frame within a layer 3 packet, wherein the layer 2 frame comprises an identifier of the access point, and wherein the identifier is associated with a location of the access point,

send, to a routing device based on the triggering event, the encapsulated identifier;

wherein the routing device is configured to;

receive the encapsulated identifier, and

send, to a management device, the encapsulated identifier; and

wherein the management device is configured to;

receive the encapsulated identifier, and

control, based on the encapsulated identifier, an operation of one or more of the access point or the routing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication between the access point and the user device comprises one or more data packets received by the access point from the user device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) address associated with the access point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point is further configured to encapsulate the identifier in the layer 2 frame based on one or more of internet control messaging protocol, address resolution protocol, or connectivity fault management protocol.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the access point comprises one or more of a wireless router or a gateway device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the management device comprises one or more of an authentication element, an authorization element, or an accounting element.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, by a routing device, based on a first communication between a first access point and a user device, a first identifier of the first access point, wherein the first identifier is associated with a location of the first access point;

receiving, based on a second communication between a second access point and the user device, a second identifier of the second access point, wherein the second identifier is associated with a location of the second access point, and wherein the second identifier is received in a layer 2 frame, wherein the layer 2 frame is encapsulated, based on generic routing encapsulation, in a layer 3 packet by the second access point;

determining, based on the second identifier, location data associated with the user device; and

causing, based on the location data, one or more advertisements to be sent to the user device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first identifier comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) address associated with the first access point, and wherein the second identifier comprises a MAC address associated with the second access point.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second identifier is encapsulated in the layer 2 frame using one or more of internet control messaging protocol, address resolution protocol, or connectivity fault management protocol.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein one or more of the first access point or the second access point comprises one or more of a wireless router or a gateway device.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending, to a management device, the second identifier, wherein the management device comprises one or more of an authentication element, an authorization element, or an accounting element.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein causing the one or more advertisements to be sent to the user device comprises causing a management device to send the one or more advertisements.

13. A method comprising:

determining, by a routing device, based on a first identifier of a first access point, a location of a user device, wherein the first identifier is associated with a location of the first access point;

receiving, based on a communication between a second access point and the user device, a second identifier of the second access point, wherein the second identifier is associated with a location of the second access point, and wherein the second identifier is received in a layer 2 frame, wherein the layer 2 frame is encapsulated, based on generic routing encapsulation, in a layer 3 packet by the second access point; and

updating, based on the second identifier, the location of the user device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first identifier is received based on a communication between the first access point and the user device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first identifier comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) address associated with the first access point, and wherein the second identifier comprises a MAC address associated with the second access point.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the second identifier is encapsulated in the layer 2 frame using one or more of internet control messaging protocol, address resolution protocol, or connectivity fault management protocol.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein one or more of the first access point or the second access point comprises one or more of a wireless router or a gateway device.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending, to a management device, the second identifier, wherein the management device comprises one or more of an authentication element, an authorization element, or an accounting element.

19. The method of 13, further comprising causing, based on the updated location of the user device, one or more advertisements to be sent to the user device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein causing the one or more advertisements to be sent to the user device comprises causing a management device to send the one or more advertisements.

21. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

detect a triggering event, wherein the triggering event comprises a communication between an access point and a user device;

encapsulate, based on the triggering event and using generic routing encapsulation, a layer 2 frame within a layer 3 packet, wherein the layer 2 frame comprises an identifier of the access point, and wherein the identifier is associated with a location of the access point;

send, to a routing device based on the triggering event, the encapsulated identifier; and

cause a transmission of the encapsulated identifier of the access point to a management device by the routing device, wherein the management device is configured to control, based on the encapsulated identifier, an operation of one or more of the access point and the routing device in response to the identifier.

22. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 21, wherein the communication between the access point and the user device comprises one or more data packets received by the access point from the user device.

23. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 21, wherein the identifier comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) address associated with the access point.

24. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 21, wherein the processor executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to encapsulate the identifier in the layer 2 frame based on one or more of internet control messaging protocol, address resolution protocol, or connectivity fault management protocol.

25. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 21, wherein the access point comprises one or more of a wireless router or a gateway device.

26. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 21, wherein the management device comprises one or more of an authentication element, an authorization element, or an accounting element.