Locator for physically locating a peripheral device in a communication network

• US 20020169873A1
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accelerated Performance Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Accelerated Performance Incorporated
• Inventors: Zodnik, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 6,868,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/173 using an interconnection network, e.g. matrix, shuffle, pyramid, star, snowflake
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/738 Interface circuits for coupling substations to external telephone lines H04M1/78 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/229 Wire identification arrangements; Number assignment determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• 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 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A locator that can be mounted to an outlet box of a network and connected to a peripheral device. The locator includes a first connector and a second connector that are attached to a housing. The locator also includes a circuit that can transmit a stored physical address data to the network. The stored physical address data corresponds to a physical location of the outlet box.

Claims

1. A locator that can be coupled to an outlet box and a peripheral device, the outlet box having a physical location and being coupled to a network, comprising:

a housing;

a first connector attached to said housing and coupled to the peripheral device;

a second connector attached to said housing and coupled to the outlet box; and

,

a circuit that is attached to said housing and coupled to said first and second connectors, said circuit transmits a stored physical address data, that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, to the network.

2. The locator of claim 1, wherein said physical address data is entered through said first connector.

3. The locator of claim 1, wherein said circuit also transmits a stored phone number data.

4. The locator of claim 1, wherein said circuit also transmits a stored locator address data.

5. The locator of claim 1, wherein said circuit includes a controller and a memory.

6. The locator of claim 1, further comprising a third connector attached to said housing.

7. The locator of claim 1, further comprising a power port attached to said housing.

8. The locator of claim 1, wherein said physical address data is transmitted in response to an entry of a 9-1-1 phone number into the peripheral device.

9. A locator that can be coupled to an outlet box and a peripheral device, the outlet box having a physical location and being coupled to a network, comprising:

a housing;

a first connector attached to said housing and coupled to the peripheral device;

a second connector attached to said housing and coupled to the outlet box; and

,

circuit means for transmitting a stored physical address data, that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, to the network.

10. The locator of claim 9, wherein said physical address data is entered through said first connector.

11. The locator of claim 9, wherein said circuit means also transmits a stored phone number data.

12. The locator of claim 9, wherein said circuit means also transmits a stored locator address data.

13. The locator of claim 9, wherein said circuit means includes a controller and a memory.

14. The locator of claim 9, further comprising a third connector attached to said housing.

15. The locator of claim 9, further comprising a power port attached to said housing.

16. The locator of claim 9, wherein said physical address data is transmitted in response to an entry of a 9-1-1 phone number into the peripheral device.

18. The method of claim 17, further entering a phone address data into the locator that is transmitted to the network.

19. The method of claim 17, further transmitting a locator address data to the network.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the physical address data is transmitted in response to the entering of a 9-1-1 phone number through the peripheral device.

17. A method for locating a peripheral device coupled to an outlet box and a network, the outlet box having a physical address, comprising:

connecting a locator to the outlet box;

entering a physical address data that corresponds to the physical address of the outlet box into the locator; and

,

transmitting the physical address data to the network through the outlet box.

21. An outlet box that is coupled to a peripheral device and a network, comprising:

a housing;

a first connector attached to said housing and coupled to the peripheral device; and

a circuit that is attached to said housing and coupled to said first connector, said circuit transmits a stored physical address data, that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, to the network.

22. The outlet of claim 21, wherein said physical address data is entered through said first connector.

23. The outlet of claim 21, wherein said circuit also transmits a stored phone number data.

24. The outlet of claim 21, wherein said circuit also transmits a stored locator address data.

25. The outlet of claim 21, wherein said circuit includes a controller and a memory.

26. The outlet of claim 21, further comprising a second connector attached to said housing.

27. The outlet of claim 21, further comprising a power port attached to said housing.

28. The outlet of claim 21, wherein said physical address data is transmitted in response to an entry of a 9-1-1 phone number into the peripheral device.

30. The outlet of claim 29, wherein said physical address data is entered through said first connector.

31. The outlet of claim 29, wherein said circuit means also transmits a stored phone number data.

32. The outlet of claim 29, wherein said circuit means also transmits a stored locator address data.

33. The outlet of claim 29, wherein said circuit means includes a controller and a memory.

34. The outlet of claim 29, further comprising a second connector attached to said housing.

35. The outlet of claim 29, further comprising a power port attached to said housing.

36. The outlet of claim 29, wherein said physical address data is transmitted in response to an entry of a 9-1-1 phone number into the peripheral device.

38. The method of claim 37, further entering a phone address data into the outlet box that is transmitted to the network.

39. The method of claim 37, further transmitting a locator address data to the network.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the physical address data is transmitted in response to the entering of a 9-1-1 phone number through the peripheral device.

29. An outlet box that is coupled to a peripheral device and a network, the outlet box having a physical address, comprising:

a housing;

a first connector attached to said housing and coupled to the peripheral device; and

,

circuit means for transmitting a stored physical address data, that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, to the network.

37. A method for locating a peripheral device coupled to an outlet box and a network, the outlet box having a physical address, comprising:

entering a physical address data that corresponds to the physical address of the outlet box into the outlet box; and

,

transmitting the physical address box to the network.

41. An asset management device that can be coupled to an outlet box and a peripheral device that has a device identification, the outlet box having a physical address and being coupled to a network, comprising:

a housing;

a first connector attached to said housing and coupled to the peripheral device;

a second connector attached to said housing and coupled to the outlet box; and

,

a circuit that is attached to said housing and coupled to said first and second connectors, said circuit transmits a stored physical address data, that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, and said peripheral device identification to the network.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein said physical address data is transmitted through said first connector.

43. The device of claim 41, wherein said circuit also transmits a stored phone number data.

44. The device of claim 41, wherein said physical address data is a stored locator address data.

45. The device of claim 41, wherein said circuit includes a controller and a memory.

46. The device of claim 41, further comprising a third connector attached to said housing.

47. The device of claim 41, further comprising a power port attached to said housing.

48. The device of claim 41, wherein said physical address data is transmitted in response to an entry of a 9-1-1 phone number into the peripheral device.

50. The device of claim 49, wherein said physical address data is transmitted through said first connector.

51. The device of claim 49, wherein said circuit means also transmits a stored phone number data.

52. The device of claim 49, wherein said physical address data is a stored locator address data.

53. The device of claim 49, wherein said circuit means includes a controller and a memory.

54. The device of claim 49, further comprising a third connector attached to said housing.

55. The device of claim 49, further comprising a power port attached to said housing.

56. The device of claim 49, wherein said physical address data is transmitted in response to an entry of a 9-1-1 phone number into the peripheral device.

58. The method of claim 57, further entering a phone address data into the locator that is transmitted to the network.

59. The method of claim 57, further transmitting a locator address data to the network.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein the physical address data is transmitted in response to the entering of a 9-1-1 phone number through the peripheral device.

49. An asset management device that can be coupled to an outlet box and a peripheral device that has a device identification, the outlet box having a physical address and being coupled to a network, comprising:

a housing;

a first connector attached to said housing and coupled to the peripheral device;

a second connector attached to said housing and coupled to the outlet box; and

,

circuit means for transmitting a stored physical address data, that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, and the peripheral device identification to the network.

57. A method for locating a peripheral device coupled to an outlet box and a network, the outlet box having a physical address, comprising:

connecting a locator to the outlet box, the locator having a stored physical address data that corresponds to the physical address of the outlet box;

transmitting a device identification from the peripheral device to the locator; and

,

transmitting the stored physical address data and the device identification to the network through the outlet box.

61. An asset management outlet box that can be coupled to a peripheral device that has a device identification, the outlet box having a physical address and being coupled to a network, comprising:

a housing;

a first connector attached to said housing and coupled to peripheral device;

a circuit that is attached to said housing and coupled to said first and second connector, said circuit transmits a stored physical address data, that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, and said peripheral device identification to the network.

62. The outlet of claim 61, wherein said physical address data is transmitted through said first connector.

63. The outlet of claim 61, wherein said circuit also transmits a stored phone number data.

64. The outlet of claim 61, wherein said physical address data is a stored locator address data.

65. The outlet of claim 61, wherein said circuit includes a controller and a memory.

66. The outlet of claim 61, further comprising a second connector that is attached to said housing.

67. The outlet of claim 61, further comprising a power port attached to said housing.

68. The outlet of claim 61, wherein said physical address data is transmitted in response to an entry of a 9-1-1 phone number into the peripheral device.

70. The outlet of claim 69, wherein said physical address data is transmitted through said first connector.

71. The outlet of claim 69, wherein said circuit means also transmits a stored phone number data.

72. The outlet of claim 69, wherein said physical address data is a stored locator address data.

73. The outlet of claim 69, wherein said circuit means includes a controller and a memory.

74. The outlet of claim 69, further comprising a second connector attached to said housing.

75. The outlet of claim 69, further comprising a power port attached to said housing.

76. The outlet of claim 69, wherein said physical address data is transmitted in response to an entry of a 9-1-1 phone number into the peripheral device.

69. An asset management outlet box that can be coupled to an outlet box and a peripheral device that has a device identification, the outlet box having a physical address and being coupled to a network, comprising:

a housing;

a first connector attached to said housing and coupled to the peripheral device;

circuit means for transmitting a stored physical address data, that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, and the peripheral device identification to the network.

77. A method for locating a peripheral device coupled to an outlet box and a network, the outlet box having a physical address, comprising:

connecting a locator to the outlet box, the locator having a stored physical address data that corresponds to the physical address of the outlet box;

transmitting a device identification from the peripheral device to the locator; and

, transmitting the stored physical address data and the device identification to the network.

78. The method of claim 77, further entering a phone address data into the locator that is transmitted to the network.

79. The method of claim 77, further transmitting a locator address data to the network.

80. The method of claim 77, wherein the physical address data is transmitted in response to the entering of a 9-1-1 phone number through the peripheral device.

81. A computer system that can be coupled to a network, comprising:

a backplane that contains a unique backplane identification; and

,

a computer that can be plugged into said backplane, said computer retrieves and transmits the backplane identification to the network.

82. The system of claim 81, wherein said computer has a network address and transmits a command to re-configure the network to route information associated with the network address to said computer.

83. The system of claim 81, wherein said computer has a telephone number and transmits a command to re-configure the network to route information associated with the telephone number to said computer.

84. A system, comprising:

a server;

a backplane that is coupled to said server and which contains a unique backplane identification; and

,

a computer that can be plugged into said backplane, said computer retrieves and transmits the backplane identification to said server.

85. The system of claim 84, wherein said server includes a relational database that correlates said backplane with a network address of said computer and the command re-configures the relational database to route information associated with the network address to said computer.

86. The system of claim 84, wherein said server includes a relational database that correlates said backplane with a telephone number of said computer and the command re-configures the relational database to route information associated with a telephone number to said computer.

87. A method for operating a computer system coupled to a network, comprising:

plugging a computer into a backplane;

transmitting a backplane identification to the network; and

,

transmitting the backplane identification to the network.

88. The method of claim 87, further transmitting a command to re-configure a relational database so that the backplane identification is correlated with a network address of the computer.

89. The method of claim 87, further transmitting a command to re-configure a relational database so that the backplane identification is correlated with a telephone number of the computer.

90. A computer system that can be coupled to a network, comprising:

a backplane that contains a unique backplane identification, said backplane transmits the backplane identification to the network; and

,

a computer that can be plugged into said backplane.

91. The system of claim 90, wherein said computer has a network address and said backplane transmits a command to re-configure the network to route information associated with the network address to said computer.

92. The system of claim 90, wherein said computer has a telephone number and said backplane transmits a command to re-configure the network to route information associated with the telephone number to said computer.

93. A system, comprising:

a server;

a backplane that is coupled to said server and which contains a unique backplane identification that is transmitted to said server; and

,

a computer that can be plugged into said backplane.

94. The system of claim 93, wherein said server includes a relational database that correlates said backplane with a network address of said computer and receives a command to re-configure the relational database to route information associated with the network address to said computer.

95. The system of claim 93, wherein said server includes a relational database that correlates said backplane with a telephone number of said computer and receives a command to re-configure the relational database to route information associated with a telephone number to said computer.

96. A method for operating a computer system coupled to a network, comprising:

plugging a computer into a backplane; and

,

transmitting a backplane identification to the network.

97. The method of claim 96, further transmitting a command to re-configure a relational database so that the backplane identification is correlated with a network address of the computer.

98. The method of claim 96, further transmitting a command to re-configure a relational database so that the backplane identification is correlated with a telephone number of the computer.