Dynamic mapping of wireless network devices

• US 20030080992A1
• Filed: 10/29/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palo Alto Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Haines, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,421,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for presenting dynamic mapping information in a wireless network are useful in locating or identifying a desired service-providing device within the wireless network relative to a service-requesting device. The mapping information may be physical network mapping or it may be physical network mapping combined with logical network mapping. The mapping may further include supplemental information regarding the network and its devices. The physical network mapping provides information regarding the location of a service-providing device relative to a service-requesting device. Dynamic mapping information accommodates transient users of the wireless network, facilitating location or identification of a desired service-providing device in an unfamiliar network or surrounding.

Claims

1. A dynamic map of a wireless network, comprising:

representations of a plurality of network devices depicting locations of the network devices relative to a reference point, wherein the locations of the representations are adapted for updating without the need for manual intervention.

2. The dynamic map of claim 1, wherein at least one of the network devices or the reference point is a transient device of the wireless network.

3. The dynamic map of claim 1, further comprising representations of logical connectivity of the plurality of network devices.

4. The dynamic map of claim 1, wherein the representations of the plurality of network devices comprise an ordered list of a set of the network devices capable of providing a service requested by another network device of the wireless network, and wherein the order of the list is indicative of a proximity of each of the plurality of network devices to the network device requesting the service.

5. The dynamic map of claim 1, further comprising:

a representation of a first network device of the plurality of network devices that is requesting a service on the wireless network; and

a representation of a second network device of the plurality of network devices that is capable of providing the requested service;

wherein the representation of the first network device is highlighted to differentiate it from representations of other network devices; and

wherein the representation of the second network device is highlighted to differentiate it from representations of other network devices that are incapable of providing the requested service.

6. The dynamic map of claim 5, further comprising:

a representation of at least one third network device of the plurality of network devices that is capable of providing the requested service;

wherein the representation of the at least one third network device is highlighted to differentiate it from representations of other network devices that are incapable of providing the requested service.

7. The dynamic map of claim 6, wherein the second network device is a device most closely matching a selection criteria to provide the requested service and wherein the highlighting of the representation of the second network device further differentiates it from a representation of each third network device.

8. The dynamic map of claim 5, further comprising:

a representation of a path between the first network device and the second network device.

9. The dynamic map of claim 8, wherein the representation of the path between the first network device and the second network device accounts for obstructions between the first network device and the second network device.

10. The dynamic map of claim 8, further comprising:

a representation of a path between the first network device and each of the third network devices.

11. The dynamic map of claim 10, wherein the representation of the path between the first network device and each of the third second network devices accounts for obstructions between the first network device and the third network devices.

12. The dynamic map of claim 1, further comprising a directional indicator indicative of a direction between a first network device requesting a service on the wireless network and a second network device selected to provide the requested service.

13. The dynamic map of claim 1, further comprising a distance indicator indicative of a distance between a first network device requesting a service on the wireless network and a second network device selected to provide the requested service.

14. The dynamic map of claim 13, wherein the distance indicator accounts for obstructions in a path between the first network device and the second network device.

15. A method of locating a service-providing device of a wireless network from a service-requesting device of the wireless network, the method comprising:

generating dynamic mapping information for a plurality of network devices of the wireless network, wherein the plurality of network devices includes the service-providing device and the service-requesting device;

providing an indication of a distance and a direction to the service-providing device from the service-requesting device using the dynamic mapping information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the indication of the distance and the direction to the service-providing device from the service-requesting device accounts for obstructions between the service-requesting device and the service-providing device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a representation of a path between the service-requesting device and the service-providing device that accounts for obstructions between the service-requesting device and the service-providing device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

updating the indication of the distance and the direction to the service-providing device from the service-requesting device as the service-requesting device approaches the service-providing device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein providing an indication of a distance and a direction to the service-providing device from the service-requesting device using the dynamic mapping information further comprises:

displaying a map to a user of the service-requesting device, wherein the map comprises representations of the plurality of network devices depicting locations of the network devices relative to the service-requesting device and wherein the plurality of network devices includes the service-requesting device and the service-providing device;

highlighting a representation of the service-requesting device to differentiate it from other network devices; and

highlighting a representation of the service-providing device to differentiate it from other network devices.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the map further comprises a representation of a path between the service-requesting device and the service-providing device.