Using signal characteristics to locate devices in a data network

• US 20030216144A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Enterasys Networks Incorporated (Extreme Networks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Durand, Roger P., Roese, John J., Graham, Richard W., Gorsky, John-Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,898,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 : Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access

Abstract

An approach determining a physical location of a device connected to a data network infrastructure that includes multiple connection points at different physical locations makes use of measured signal characteristics. Operational signal characteristics from a device communicating with the data network infrastructure through one of the connection points are measured and a physical location of the device is determined from the measured characteristics. Stored associations of signal characteristics with connection points are accessed in determining the physical location. The device can connect to the connection point via a cable-based transmission medium.

Claims

1. A method of determining a physical location of a device connected to a data network infrastructure including a plurality of connection points at different physical locations, the method comprising:

measuring a signal characteristic of a communication signal passing via a cable-based transmission medium between a device communicating with the data network infrastructure through one of the connection points; and

determining a physical location of the device according to the measured signal characteristic, including accessing stored information associating signal characteristics with connection points.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying the connection points with respective connection point identifiers.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

measuring signal characteristics of communication signals passing through each of the plurality of connection points; and

storing information associating each measured signal characteristic and its respective connection point.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a physical location further comprises employing a function that relates values for signal characteristics to respective physical locations.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal characteristics comprise a time delay.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal characteristics comprises at least one of time delay, time-domain reflectometry, signal attenuations, and round-trip delay.

7. A method for surveying a data network infrastructure including a plurality of connection points, the method comprising:

for each of a plurality of connection points each of which provide a cable-based communication path to the data network infrastructure,

determining a signal characteristic for the connection point, and

providing to the network infrastructure the signal characteristic for the connection point.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising storing an association between each of the connection points and its signal characteristics.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising identifying each of the connection points with respective connection point identifiers.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising connecting a location sensing device to a first of the connection points and determining a physical location of said connection point using the location sensing device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the location sensing device comprises a GPS receiver.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising storing an association between the first connection point and its determined physical location.

13. A system comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive an operational signal characteristic from a device communicating with a data network infrastructure through one of a plurality of connection points; and

a location module configured to determine a physical location of the device by comparing the operational signal characteristic with a stored signal characteristic associated with the one connection point.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the location module is further configured to employ a function that relates values for the signal characteristics to respective physical locations of the connection points.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the location module further comprises a signal characteristic database having an association of a signal characteristic and its corresponding physical location for each of the connection points.