Locating, provisioning and identifying devices in a network

• US 20050253722A1
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Droms, Ralph, Saville, Roland, Vogel, Gary Dennis Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,648,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/663 Transport layer addresses, e.g. aspects of transmission control protocol [TCP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/088 among core entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for locating, identifying and provisioning devices in a network. According to some implementations of the invention, a combination of EPC code information and existing networking standards form the basis of identifying and provisioning methods. For example, first location information included in a DHCPDISCOVER request can be used to determine appropriate configurations for networked devices. In some such implementations, the first location information is read from an RFID tag near the networked device and is inserted in the DHCPDISCOVER request. The first location information may include any type of absolute or relative coordinate, positioning, cartographic or similar information and/or information from which such information may be derived. Second location information, which may be a logical name, is provided to the device. If the device is an RFID reader, the second location information may be included with reads from RFID tags that are transmitted from the RFID reader.

Claims

1. A method of provisioning a device, the method comprising:

initializing a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) device;

reading RFID tag data from an RFID tag;

inserting the RFID tag data in an option field of a DHCPDISCOVER request;

sending the DHCPDISCOVER request to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“

DHCP”

)server;

ascertaining, based at least in part on the RFID tag data, a location and a logical name of the RFID device;

determining, based in part on the location of the RFID device, an appropriate configuration for the RFID device; and

provisioning the RFID device according to the appropriate configuration, wherein the provisioning step comprises provisioning the RFID device with a logical name.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the RFID device is a wireless RFID device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one step is performed by the DHCP server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ascertaining step comprises accessing a data structure that includes RFID tag data and corresponding location data and logical names.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the ascertaining step is performed by the DHCP server.

6. A method of provisioning a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving IEEE 802.11b location data from a plurality of wireless access points;

ascertaining, based at least in part on the IEEE 802.11b location data, a location and a logical name of a wireless device;

determining an appropriate configuration for the wireless device according to the location; and

provisioning the wireless device, wherein the configuring step comprises supplying the wireless device with the appropriate configuration and with a logical name.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless device comprises one of a manufacturing device, a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) device, a portable digital assistant and a laptop computer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the IEEE 802.11b location data comprise one of time data and signal strength data.

9. A method of provisioning a device, the method comprising:

receiving a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“

DHCP”

) request;

ascertaining a location and a logical name of a device according to information in the DHCP request;

determining, based at least in part on the location, an appropriate configuration for the device; and

providing the device with the appropriate configuration and with a logical name.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the ascertaining step comprises determining a location encoded in the DHCP request.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the ascertaining step comprises:

accessing a data structure; and

mapping the information in the DHCP request to corresponding location data.

12. A method for deploying a uniquely-provisioned radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) device in a network, the method comprising;

reading first location information from a first RFID tag;

forming a DHCPDISCOVER request that includes an electronic product code (“

EPC”

) of an RFID reader and the first location information;

sending the DHCPDISCOVER request to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“

DHCP”

) server;

receiving provisioning information from the DHCP server that enables a desired functionality according to an identity and a location of the RFID reader, the provisioning information including second location information; and

provisioning the RFID reader according to the provisioning information, thereby enabling the RFID reader to read nearby RFID tags and to transmit RFID tag information and second location information to an RFID network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first location information comprises one of coordinate information and civil address information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second location information comprises a logical name.

15. A network, comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) devices;

a plurality of switches connecting the RFID devices to the network; and

a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“

DHCP”

) server, wherein at least some of the RFID devices comprise;

means for reading first location information from a first RFID tag;

means for forming a DHCPDISCOVER request that includes an electronic product code (“

EPC”

) of an RFID reader and the first location information;

means for sending the DHCPDISCOVER request to the DHCP server;

means for receiving provisioning information from the DHCP server that enables a desired functionality according to an identity and a location of the RFID reader, the provisioning information including second location information; and

means for provisioning the RFID reader according to the provisioning information, thereby enabling the RFID reader to read nearby RFID tags and to transmit RFID tag information and second location information to an RFID network; and

wherein the DHCP server comprises;

means for receiving the DHCPDISCOVER request; and

means for automatically identifying an RFID device according to a media access control (“

MAC”

) address and an EPC included in the DHCPDISCOVER request and for locating the RFID device and determining the second location information according to the first location information included in the DHCPDISCOVER request; and

means for providing the RFID device with a desired functionality and the second location information.

16. A method of provisioning a device, the method comprising:

initializing an RFID device;

obtaining first location data;

inserting the first location data in an option field of a DHCPDISCOVER request; and

sending the DHCPDISCOVER request to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“

DHCP”

)server;

determining provisioning information, including a logical name, based at least in part on the first location data;

providing the provisioning information to the device;

configuring the device according to the provisioning information;

reading RFID tag data from RFID tags; and

transmitting the RFID tag data to a middleware server along with the logical name.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the RFID device includes global positioning system (“

GPS”

) capability and wherein the first location data comprise GPS data.

18. A network for provisioning a device, the network comprising:

means for initializing a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) device;

means for reading RFID tag data from an RFID tag;

means for inserting the RFID tag data in an option field of a DHCPDISCOVER request;

means for sending the DHCPDISCOVER request to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“

DHCP”

)server;

means for ascertaining, based at least in part on the RFID tag data, a location and a logical name of the RFID device;

means for determining, based in part on the location of the RFID device, an appropriate configuration for the RFID device; and

means for providing the RFID device with provisioning information comprising a logical name and an appropriate configuration.

19. An apparatus for provisioning a wireless device, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving IEEE 802.11b location data from a plurality of wireless access points;

means for ascertaining, based at least in part on the IEEE 802.11b location data, a location and a logical name of a wireless device;

means for determining an appropriate configuration for the wireless device according to the location; and

means for providing the wireless device with the appropriate configuration and with the logical name.

20. An apparatus for provisioning a device, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“

DHCP”

) request;

means for ascertaining a location and a logical name of a device according to information in the DHCP request;

means for determining, based at least in part on the location, an appropriate configuration for the device; and

means for providing the device with the appropriate configuration and with a logical name.

21. A network for deploying a uniquely-provisioned radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) device in a network, the network comprising;

means for reading first location information from a first RFID tag;

means for forming a DHCPDISCOVER request that includes an electronic product code (“

EPC”

) of an RFID reader and the first location information;

means for sending the DHCPDISCOVER request to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“

DHCP”

) server;

means for receiving provisioning information from the DHCP server that enables a desired functionality according to an identity and a location of the RFID reader, the provisioning information including second location information; and

means for provisioning the RFID reader according to the provisioning information, thereby enabling the RFID reader to read nearby RFID tags and to transmit RFID tag information and second location information to an RFID network.

22. A network for provisioning a device, the network comprising:

means for initializing an RFID device;

means for obtaining first location data;

means for inserting the first location data in an option field of a DHCPDISCOVER request; and

means for sending the DHCPDISCOVER request to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“

DHCP”

)server;

means for determining provisioning information, including a logical name, based at least in part on the first location data;

means for providing the provisioning information to the device;

means for configuring the device according to the provisioning information;

means for reading RFID tag data from RFID tags; and

means for transmitting the RFID tag data to a middleware server along with the logical name.