Computer-implemented method, system, and program product for tracking a location of a user of a wireless device in a private network environment

• US 20070115830A1
• Filed: 11/03/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Jonghae, Kim, Moon, Yee, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/241
• 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 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention provides a computer-implemented method, system, and program product for tracking a location of a user of a wireless device in a private network environment. Specifically, under the present invention, a wireless device user will form a data connection with a private network through a public network such as the Internet. At such a time “location” information will be communicated from the wireless device to the provider of the private network, which will use the information to track the location of the wireless device user. In addition, the provider of the private network can query the wireless device when updates to the information are desired. At this or any other time, the wireless device can be queried for any such updates.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for tracking a location of a user of a wireless device in a private network environment, comprising:

establishing a data connection between the wireless device and a private network in response to a connection request;

receiving information from the wireless device on a provider of the private network, wherein the information comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) address corresponding to the wireless device; and

tracking the location of the user based on the information.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information further comprises a location corresponding to a server, a timestamp corresponding to the data connection, a name corresponding to the wireless device, a connection type corresponding to the data connection, and a date corresponding to the data connection.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating the user with a provider of wireless connectivity;

establishing a data connection with a public network after the authenticating; and

authenticating the user with the private network over the public network.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the establishing comprises forming a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel to the private network.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the information on a local server from the wireless device; and

communicating the information from the local server to the provider of the private network.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information is maintained in a table.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

querying the wireless device from the provider of the private network; and

receiving an update to the information based on the querying.

8. A system for tracking a location of a user of a wireless device in a private network environment, comprising:

a system for sending a query to the wireless device from a provider of a private network for information that identifies the location of the user, wherein the information comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) code for the wireless device;

a system for receiving the information from the wireless device on the provider of the private network; and

a system for tracking the location of the user using the information.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a system for managing the information for the provider of the private network.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the information further comprises a location corresponding to a server, a timestamp corresponding to a data connection, a name corresponding to the wireless device, a connection type corresponding to the data connection, and a date corresponding to the data connection.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a system for maintaining the information on the wireless device;

a system for receiving the query on the wireless device from the provider of the private network; and

a system for communicating the information from the wireless device to a provider of a public network.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the information is maintained in a table.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the information received from the wireless device is real-time information.

14. A program product stored on a computer useable medium for tracking a location of a user of a wireless device in a private network environment, the program product comprising program code for causing a computer system to perform the following steps:

sending a query to the wireless device from a provider of a private network for information that identifies the location of the user, wherein the information comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) code for the wireless device;

receiving the information from the wireless device on the provider of the private network; and

tracking the location of the user using the information.

15. The program product of claim 14, further comprising a system for managing the information for the provider of the private network.

16. The program product of claim 14, wherein the information further comprises a location corresponding to a server, a timestamp corresponding to a data connection, a name corresponding to the wireless device, a connection type corresponding to the data connection, and a date corresponding to the data connection.

17. The program product of claim 14, further comprising program code for causing the wireless device to perform the following steps:

maintaining the information on the wireless device;

receiving the query on the wireless device from the provider of the private network; and

communicating the information from the wireless device to a provider of a public network.

18. The program product of claim 14, wherein the information is maintained in a table.

19. The program product of claim 14, wherein the information received from the wireless device is real-time information.

20. A method for deploying an application for tracking a location of a user of a wireless device in a private network environment, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

send a query to the wireless device from a provider of a private network for information that identifies the location of the user, wherein the information comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) code for the wireless device;

receive the information from the wireless device on the provider of the private network; and

track the location of the user using the information.