Locating devices

• US 20070233899A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bridgeport Networks, Inc. (Alianza, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bridgeport Networks, Inc. (Alianza, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aborn, Justin
• Application Number:
  US11/397,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20070233899A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0242 Determining the position of transmitters to be subsequently used in positioning G01S5/0289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Location data associating data network access devices with corresponding physical locations is maintained, a voice service from a mobile device served by a data network access device is accessed, and location data during the voice service is accessed to determine if the data network access device has a corresponding physical location in the location data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining location data associating data network access devices with corresponding physical locations;

accessing a voice service from a mobile device served by a data network access device;

accessing the location data during the voice service to determine if the data network access device has a corresponding physical location in the location data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a physical location for the mobile device using the location data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the location data associates addresses of the access devices and the corresponding physical locations.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the location data associates data link layer addresses of the access devices and corresponding physical locations.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the data network access devices include local area network access devices.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the local area network access devices include wireless access points.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the voice service includes establishing a communication session between the mobile device and network element via the data network access device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein establishing the communication session includes establishing a packet-based voice call.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein establishing the communication session includes establishing a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) session.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing results of the determination to an entity.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining location data comprises requesting information from an entity.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the information is used to populate a database.

13. A method comprising:

maintaining location data associating data network access devices with corresponding physical locations;

providing a voice service to a mobile device served by a data network access device; and

accessing the location data during the voice service to determine if the data network access device has a corresponding physical location in the location data.

14. Software stored on computer-readable media comprising instructions for causing a data processing system to:

maintain location data associating data network access devices with corresponding physical locations;

provide a voice service to a mobile device served by a data network access device; and

access the location data during the voice service to determine if the data network access device has a corresponding physical location in the location data.