LOCATION DETERMINATION DURING NETWORK ADDRESS LOOKUP

• US 20110040858A1
• Filed: 08/13/2009
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gum, Arnold Jason
• Application Number:
  US12/540,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20110040858A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to determining location information of a client device. A client device communicating via a network may receive information from the network regarding its physical location in response, at least in part, to the client device requesting an assignment of a network address, a direct request for location, and/or other query.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting from a transceiver one or more signals representative of a first request for assignment of a network address;

receiving at said transceiver one or more signals representative of a first assigned network address in response to said first request;

receiving at said transceiver one or more signals representative of location information;

storing information indicative of said location information in a memory device;

receiving at a second transceiver one or more signals representative of a request from a device for assignment of a different network address to said device; and

transmitting from said second transceiver one or more signals representative of said different assigned network address and said stored information indicative of said location information to said device in response to said second request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving one or more signals representative of location information is performed in response to said first request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising mapping said second assigned network address onto said first assigned network address assigned by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said second assigned network address comprises a virtual address assigned by a wireless router via said mapping.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first assigned network address comprises a value different from that of said second assigned network address.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing said one or more signals representative of said location information further comprises storing said location information indicative of a physical location of a wireless router at said wireless router.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first assigned network address comprises an address to be assigned by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said device comprises a client device of a wireless router.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said client device comprises a mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said location information comprises information indicative of a physical location of a wireless router.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein said device comprises a client device of said wireless router.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein said device queries a management information base (MIB) maintained on said wireless router with a request for updated and/or current location information.

13. An apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting one or more signals representative of a first request for assignment of a network address;

means for receiving one or more signals representative of a first assigned network address in response to said first request;

means for receiving one or more signals representative of location information;

means for storing information indicative of said location information in a memory device;

means for receiving one or more signals representative of a request from a device for assignment of a network address to said device; and

means for transmitting one or more signals representative of a second assigned network address and said stored location information to said device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said means for receiving one or more signals representative of location information is performed in response to said first request.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said first request includes a request for said location information.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising means for mapping said second assigned network address onto said first assigned network address assigned by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said second assigned network address comprises a virtual address assigned by a wireless router via said mapping.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said first assigned network address comprises a value different than that of said second assigned network address.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said means for storing said one or more signals representative of said location information further comprises storing said location information indicative of a physical location of a wireless router at said wireless router.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said first assigned network address comprises an address to be assigned by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said device comprises a client device of a wireless router.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said client device comprises a mobile device.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said location information comprises information indicative of a physical location of a wireless router.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said device comprises a client device of said wireless router.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said client device queries a management information base (MIB) maintained on said wireless router with a request for updated and/or current location information.

26. An article comprising:

a storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a special purpose computing device, are adapted to enable said special purpose computing device to;

initiate transmission of one or more signals representative of a first request for assignment of a network address;

receive one or more signals representative of a first assigned network address in response to said first request;

receive one or more signals representative of location information regarding a device;

store information indicative of said location information in a memory device;

receive one or more signals representative of a request from a device for assignment of a network address to said device; and

initiate transmission of one or more signals representative of an assigned network address and said stored location information to said device in response to said request.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein said instructions, if executed by said special purpose computing device, are further adapted to enable said special purpose computing device to:

receive one or more signals representative of location information in response to said first request.

28. The article of claim 26, wherein said instructions, if executed by said special purpose computing device, are further adapted to enable said special purpose computing device to:

map said second assigned network address onto said first assigned network address assigned by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

29. The article of claim 28, wherein said second assigned network address comprises a virtual address assigned by a wireless router via said mapping.

30. The article of claim 26, wherein said first assigned network address comprises a value different from that of said second assigned network address.

31. The article of claim 26, wherein said storing said one or more signals representative of said location information further comprises storing said location information indicative of a physical location of a wireless router at said wireless router.

32. The article of claim 26, wherein said first assigned network address comprises an address to be assigned by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

33. The article of claim 26, wherein said device comprises a client device of a wireless router.

34. The article of claim 33, wherein said client device comprises a mobile device.

35. The article of claim 26, wherein said location information comprises information indicative of a physical location of a wireless router.

36. The article of claim 29, wherein said device comprises a client device of said wireless router.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said client device queries a management information base (MIB) maintained on said wireless router with a request for updated and/or current location information.

38. An apparatus comprising:

a first two-way communication system to transmit one or more signals representative of a first request for assignment of a network address and to receive one or more signals representative of a first assigned network address and location information in response to said first request;

a memory device to store information indicative of said location information in a memory device;

a second two-way communication system to receive one or more signals representative of a second request from a device for assignment of a second network address to said device and to transmit one or more signals representative of a second assigned network address and said stored location information to said device in response to said second request.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said first assigned network address comprises a value different from that of said second assigned network address.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said location information comprises information indicative of a physical location of a wireless router.

41. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said first assigned network address comprises an address assigned by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

42. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said apparatus comprises a wireless router.