REMOTE DEVICE LOCATION IDENTIFICATION

• US 20120075066A1
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ochs, Matthew Ryan, Machireddy, Ramana R., Mansur, Vishal R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,633,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 21/00 Systems for transmitting the position of an object with respect to a predetermined reference system, e.g. tele-autographic system

Abstract

A method, system, and computer usable program product for remote device location identification are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A command to identify a remote device is received, at the remote device in a data processing environment. The command is included in a predetermined communication directed to the remote device. A determination is made whether the command is supported at the remote device. The remote device is identified by transmitting an identification of a location associated with the remote device.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for remote device location identification, the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a remote device in a data processing environment, a command to identify the remote device, the command being included in a predetermined communication directed to the remote device;

determining whether the command is supported at the remote device; and

identifying the remote device by transmitting an identification of a location associated with the remote device.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined communication is to cause another operation distinct from the identification of the remote device, and wherein responsive to the determining being negative, further comprising:

performing the other operation according to the predetermined communication.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the identification is activating a physically perceivable identification of a physical location of the remote device at the physical location of the remote device.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises:

detecting a pattern in the predetermined communication, wherein the pattern in a predetermined sequence of transmissions directed to the remote device.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, the remote device is a network appliance, and wherein the transmitting the identification is identifying the remote device at the location of the remote device.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identification identifies a physical location of the remote device.

7. A computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage medium including computer usable code for remote device location identification, the computer usable code comprising:

computer usable code for receiving, at a remote device in a data processing environment, a command to identify the remote device, the command being included in a predetermined communication directed to the remote device;

computer usable code for determining whether the command is supported at the remote device; and

computer usable code for identifying the remote device by transmitting an identification of a location associated with the remote device.

8. The computer usable program product of claim 7, wherein the predetermined communication is to cause another operation distinct from the identification of the remote device and wherein responsive to the determining being negative, further comprising:

computer usable code for performing the other operation according to the predetermined communication.

9. The computer usable program product of claim 7, wherein the transmitting the identification is activating a physically perceivable identification of a physical location of the remote device at the physical location of the remote device.

10. The computer usable program product of claim 7, wherein the receiving comprises:

computer usable code for detecting a pattern in the predetermined communication, wherein the pattern in a predetermined sequence of transmissions directed to the remote device.

11. The computer usable program product of claim 7, the remote device is a network appliance, and wherein the transmitting the identification is identifying the remote device at the location of the remote device.

12. The computer usable program product of claim 7, wherein the identification identifies a physical location of the remote device.

13. The computer usable program product of claim 7, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system.

14. The computer usable program product of claim 7, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage medium associated with the remote data processing system.

15. A data processing system for remote device location identification, the data processing system comprising:

a storage device including a storage medium, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code; and

a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code, and wherein the computer usable program code comprises;

computer usable code for receiving, at a remote device in a data processing environment, a command to identify the remote device, the command being included in a predetermined communication directed to the remote device;

computer usable code for determining whether the command is supported at the remote device; and

computer usable code for identifying the remote device by transmitting an identification of a location associated with the remote device.

16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the predetermined communication is to cause another operation distinct from the identification of the remote device, and wherein responsive to the determining being negative, further comprising:

computer usable code for performing the other operation according to the predetermined communication.

17. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the transmitting the identification is activating a physically perceivable identification of a physical location of the remote device at the physical location of the remote device.

18. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the receiving comprises:

computer usable code for detecting a pattern in the predetermined communication, wherein the pattern in a predetermined sequence of transmissions directed to the remote device.

19. The data processing system of claim 15, the remote device is a network appliance, and wherein the transmitting the identification is identifying the remote device at the location of the remote device.

20. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the identification identifies a physical location of the remote device.