Quickly locating devices
First Claim
1. A method operative at a computing device, the computing device being one of a set of computing devices, each computing device in the set including networking technology, comprising:
- maintaining data about one or more other computing devices in the set, the data identifying a time and location of a last successful connection between the computing device and the one or more of the other computing devices;
updating the data as computing devices in the set move out of communication range with one another, wherein data is updated upon an event that is one of;
(a) when the computing device itself loses contact with one of the other computing devices in the set, and (b) when the computing device receives a notification from a second computing device that the second computing device has lost contact with a third computing device in the set;
upon receipt of a request to locate a lost computing device that is one of the set of computing devices, using the updated data to identify a last known location of the lost computing device;
wherein at least one of the steps is implemented in software executing in a hardware element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A set of computing devices are networked together. Each device maintains data about the other computing devices in the set, namely, a time and location of a last successful connection between the device and one or more of the other devices. The data at a device is updated as computing devices in the set move out of communication range with one another, for example (a) when the particular computing device itself loses contact with one of the other computing devices in the set, or (b) when the particular computing device receives a notification from one of the other computing devices that such other computing device has lost contact with a computing device that the other computing device had been in contact with. The connection table data is then used to locate a lost computing device, or the identity of a device that has such information in its connection table.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method operative at a computing device, the computing device being one of a set of computing devices, each computing device in the set including networking technology, comprising:
-
maintaining data about one or more other computing devices in the set, the data identifying a time and location of a last successful connection between the computing device and the one or more of the other computing devices; updating the data as computing devices in the set move out of communication range with one another, wherein data is updated upon an event that is one of;
(a) when the computing device itself loses contact with one of the other computing devices in the set, and (b) when the computing device receives a notification from a second computing device that the second computing device has lost contact with a third computing device in the set;upon receipt of a request to locate a lost computing device that is one of the set of computing devices, using the updated data to identify a last known location of the lost computing device; wherein at least one of the steps is implemented in software executing in a hardware element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An apparatus associated with a computing device having networking technology, the computing device being one of a set of computing devices, each computing device in the set including networking technology, comprising:
-
a processor; computer memory comprising computer program instructions, the computer program instructions operative to locate a lost device, the computer program instructions comprising; program code to maintain data about one or more other computing devices in the set, the data identifying a time and location of a last successful connection between the computing device and the one or more of the other computing devices; program code to update the data as computing devices in the set move out of communication range with one another, wherein data is updated upon an event that is one of;
(a) when the computing device itself loses contact with one of the other computing devices in the set, and (b) when the computing device receives a notification from a second computing device that the second computing device has lost contact with a third computing device in the set;program code operative upon receipt of a request to locate a lost computing device that is one of the set of computing devices, to use the updated data to identify a last known location of the lost computing device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A computer program product in a non-transitory computer readable medium for use in a computing device, the computing device being one of a set of computing devices, each computing device in the set including networking technology, the computer program product holding computer program instructions operative to locate a lost device, the computer program instructions comprising:
-
program code to maintain data about one or more other computing devices in the set, the data identifying a time and location of a last successful connection between the computing device and the one or more of the other computing devices; program code to update the data as computing devices in the set move out of communication range with one another, wherein data is updated upon an event that is one of;
(a) when the computing device itself loses contact with one of the other computing devices in the set, and (b) when the computing device receives a notification from a second computing device that the second computing device has lost contact with a third computing device in the set;program code operative upon receipt of a request to locate a lost computing device that is one of the set of computing devices, to use the updated data to identify a last known location of the lost computing device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification