METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR TRACKING AND LOCATING LAPTOPS

• US 20170142574A1
• Filed: 01/31/2017
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kelso, Scott Edwards, Mese, John Carl, Peterson, Nathan J., Weksler, Arnold S., Waltermann, Rod D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,531,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• 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 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

An embodiment provides a method including: operating a plurality of receivers of a mobile computer to obtain information from two or more different types of wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer; where the information comprises data relating to an access point and data relating to at least one other wireless transmitting device; where at least two of the two or more wireless transmitting devices transmit data using different communication modalities; transmitting the information from the mobile computer to a remote device; and thereafter obtaining a location of the mobile computer based on the information. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

operating a plurality of receivers of a mobile computer to obtain information from two or more different types of wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer;

wherein the information comprises data relating to an access point and data relating to at least one other wireless transmitting device;

wherein at least two of the two or more wireless transmitting devices transmit data using different communication modalities;

transmitting the information from the mobile computer to a remote device; and

thereafter obtaining a location of the mobile computer based on the information.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting data indicative of an unauthorized access to the mobile computer prior to obtaining information from two or more different types of wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said data indicative of an unauthorized access to the mobile computer comprises data indicating a predetermined number of failed login attempts.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said information from two or more different types of wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer comprises identification data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said information from two or more different types of wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer comprises signal strength data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said operating comprises scanning for wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer;

and

wherein said transmitting further comprises transmitting information relating to an open access point.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of receives comprises an item selected from the group consisting of:

a 802.11 receiver, a WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) receiver, an FM receiver, and a short range wireless communication receiver.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the information for subsequent use in said transmitting.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said information comprises obtaining an item selected from the group consisting of:

a MAC address;

a SSID;

PTY/RDS data; and

a WWAN cell phone tower ID.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said location of the mobile computer is resolved by the remote device based on the information.

11. A mobile computer, comprising:

a plurality of receivers;

a CPU operatively coupled to the plurality of receivers;

a system memory in communication with said CPU; and

one or more modules executable by said CPU, wherein the one or more modules;

operate a plurality of receivers to obtain information from two or more different types of wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer;

wherein the information comprises data relating to an access point and data relating to at least one other wireless transmitting device;

wherein at least two of the two or more wireless transmitting devices transmit data using different communication modalities;

transmit the information from the mobile computer to a remote device; and

thereafter obtain a location of the mobile computer based on the information.

12. The mobile computer according to claim 11, wherein the one or more modules detect data indicative of an unauthorized access to the mobile computer prior to obtaining information from two or more different types of wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer.

13. The mobile computer of claim 12, wherein said data indicative of an unauthorized access to the mobile computer comprises data indicating a predetermined number of failed login attempts.

14. The mobile computer of claim 11, wherein said information from two or more different types of wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer comprises identification data.

15. The mobile computer of claim 14, wherein said information from two or more different types of wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer comprises signal strength data.

16. The mobile computer of claim 11, wherein to operate the plurality of receivers comprises scanning for wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer;

and

wherein to transmit the information further comprises transmitting information relating to an open access point.

17. The mobile computer according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of receives comprises an item selected from the group consisting of:

a 802.11 receiver, a WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) receiver, an FM receiver, and a short range wireless communication receiver.

18. The mobile computer according to claim 11, wherein the one or more modules store the information for subsequent use in said transmitting.

19. The mobile computer of claim 11, wherein said location of the mobile computer is resolved by the remote device based on the information.

20. A program storage device readable by machine and embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to:

operate a plurality of receivers of a mobile computer to obtain information from two or more different types of wireless transmitting devices in a vicinity of the mobile computer;

wherein the information comprises data relating to an access point and data relating to at least one other wireless transmitting device;

wherein at least two of the two or more wireless transmitting devices transmit data using different communication modalities;

transmit the information from the mobile computer to a remote device; and

thereafter obtain a location of the mobile computer based on the information.