Method and apparatus for utilizing location codes to identify a physical location of a computer station on a NetBIOS computer network
First Claim
1. A method for determining a physical location of a computer station on a computer network, wherein each computer station on said computer network includes an address identifying said computer station and a name table for storing names, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a network name for each said computer station, said network name permitting data transfer from one computer station to another computer station, said network name being posted on said name table if said network name is unique;
specifying a location code for said computer station on said computer network, said location code indicative of a physical location of said computer station for which said location code is being specified; and
posting said location code as a name in said name table of said computer station for which said location code is being specified, said step of posting only occurring if said location codes is unique, said location code being unique if said location code is not stored in name tables of any other said computer stations on said computer network.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer station location method and apparatus is disclosed which is efficient, simple and reliable. The invention utilizes a location code to indicate a physical location of a computer station of interest on a computer network. When users connect to the computer network, the users will specify location codes indicative of the physical locations of the particular computer stations on which the users are operating. The location codes are stored in name tables of the computer stations if those location codes are unique, i.e., not stored in the name tables of any computer station on the computer network. To determine the physical location of a computer station of interest, an interrogation of the name table of the computer station of interest is performed using the hexadecimal address of the computer station of interest.
60 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for determining a physical location of a computer station on a computer network, wherein each computer station on said computer network includes an address identifying said computer station and a name table for storing names, said method comprising the steps of:
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selecting a network name for each said computer station, said network name permitting data transfer from one computer station to another computer station, said network name being posted on said name table if said network name is unique; specifying a location code for said computer station on said computer network, said location code indicative of a physical location of said computer station for which said location code is being specified; and posting said location code as a name in said name table of said computer station for which said location code is being specified, said step of posting only occurring if said location codes is unique, said location code being unique if said location code is not stored in name tables of any other said computer stations on said computer network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for determining a physical location of a computer station of interest on a computer network, wherein each computer station on said computer network includes a network adapter and computer memory, said network adapter having adapter memory for storing an address identifying said computer station and a location code indicating said physical location of said computer station, said apparatus comprising of:
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means for establishing a network name for a computer station; means for specifying a location code for said computer station on said computer network; and means for storing said location code in said adapter memory of said computer station, said means for storing said location code including means for determining whether said location code is unique, said location code being unique if said location code is not stored in said name table of any said computer station on said computer network. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification