GPS for workstations

• US 6,448,928 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Harper, Robert Gordon, Knox, Andrew Ramsay
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US09/368,711
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 455/456
• US Class Current: 342/357.31
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station

Abstract

A computer system includes a communication means for connection to a remote computer and a position determination system for determining the physical position of the computer system. The communications means receives a request from the remote computer for the computer system to provide the physical position of the computer to the remote computer system via the communications means. The request from the remote computer may originate because the computer system has been stolen or mislaid by a user or it may originate because the computer system has inadvertently been allocated the same network identifier as another computer and the physical location of the computer system needs to be known so that the network identifier can be changed.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

communication means for connection to a remote computer wherein the communications means comprises a cellular telephone communications device;

a position determination system for determining the physical position of the computer system;

wherein, if the computer system has been allocated the same network identifier as another computer, the communications means receives a request from the remote computer for the computer system to provide the physical position of the computer system to the remote computer system via the communications means; and

wherein the request from the remote computer is sent by telephone to the computer system.

2. A computer system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connection to a remote computer is a network and the request from the remote computer is sent using the network to a computer system having a specific network identifier.

3. A computer system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the network is a Local Area Network.

4. A computer system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the network is a Internet network or an Intranet network.

5. A computer system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the position determination system comprises a global positioning system receiver.

6. A computer system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the position determination system utilises cellular telephone communications cells.

7. A method for determining the physical location of two computer systems comprising the steps of:

a remote computer requesting via a network, a first computer system and a second computer system each having a same network identifier to provide their physical locations;

the first and second computer systems determining their physical positions by means of one or more position determination systems;

the first and second computer systems providing their physical positions to the remote computer via a communication means; and

changing the network identifier of one of the first and second computer systems in response to the physical positions.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the network is a Local Area Network.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the network is a Internet network or an Intranet network.

10. Apparatus for use with a control computer for physically locating one or more computers connected to a network, each of the one or more computers having a network address, the apparatus comprising:

a position determination system located at each of the one or more computers for determining the physical position of the one or more computers; and

communications means located at each of the one or more computers, responsive to a request from the control computer received via the network, for requesting the position determination system to provide a present physical location of the computer at which it is located and for providing the present physical location of the computer to the control computer via the network;

wherein the communication means receives a request from the control computer via the network for a first computer system and a second computer system, each having the same network identifier, to provide their physical positions to the control computer via the communication means, and in response, the control computer changing the network identifier of one of the first and second computer systems.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the network is a Local Area Network.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the network is a Internet network o r an Intranet network.

13. A computer system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the communications means comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

14. A computer system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the request from the remote computer is sent by telephone to the computer system.

15. A computer system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the position determination system comprises a global positioning system receiver.

16. A computer system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the position determination system utilizes cellular telephone communications cells.