Method and system for determining the physical location of computers in a network by storing a room location and MAC address in the ethernet wall plate

• US 6,601,097 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Locker, Howard J., Ward, James P., Cheston, Richard W., Cromer, Daryl C., Desai, Dhruv M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US09/480,030
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/220-226, 370/254
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function

Abstract

A method for determining the physical locations of a plurality of computers in a network is disclosed. The network includes a plurality of wall plates, each of the wall plates for coupling one of the computers to the network. The method and system comprises providing an additional information physical layer and logic in each of the wall plates. The method and system further comprises capturing and storing the system media access-controller (MAC) address of the connect computer in the additional logic of each of the plurality of wall plates and storing a physical address of the wall plate in the logic of each of the plurality of wall plates. The method and system also comprises providing a command from the network that will cause the system MAC address and the physical address of at least one of the plurality of computers to be provided to an application in the network. A system and method in accordance with the present invention adds a low cost physical layer and logic within an Ethernet wall plate associated with the computer on the network. The logic is designed to respond to a broadcast signal to a UDP (User Datagram Protocol) port. In so doing the physical location of the computer can be determined. In a preferred embodiment, a command is provided from the network that will cause the MAC address and the physical address of at least one of the plurality of computers to be provided to an inventory application in the network, thereby allowing a network administrator to remotely determine the physical location (room, floor, building, etc.) of any and all computers attached to the network.

Claims

1. A method for determining the physical locations of a plurality of computers in a network, the network including a plurality of wall plates, each of the wall plates for coupling one of the computers to the network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a physical layer and logic within each of the wall plates;

(b) providing a system media access controller (MAC) address in the logic of each of the plurality of wall plates;

(c) providing a physical address in the logic of each of the plurality of wall plates; and

(d) providing a command from the network that will cause the system MAC address and the physical address of at least one of the plurality of computers to be provided to an application in the network.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the physical layer comprises a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port.

3. The method of claim 1 in which each of the plurality of wall plates comprises an Ethernet wall plate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the application comprises an inventory application.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a wireless interface is utilized to write the physical location of a computer into the wall plate.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the system MAC address comprises a unique number for each of the plurality of computers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the physical address comprises the physical location information of the computer.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the physical location information includes a building number, floor, and office where the computer is located.

9. A system for determining a physical location of a computer coupled to a wall plate in a network comprising:

a physical layer and logic within the wall plate coupled between the computer and the network;

a first address storage element for providing a system media access controller (MAC) address for the logic; and

a second address storage element for providing a physical address to the logic;

wherein a command from the network will cause the system MAC address and the physical address to be provided to an application in the network.

10. The system of claim 9 in which the physical layer comprises a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port.

11. The system of claim 9 in which the wall plate comprises an Ethernet wall plate.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the application comprises an inventory application.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein a wireless interface is utilized to write the physical location of a computer into the wall plate.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the system MAC address comprises a unique number for the computer.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the physical address comprises the physical location information of the computer.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the physical location information includes a building number, floor, and office where the computer is located.

17. A system for determining the physical locations of a plurality of computers in a network, the network including a plurality of wall plates, each of the wall plates for coupling one of the computers to the network, the system comprising:

means for providing a physical layer and logic within each of the wall plates;

means for providing a system media access controller (MAC) address in the logic of each of the plurality of wall plates;

means for providing a physical address in the logic of each of the plurality of wall plates; and

means for providing a command from the network that will cause the system MAC address and the physical address of at least one of the plurality of computers to be provided to an application in the network.

18. The system of claim 17 in which the physical layer comprises a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port.

19. The system of claim 17 in which each of the plurality of wall plates comprises an Ethernet wall plate.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the application comprises an inventory application.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein a wireless interface is utilized to write the physical location of a computer into the wall plate.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the system MAC address comprises a unique number for each of the plurality of computers.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein the physical address comprises the physical location information of the computer.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the physical location information includes a building number, floor, and office where the computer is located.