Method and system for device tracking
First Claim
1. A device tracking system comprising:
- a communications network;
a device to be tracked, the device operable to receive an agent downloaded from the communication network, the agent executing as a software application on the device, the agent being unidirectionally coupled to the communications network and operable to generate a beacon packet according to predetermined criteria, the beacon packet having at least one location indicator therein;
a listener coupled to the communications network and operable to receive the beacon packet and generate a response packet in response to receiving the beacon packet, the response packet operable to control the device; and
a handler operable to act in response to the beacon packet.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user contracts for service with an operations center (12) in order to provide monitoring and tracking services for a plurality of devices (30). After contracting for service, the operations center provides an agent (81) for download by a user to one or more of the user'"'"'s devices (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 630) for which the user has contracted for service. The agent is installed on the devices associated with the user'"'"'s sites and communicates with the operations center. A listening process (710) at the operations center listens for periodically sent beacon packets (640) generated by a monitored device (630). Using location indicators included with the beacon packets and generated by an agent (681) on the monitored device, the operations center provides notifications (712) to a handler regarding the location of the monitored device if the monitored device is reported as stolen. A tracking response (714) may be communicated to the monitored device to take special actions when the device is stolen and to update the agent and other portions of the monitored device.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A device tracking system comprising:
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a communications network;
a device to be tracked, the device operable to receive an agent downloaded from the communication network, the agent executing as a software application on the device, the agent being unidirectionally coupled to the communications network and operable to generate a beacon packet according to predetermined criteria, the beacon packet having at least one location indicator therein;
a listener coupled to the communications network and operable to receive the beacon packet and generate a response packet in response to receiving the beacon packet, the response packet operable to control the device; and
a handler operable to act in response to the beacon packet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for device tracking comprising the steps of:
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receiving a software application at a device downloaded from a communications network;
generating a beacon packet from the software application associated with the device based on predetermined criteria;
communicating the beacon packet over a communications link of the communications network from the software application to a listening process;
determining at least one current location indicator associated with the device;
determining whether the device has moved from a previous location;
providing the location indicators to a handler in response to the beacon packet; and
controlling the device based on the location indicators. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for theft tracking comprising the steps of:
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receiving a software application at a device downloaded from a communication network generating a beacon packet from the software application associated with the device based on predetermined criteria;
communicating the beacon packet over a communications link of the communication network from the software application to a listening process;
determining whether the device has been stolen;
determining at least one location indicator associated with the device;
providing the location indicator to a handler in response to the beacon packet; and
controlling the device when the device has been stolen. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
contracting with the operations center to monitor at least one device associated with an organization;
deploying the software application as a monitoring agent to the device; and
reporting the device as stolen.
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24. The method for theft tracking according to claim 23, wherein the contracting step comprises:
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providing, by a user associated with the organization, to the operations center site information, the site information identifying a technical administrator and a site administrator;
requesting, by the user, at least one license from the operations center; and
allocating the at least one license to the organization.
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25. The method for theft tracking according to claim 23, wherein reporting the device as stolen comprises:
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accessing a theft report web site associated with the operations center;
identifying the device as stolen using the web site; and
updating a device table to indicate that the device is stolen.
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26. The method for theft tracking according to claim 23, wherein the deploying the monitoring agent comprises:
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transmitting the monitoring agent from the operations center to the device, wherein the agent provides only unidirectional communications capabilities and the unidirectional communications capabilities allow initiation of only outbound transmission of information from the device;
installing the agent on the device;
generating, by the agent, a registration trap at the device, the registration trap including an address associated with the device; and
transmitting the registration trap to the operations center.
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27. The method for theft tracking according to claim 16 further comprising:
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receiving the beacon packet by a listener at the operations center;
validating a device identifier and license identifier associated with the beacon packet at the operations center;
querying a database based on the beacon packet;
adding the beacon packet to an event table; and
dispatching the beacon packet to a notifier.
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28. The method for theft tracking according to claim 16, wherein unidirectionally communicating the beacon packet comprises communicating only from the device to the operations center.
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29. The method for theft tracking according to claim 16, wherein controlling the device comprises disabling the device when the device is stolen.
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30. The method for theft tracking according to claim 16, wherein controlling the device comprises displaying a non-removable visual indication that the device is stolen.
Specification