System and methods for providing physical location information and a location method used in discovering the physical location information to an application on a computing device

• US 7,000,015 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Moore, Timothy M., Huitema, Christian, Eydelman, Vadim, Venable, Jeffrey C. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, OANH L
• Application Number:
  US09/840,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20010047407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-224, 709/228, 709/245, 709249-250, 455/456.2, 455/456.1, 370/328, 342/450
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

A service is described that discovers the physical locations of a computer'"'"'s connections to logical networks and provides that information to applications. The service decides which method or methods for discovering physical location information are applicable to each network interface on the computer, applies those methods, and collects the results. The results are then converted into a common format. In addition to physical location, the information may include estimates of the quality and reliability of the information, such as error ranges and confidence intervals, and the methods used to gather the information. The information is made available to whatever system services and applications need it. Clients of the physical location information may be notified when the information provided to them changes or when new information becomes available. Clients may specify a threshold so that location changes of a magnitude below the threshold are not reported to them.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to an application on a computing device, the method comprising:

discovering that the computing device is attached to a first network;

associating a first name with the first network;

upon discovering that the computing device is attached to the first network, discovering information about the first network, the information about the first network comprising first physical location information;

providing the first name and the first physical location information to the application;

discovering that the computing device is attached to a second network, the second network different from the first network;

associating a second name with the second network, the second name different from the first name;

upon gaining connectivity to the second network, discovering information about the second network, the information about the second network comprising second physical location information;

providing the second name to the application; and

if the second physical location information differs from the first physical location information, then providing the second physical location information to the application;

wherein providing the first physical location information to the application comprises providing a location method used in said discovering information about the first network to the application via an Application Programming Interface (API).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein discovering information about the first network comprises consulting a list of physical-location discovery methods applicable to the first network.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein discovering information about the first network comprises performing a plurality of physical-location discovery methods listed as applicable to the first network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the first physical location information to the application comprises providing latitude, longitude, and altitude.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the first physical location information to the application comprises converting the first physical location information to a common format before providing the first physical location information to the application.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

notifying the application if third physical location information is discovered that differs from the first physical location information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

consulting a reporting threshold set by the application; and

notifying the application only when a magnitude of a difference between the first and third physical location information exceeds the reporting threshold.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

notifying the application when physical information provided to the application is supplemented by further information.

9. A method for providing information to an application on a computing device, the method comprising:

discovering that the computing device is attached to a first network;

associating a first name with the first network;

upon discovering that the computing device is attached to the first network, discovering information about the first network, the information about the first network comprising first physical location information;

providing the first name and the first physical location information to the application;

discovering that the computing device is attached to a second network, the second network different from the first network;

associating a second name with the second network, the second name different from the first name;

upon gaining connectivity to the second network, discovering information about the second network, the information about the second network comprising second physical location information;

providing the second name to the application; and

if the second physical location information differs from the first physical location information, then providing the second physical location information to the application;

wherein the first physical location information comprises an error range of a physical location, and wherein providing the first physical location information to the application comprises providing a location method used in said discovering information about the first network to the application via an Application Programming Interface (API).

10. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for providing information to an application on a computing device, the method comprising:

discovering that the computing device is attached to a first network, discovering information about the first network, the information about the first network comprising first physical location information;

providing the first name and the first physical location information to the application;

discovering that the computing device is attached to a second network, the second network different from the first network;

associating a second name with the second network, the second name different from the first name;

upon gaining connectivity to the second network, discovering information about the second network, the information about the second network comprising second physical location information; and

if the second physical location information differs from the first physical location information,

then providing the second physical location information to the application,

wherein providing the first physical location information to the application comprises providing a location method used in said discovering information about the first network to the application via an Application Programming Interface (API).