System and method for providing a site specific location of a device

• US 7,054,651 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2004
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ocke, Kirk J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/757,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20050153711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455/414.1, 455/344, 709/217, 709/227, 709/228, 701/207, 701213-216, 342/352, 342/357.01
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

A system for providing a site specific location of a device, such as a particular piece of office equipment or medical equipment, includes a receiving system, a conversion system, and an output system. The receiving system receives coordinate information from a device. The conversion system converts the received coordinate information to site specific location information of the device. The output system outputs the site specific location information of the device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

memory storing site specific geographical location information of a plurality of sites in an area;

a receiving system that receives coordinate information from a device;

an identification system that identifies which one of the sites of the area that the device is located based on a predetermined association of the received coordinate information and said stored site specific geographical location information; and

an output system that outputs the site specific geographical location information of the identified site.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a coordinate retrieval system that obtains coordinate information at the device; and

a transmission system that transmits the obtained coordinate information from the device.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a request system that requests the coordinate retrieval system to obtain the coordinate information of the device and the transmission system to transmit the coordinate information of the device.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein coordinate information comprises a longitude, a latitude, and an altitude of the device.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1, the identification system further comprises:

a site information retrieval system that obtains information about the identified one of the plurality of sites; and

a determination system that determines site specific location information of the device based on the obtained information of the identified one of the plurality of sites and the received coordinate information.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the determination system determines directions to the device based on the obtained information about the site and the received coordinate information and the output system outputs the directions with the site specific location information of the device.

7. The system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the receiving system receives the coordinate information for two or more of the same types of devices, the determination system determines which of the devices is the closest to an operator based on the obtained information about the site and the received coordinate information, and the output system outputs the site specific location information of the device determined to be the closest.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the outputting comprises displaying the site location information of the device.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the outputting comprises storing the site location information of the device.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the site specific geographic location information of identified sites specify locations within a building.

11. A method comprising the steps of:

accessing stored site specific geographical location information of a plurality of sites in an area;

receiving coordinate information from a device;

identifying which one of the plurality of sites of the area that the device is located based on a predetermined association of the received coordinate information and said stored site specific geographical location information; and

outputting the site specific location geographical information of the identified site.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

obtaining coordinate information at the device; and

transmitting the obtained coordinate information from the device.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the steps of requesting the device to obtain and transmit the coordinate information of the device.

14. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein coordinate information comprises a longitude, a latitude, and an altitude of the device.

15. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of identifying further comprises:

storing site specific information of a plurality of sites for an area;

obtaining information about the identified one of the plurality of sites; and

determining site specific location information of the device based on the obtained information of the identified one of the plurality of sites and the received coordinate information.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the step of identifying further comprises determining directions to the device based on the obtained information about the site and the received coordinate information and the outputting outputs the directions with the site specific location information of the device.

17. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving the coordinate information for two or more of the same types of devices, the step of determining determines which of the devices is the closest to an operator based on the obtained information about the site and the received coordinate information for the devices, and the step of outputting outputs the site specific location information of the device determined to be the closest.

18. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of outputting comprises displaying the site specific location information of the device.

19. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of outputting comprises storing the site specific location information of the device.

20. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the site specific geographic location information of identified sites specify locations within a building.

21. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for providing a site specific location of a device, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of:

accessing stored site specific geographical location information of a plurality of sites in an area;

receiving coordinate information from a device;

identifying which one of the plurality of sites of the area that the device is located based on a predetermined association of the received coordinate information and said stored site specific geographical location information; and

outputting the site specific geographical location information of the identified site.

22. The medium as set forth in claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

obtaining coordinate information at the device; and

transmitting the obtained coordinate information from the device.

23. The medium as set forth in claim 22, further comprising the step of requesting the device to obtain and transmit the coordinate information of the device.

24. The medium as set forth in claim 21, wherein coordinate information comprises a longitude, a latitude, and an altitude of the device.

25. The medium as set forth in claim 21, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform the steps of:

storing site specific information of a plurality of sites for an area;

obtaining information about the identified one of the plurality of sites; and

determining site specific location information of the device based on the obtained information of the identified one of the plurality of sites and the received coordinate information.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the step of identifying further comprises determining directions to the device based on the obtained information about the site and the received coordinate information and the outputting outputs the directions with the site specific location information of the device.

27. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving the coordinate information for two or more of the same types of devices, the step of determining determines which of the devices is the closest to an operator based on the obtained information about the site and the received coordinate information for the devices, and the step of outputting outputs the site specific location information of the device determined to be the closest.

28. The medium as set forth in claim 21, wherein the step of outputting comprises displaying the site specific location information of the device.

29. The medium as set forth in claim 21, wherein the step of outputting comprises storing the site specific location information of the device.

30. The medium as set forth in claim 21, wherein the site specific geographic location information of identified sites specify locations within a building.