Method for configuration of notebook computer based on location

• US 7,213,057 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Agnihotri, Manoj, Trethewey, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PWU, JEFFREY C
• Application Number:
  US10/816,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20050221844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 455/456.1, 455/552.1, 455/435.1, 342/357.01, 342/4
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method for configuring a mobile computer based on location. The method including determining a change in location of the mobile computer, scoring a current location signature for the mobile computer against previously stored location profiles having location signatures to obtain a highest scoring location profile, and determining whether the highest scoring location profile exceeds a threshold. If the highest scoring location profile exceeds the threshold, then the computer settings for the highest scoring location profile are activated on the mobile computer. If the highest scoring location profile does not exceed the threshold, a new location profile is generated and stored for the current location signature. The new location profile is then activated on the mobile computer.

Claims

1. An adaptable computer profile method comprising:

determining a change in location of a mobile computer;

scoring a current location signature against previously stored location profiles having location signatures to obtain a highest scoring location profile;

determining whether the highest scoring location profile exceeds a threshold; and

if the highest scoring location profile exceeds the threshold,

activating computer settings for the highest scoring location profile on the mobile computer; and

sending a location alert to a user of the mobile computer to indicate that a location specific profile has been activated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the highest scoring location profile does not exceed the threshold, the method further comprising:

generating a new location profile for the current location signature;

storing the current location signature with the new location profile; and

activating the new location profile on the mobile computer, wherein the new location profile includes computer settings specific to the location of the mobile computer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending a location alert to the user of the mobile computer to inform the user that the current location is within proximity to the new location profile.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the highest scoring location profile does not exceed the threshold, the method further comprising:

displaying a default location profile to the user;

enabling the user to modify the default location profile values when necessary; and

activating the default location profile computer settings on the mobile computer, wherein if the default location profile computer settings are modified by the user, activating the modified default location profile computer settings.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the default location profile is generated using a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously stored location profiles comprise location specific computer settings and corresponding location signature, wherein the location specific computer settings comprise Internet Protocol settings. Internet Proxy settings, Virtual Private Network settings, Browser settings, default printer settings, time and time zone settings, and login credential settings.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein scoring the current location signature against the previously stored location profiles having location signatures comprises:

assigning an initial score of 100 to each previously seen access point; and

subtracting the absolute value of one point per 1 dB difference in signal strength from the initial score.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein activating computer settings for the highest scoring location profile on the mobile computer comprises activating location specific computer settings for the highest scoring location profile.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the location signatures comprises one or more access points audible around a specific location, wherein the specific location comprises one of a site, a building, a floor within a building, a room within a building;

and an area within a room.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computer includes a wireless local area network (LAN) network interface card (NIC) and wherein prior to determining a change in location of the mobile computer, the method comprises:

determining the location signatures;

specifying the location specific computer settings for each of the location signatures; and

storing each of the location signatures with a corresponding location specific computer settings as the location profiles on the mobile computer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the location signatures comprises scanning a surrounding area for the presence of access points and characterizing the access points for the surrounding area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein characterizing the access points includes access point identification information and access point signal strength information.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining characterizing the access points includes obtaining location information for each access point wherein each access point stores its location in a form of a tuple, wherein the tuple comprises longitude, latitude, and altitude information, and wherein scoring a current location signature against previously stored location profiles having location signatures comprises comparing the tuple for each of the previously stored location profile against the current location signature, determining which of the previously stored location profiles is closest to the current location signature, and selecting the closest previously stored location profile as the highest scoring location profile.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computer includes a Global Positioning System (GPS), wherein the GPS communicates with satellites to provide location information to the mobile computer in a form of a tuples, wherein the tuple comprises longitude, latitude, and altitude information to describe the location of the mobile computer, and wherein scoring the current location signature against the previously stored location profiles having location signatures comprises comparing the tuples for each of the previously stored location profiles against the current location signature, determining which of the previously stored location profiles is closest to the current location signature, and selecting a previously stored location profile closest to the current location signature as the highest scoring location profile.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computer includes a cellular modem, wherein the cellular modem communicates with a plurality of cell phone towers to obtain information, wherein the information is used to triangulate the location of the mobile computer, and wherein scoring the current location signature against the previously stored location profiles having location signatures comprises comparing the location for each of the previously stored location profiles against the location of the mobile computer, determining which of the previously stored location profiles is closest to the location of the mobile computer, and selecting the closest previously stored location profile as the highest scoring location profile.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computer includes an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader, wherein the RFID) reader scans a plurality of RFID tags placed on stationary equipment dispersed throughout an enterprise, wherein the RFID tags, when scanned, provide a serial number that is used to determine the location of the stationary equipment from a database stored on a corporate LAN, wherein the location of the stationary equipment is used to determine the location of the mobile computer, and wherein scoring the current location signature against the previously stored location profiles having location signatures comprises comparing the location for each of the previously stored location profiles against the location of the mobile computer, determining which of the previously stored location profiles is closest to the location of the mobile computer, and selecting a previously stored location profile that is closest to the location of the mobile computer as the highest scoring location profile.

17. An article comprising:

a storage medium having a plurality of machine accessible instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor, the instructions provide for

determining a change in location of a mobile computer;

scoring a current location signature against previously stored location profiles having location signatures to obtain a highest scoring location profile;

determining whether the highest scoring location profile exceeds a threshold; and

if the highest scoring location profile exceeds the threshold,

activating computer settings for the highest scoring location profile on the mobile computer; and

sending a location alert to a user of the mobile, computer to indicate that a location specific profile has been activated.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein if the highest scoring location profile does not exceed the threshold, the instructions further providing for:

generating a new location profile for the current location signature;

storing the current location signature with the new location profile; and

activating the new location profile on the mobile computer, wherein the new location profile includes computer settings specific to the location of the mobile computer.

19. The article of claim 18, further comprising instructions for sending a location alert to the user of the mobile computer to inform the user that the current location is within proximity to the new location profile.

20. The article of claim 17, wherein if the highest scoring location profile does not exceed the threshold, the instructions providing for:

displaying a default location profile to the user;

enabling the user to modify the default location profile values when necessary; and

activating the default location profile computer settings on the mobile computer, wherein if the default location profile computer settings are modified by the user, activating the modified default location profile computer settings.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein the default location profile is generated using a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.

22. The article of claim 17, wherein the previously stored location profiles comprise location specific computer settings and corresponding location signature, wherein the location specific computer settings comprise Internet Protocol settings, Internet Proxy settings, Virtual Private Network settings, Browser settings, default printer settings, time and time zone settings, and login credential settings.

23. The article of claim 17, wherein instructions for scoring the current location signature against the previously stored location profiles having location signatures comprises instructions for:

assigning an initial score of 100 to each previously seen access point; and

subtracting the absolute value of one point per 1 dB difference in signal strength from the initial score.

24. The article of claim 17, wherein instructions for activating computer settings for the highest scoring location profile on the mobile computer comprises instructions for activating location specific computer settings for the highest scoring location profile.

25. The article claim 17, wherein each of the location signatures comprises one or more access points audible around a specific location, wherein the specific location comprises one of a site, a building, a floor within a building, a room within a building, and an area within a room.

26. The article of claim 17, wherein the mobile computer includes a wireless local area network (LAN) network interface card (NIC) and wherein prior to instructions for determining a change in location of the mobile computer, the instructions provide for:

determining the location signatures;

specifying the location specific computer settings for each of the location signatures; and

storing each of the location signatures with their corresponding location specific computer settings as the location profiles on the mobile computer.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein instructions for determining the location signatures comprises instructions for scanning a surrounding area for the presence of access points and characterizing the access points for the surrounding area.