Methods and apparatus for determining a location of a device

• US 7,248,880 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2003
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Communications Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Gheorghiu, Florin, Beyda, William Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANTIAGO CORDERO, MARIVELISSE
• Application Number:
  US10/360,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20040157625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events

Abstract

A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code for determining a location of a device connected to a network. According to some embodiments of the present invention, a device, such as an IP enabled or compliant telephone, may receive, detect, or otherwise actively or passively determine a location identifier. The location identifier may be associated with a geographic location of the device. The device may then provide data indicative of the location identifier to another device, such as a network manager device, server, computer, etc. In some embodiments, the device may determine its geographic location after receiving a request for data indicative of its geographic location. In other embodiments, the device may provide data indicative of its geographic location each time it receives, detects or otherwise determines its geographic location. Alternatively, the device may provide data indicative of its geographic location only upon request or when it detects, receives or otherwise determines a new location identifier.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location of a device that is part of a communication network, comprising:

wirelessly transmitting from a transponder a request including data indicative of a location identifier associated with a geographic area of said transponder;

receiving, by said device, said request including said data indicative of said location identifier transmitted by said transponder, wherein said device is connected to said communication network and comprises an IP compliant client device;

sending, in response to said request, said data indicative of said location identifier from said device to a server connected to said communication network via said communication network, wherein said server associates said location identifier with said device; and

sending instructions to said device from said server as to whether said device is allowed to use a previously determined location identifier and as to how old the previously determined identifier is allowed to be.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said server is adapted to send data to said device indicative of a request for said device to provide said location identifier to said server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is adapted to send data to said transponder indicative of a request for said transponder to transmit said location identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network comprises an IP compliant network and said device comprises an IP enabled telephony client device.