Location discovery in a data network

• US 7,295,556 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Enterasys Networks Incorporated (Extreme Networks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fee, Brendan J., Allen, Anja A., Frattura, David, Graham, Richard W., Roese, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, BRENDA H
• Application Number:
  US10/377,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20030216143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/255, 370/389, 370/349, 370/400, 370/392, 370/395.32, 370/401, 370/402, 370/471, 370/248, 370/395.3, 370/395.2, 370/395.54
• US Class Current: 370/395.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 : Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access

Abstract

A method for location discovery in a data network includes receiving, at a first device, connection information from a neighboring network device and determining a physical location of the first device based on the connection information. The method can include receiving, at the first device, the physical location transmitted from the neighboring network device. The method can further include associating a level of trust with the physical location based on the neighboring network device. The first device be one of a variety of devices, such as a router, a switch, a network entry device, a firewall device, or a gateway.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first device, connection information from a neighboring network device;

determining a physical location of the first device based on the connection information;

receiving, at the first device, the physical location transmitted from the neighboring network device;

receiving, at the first device, a second physical location transmitted from a second neighboring network device; and

comparing the first physical location with the second physical location to determine a level of confidence of the determined physical location of the first device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a level of trust with the physical location based on the neighboring network device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device belongs to a group consisting of a router, a switch, a network entry device, a firewall device, a gateway, a wireless access point, and a computing device.

4. A system comprising:

a location module to determine a physical location of a connection point and to transmit the physical location to a client device in communication with the connection point, the client device to receive the physical location from the physical location module;

a neighboring network device in communication with the client device, the neighboring network device including the physical location module; and

a second neighboring network device with a physical location module to determine a second physical location of the client device and transmit the second physical location to the client device,

wherein the network device receives the second physical location and compares the first physical location with the second physical location to determine a level of confidence of a physical location of the client device.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein a level of trust, based on the neighboring network device, is associated with the physical location.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the client device comprises a router, a switch, a network entry device, a firewall device, or a gateway.