Applications for geographically coded access points

• US 8,089,405 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2008
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Piersol, Kurt W., Barrus, John W., Savitzky, Stephen R., Chemishkian, Sergey
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nga X
• Application Number:
  US12/132,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20090085806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 342385-464, 3423572-35778
• US Class Current: 342/386
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac

Abstract

Applications and uses for geographic coded of network access points includes a method for generating a geographic code and an associated graphical user-interface; a method for rejecting or filtering out geographic codes of inaccurately labeled access points; a method for using geographic codes as part of network service discovery; a method for using geographic codes as part of resource discovery and display; a method for using geographic codes for asset tracking; a method for using geographic codes for file transfer and an associated user interface; a method for using geographic codes for location tracking; a method for using geographic codes as part of a domain name registry; and a method for sending geographic codes automatically.

Claims

1. A method for using geographic codes transmitted by a plurality of source devices, the method comprising:

receiving, with a first client device, signals including geographic codes from at least one of the plurality of source devices, the geographic codes including an altitude of each of the source devices;

extracting, with the first client device, the geographic codes from the received signals;

decoding, with the first client device, the geographic codes to determine location information of each of the source devices;

determining, with the first client device, a location of the first client device based on the location information;

receiving, with the first client device, a location broadcast from a second client device; and

performing, with the first client device, an action using the location information, the action comprising;

retrieving a map of an area near the location of the first client device;

modifying the map to include a first marker showing the location of the first client device and a second marker showing the location of the second client device; and

outputting the modified map.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the action further comprises:

modifying the map to include a marker showing at least one of the source devices.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of source devices is one from the group of a low end personal printer, a high-speed and high-capacity printer, a file server and data storage.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the action further comprises:

determining whether the first client device has been moved; and

sending a notification to an asset server.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein determining whether the first client device has been moved comprises:

determining whether the first client device has moved a distance greater than a threshold;

recording a movement event at the first client device if the first client device has not moved the distance greater than the threshold; and

if the first client device has moved the distance greater than the threshold, sending an updated location for the first client device to the asset server.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein modifying the map further comprises representing the at least one of the source devices based on a type of service.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving input from the first client device; and

transferring a file according to the received input.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein outputting the modified map includes displaying the modified map as part of a graphical user interface including a first region displaying files and folders and a second region displaying the modified map.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the action further comprises storing the location of the first client device and a time in a log.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising:

adding information about a coded access point to the map; and

outputting the map having information about the coded access point.