Apparatus and method for monitoring network equipment
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions, which responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- receiving an actuation signal at a network plug-in device;
obtaining location information associated with the network plug-in device based on receipt of the actuation signal;
obtaining access information from an employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device;
transmitting a monitoring signal to a remote server from the network plug-in device according to a schedule, the monitoring signal comprising a digital code for the network plug-in device, the digital code comprising the location information and identification information associated with the network plug-in device, the remote server determining from a failure to receive the monitoring signal according to the schedule whether the network plug-in device is not locatable; and
responsive to a determination by the remote server that the network plug-in device is not locatable;
identifying access information obtained, by way of the network plug-in device, from the employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at a former location immediately preceding the determination that the network plug-in device is not locatable; and
transmitting, from the network plug-in device, a security signal, wherein the security signal comprises the access information retrieved from the employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at the former location, and wherein the security signal enables the remote server to associate an employee identification determined from the access information with the determination that the network device is not locatable.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to receive a monitoring signal from a network plug-in device where the monitoring signal includes location and identification information associated with the network plug-in device and where the server is remote from the network plug-in device, and determine whether the network plug-in device is in an unauthorized location based at least in part on the monitoring signal. Other embodiments are disclosed.
47 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions, which responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
-
receiving an actuation signal at a network plug-in device; obtaining location information associated with the network plug-in device based on receipt of the actuation signal; obtaining access information from an employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device; transmitting a monitoring signal to a remote server from the network plug-in device according to a schedule, the monitoring signal comprising a digital code for the network plug-in device, the digital code comprising the location information and identification information associated with the network plug-in device, the remote server determining from a failure to receive the monitoring signal according to the schedule whether the network plug-in device is not locatable; and responsive to a determination by the remote server that the network plug-in device is not locatable; identifying access information obtained, by way of the network plug-in device, from the employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at a former location immediately preceding the determination that the network plug-in device is not locatable; and transmitting, from the network plug-in device, a security signal, wherein the security signal comprises the access information retrieved from the employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at the former location, and wherein the security signal enables the remote server to associate an employee identification determined from the access information with the determination that the network device is not locatable.
-
-
2. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the determination is made by the remote server responsive to failing to receive the monitoring signal, wherein the monitoring signal comprises location information.
-
3. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the location information is determined by the network plug-in device based on a network element in proximity to the network plug-in device having a known location.
-
4. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise requiring access information obtained from the employee access card upon power up of the network plug-in device.
-
5. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the monitoring signal is transmitted over a hardwire link between the network plug-in device and the remote server.
-
6. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the security signal to the remote server based on receipt of the access information retrieved from the employee access card.
-
7. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the monitoring signal is transmitted by a transmitter that is removably connected to the network plug-in device.
-
8. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise generating a notification based on the monitoring signal, the security signal and the access information.
-
9. A server comprising:
-
a memory that stores executable instructions; and a controller coupled to the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising; receiving a monitoring signal from a network plug-in device according to a schedule, the server determining a location of the network plug-in device, the monitoring signal comprising a digital code for the network plug-in device comprising location information and identification information associated with the network plug-in device, the location information being generated by the network plug-in device; determining from a failure to receive the monitoring signal according to the schedule that the network plug-in device is not locatable; responsive to the determining that the network plug-in device is not locatable; identifying from a security signal comprising access information obtained, by way of the network plug-in device, an employee identification from an employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at a former location immediately preceding the determining that the network plug-in device is not locatable, wherein the security signal comprises access information retrieved by the network plug-in device from the employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at the former location; and associating the employee identification determined from the access information with the network plug-in device not being locatable.
-
-
10. The server of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a security signal responsive to the network plug-in device requiring use of the employee access card upon power up of the network plug-in device.
-
11. The server of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise generating a notification based on the monitoring signal, the access information and the security signal.
-
12. The server of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the monitoring signal wirelessly.
-
13. The server of claim 9, wherein the monitoring signal is transmitted by a transmitter that is removably connected to the network plug-in device.
-
14. The server of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:
-
updating a topology of at least a portion of a network resulting in an updated topology; and determining the former location based in part on the updated topology.
-
-
15. A server comprising:
-
a memory that stores executable instructions; and a controller coupled to the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising; receiving a monitoring signal from a network plug-in device according to a schedule, the server determining a location of the network plug-in device, the monitoring signal comprising a digital code for the network plug-in device comprising location and identification information associated with the network plug-in device, the server being remote from the network plug-in device, wherein the network plug-in device is part of a communication link between first and second user devices; determining from a failure to receive the monitoring signal according to the schedule that the network plug-in device is not locatable; and responsive to the determining that the network plug-in device is not locatable; identifying from a security signal comprising access information obtained, by way of the network plug-in device, an employee identification from an employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at a former location immediately preceding the determining that the network plug-in device is not locatable, wherein the security signal comprises the access information retrieved from the employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at the former location; and associating the employee identification determined from the access information with the network plug-in device not being locatable.
-
-
16. The server of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise
receiving access information associated with an individual in proximity to the network plug-in device.
-
17. The server of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:
-
receiving a security signal when the network plug-in device is within a pre-determined distance of a security device; and determining whether the network plug-in device is not locatable based in part on the security signal.
-
-
18. The server of claim 15, wherein the monitoring signal is transmitted over a hardwire link between the network plug-in device and the server.
-
19. A network plug-in device comprising:
-
a memory that stores executable instructions; and a controller coupled to the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising; generating location information associated with the network plug-in device based on receipt of an actuation signal; transmitting according to a schedule a monitoring signal to a remote server, the remote server determining a location of the network plug-in device, the monitoring signal comprising a digital code for the network plug-in device comprising the location information and identification information associated with the network plug-in device; and responsive to a determination by the remote server from a failure to receive the monitoring signal according to the schedule that the network plug-in device is not locatable; identifying access information obtained by the network plug-in device from an employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at a former location of the network plug-in device, immediately preceding the determination that the network plug-in device is not locatable; and transmitting a security signal, wherein the security signal comprises the access information retrieved from the employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at the former location of the network plug-in device.
-
-
20. The device of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise accessing information associated with an individual in proximity to the network plug-in device;
- and transmit the access information to the remote server.
-
21. The device of claim 19, wherein the controller is removably connected with the network plug-in device.
-
22. The device of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the security signal in response to receiving an interrogation signal.
-
23. A method, comprising:
-
obtaining, by a network plug-in device comprising a processor, location information associated with the network plug-in device; transmitting, by the network plug-in device, a monitoring signal to a server according to a schedule, the server determining a location status of the network plug-in device, the monitoring signal comprising a digital code for the network plug-in device comprising the location information and identification information associated with the network plug-in device; and responsive to the server failing to receive the monitoring signal according to the schedule, determining that the network plug-in device is not locatable; identifying access information obtained, by way of the network plug-in device, from an employee access card in proximity to the network plug-in device at a former location of the network plug-in device immediately preceding the location status indicating that the network plug-in device is not locatable; and transmitting, by the network plug-in device, to the server a security signal comprising access information, the security signal being transmitted upon obtaining the access information, the access information enabling the server to associate the network plug-in device not being locatable with an identification of an individual determined from the access information at the former location of the network plug-in device.
-
-
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the determination that network plug-in device is not locatable is based on a signal from a group consisting of the monitoring signal, the access information, the security signal and combinations thereof.
-
25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
-
updating a topology of the network to a predetermined topology; and determining the former location based on the predetermined topology.
-
Specification