Methods, systems and processor-readable media for automatically detecting device movement in a managed service environment

• US 8,982,369 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Redfield, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Guillermety, Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIFERAW, HENOK ASRES
• Application Number:
  US13/626,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20140085650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS

Abstract

Methods, systems and processor-readable media for automatically detecting movement of a device in a managed service environment. A device management software module can be configured to monitor a number of devices and retrieve traps from the device. A new Internet Protocol (IP) address with respect to the device on a subnet can be automatically updated by the device management software module if the device has changed location to ensure continual monitoring of the device. A notification indicative of the new IP address with respect to the device that has changed location can be sent to an administrator if the device management software module is not permitted to contact the new IP address. A notification indicative of a new device can also be sent to the administrator to determine if the device should be managed and monitored.

Claims

1. A method for automatically detecting a movement of a moved device, said method comprising:

configuring a device manager to automatically monitor a plurality of devices in a managed service environment and retrieve a trap from at least one device among said plurality of devices for use in detecting a movement of a moved device among said plurality of devices;

automatically detecting said moved device without rediscovering said moved device utilizing said device manager;

automatically updating a new IP address, media access address, and a serial number with respect to said moved device among said plurality of devices via said device manager;

transmitting via said device manager a notification indicative of said new IP address, said media access address, and said serial number with respect to said moved device if a permission is not granted to contact said new IP address of said moved device;

sending a notification indicative of said moved device and determining if said moved device among said plurality of devices requires management and continual monitoring;

matching a new device with an existing device among said plurality of devices; and

updating an existing record to ensure continual monitoring of said moved device if said new device is matched.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said moved device comprises a multi-function device.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising automatically generating a notice from said device to a server indicative of an error state via said trap, said trap comprising a one-way message from a network element to a network management system.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining if said device is currently managed at said IP address and if said IP address comprises a valid address;

querying said IP address for detailed information.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising updating said existing device and providing a notification for a device which was not previously identified among said plurality of devices utilizing said detailed information with respect to said IP address.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

generating an alert when said device has potentially changed location.

7. A system for automatically detecting a movement of a moved device, said system comprising:

a device manager;

a processor that communicates with said device manager;

a data bus coupled to said processor; and

a non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer-usable medium being coupled to said data bus, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor and configured for;

configuring said device manager to automatically monitor a plurality of devices and retrieve a trap from at least one device among said plurality of devices for use in detecting a movement of a moved device among said luralit of devices;

automatically detecting said moved device without rediscovering said moved device via said device manager;

automatically updating a new IP address, media access address, and serial number with respect to said moved device among said plurality of devices via said device manager;

transmitting via said device manager a notification indicative of said new IP address, said media access address, and said serial number with respect to said moved device if a permission is not granted to contact said new IP address of said moved device;

sending a notification indicative of said moved device and determining if said moved device among said plurality of devices requires management and continual monitoring;

matching a new device with an existing device among said plurality of devices; and

updating an existing record to ensure continual monitoring of said moved device if said new device is matched.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said device comprises a multi-function device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said instructions are further configured to automatically generate a notice from said device to a server indicative of an error state via said trap, said trap comprising a one-way message from a network element to a network management system.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for:

determining if said device is currently managed at said IP address and if said IP address comprises a valid address;

querying said IP address for detailed information.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said instructions are further configured for updating said existing device and providing a notification for a device which was not previously identified among said plurality of devices utilizing said detailed information with respect to said IP address.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said instructions are further configured for:

generating an alert when said device has potentially changed location.

13. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to cause a process for automatically detecting the movement of a device, said code comprising code to:

configure a device manager to automatically monitor a plurality of devices and retrieve a trap from at least one device among said plurality of devices for use in detecting a movement of a moved device among said plurality of devices;

automatically detect said moved device without rediscovering said moved device utilizing said device manager;

automatically update a new IP address, media access address, and a serial number with respect to said moved device among said plurality of devices via said device manager;

transmit via said device manager a notification indicative of said new IP address, said media access address, and said serial number with respect to said moved device if a permission is not granted to contact said new IP address of said moved device;

send a notification indicative of said moved device and determining if said moved device among said plurality of devices requires management and continual monitoring;

match said new device with an existing device among said plurality of devices; and

update an existing record to ensure continual monitoring of said moved device if said new device is matched.

14. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 13 wherein said moved device comprises a multi-function device.

15. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 14 wherein said code further comprises code to automatically generate a notice from said device to a server indicative of an error state via a simple network management protocol trap.

16. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 15 wherein said code further comprises code to:

determine if said device is currently managed at said IP address and if said IP address comprises a valid address;

query said IP address for detailed information.

17. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 16 wherein said code further comprises code to update said existing device and providing a notification for a device which was not previously identified among said plurality of devices utilizing said detailed information with respect to said IP address.

18. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 17 wherein said code further comprises code to:

generate an alert when said device has potentially changed location.

19. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 18 wherein said code further comprises code to automatically generate a notice from said device to a server indicative of an error state via said trap, said trap comprising a one-way message from a network element to a network management system.