System and method for maintaining location information in a database

• US 9,218,363 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2011
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Zwaal, Frederik Hugo
• Primary Examiner(s): LETT, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/359,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20140357307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 455/457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for maintaining location information in a database. An application running in a client device scans for stationary devices that have a unique identifier. If such a device is found, the location of the device by means of the unique identifier is looked up from a central server comprising a database. If the unique identifier is in the database the physical location of the stationary device could be retrieved. As the stationary device is in the vicinity of the stationary device, the physical location of the user using the stationary device is known. If the unique identifier of the stationary device is not found, the user is asked once to identify its location. The unique identifier and location is then stored in the data structure of the database. Subsequent requests by a client device for the same stationary device will result in a known location.

Claims

1. A method, in a client device for maintaining location information of at least one device in a database, the method comprising:

scanning for the at least one device, the at least one device being provided with a unique identifier (UID) and having a fixed location near the client device;

retrieving said unique identifier from the at least one device;

requesting a server to obtain from the database location data corresponding to said unique identifier (UID);

receiving from the server a message indicating that the database has no location data corresponding to said unique identifier;

requesting, if the database has no location data corresponding to said unique identifier a user, using the client device, to input location data corresponding to the location of the client device;

receiving the location data inputted by the user; and

,

instructing the server to generate in the database a device record, corresponding to the at least one device, the device record comprising a UID-field and a location information field, wherein the unique identifier (UID) is stored in the UID-field and the location data is stored in the location information field.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the database further comprises for each user a user record, the user record comprising a user ID-field and a location information field, and wherein the method further comprises instructing the server to update in the database a location information field of a user record of the user with the location data retrieved.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a connection loss with the device;

instructing the server to update in the database an information field of a user record of the user to reflect the connection loss.

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

detecting a network connection loss with the server;

detecting a new network connection with the server; and

after detecting the new connection;

scanning for the at least one device;

retrieving said unique identifier from the at least one device;

requesting a server to obtain from the database location data corresponding to said unique identifier (UID);

receiving from the server a message indicating that the database has no location data corresponding to said unique identifier;

requesting, if the database has no location data corresponding to said unique identifier a user, using the client device, to input location data corresponding to the location of the client device;

receiving the location data inputted by the user; and

,

instructing the server to generate in the database a device record, corresponding to the at least one device, the device record comprising a UID-field and a location information field, wherein the unique identifier (UID) is stored in the UID-field and the location data is stored in the location information field;

wherein the database further comprises for each user a user record, the user record comprising a user ID-field and a location information field, and wherein the method further comprises instructing the server to update in the database a location information field of a user record of the user with the location data retrieved.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining new status data for the user from user activity on the client device; and

instructing the central server to update a status field of the user record of the user in the database with the status data determined in the determining action.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is an external display unit electrically coupled to the client device and the unique identifier (UID) has been retrieved from extended display identification data stored in the external display unit.

7. A method, in a server, for maintaining location information in a database, wherein the server is configured to communicate with a client device, the method comprising:

receiving and executing a request from the client device to obtain from the database location data corresponding to a unique identifier (UID), wherein the unique identifier is part of the request;

if the database has no location data corresponding to the unique identifier supplying to the client device a message indicating that the database has no location data corresponding to the unique identifier;

receiving and executing a first instruction comprising the unique identifier (UID) of a device and location data linked to said device from the client device to generate in the database a device record corresponding to the at least one device, the record comprising a UID-field and a location information field, wherein the unique identifier (UID) is stored in the UID-field and location data is stored in the location information field.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the client device and executing a second instruction comprising data identifying a user using the client device and location data linked to said user to update a location information field of a user record of said user in the database with the location data linked to said user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a loss of connection with the client device; and

subsequently

updating in the database a status field of a user record of a user using the client device to indicate that the user is offline.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising, stored thereupon, computer-readable code that, when executed on a processor of a client device, causes the client device to:

scan for at least one device, the at least one device being provided with a unique identifier (UID) and having a fixed location near the client device;

retrieve said unique identifier from the at least one device;

request a server to obtain from the database location data corresponding to said unique identifier (UID);

receive from the server a message indicating that the database has no location data corresponding to said unique identifier;

request, if the database has no location data corresponding to said unique identifier a user, using the client device, to input location data corresponding to the location of the client device;

receive the location data inputted by the user; and

,

instruct the server to generate in the database a device record, corresponding to the at least one device, the device record comprising a UID-field and a location information field, wherein the unique identifier (UID) is stored in the UID-field and the location data is stored in the location information field.

11. A client device comprising a processor and a memory to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the client device to:

scan for at least one device, the at least one device being provided with a unique identifier (UID) and having a fixed location near the client device;

retrieve the unique identifier from the at least one device;

request a server to obtain from a database location data corresponding to said unique identifier (UID);

receive from the server a message indicating that the database has no location data corresponding to said unique identifier;

request, if the database has no location data corresponding to said unique identifier a user, using the client device, to input location data corresponding to the location of the client device;

receive the location data inputted by the user; and

,

instruct the server to generate in the database a device record, corresponding to the at least one device, the device record comprising a UID-field and a location information field, wherein the unique identifier (UID) is stored in the UID-field and the location data is stored in the location information field.

12. A client device according to claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the client device further to:

request a webserver to construct a map of a particular area containing all users that are currently located in an area based on user records in the database,

receive the map; and

,

generate signals to display the map on a display unit.

13. A client device according to claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the client device further to:

request the webserver in response to input of a user to provide the client device with status information of a particular user from database, the status information comprises at least location data of said particular user and a map of an area comprising a location corresponding to the location data.

14. A server for maintaining location information in a database, wherein the server is configured to communicate with a client device, the server comprising a processor and a memory to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the server to:

receive and execute a request from the client device to obtain from the database location data corresponding to a unique identifier (UID), wherein the unique identifier is part of the request;

if no location data corresponding to the unique identifier could be obtained from the database supply to the client device a message indicating that the corresponding location data could not be found;

receive and execute a first instruction comprising the unique identifier (UID) of a stationary device and location data linked to said stationary device from the client device to generate in the database a stationary device record comprising a UID-field and a location information field, wherein the unique identifier (UID) is stored in the UID-field and location data is stored in the location information field.

15. A system for maintaining location information, the system comprises:

a plurality of client devices;

a plurality of devices having a fixed location in a working environment and capable to communicate with a client device, wherein each of the plurality of devices comprises a unique identifier which can be communicated to the client device;

a server;

a database comprising device records and for each user of the system a user record, a device record comprising at least a unique identifier (UID) field and a location data field , a user record comprising at least a user-ID field and a location data field; and

,

a webserver configured to construct from the user records a map of at least a part of the flexible working environment with the location of users in said part of the flexible working environment, wherein the location of a user is indicated by a picture positioned in the map on the location corresponding to the location data of said user obtained from the user record of said user;

wherein each of the client devices comprises a processor and a memory to store instructions that,

when executed by the processor, cause the client device to;

scan for at least one device, the at least one device being provided with a unique identifier (UID) and having a fixed location near the client device;

retrieve the unique identifier from the at least one device;

request a server to obtain from a database location data corresponding to said unique identifier (UID);

receive from the server a message indicating that the database has no location data corresponding to said unique identifier;

request, if the database has no location data corresponding to said unique identifier a user, using the client device, to input location data corresponding to the location of the client device;

receive the location data inputted by the user; and

,

instruct the server to generate in the database a device record, corresponding to the at least one device, the device record comprising a UID-field and a location information field, wherein the unique identifier (UID) is stored in the UID-field and the location data is stored in the location information field; and

wherein the server is configured to communicate with client devices and comprises a processor and a memory to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the server to;

receive and execute a request from a client device to obtain from the database location data corresponding to a unique identifier (UID), wherein the unique identifier is part of the request;

if no location data corresponding to the unique identifier could be obtained from the database supply to the requesting client device a message indicating that the corresponding location data could not be found;

receive and execute a first instruction comprising the unique identifier (UID) of a stationary device and location data linked to said stationary device from the client device to generate in the database a stationary device record comprising a UID-field and a location information field, wherein the unique identifier (UID) is stored in the UID-field and location data is stored in the location information field.