Locating computer-controlled entities

• US 9,414,351 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Andres, Michael, Bolte, Dirk, Hess, Thomas, Strasser, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKKI, MUNEAR T
• Application Number:
  US14/924,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 286 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/8.1, 340/539.32, 342/450, 709/223
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/04 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 21/00 Systems for transmitting the position of an object with respect to a predetermined reference system, e.g. tele-autographic system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/14 Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

A beacon device is provided in proximity to a computing system within a computing center. A request to locate the computing system in the computing center is triggered on a central control unit. In response to the request to locate the computing system, the control unit generates specification data for a unique radio signal identifier, sends an activation request and the specification data to the beacon device, and provides the specification data to a portable device and stores the specification data on the portable device. In response to receiving the activation request, the beacon device sends a radio signal identifier generated from the specification data.

Claims

1. A method for locating a computing system within a computing center using a processor device, comprising:

providing a beacon device in proximity to said computing system;

triggering a request to locate said computing system on a central control unit;

in response to the request to locate said computing system, said control unit;

generating specification data for a unique radio signal identifier,

sending an activation request and said specification data to said beacon device, and

providing said specification data to a portable device via a network connection by said control unit, the portable device being separate from said control unit, and storing said specification data on the portable device; and

in response to receiving said activation request, said beacon device on said computing system sending a radio signal identifier generated from said specification data for locating said computing system.

2. The method of claim 1, further including receiving signals on said portable device from said beacon device of said computing system and comparing the received signals with the specification data stored on the portable device, and based on the results of the comparison by said portable device, providing location information of said computing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said computing system includes a computing unit.

4. The method of claim 1, further including:

receiving said activation request from said control unit, and

in response to receiving said activation request, triggering said beacon device to send said radio signal identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said radio signal identifier includes a unique identifier derived from a unique identifier for said control unit and said beacon device.

6. A system for locating a computing system within a computing center, comprising:

at least one processor device, operable in the computing environment, wherein the processor device;

provides a beacon device in proximity to said computing system,

triggers a request to locate said computing system on a central control unit,

in response to the request to locate said computing system, said control unit;

generates specification data for a unique radio signal identifier,

sends an activation request and said specification data to said beacon device, and

provides said specification data to a portable device via a network connection by said control unit, and stores said specification data on the portable device, the portable device being separate from said central control unit, and

in response to receiving said activation request, said beacon device on said computing system sends a radio signal identifier generated from said specification data for locating said computing system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor device receives signals on said portable device from said beacon device of said computing system and comparing the received signals with the specification data stored on the portable device, and based on the results of the comparison by said portable device, provides information of said computing system.

8. The system of claim 6, further including a computing unit incorporated into said computing system.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor device:

receives said activation request from said control unit, and

in response to receiving said activation request, triggering said beacon device to send said radio signal identifier.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said radio signal identifier includes a unique identifier derived from a unique identifier for said control unit and said beacon device.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein said portable device is one of a personal digital assistant (PDA), tablet, phone, laptop computer, and mobile computing device.

12. The system of claim 11, further including a rotating antenna coupled to the one of the PDA, tablet, phone, laptop computer, and mobile computing device for receiving the signals.

13. A computer program product for locating a computing system within a computing center, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion that operates a beacon device in proximity to said computing system;

a second executable portion that triggers a request to locate said entity on a central control unit;

a third executable portion that, in response to the request to locate said computing system, said control unit;

generates specification data for a unique radio signal identifier,

sends an activation request and said specification data to said beacon device, and

provides said specification data to a portable device via a network connection by said control unit, and storing said specification data on the portable device, the portable device being separate from said central control unit; and

a fourth executable portion that sends, in response to receiving said activation request, a radio signal identifier generated from said specification data using said beacon device on said computing device for locating said computing system.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further including a fifth executable portion that receives signals on said portable device from said beacon device of said entity and compares said received signals with said specification data stored on said portable device, and based on the results of the comparison by said portable device, providing location information of said computing system.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said computing system includes a computing unit.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further including a fifth executable portion that:

receives said activation request from said control unit, and

in response to receiving said activation request, triggers said beacon device to send said radio signal identifier.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said radio signal identifier includes a unique identifier derived from a unique identifier for said control unit and said beacon device.