Network awareness of device location

• US 9,867,116 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Sanderson, Phillip Andrew, Lynn, Jr., Thomas William
• Primary Examiner(s): Chung, Hoon J
• Application Number:
  US13/721,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20140177589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 370331-334, 455436-444
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing a network are disclosed. One method can comprise detecting a triggering event at a node. Location information of the node can be transmitted to a routing device in response to the triggering event. Location information of the node can be transmitted to a management device. The management device can be configured to control an operation of one or more of the node and the routing device in response to the location information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a triggering event at an access point, wherein the triggering event comprises a communication between the access point and a user device;

encapsulating, at the access point, within a layer 3 packet, a layer 2 frame comprising an identifier of the access point in response to the triggering event, wherein the identifier is associated with a location of the access point;

transmitting the encapsulated identifier of the access point to a routing device in response to the triggering event; and

causing a transmission of the identifier of the access point to a management device, wherein the management device is configured to control an operation of one or more of the access point and the routing device in response to the identifier,

wherein the layer 2 frame comprising the identifier is encapsulated in the layer 3 packet using generic routing encapsulation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event comprises receiving data at the access point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) address associated with the access point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is encapsulated in the layer 2 frame using one or more of internet control messaging protocol, address resolution protocol, or connectivity fault management protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point is one or more of, a wireless router, or a gateway device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the identifier of the access point to the management device is executed by the routing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the management device comprises one or more of an authentication element, an authorization element, or an accounting element.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, at a routing device, an identifier of an access point based on an occurrence of a triggering event at the access point, wherein the triggering event comprises a communication between the access point and a user device, and wherein the identifier is received in a layer 2 frame encapsulated in a layer 3 packet by the access point, wherein the identifier is associated with a location of the access point; and

transmitting, by the routing device, the identifier of the access point to a management device, wherein the management device is configured to control an operation of one or more of the access point and the routing device in response to the identifier,

wherein the layer 2 frame comprising the identifier is encapsulated in the layer 3 packet using generic routing encapsulation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the triggering event comprises receiving data at the access point.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifier comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) address associated with the access point.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifier is encapsulated in the layer 2 frame using one or more of internet control messaging protocol, address resolution protocol, or connectivity fault management protocol.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the access point is one or more of, a wireless router, and a gateway device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the management device comprises one or more of an authentication element, an authorization element, or an accounting element.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, at a routing device, a first identifier of a first access point based upon a first communication between the first access point of a network and a user device, wherein the first identifier is associated with a location of the first access point;

receiving, at the routing device, a second identifier of a second access point based upon a second communication between the second access point of the network and the user device, wherein the second identifier is received in a layer 2 frame encapsulated in a layer 3 packet by the second access point, wherein the second identifier is associated with a location of the second access point; and

updating client location data of the user device based on the second identifier,

wherein the layer 2 frame comprising the second identifier is encapsulated in the layer 3 packet using generic routing encapsulation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more of the first identifier and the second identifier comprises a MAC address associated with one or more of the first access point or the second access point.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second identifier is encapsulated in the layer 2 frame using one or more of internet control messaging protocol, address resolution protocol, or connectivity fault management protocol.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more of the first access point or the second access point is a wireless router.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting the second identifier to a management device, wherein the management device comprises one or more of an authentication element, an authorization element, or an accounting element.

19. A network comprising:

a first access point configured to communicate with a user device and transmit a first identifier of the first access point to a routing device, wherein the first identifier is associated with a location of the first access point; and

a second access point configured to communicate with the user device, encapsulate a layer 2 frame comprising a second identifier of the second access point in a layer 3 packet, and transmit the layer 3 packet to the routing device, wherein the second identifier is associated with a location of the second access point;

wherein client location data of the user device is updated based on the second identifier,

wherein the layer 2 frame comprising the second identifier is encapsulated in the layer 3 packet using generic routing encapsulation.

20. The network of claim 19, wherein the layer 3 packet is an internet protocol packet.

21. The network of claim 19, wherein the first identifier is transmitted, by the first access point, in a dynamic host configuration protocol option.