System for dynamically tracking the location of network devices to enable emergency services

Abstract

A system and / or method to determine the location within a building of an apparatus, such as a personal computer, coupled to a computer network. A communication facility of the apparatus is configured to source and sink messages in the computer network via at least one network port coupled to the computer network. A radio frequency (RF) receiver of the apparatus is configured to receive beacon signals transmitted by a plurality of base stations, the base stations located in the building, each beacon signal encoded with location information descriptive of the location of one of the base stations. Also, a location determination engine of the apparatus is configured to compute a location of the apparatus based on the location information encoded in the beacon signals, the computed location being a point within the building.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 908,341, which was filed on Jul. 18, 2001, by David Oran and Silvano Gai, for a SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY TRACKING THE LOCATION OF NETWORK DEVICES TO ENABLE EMERGENCY SERVICES. [0002] The present application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 884,239, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,611, which was filed on Jun. 19, 2001, by David Oran and Silvano Gai for a SYSTEM FOR DISCOVERING AND MAINTAINING GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION INFORMATION IN A COMPUTER NETWORK TO ENABLE EMERGENCY SERVICES, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] This invention relates to computer networks, and more specifically, to a system for dynamically discovering and reporting the location of network entities or devices. [0005] 2. Background Information [0006] Computer networks typically comprise...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] If an emergency call, such as a 911 call, is made from the network entity, the entity's location information is retrieved from the central repository and appended to the call. As a result, emergency personnel are provided with accurate location information of the specific network entity from which the emergency call was placed. The location information can be retrieved by the network entity itself as part of the emergency call procedure or by one or more intermediate network device's used to route the call to the emergency personnel.

Problems solved by technology

Because the creations of such manual inventories are so time consuming, they are rarely performed.

They are also error-prone, resulting in the data base having incorrect information.

For organizations using a private branch exchange (PBX) telephone switch, however, subscriber information is often limited to the organization's name and its main address.

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