Method and system for determining the physical location of computers in a network by storing a room location and MAC address in the ethernet wall plate
US6601097B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 10, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jul 29, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 10, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L61/35
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for determining the physical locations of a plurality of computers in a network is disclosed. The network includes a plurality of wall plates, each of the wall plates for coupling one of the computers to the network. The method and system comprises providing an additional information physical layer and logic in each of the wall plates. The method and system further comprises capturing and storing the system media access-controller (MAC) address of the connect computer in the additional logic of each of the plurality of wall plates and storing a physical address of the wall plate in the logic of each of the plurality of wall plates. The method and system also comprises providing a command from the network that will cause the system MAC address and the physical address of at least one of the plurality of computers to be provided to an application in the network. A system and method in accordance with the present invention adds a low cost physical layer and logic within an Ethernet wall plate associated with the computer on the network. The logic is designed to respond to a broadcast signal to a UDP (User Datagram Protocol) port. In so doing the physical location of the compu…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.