Patent · US Expired

Locating and mapping wireless network devices via wireless gateways

US6826162B2 · kind B2 · utility

42Cited by
47References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 28, 2001
Grant dateNov 30, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 18, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W64/00
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for locating a network device relative to other network devices are useful for the management of wireless computing networks. Signal strength in a wireless network is indicative of a distance between a transmitting device and a receiving device. Through use of triangulation of the received signals at multiple receiving devices, the relative location of the transmitting device can be determined. Methods of refining the estimation of the expected location of the transmitting device are further provided. Defining an absolute location for at least one of the devices will permit determining the absolute location of the remaining devices based on these relative locations. Locating network devices relative to each other facilitates identifying a closest available resource within the network.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.