Client proximity detection method and system
US7936872B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 2003 |
| Grant date | May 3, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 11, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S370/913
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method in a wireless network for discovering which resources (e.g., other wireless computing devices) are proximate a user's wireless computing device. Wireless signal strengths with respect to various base stations are compared with the signal strengths of other network devices or resources, to determine which devices are experiencing similar signal strengths. Devices with similar signal strengths are deemed proximate. Each participating computing device may send its signal strength reports to a proximity server, which distributes proximity data to network clients. Each client may receive and process the signal strength data for determining which other clients/resources are proximate, or the server can perform proximity computations and return a list of proximate clients. Once computed, the identities of the proximate clients can be used to query for additional data about the clients, such as the names and other details of their owners, or information about the resource.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.